Cars at CLT
Feb 15, 2014, 12:44 pm
#61
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Gulf Coast
Programs: Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond; National Car Rental Executive Elite
Posts: 2,322
Friday, 2/14/14, Noon.
I completely understand IROPS were going on in the Southeast and flights, hotels, and rental car companies were affected.
However, the Executive Aisle had:
I ended up finding a Jeep Grand Cherokee on the Emerald Aisle and began putting my belongings into it. Out of the office runs a kid (early 20's, tops) screaming "That's mine!" An unidentified agent (no logo jacket, nametag, etc.) walking around the lot tosses the kid the keys to the Jeep. Apparently he was holding them in his pocket. I said "Are all of the keys in your pocket?" and he said "You need to ask me first if you want a specific vehicle." I walked away.
I went over to the SUV aisle and took a Terrain. It was covered in snow and didn't have any windshield washer fluid, but it got me home.
I completely understand IROPS were going on in the Southeast and flights, hotels, and rental car companies were affected.
However, the Executive Aisle had:
- Nissan Altima with coffee cups and trash in the front seat.
- Nissan Juke with no center arm rest, satellite radio, or USB power port. Apparently the armrest thing is by design, but I was driving 200 miles and wanted to be comfortable.
- Chevrolet Malibu buried under 8" of snow/ice with no keys.
I ended up finding a Jeep Grand Cherokee on the Emerald Aisle and began putting my belongings into it. Out of the office runs a kid (early 20's, tops) screaming "That's mine!" An unidentified agent (no logo jacket, nametag, etc.) walking around the lot tosses the kid the keys to the Jeep. Apparently he was holding them in his pocket. I said "Are all of the keys in your pocket?" and he said "You need to ask me first if you want a specific vehicle." I walked away.
I went over to the SUV aisle and took a Terrain. It was covered in snow and didn't have any windshield washer fluid, but it got me home.
Feb 19, 2014, 3:41 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Madison, WI
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 973
Was there Saturday morning 2/8 really early (12:30 AM).
ES was well stocked with SUVs - I took a Nissan Pathfinder. It worked great for a family of 5!
They also had a Toyota Highlander, a few Nissan Muranos, a few Toyota RAV4s, a couple Nissan Jukes, a few Jeeps (Don't remember exactly which ones).
ES was well stocked with SUVs - I took a Nissan Pathfinder. It worked great for a family of 5!
They also had a Toyota Highlander, a few Nissan Muranos, a few Toyota RAV4s, a couple Nissan Jukes, a few Jeeps (Don't remember exactly which ones).
May 15, 2014, 8:53 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Gold, US Silver, Starwood Gold, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 331
I don't rent cars frequently but made a reservation for a "Fullsize SUV" (Chevy Tahoe or similar) at the CLT Uptown - Ritz Carlton location for memorial day weekend. Any idea what I should be expecting?
Have a one-way cross-country move coming, and am hoping for no surprises.
Have a one-way cross-country move coming, and am hoping for no surprises.
Last edited by midnightinharlem; May 15, 2014 at 9:32 am
May 15, 2014, 11:28 am
#65
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Gold, US Silver, Starwood Gold, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 331
May 15, 2014, 11:31 am
#66
Used to be bulldoggolfer05
Join Date: May 2007
Location: São Paulo, BR/Miami Beach, FL/NYC/DXB
Programs: HGP DMD, HHonors DMD, SPG PLT, MR PLT
Posts: 2,295
I cannot speak to the SUV selection at the Ritz, but I once had a Premium reservation there to save on taxes and fees, but that location doesn't actually carry Premium vehicles. Since I had to go to the airport anyways to drop off a FL Drive-Out vehicle, they were more than happy to switch the FCAR out for a PCAR at the airport.
Jan 2, 2015, 3:31 pm
#68
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: American Airlines Platinum, National Executive
Posts: 3,790
How is the selection at the Charlotte uptown/Ritz-Carlton location? I am thinking of renting from there because it's cheaper, but I do like having the superb CLT airport selection. Thanks.
May 4, 2015, 11:05 am
#71
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: National Executive Elite
Posts: 18
Picked up Thursday around 6:00 pm. First time at the new rental car center which is very nice btw. Really didn't see a difference between the regular aisle and executive selection. Tons of 200's 1 or 2 S models. A bunch of Sonata's, nothing really notable. As I was about to take a 200 they were pulling up a black fusion titanium which I took. 16,000 miles. Great for a road trip to Pittsburgh.
Jun 9, 2015, 2:39 pm
#72
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 34
Picked up this past Sunday night 7:00pm. New rental car center is really nice and convenient.
Plenty to choose from is ES, nice mix of cars & SUV's. Some American and a nice selection of foreign cars.
Took a new Camry SE with 4K miles, not a bad ride if I may say.
Plenty to choose from is ES, nice mix of cars & SUV's. Some American and a nice selection of foreign cars.
Took a new Camry SE with 4K miles, not a bad ride if I may say.
May 12, 2016, 11:09 am
#75
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
Tuesday evening around 10pm the ES was only FCAR, mostly Altima with a couple of Camry and Malibu. I was on a PCAR res and the lot greeter just kept asking me if I was Emerald or Exec, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it's possible to book above the aisle. He finally got that I had reserved a PCAR and pointed me to an Impala 2LT that hadn't yet been cleaned as the only option and when I asked for something clean he shrugged his shoulders and said "It's Tuesday, we're pretty slammed". I asked about one of the handful of 328i and CLAs sitting next to PS and he pointed back to the desk inside and said "They'll have to do it". I was pretty furious at this point.
I walked back into the desk area and, while the congeniality picked up a bit, the message didn't improve any. I was told I could either have the dirty Impala 2LT or pay an upgrade fee for something else. I told her I didn't think I should have to pay for the next best clean car but would take something at my company's negotiated LCAR rate if necessary. She said that would be fine but when she looked it up and saw how low the negotiated rate was she said "I'm sorry, I can let you have any of the BMW or Mercedes at that rate". I asked to speak with a manager but was told there wasn't one on duty. I nearly lost it but was too tired to do walk-up somewhere else and calmly asked "what will it take to drive out in something clean and as good or better than my reservation" to which she offered anything on the lot for a $25 up-charge. She personally walked out to the lot with me at which point I tested her offer asking for a Stingray (declined) and then Ghibli (declined) and finally settled on a 528i for the offered $25 up-charge. This came out to be ~$11 more than my company LCAR rate so I took it and left.
Had it not been ~10pm with no manager on duty I would have pushed harder for them honoring my reserved rate with my reserved car class or better... had it been earlier in the day I'm sure they could have, at least, cleaned the single PCAR they had on hand and I would have been on my way with a short wait. I'm pretty appalled by the service and the fact that I was refused the next car class up from PCAR (there was an LCAR, a CLA, available) without an upgrade fee when there were none of my reserved class available. Further, I'm equally upset that my company's negotiated LCAR rate was basically refused because it was "too low to let a Mercedes or BMW go for". While I was only charged $11 over my LCAR rate and $25 over my booked PCAR rate for a 528i, the amount of push-back and negotiation it took to get to that point they were not able to provide my reserved car class and unwilling to honor my negotiated rate is deplorable.
This, honestly, may be the worst customer service I've received on ANY car rental, National or otherwise.
I walked back into the desk area and, while the congeniality picked up a bit, the message didn't improve any. I was told I could either have the dirty Impala 2LT or pay an upgrade fee for something else. I told her I didn't think I should have to pay for the next best clean car but would take something at my company's negotiated LCAR rate if necessary. She said that would be fine but when she looked it up and saw how low the negotiated rate was she said "I'm sorry, I can let you have any of the BMW or Mercedes at that rate". I asked to speak with a manager but was told there wasn't one on duty. I nearly lost it but was too tired to do walk-up somewhere else and calmly asked "what will it take to drive out in something clean and as good or better than my reservation" to which she offered anything on the lot for a $25 up-charge. She personally walked out to the lot with me at which point I tested her offer asking for a Stingray (declined) and then Ghibli (declined) and finally settled on a 528i for the offered $25 up-charge. This came out to be ~$11 more than my company LCAR rate so I took it and left.
Had it not been ~10pm with no manager on duty I would have pushed harder for them honoring my reserved rate with my reserved car class or better... had it been earlier in the day I'm sure they could have, at least, cleaned the single PCAR they had on hand and I would have been on my way with a short wait. I'm pretty appalled by the service and the fact that I was refused the next car class up from PCAR (there was an LCAR, a CLA, available) without an upgrade fee when there were none of my reserved class available. Further, I'm equally upset that my company's negotiated LCAR rate was basically refused because it was "too low to let a Mercedes or BMW go for". While I was only charged $11 over my LCAR rate and $25 over my booked PCAR rate for a 528i, the amount of push-back and negotiation it took to get to that point they were not able to provide my reserved car class and unwilling to honor my negotiated rate is deplorable.
This, honestly, may be the worst customer service I've received on ANY car rental, National or otherwise.