2020 upgrades
 

Y'all know the drill:

Status: PPlus
Location: LGA
Reserved: Intermediate
Assigned: not assigned, "SEE PREF DESK" on board
Received: Gigantic wallowing Nissan Titan pickup that I hate but not enough to return from mid-Long Island, and it was either that or an aged Dodge Caravan.

Back again, glutton for punishment I guess.

Status: PPlus
Location: LGA
Reserved: Compact (my mistake in letting CWT complete this last-minute booking otherwise I reserve intermediate)
Assigned: not assigned, I got a Mazda 3 that REEKED of fresh marijuana smoke.I didn't even get in it.
Received: After some back and forth, a Ford Ranger which perplexingly handles and rides worse than the Titan I had last week and gets the same (terrible) fuel economy at 17mpg as the V8-equipped and much heavier Titan. This is what happens when you strap turbos to little engines and expect them to perform as well as a naturally-aspirated large engine: they can't, and fuel consumption rises drastically over the EPA fantasy numbers. I thought Ford was busted for grossly inflating the fuel economy of their so-called Eco Boost engines but they're apparently still at it. The 10-speed (ten!) automatic never knows what gear to use and shifts with a neck-snapping slam when cold.



Should've taken the contact high in the Mazda.

Status: PC
Location: NTE
Reserved: Intermediate IDMR - Qasqai or similar
Assigned: Intermediate IDMR: Opel/Vauxhall Grandland X, had some engine issue and had to exchange it at another station
Received (after exchanging it elsewhere a few days later): Citroen C5 aircross

Status: PC
Location: Cypress, CA (CQ6) (one-way to LAX)
Reserved: Compact
Assigned & received: Full-size 2019 Toyota Camry LE (31,000 miles and 1/4 tank of gas)

I was instructed to return it with the same amount of gas :rolleyes: but I did appreciate the upgrade.

UPDATE: I actually returned it with just over 1/4 tank of gas! Yay me :D

-J.

Status: PPlus
Location: YQB
Reserved: Intermediate
Assigned: not assigned
Received: 2019 VW Golf which while it's hardly an intermediate, I've grown to enjoy driving as it handles well, the drivetrain is snappy and responsive (for an automatic; I only own manuals, and the little 1.4L turbo engine feels bigger with little turbo lag) and on the 3+-hour drive from Quebec City I didn't get achy or cramped. I'll take a Golf easily going forward.

Status: Fastbreak
Location: JFK, one-way to the suburbs
Reserved: Compact with a free upgrade coupon to midsize
Assigned: 2019 Toyota Prius, 10.1k mi, MA plates

Status: PPlus
Location: SFO, one-way to LAX
Reserved: Full-size
Assigned: 2019 VW Passat Wolfsburg Edition, 24k miles (Premium class vehicle). Nice vehicle with sunroof and beige leather seats, although I doubt it was better than the sparkling new 'standard' Ford Fusion that also was available.

Status: PPlus
Location: YYZ
Reserved: Full sized sedan
Assigned: 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Lux AWD
Received: 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Lux AWD -- while this is a decent vehicle and I am doing a lot of highway driving in the snow on this trip; its very beaten up. It has over 66k on it, the dash is saying its overdue for service by 1300km. Interior could use a better cleaning but overall its ok. Really bugs me when these SUVs don't have the luggage cover too. It's a big SUV for a 4 banger -- mileage is not great to say the least. (No, I wouldn't say this is an upgrade at all.)

Status: Preferred Plus
Location: MDW
Reserved: Intermediate
Assigned and Received: Intermediate - 2020 Kia Forte with 13,000 miles. It was that or a 12 passenger van via the app. Went in to speak to the agent to see if anything else was available but there was nothing at that time. Car wasn't in the best shape and made a ringing sound when accelerating.

Status: PPlus
Location: PHL
Reserved: Intermediate
Assigned: Dodge Journey, the worst car still being manufactured.
Received: 2019 Impala 4-cyl. Decent car but underpowered and no way to shut off the stop-start other than popping the PRNDL into N at stoplights.

At least now the app works at PHL; every time prior the board would be blank and there's 20+ in line at the Preferred building...

Status: PPlus
Location: PHL
Reserved: Intermediate
Assigned: Camry with 35,000+ miles that reeked of cigarette smoke
Received: Ford Fusion Hybrid after being offered assorted lame low-end SUVs as "upgrades" :rolleyes: I like the Fusion/Mondeo and it's too bad Ford has stopped producing them for the US market.

Status: Preferred Plus
Location: MDW
Reserved: Standard
Assigned - nothing, chose a 2019 Chevy Tahoe with 4500 miles via the app. All of the choices were 7 passenger SUV's. Not a bad upgrade but the thing is a tank.

Status: Presidents club
Location: CAG airport (Sardinia)
Reserved: Standard - Alfa Romeo Giulia or similar
Assigned - Alfa Romeo Stelvio
For 50€ for 2 days, can't complain about the upgrade. The Stelvio is awesome to drive on those Sardinian roads. 27000 km on the odometer

Status: PPlus
Location: ORD
Reserved: Intermediate
Assigned: Nothing, used the app
Received: Chose a 2020 VW Passat from the longest list of available (mostly meh) cars I've seen so far.

Status: PC
Location: Berlin Tegel TXL Airport, Germany
Reserved: Intermediate manual - group D (Skoda Octavia or similar)
Assigned: Full size wagon automatic - group N (M-B C class T-model or similar)
Received: as assigned, Skoda Kodiaq 4x4 Diesel Automatic

Was happy with the assigned vehicle and decent upgrade so didn't ask for alternatives. Lots of VW Tiguan (group E) in the garage, other than that some minivans and compact cars.