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Old Mar 8, 2011, 6:06 pm
  #1  
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Zipcar vs Connect By Hertz

sorry if this has been discussed before

what is better between zipcar and hertz? I have a hertz #1 gold though I don't think it does much, and I'd like to avoid those ugly zipcar stickers on the side if possible

any significant differences between the two? I'd rent infrequently from the UES

TIA
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Old Mar 8, 2011, 6:34 pm
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Not a clue if they are still valid or not, but the Hertz coupon thread has some free membership application fee waived codes in it from when connect was starting.

I have heard good things about both, one friend prefers zip because they can use their iphone to get the car. I would base it on which is a better price and closer to where you need to go.

I also believe both connect and zip run discounts through their facebook and twitter feeds from time to time, so follow them.
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Old Mar 8, 2011, 7:58 pm
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Frankly, I had never heard of Hertz connect, but Zipcar is in the garage of my building and could not be more convenient. That's the difference for me.
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Old Mar 8, 2011, 8:04 pm
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There is also Mint Car www.drivemint.com
I use them as they have more/better locations in Brooklyn.
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Old Mar 8, 2011, 9:35 pm
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I suspect that there are several different promotional offers out there for Connect by Hertz. Amtrak just mailed this one to me:

https://www.connectbyhertz.com/amtrak
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Old Mar 9, 2011, 8:08 am
  #6  
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I've been very disappointed with Hertz so far, specifically the availability of cars in my neighborhood (UWS). I like the idea of being able to drive myself to the airport and drop the car off there for little $$$$, but it seems whenever I want to do that there are no cars available for that function.
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Old Mar 9, 2011, 10:37 am
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How long the rental and what day is pickup?
If on S,M or Th remember the one way rentals to/from Manhattan and EWR for about $25 for a certain 12 or more period.
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Old Mar 9, 2011, 6:18 pm
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I'm a member of both Zipcar and ConnectByHertz (CBH).

Zipcar has a far superior website and better variety and quantity of cars around the city. Zipcar also has the iPhone app, which is supposed to be cool (I don't have an iPhone).

CBH is generally a little cheaper per hour and has three cars stashed right outside my building. CBH also has a Hertz Neverlost installed in every car (although I don't like the old ones in the cars by my building, so I bring my own Garmin anyway when I need GPS), and CBH has a little device in the car that lets you do things like check time remaining or extend your reservation by pushing a couple buttons. CBH's decals are also a little less obnoxious than Zipcar's.

Despite being a member of both, I actually rent cars from regular car rental places (mostly Hertz) far more often because I can usually find rates that are much cheaper than the daily rate from Zip or CBH, and with regular Hertz mrsmicah and I can switch off driving (with Zip and CBH only the person who made the reservation is allowed to drive).

But Zip and CBH are convenient for a quick jaunt to have lunch with grandma in NJ or to make an Ikea run or to drive someone home late at night when a cab isn't available. So I find it worthwhile to maintain both memberships (I pay $20/year for Zip through an alumni association discount and $50/year for CBH).

If you're signing up, promo code HOPSTOP waives the first year membership fee and gives you an $80 driving credit for CBH (although you have to pay the $25 application fee).

There are usually promo codes out there for Zipcar, too. I know NJTransit used to have a good one ($50 or something), although I don't know if it's still current.


Originally Posted by magiciansampras
I've been very disappointed with Hertz so far, specifically the availability of cars in my neighborhood (UWS). I like the idea of being able to drive myself to the airport and drop the car off there for little $$$$, but it seems whenever I want to do that there are no cars available for that function.
You don't need Connectbyhertz for that. Just use the regular Hertz Driv Ur Self rates and you can drive from any Manhattan Hertz location to the airport for pretty darn cheap.
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Old Mar 10, 2011, 6:45 am
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Originally Posted by themicah

You don't need Connectbyhertz for that. Just use the regular Hertz Driv Ur Self rates and you can drive from any Manhattan Hertz location to the airport for pretty darn cheap.
Those are only available on limited days of the week, however. And, like Connect, subject to availability of cars.
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Old Mar 10, 2011, 8:30 am
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Originally Posted by magiciansampras
Those are only available on limited days of the week, however. And, like Connect, subject to availability of cars.
Hertz has two drive to the airport rates.

The one I linked is the Driv-ur-self rate, which is good any day of the week, but only from Manhattan to the airport (not the other way around) and you only get the car for 2.5 hours and can only drive 30 miles. It's truly just for driving to the airport. Note that when you reserve it shows up as a $99 rate, but you're supposed to get a coupon when you pick up in Manhattan that reduces it to the stated rates when you return at the airport within 2.5 hours.

They also have an Airport Shuttle rate, which allows you to keep the car for 24 hours and drive unlimited miles, but is only good Sun/Mon to the airport and Thu/Fri from the airport (designed to get cars to the airport for weekday business travelers and to the city for city residents' weekend getaways).

Either way, you can reserve a car ahead of time, and unlike CBH which only has a couple dozen cars scattered around the city (most of which aren't available for one-way trips), Hertz proper has something like 20,000 cars in the NYC area and is rarely sold out except on big holidays.
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Old Mar 10, 2011, 11:59 am
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I have a zip car garage right around the corner from me. Never a problem getting a car.
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Old Mar 10, 2011, 12:04 pm
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Originally Posted by themicah
Hertz has two drive to the airport rates.

The one I linked is the Driv-ur-self rate, which is good any day of the week, but only from Manhattan to the airport (not the other way around) and you only get the car for 2.5 hours and can only drive 30 miles. It's truly just for driving to the airport. Note that when you reserve it shows up as a $99 rate, but you're supposed to get a coupon when you pick up in Manhattan that reduces it to the stated rates when you return at the airport within 2.5 hours.

They also have an Airport Shuttle rate, which allows you to keep the car for 24 hours and drive unlimited miles, but is only good Sun/Mon to the airport and Thu/Fri from the airport (designed to get cars to the airport for weekday business travelers and to the city for city residents' weekend getaways).

Either way, you can reserve a car ahead of time, and unlike CBH which only has a couple dozen cars scattered around the city (most of which aren't available for one-way trips), Hertz proper has something like 20,000 cars in the NYC area and is rarely sold out except on big holidays.
Right but what I'm saying is that I'm rarely able to actually use these rate codes. For instance, ICAP never lets me pick up a car on a Friday evening at LGA and return to a UWS HLE. It just says:

"The Rate Code you've selected - ICAP is not available for this rental either because that location isn't participating or some requirement for the offer hasn't been met. We have removed the Rate Code from your request to provide you with the best rate. There may be other offers in the Special offer section which do apply, so you could check there for an alternative. [DRX142]"
This is for a tomorrow pick up and return.
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Old Mar 10, 2011, 12:12 pm
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I believe that to get the ICAP rate, the car must be picked up from the airport by no later than Friday morning (or perhaps early Friday afternoon). The rate is not offered for Friday night pick-ups: a car picked up at LGA on a Friday night would not have to be returned to Manhattan until Saturday night, which is after the peak demand for Manhattan car rentals.
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Old Mar 10, 2011, 12:30 pm
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Originally Posted by guv1976
I believe that to get the ICAP rate, the car must be picked up from the airport by no later than Friday morning (or perhaps early Friday afternoon). The rate is not offered for Friday night pick-ups: a car picked up at LGA on a Friday night would not have to be returned to Manhattan until Saturday night, which is after the peak demand for Manhattan car rentals.
Correct. ICAP is only available for pickup from the airport between Thursday 1pm and Friday noon (with return in Manhattan up to 24 hours later) and pickup from Manhattan between Sunday 2pm and Monday noon (with return to an airport up to 24 hours later).

HRLYA (the Driv-ur-self) is available pretty much all the time.
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Old Mar 10, 2011, 12:42 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by guv1976
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I believe that to get the ICAP rate, the car must be picked up from the airport by no later than Friday morning (or perhaps early Friday afternoon). The rate is not offered for Friday night pick-ups: a car picked up at LGA on a Friday night would not have to be returned to Manhattan until Saturday night, which is after the peak demand for Manhattan car rentals.
Seems a bit silly. Why not just have Friday afternoon pickups due back by Saturday morning?
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