"Working the upgrade" at Hertz locations in Europe

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I've become pretty good at working the counter staff at US Hertz locations to get a good upgrade by pitching in some extra $$ and allowing them to try to upsell me. Often a good upgrade can be had for relatively low $$.

However, in Europe I have not been able to work any specials at the time of rental. The counter staff there are able to put me into a different category of car, but then want to reprice it as if I had booked it into the higher class on Hertz.com -- in other words, no real deal.

Any tips to get a better car in Europe? If it matters, usually I book an I6 class and get a BMW 3 series.
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Same here. Last year heading to my sisters wedding, I'd been allocated a VW Passat. Looking around the lot, there were plenty of more desirable cars such as Audis, Mercedes, but when I went and asked if I could pay to get an upgrade, they would only reprice to the 'walk up' rate for those cars which needless to say is very expensive.
The times that I have landed good upgrades have been when I've booked a model that was then unavailable at time of pickup. For example I had a great run of booking 'green collection' intermediates, and getting upgraded to prestige or fun collection cars. In the last few months I've not seen a single upgrade though, and I can see why, because I'm seeing far fewer high-end cars on the lot. I guess they've scaled back because of the economy, so there is no oversupply anymore.
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Follow http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/13149948-post1562.html - free one class upgrade in 2010 in Europe.
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Much thanks! Following the instructions right now...
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For some reason I am getting all kinds of trouble trying to book at Hertz.com with a pick-up at AMS. I am usually renting I6 class (Special, Full-Size, Manual) in Berlin, but nothing like that is coming up. Had to pick up the phone (the horror!) and talk to a human to get the reservation done.
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Quote: Follow http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/13149948-post1562.html - free one class upgrade in 2010 in Europe.
Quick thanks to FT member Razdva for promptly sending the PDF coupon to my email. I will give it a try on the 24th when I pick up my car in AMS and report back as to my success.
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I try not to rent in amsterdam these days, last 3 times i booked a golf got a ford fusion according to them it is the same class. Attitude was take it or leave it!! Good luck
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Razdva, I just tried your codes for a booking, it comes in 6 cheaper(386 opposed to 392) but main problem is then limit the mileage to 1750kms for the week. This was for a rental in Stuttgart, maybe differant in other countries.
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Quote: Razdva, I just tried your codes for a booking, it comes in 6 cheaper(386 opposed to 392) but main problem is then limit the mileage to 1750kms for the week. This was for a rental in Stuttgart, maybe differant in other countries.
I have 2 forthcoming rentals by Hertz when I used code and PC in Italy and Spain. I have unlimited mileage in both cases.

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Base Amount:
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(MI = Miles KM = Kilometers)
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Quote: I try not to rent in amsterdam these days, last 3 times i booked a golf got a ford fusion according to them it is the same class. Attitude was take it or leave it!! Good luck
ha....I rent there 1x per month.....AMS @Schiphol just plain out sucks.....as well as the staff......just picked up a D class today (again, same crappy Toyota Verso as 2x in the past) and an employee ( I speak Dutch) just got a brand new Lancia to take home for the night.....
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Maybe they like to keep the nice cars for staff! That might explain their pricing ,I have to rent in Feb they wanted 450 a day for a MB C class with 0 free kms and 2.90per/km
At that rate they must keep most for staff
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