Originally Posted by
Tuneman1984
If I was running an outlet, here's what I would do with fullsize bookings as an example:
Regular customers and #1 would get a basic car (e.g. Impala LS)
#1 Club Gold would get an upgraded model (e.g. Impala with 3.9L V6 or leather/sat radio)
5 Star would get a top-of-the-line model (e.g. Impala LTZ)
PC would be upgraded to a Premium car (or based on cust preferences)
The catch is, only at Hertz is a "nicer" car of the same size an "upgrade." As a National Exec, if I reserve a Premium, I get charged for a Full. I regularly get Impala LTZs with sunroof and sat radio for the midsize rate, and have even once gotten an Impala SS.
I have split my rentals between National and Hertz this year in an attempt to earn 5* status as a "backup" to my National Exec status when National is overpriced or in bad locations. Although I don't yet have 5*, I can't say my experience with Hertz has been encouraging. By and large, the cars I've received have been either exactly the class I've reserved or slight downgrades (e.g., a base F on a specialty F reservation), and most have been heavily worn and dirty. On the average, they have been significantly less appealing than the cars I got from National before earning status with them.