2018: List your upgrades
Oct 26, 2018, 6:04 am
#106
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: France
Programs: too many
Posts: 686
Wow, that is quite incredible. I find LHR and LCY can be really stingy about their upgrades.
Case in point, my last hire was "Golf or similar", and they wanted to charge me for an upgrade:-
"As a Presidents Club member would you like an upgrade to a Mercedes C200?"
"Yes please! Many thanks!"
"Certainly Sir, as a presidents club member we can offer you that for an additional payment of only Ł122 when returning the vehicle".
I declined as not going to pay Ł122 on top of what I had already pre-paid with, especially for just a 48 hour hire. I think they gave me a Ford Focus with the Sat Nav disabled instead.
Case in point, my last hire was "Golf or similar", and they wanted to charge me for an upgrade:-
"As a Presidents Club member would you like an upgrade to a Mercedes C200?"
"Yes please! Many thanks!"
"Certainly Sir, as a presidents club member we can offer you that for an additional payment of only Ł122 when returning the vehicle".
I declined as not going to pay Ł122 on top of what I had already pre-paid with, especially for just a 48 hour hire. I think they gave me a Ford Focus with the Sat Nav disabled instead.
booked Citroen C3, assigned MB C200, took CLA 220d
Booked Golf, assigned/took MB C200d
Oct 26, 2018, 6:18 am
#107
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Dubai, UAE
Programs: Avis - PP, Bonvoy - Plat, BA - Bro, Hilton - Dia, Miles&More - FTL, Skywards - Sil, Sixt - Plat
Posts: 258
Today at FRA, booked Pasatt estate, got 3-series SE estate. That’s more or less a “or similar” rather than a two group weekend upgrade, surely?
Oct 26, 2018, 8:30 am
#108
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: France
Programs: too many
Posts: 686
would be a one-class upgrade I think
Oct 27, 2018, 8:33 pm
#109
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 14
Kona Airport, Hawaii
status: PP
Booked: intermediate (Chevrolet Cruze)
Recieved: Chevrolet Malibu. 33k miles and in terrible state. One member of staff so couldnt be bothered to discuss. Worth noting that I never got my rental agreement on email and in the app it’s teling me I never picked the car up.
Will there be issues when returning in a few days time? This has never happened to me before...
status: PP
Booked: intermediate (Chevrolet Cruze)
Recieved: Chevrolet Malibu. 33k miles and in terrible state. One member of staff so couldnt be bothered to discuss. Worth noting that I never got my rental agreement on email and in the app it’s teling me I never picked the car up.
Will there be issues when returning in a few days time? This has never happened to me before...
Nov 4, 2018, 1:38 am
#110
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 14
Lihue-Kauai Airport, Hawaii
status: PP
Booked: Buick Verano
Assigned: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Taken: Jeep Wrangler V6
The Grand Cherokee was filthy with potato chips all over the drivers seat so took a change to the wrangler. More fun anyway!!
status: PP
Booked: Buick Verano
Assigned: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Taken: Jeep Wrangler V6
The Grand Cherokee was filthy with potato chips all over the drivers seat so took a change to the wrangler. More fun anyway!!
Nov 5, 2018, 3:56 pm
#111
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 3
LAX
Status: Preferred
Location: LAX
Booked: Select Series (Jaguar F-Pace or similar)
Assigned: Jaguar F-Pace
Received: Jaguar F-Pace
SNA
Status: Preferred
Location: SNA
Booked: Premium Sedan
Assigned: Ford Taurus
Received: Dodge Challenger R/T
Status: Preferred
Location: LAX
Booked: Select Series (Jaguar F-Pace or similar)
Assigned: Jaguar F-Pace
Received: Jaguar F-Pace
SNA
Status: Preferred
Location: SNA
Booked: Premium Sedan
Assigned: Ford Taurus
Received: Dodge Challenger R/T
Nov 5, 2018, 5:47 pm
#112
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 14
Honolulu Airport, Hawaii
status: PP
Booked: Buick Verano
Assigned: Chevrolet Malibu (not keen!)
Taken/asked for: Jeep Wrangler V6
super grumpy woman at the preferred desk but better than a bloody Malibu which I would not claim is an upgrade from the Buick class.
status: PP
Booked: Buick Verano
Assigned: Chevrolet Malibu (not keen!)
Taken/asked for: Jeep Wrangler V6
super grumpy woman at the preferred desk but better than a bloody Malibu which I would not claim is an upgrade from the Buick class.
Nov 6, 2018, 7:18 am
#113
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SJO - MAN - LAX
Programs: MileagePlus Gold, Avis PP, National EE, Lifemiles Silver, ConnectMiles Gold
Posts: 532
LAX
Status: Preferred
Location: LAX
Booked: Full Size with u/coupon. Lot was full.
Assigned: Malibu. All cars in the exchange row were either basic Rogue's or Outlanders (they seem to have a lot of those)
Received: Volvo XC60 at $25 extra per day. When I got to my row and saw it was an old one with 46,000 miles, I said no way in hell I would pay an upgrade to that. Went back and asked for a newer one, said it would be $95 lol. Offered a free Wrangler. Keys were missing. Wife was pissed after being airborne for 9 hours and doing this. Ended up with a hearse of an MKT which I hate. 36,000 miles. All the cars I saw were over 35k miles.
Possibly the worst station I've been to?
Status: Preferred
Location: LAX
Booked: Full Size with u/coupon. Lot was full.
Assigned: Malibu. All cars in the exchange row were either basic Rogue's or Outlanders (they seem to have a lot of those)
Received: Volvo XC60 at $25 extra per day. When I got to my row and saw it was an old one with 46,000 miles, I said no way in hell I would pay an upgrade to that. Went back and asked for a newer one, said it would be $95 lol. Offered a free Wrangler. Keys were missing. Wife was pissed after being airborne for 9 hours and doing this. Ended up with a hearse of an MKT which I hate. 36,000 miles. All the cars I saw were over 35k miles.
Possibly the worst station I've been to?
Nov 7, 2018, 2:22 am
#114
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Sixt Platinum, HHons Diamond
Posts: 927
Nov 10, 2018, 4:23 pm
#115
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Avis President's Circle
Posts: 408
Location: FRA
Status: PP
Booked: Premium
Offered: Volvo XC90 or BMW 5 series.
Ended up taking a XC60 as I knew the 90 would be tight for our hotel’s parking garage and we had too much luggage for the 5.
Side note: it took 45 minutes to finalize the contract due to switching the payment to a different card along with them requiring a second card due to class requirements. They ultimately had to cancel the entire contract and reissue with two layers of management having to intervene
Status: PP
Booked: Premium
Offered: Volvo XC90 or BMW 5 series.
Ended up taking a XC60 as I knew the 90 would be tight for our hotel’s parking garage and we had too much luggage for the 5.
Side note: it took 45 minutes to finalize the contract due to switching the payment to a different card along with them requiring a second card due to class requirements. They ultimately had to cancel the entire contract and reissue with two layers of management having to intervene
Nov 16, 2018, 10:07 am
#116
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: EWR
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Gold (Current Platinum), United Mileage Plus, Avis Preferred
Posts: 850
LAX
Status: Preferred
Location: LAX
Booked: Full Size
Assigned: Cadillac XTS
Received: Dodge Journey
I would have taken the XTS, but the trunk opening was shaped in a way that I could not fit two full size suitcases into the trunk space. (I had previously fit the same amount of luggage easily into an Impala.) After some back and forth, we ended up with the Journey, and were happy with it.
Status: Preferred
Location: LAX
Booked: Full Size
Assigned: Cadillac XTS
Received: Dodge Journey
I would have taken the XTS, but the trunk opening was shaped in a way that I could not fit two full size suitcases into the trunk space. (I had previously fit the same amount of luggage easily into an Impala.) After some back and forth, we ended up with the Journey, and were happy with it.
Nov 16, 2018, 11:51 am
#117
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,032
How the mighty have fallen... I remember when the XTS was first introduced and Avis got an onslaught of them. I used to frequently book full or premium as a Chairman and I remember at least 4x being told that I couldn't get the XTS as a free upgrade! The craziesr was in PHX where they wanted north of $100/day ADDITIONAL for it! Now they'll offer that in a full size rental before a Journey!
Nov 17, 2018, 12:24 am
#118
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
Location: TYS (Knoxville)
Status: President's Club
Booked: Intermediate (Cruze or similar)
Assigned: Ford Taurus
Received: Ford Taurus - sounded good to me! And it had heated seats, steering wheel, and nav.
Status: President's Club
Booked: Intermediate (Cruze or similar)
Assigned: Ford Taurus
Received: Ford Taurus - sounded good to me! And it had heated seats, steering wheel, and nav.
Nov 17, 2018, 3:30 am
#119
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Dubai, UAE
Programs: Avis - PP, Bonvoy - Plat, BA - Bro, Hilton - Dia, Miles&More - FTL, Skywards - Sil, Sixt - Plat
Posts: 258
Location: FRA (DE)
Status: PC
Booked: VW Passat varient station wagon or similar
Assigned: Ford Mondeo 1.5
Received: Mercedes E200 saloon - When I was given the Mondeo key on a Friday afternoon, I said I thought PC members got a double upgrade at weekends. Now usually at this point in FRA, I get told something like "PC upgrades are not guaranteed and can be offered for pay at counter reservations only, you cannot have a PC upgrade if you pre-pay". But this time I was told that the Mondeo was the only station wagon available, so I said I didn't need a station wagon just something with fold down rear seats, and the lady behind the counter asked if an E-class would do...
Status: PC
Booked: VW Passat varient station wagon or similar
Assigned: Ford Mondeo 1.5
Received: Mercedes E200 saloon - When I was given the Mondeo key on a Friday afternoon, I said I thought PC members got a double upgrade at weekends. Now usually at this point in FRA, I get told something like "PC upgrades are not guaranteed and can be offered for pay at counter reservations only, you cannot have a PC upgrade if you pre-pay". But this time I was told that the Mondeo was the only station wagon available, so I said I didn't need a station wagon just something with fold down rear seats, and the lady behind the counter asked if an E-class would do...
Nov 19, 2018, 6:32 am
#120
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SJO - MAN - LAX
Programs: MileagePlus Gold, Avis PP, National EE, Lifemiles Silver, ConnectMiles Gold
Posts: 532
HNL
Status: Preferred Plus
Location: HNL
Booked: Full Size
Assigned: Fusion
Received: Wrangler Soft Top - Extremely basic, but fun for Island driving I guess.
LAX
Status: Preferred Plus
Location: LAX
Booked: Full Size
Assigned: Malibu
Received: Took actually - 2018 Suburban with 36,000 Miles. Saw it from the bus while rolling in and someone said, it probably shouldn't be in select and go, but took a picture and went to the exit and had no problems.
Every car at LAX in the app had north of 35K Miles. Unbelievable.
Status: Preferred Plus
Location: HNL
Booked: Full Size
Assigned: Fusion
Received: Wrangler Soft Top - Extremely basic, but fun for Island driving I guess.
LAX
Status: Preferred Plus
Location: LAX
Booked: Full Size
Assigned: Malibu
Received: Took actually - 2018 Suburban with 36,000 Miles. Saw it from the bus while rolling in and someone said, it probably shouldn't be in select and go, but took a picture and went to the exit and had no problems.
Every car at LAX in the app had north of 35K Miles. Unbelievable.