Programs: US2/Plat, Avis CHM, National Exec, SPG Gold
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Midsize Car at Hertz
Hello!
When I reserve a car online with Hertz, I choose a midsize and its listed example is a Chevrolet Cavalier?! I thought that was a compact with many other car companies, but why is it a midsize with Hertz??
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I think this was a bone of contention with many in this forum, but then I've only gotten Mazda 6's or Altima's in that category. If you get one, just go back to the counter and ask for a 6 (or better yet, the Altima).
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Thanks - I don't know why hertz would clump a Cavalier in as a mid-size. It's degrading to such a rental company purporting to be of a higher class.
On the other note, I just rented a Malibu Maxx as preferred @ Avis - I booked a midsize and apparently this was an "upgrade", according to the guy behind the counter. It IS roomier than the old one, but hardly up to par with it's older sibling, the Impala. So thus it is an improvement, but it doesn't warrant a class upgrade IMO. They're not bad cars per se, just overtly bland like the many other GMs out there.
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If you're not too tall (I'm 6'0" and find the roof to be a bit tight), my favorite midsize after the Mazda 6 is the Hyundai Sonata. You won't have to worry about the Cavalier much longer since it's not being made anymore ... hopefully the Cobalt will be a real upgrade compared to the Cavalier when it's released ...
A Cavalier is not a mid-size. I wrote customer service and they said after Feb 2004 NO cavalier should be rented as a mid-size. Becuase they rented me SEVERAL I have gotten several customer award certificates due to that problem. I also keep a copy of the letter with me in case someone tries to rent me a Cavalier in the future (you hear me SEATTLE!)
Send them an email and they will confirm to you on Hertz letterhead so you can too have the letter for future reference.
PS Cavalier sucks! Unfortunately the Chevy Classic IS a midsize car, and it ALSO sucks! If I'm going to get a Chevy, please, an Impala....
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Never gotten a Cavalier at SEA. Usually if I rent midsize they kick me into a Taurus (which I swap for an Impala). If I rent Compact, they give me a Mazda 6 or a Mustang (non-2005 so far).
They do have a Cavalier at my HLE, but even if I asked for it they'd deny me and park me in an Impala.
If you're not too tall (I'm 6'0" and find the roof to be a bit tight), my favorite midsize after the Mazda 6 is the Hyundai Sonata.
i'm 6'3", and actually find the sonata to be a pretty comfortable car for a midsize. i've had a few of them -- all class YC, leather, etc. i do recline the seat pretty far. :-)
I am in Sonata for the rest of this week and find it pretty decent so far. Very good sound insulation and very soft suspension making longer rides pretty comfortable. V6 but no power seats or leather in mine. For city driving with lots of stops and turns I'd go with Altima or Mazda 6 given a choice.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seat1A
i do recline the seat pretty far. :-)
Well, I'm sure that's why you don't have a problem, I like to sit fairly upright and my head touches the roof in the Sonata when I have the seat in a position I like, not unbearable, but noticable at times, and I'm only 6'0". Part of this is due to the sunroof taking an inch or two of headroom I'm sure since all the Hertz Sonata's I've seen have sunroofs.
I dunno. Guess I was just unlucky. I rented two cars for a month each at SEA in Apr and May of 2004 and both were Cavaliers, one time they said that's the only car they had. Ugh. I own a Sonata at home so I'm generally pleased to get one of them when I rent, too.
Now that I'm officially President's Circle, I've never gotten less than a Taurus from my mid-size rentals, and I'm OK with that.
Yup you were given the correct infomation. Hertz Rents Newer models cars and the car you reserved could have been a 2005 model which i believe is slightly bigger than the older model which other car companys rent.
Ok so you all want to rent cars from a car rental comapny. Do you rent alot? Are you known there by your first name? Many Rental car locations have a main location where cars are kept. Atlanta lets say. Cars are there for reservations if you walk up on a busy day then your in that smoked in car (maybe) If your a hertz gold member it's just a profile in the system folks. Depending on your amount of times you rent with any car rental company they store your usage in the system with your wizard or gold number. If your there every week then that means your in a nicer car (depends) Note: All these depends and maybes are based on if your there on Monday mornings when they have 1300 cars or your there wednesday afternoon when they may have just 92 cars. Like any company there not going to hold that jag or volvo for two or three days When someone making the bucks is going to pay $130 pday for it. My suggestion to you all is reserve what you need and be happy if you do end up with a nicer car. It's nice being in all these clubs for the perks if your car is closer to the terminal than the guy behind you. So this bring me to my point if you reserve a midsize car and your boss wants you to look good for the client tell that hertz or avis guy behind the counter that you would like to be upgraded. Note: Prepaying the fuel you pay a per mile charge up to the first 100 miles if you prepay your not buying the whole tank of gas. Depending on the car class midsize .28 per mile. Just a tip to keep you out of the rain.
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The main beef with Hertz classifying a pre-2005 Cavalier as a "mid-size" is most, if not all, other rental companies - as well as Chevrolet - classify it as a "Compact".
Now Hertz is usually one of the more expensive rental agencies (and their service often justifies that charge) to begin with, so when you add the extra cost of a midsize over a Compact (admittedly it can be as little as $1 a day, but can be more like $10-15) to get what would be a Compact anywhere else, I believe you can understand some of our disappointment.
Yes, renting more often helps. Since clearing the 30-rental mark (and now as a President's Circle member) I have seen many more upgrades - many of them significant (full-size to Avalon XLS, free premium to Town Car Ultimate). And having a relationship with your local rental office is most certainly key. My HLE gives me Volvos and G35s on Compact rates, and I never go away with less then a full-size on a Compact rate unless I want to (like when they have Altimas).
As for Prestige Collection vehicles, SEA has well over a hundred, every day. Four entire rows of them stretching off into the distance of the garage. Once in a while, it would be nice to get one for a one-day or two-day weekend rental on a lower rate. When Hertz did offer the $50 rate, I grabbed them all the time. But at $65-75, it's just not worth the price for a discretionary rental.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheHertzGuy
Prepaying the fuel you pay a per mile charge up to the first 100 miles if you prepay your not buying the whole tank of gas. Depending on the car class midsize .28 per mile. Just a tip to keep you out of the rain.
Not sure I understand what you mean! If I pay for the fuel up front and return it half-full that's tough!
However being a member of the President's Circle (as I understand it) if I forget to fill up (and I do) I only get charged for the fuel used and not like the old days, the whole tank!
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