bmw745ion19s

I am not sure how they are equipped in Avis trim but think of them as a cheaper alternative to a G37 coupe in general. RWD and good handling, Ive driven a few and they are nice cars (for the price they are).

IAHtraveler

Turns out it was a burnt out Genesis Sedan. No thanks. After much haggling, I was able to get a decked out Regal with 4 miles on it. Nice ride, but not the Escalade that they had sitting there. But then again, at Chicago gas prices, I'm better off without the tank.

Impaul4

Has anyone here ever just walked to a space and taken the car? Would they stop you at the gate or just charge you the higher rate and let you leave?

GNALUZU

Yes, they would definitely stop you at the gate. When you leave, they check the name on the contract to make sure it matches your driver's license.

noah

Location: PDX
Status: First
Requested: Nothing
Received: Ford Taurus

born sleepy

Picked up a ~21,000-mi Edge SEL EcoBoost* at ATL last week. Transmission seemed to shift much harder and later than usual (I've had plenty of these cars in the past), then the next day the check-engine light came on as I was getting off GA400 and it felt like the trans was going to eject itself through the hood. I swapped it for another one at the local Avis store. The replacement drove fine but yes, long in the tooth at well over 30,000 mi.

I've had many problems with MS Sync. It'll be working fine, playing music from my iPhone through USB, then the sound just cuts out, or it won't play anything, the random option rarely works, and now I pretty much do a Sync system reset first thing when I end up with a Ford. Maybe it works better with a Windows phone?

* that is a serious misnomer. These Edges are pretty thirsty unless you drive very conservatively.

zhutch

Airport: IAH
Status: First
Rented: Standard
Assigned: Kia Optima (it didn't even have leather--completely bare bones.)
Requested: Infiniti/BMW (i knew it was a stretch...her words: "Nahhhh I caint do dat.")
Received: Ford Taurus Limited, 4 months old, 11000 miles

I got offered every Standard/Full vehicle they had...Passat, Fusion, Camry--you name it. I was hoping she would finally give in and meet me half way with something like a Lincoln or 300, but she was tough. Not very pleasant, either. Finally when she got to the Taurus, I figured that was as good as it was going to get for me. It was a nice car. I never really got used to driving it, though. I was never able to get a feel for where the passenger side of the car and front corners actually were, which resulted in a couple of parking jobs 2' off the curb when i thought i was right on it. haha

Interestingly, there were 2 trucks in the select & go line (an F150 and a Tacoma), a minivan, a small SUV (i don't recall what), and a few intermediate cars.

IAHtraveler

BMW, Infiniti or Linc on a standard ressie? Very very UNlikely IMO.

zhutch

Darn! Guess I didn't push her hard enough. I haven't had much experience trying to get an upgrade like that. Maybe it'll work for me next time!

QBK

I may be wrong, but I think IAHtraveler intended to say "unlikely". My experience indicates that getting a BMW is very difficult for a PC on a Full reservation. BMWs are exclusively "Cool Car" classes, which means at least a 4-class upgrade over a Standard. Lincoln and Infiniti are generally Luxury, which would be a 3-class upgrade -- still unlikely for Avis First.

I would strongly recommend against pushing harder in the future (no skin off my nose, but I don't think it would have positive consequences).

Impaul4

When I was at DAL just the other week they were just throwing them to anyone because they overbooked all the small and medium cars. All they had left were Suburbans, minivans and BMWs/Infinitis.

zhutch

Ah...guess that would make more sense. Oh well. Never hurts to ask. And ask again. What's there to lose? Not really like they can punish me...other than give me a crappy car, but even if that happened, i could either just go to someone else at the main desk or swap it out at exchange & go...

IAHtraveler

Sorry, autocorrect on my phone got me. Definitely meant it's unlikely, unless you're a Chairman or maybe a President's Club.

Impaul4

If you're that adamant about an upgrade you can always do a couple of things:

1. Simply ask to speak with a manager. Usually they are more capable and willing to do upgrades.

2. Take the car, leave and come back and ask for something different. I did this in Dallas recently. I booked full size car and received a Suburban. I took it and came back because I needed the toll tag. I got the Challenger RT I wanted after talking to the manager who was helping me, even though just 20 mins prior the sales person said it was booked. He offered it to me and I said "your associate said it was booked" and he said no one had booked it all week, and was embarrassed she gave me that bs when I originally requested it.


3. Take it from the airport and exchange it at one of the neighborhood locations. I'm not sure if it's true, but one of the associates in FL at the neighborhood location told me once you swap it out there, that revenue becomes the locations revenue and not the airport. So they are more willing to swap it out and upgrade. (In FL I traded in a Focus for a Ford Flex)

4. Just pay for the car you want. Sometimes you have to. I have only paid for an upgrade once in my life. And it was $4 a day to go from a Fiat 500 to a 4-door Jeep Wrangler Sahara. It was worth it to me.

MisterOX

Location: BWI
Status: PC
Reserved: Full-Size
Received: Infiniti FX-37