Just finished renting a car for the week for Alamo at SNA. I reserved a mid-sized, and they gave me a Ford Focus. I double checked to make sure there was no mistake. Yes, Alamo considers the Focus a mid-size now. For years it was universally considered a compact. Right in front of me at arrival was a man screaming about being assigned a Toyota Corolla as a full-size. When did this ridiculous downsizing of the classes happen?
The one positive here was that the Focus was a much better car than I anticipated it would be. I'd be happy to get it as a compact rental. It's just not a mid-size.
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National and Alamo just re-tiered their cars as per what Enterprise has been doing for years. It's pretty common now for something like a Corolla or Sentra to be called a midsize. Except the Cobalt and Focus were called compacts at the same time.
Economy cars are still what they used to be, non-existant. A compact is a slightly larger small car (generally a hatchback) like the Nissan Versa, whereas midsize houses what the real world calls compacts. Standard and fullsize are now mid-size cars and slightly bigger mid-size cars. Actual fullsize cars are now Premium or Luxury cars. Everybody clear as mud on this? Perfect, my work is done...
Funny you mentioned the Versa. A few years ago I read Nissan's aim in bringing this car to the US was to compete with the subcompact Fit, Yaris, and Aveo. Their TV ads said the Versa is a little bigger than those others with similar gas mileage. Then the rental companies classified the Versa as a compact, which is something Nissan and Ford advertise the Sentra and Focus to be, respectively.
It's been a while since car rental companies' classifications have lined up with the EPA, manufacturers, etc. Personally, I don't mind as long as I get what I'm told to expect. If you say G6 or similar, don't put me in a Corolla, they're not similar. But if you say Malibu or similar and give me a Sonata, that's fine as they compete against each other. As the customer, I will decide what type of vehicle I need to drive, and book with the company that gives me the best value for said vehicle. Call a Versa a fullsize on your website if you want, as long as that's what I'm supposed to expect.
As for the OP referring to the guy getting a Corolla as a fullsize, that's just ridiculous. Nowhere does it say to expect that and clearly the guy was downgraded due to the company messing up. I'd be demanding an upgrade or compensation at that point.
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During desperate times at Enterprise when we were short cars we were told to rent Focuses with leather seats as "Premium" cars and Kia Rondos as "Mid-Size SUVs". It's part of the reason that the stress levels got so high I chose to quit.
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A car is a car. Unless you're hauling a sofa or need to transport a basketball team, why not just reserve the cheapest thing available? I always reserve a "subcompact" ("Aveo or similar") and usually end up with a Cobalt, Corolla, etc. So I end up getting the same size car as everybody else, only I paid less and have lower blood pressure. My "free upgrade" rate is at least 85% over the past three years of renting 2-3 times per month at Enterprise, Budget, and Avis.
Again, unless you're super tall/wide or need to drive over a mountain pass in winter, the difference between the various kinds of rental cars is trivial. Rental companies make up these extra classifications because they know most people find it beneath their station in life to rent a "compact" car. Well, if you want to pay more for the same product...don't let me stop you.
A car is a car. Unless you're hauling a sofa or need to transport a basketball team, why not just reserve the cheapest thing available? I always reserve a "subcompact" ("Aveo or similar") and usually end up with a Cobalt, Corolla, etc.
When I'm traveling by myself, I agree, a small car is usually acceptable. But that's not always the case. Occasionally I am renting a car for 3, 4, or 5 adults and maybe a week's worth of luggage, too. In these cases I would like to know that descriptions like "midsize" and "fullsize" fit common sense definitions. Alamo's recent down-sizing seems to be causing a lot of unpleasant surprises for its customers.
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If you know that Enterprise once refused to upgrade me when I booked a full size (and showed up with 5 person) since there is one and only one "Full Size" Car left - a Beetles.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fairviewroad
A car is a car. Unless you're hauling a sofa or need to transport a basketball team, why not just reserve the cheapest thing available?
While I agree with you in priciple, sometimes free (weekend) day coupons or the like require a minimum sized car to be booked.
I rented a "midsize" car with National last weekend at GSP, and got a Ford Focus. Come on. This car didn't even have cruise control! The Chevy Malibu I saw sitiing in a National slot, a car I had rented previously at least three times (with several companies) as a midsize, was now considered a full size at National. Thanks Enterprise.
Will say though that the Ford Focus got surprisingly good gas mileage, right around 32-33 for the trip.
Cars should be regulated so that they are necessarily categorized the same by all rental companies. This rental "bait and switch", assuming you will be given something as per previous rentals, then be told that a new owner company has recategorized, is just plain wrong.
While I agree with you in priciple, sometimes free (weekend) day coupons or the like require a minimum sized car to be booked.
That's probably because the rental company is betting that the difference in price between the subcompact you would have booked and the midsize they "required" you to book, times 3, will equal or exceed the one free day with a compact they'll give you in return.
While I agree with you in priciple, sometimes free (weekend) day coupons or the like require a minimum sized car to be booked.
But on most car rental websites, it's relatively easy to figure out which is ultimately cheaper: the subcompact without the coupon, or the midsize with the coupon. If the actual physical size of the car doesn't matter, as you in principle agree with, then just take the cheapest option.
The Chevy Malibu I saw sitiing in a National slot, a car I had rented previously at least three times (with several companies) as a midsize, was now considered a full size at National. Thanks Enterprise.
My father closed an Avis rental today: a Chevy Malibu as a full size car. You can't blame Enterprise ownership for that.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3Cforme
My father closed an Avis rental today: a Chevy Malibu as a full size car. You can't blame Enterprise ownership for that.
I feel I can. Don't know about AVIS, but two of my referenced fairly recent (within past two years) rentals of a Malibu were with National. and both reservations were for a midsize car (my wife was with me and prefers a slightly larger size for safety). I remember confirming with at least one of the National agents that the Malibu was, in fact, considered a midsize, and was not an upgrade.
My two most recent rentals were with Alamo and National. At the counter, I talked with both agents about Enterprise's ownership of these companies, and both expressed angst about Enterprise upsizing cars, and how many renters were not too happy about it. This includes previous National midsize Malibus being changed on paper to full size.
