Status: PC
Location: PHX
Booked: Intermediate SUV
Offered: Kia telluride AWD
App: Nissan Rogue, Another Kia Telluride, Ford edge, Ford expedition MAX, Mustang convertible, Chrysler Voyager (paid upgrade), Chrysler Pacifica (paid upgrade)
Received: Kia Telluride

If it was just 2 of us, I would've 100% taken the mustang. The Kia wasn't bad by any means, but I definitely prefer the Grand cherokee/Grand Cherokee L, Acadia/traverse and durango's.

Status: PC
Location: PSP
Booked: compact
Offered: Toyota Corolla
Received: nothing, did not pick up

Lyft to my destination and back to the airport was cheaper than renting a car. This also meant I could stop at a brewery I had my eye on!

There was also a single line (with about 7-8 parties in it) at the desk and no elite line. This was the primary reason I didn't rent - I had just under four hours on the ground and the last thing I wanted to do was spend time waiting in line.

-J.

Status: PC
Location: YYZ
Booked: intermediate
Offered: See below.
Received: Chrysler 300

There's no Preferred board here and no way to pick a car on the app, at least in terminal 3. Every time it's off to the little porta-building to see the guys. Much clacking of keyboard... offered a Malibu (NO) or a Chrysler 300. I had bad luck with the latter model the last time I was here but took it anyway as the Malibu is such an unpleasant mess. It's been fine.

Status: PC
Location: SNA
Booked: Intermediate
Offered: Cadillac XT6
Received: Same....with 63,000 miles on the odometer!

It's been a while since I've rented at SNA, and my lord....what a poop show. Landed and get told in app I had the XT6 assigned, but I needed to go to "counter". First go to the main Avis SNA counter and told there's a Preferred counter in the garage. Show up at Preferred Garage with a mass of frustrated people waited in line. After a few minutes, an Avis employee comes out and yells, "who has cars preassigned!" Yay...that's me! He has me cut the line (cue more grumbling), hands me keys and a spot number.

So this XT6. As noted above, it has 63,000 miles and Florida plates. I can only wonder what this vehicle has seen. Aside from the third row not collapsing properly, it is well taken care of and drives great! Energetic V6 and loaded to the gills with high-end infotainment, heated/cooled seats, 4 zone climate. It's a shockingly nice vehicle for the mileage, and can't argue with the upgrade jump.

Probably bought used a few years ago. Most had FL plates even without seeing FL.

Status: PC
Location: HOU
Booked: Full Size
Offered: Chevy Malibu (ew). In app swap available to an Escape or an Outlander.
Received: 2024 Mustang

Avis� fleet is so bland. The only other enticing option there was a Genesis G80.

Status: PP
Location: MCO
Booked: Full Size
Offered: Nissan Rouge
Received: Subaru Crosstrek with 500 miles

Arrived a little late and without an airline specified (was dropped off), so just went to B. Got there and realized the assigned car was in A. Went to the desk and asked to be switched, hopefully the something more "interesting". Got told there's only SUVs available. Was offered the Crosstrek or a Mazda CX-50. Can't remember the last time I saw a Crosstrek, so took that. It was a Premium trim, and was actually fairly fun to drive. They put a bigger engine into the Premium for 2025 (I had a 2024), so I bet that will make it even more fun.

Definitely one of the smaller midsize SUVs though. Barely got a large suitcase and a carry-on in the trunk.

Status: PC
Location: IAD
Booked: Intermediate SUV
Offered: GMC Acadia under 500 miles
Received: same

Status: PC
Location: DFW
Booked: intermediate
Offered: A slide-show of boring junk on the app, refreshed frantically on the jam-packed and overheated slow-boi shittle bus.
Chose: 2024 Ford Explorer, but the other options were (impossibly?) worse.

The current Explorer is a joke of an SUV, a wallowing bloatwagon with a too-small struggling farty 4-pot pressurized engine that gets worse mileage than a naturally-aspirated six. But better than a Malibu or Altima.

I hate to say it, but I would take the Explorer over a lot of other vehicles. At least it's comfortable. They use the same engine in the Mustang these days (except it is straight-piped on that).

-J.

Status: PC
Location: LIH
Booked: Kia Soul
Offered: Tesla Model 3
Received: Tesla Model 3

Heading home after a great time on Kauai. Got to rental depot asked �do you have anything electric� and the representative said �you mean like a Bolt? I have a Tesla if you�re interested only charged to 40% though�.

Took the Tesla and even though chargers are few and far between on the island found some good locations and never had range anxiety - did almost 400 miles in the vehicle!

Great job Avis and you got the car back 75% charged!

Status: PC
Location: IAH
Booked: intermediate
Offered: Volvo XC40 AWD, 490 miles
Received: nothing. I'm not in Houston but forgot to cancel

-J.

Status: PC
Location: ROC
Booked: intermediate
Offered: Kia Forte, 23k miles
Received: Mazda CX-30 AWD, 23k miles

I asked for "anything but a Kia" and he said it was a Mazda 3, so I was pleased to see it was actuality a CX-30. Not a fan of it but sure beats a Kia. The app also offered a Chrysler Pacifica with (allegedly) 19 miles.

-J.

Status: PC
Location: DTW
Booked: Luxury
Offered: VW Atlas (in app: Jeep compass, Challenger, Ford Escape)
Received: Didn�t even go to the counter. I went to National and picked up an Audi A5 Sportback for an additional $8.

Laughable DTW Avis selection tbh.

So you booked via app and just didn't go there... Is that ok and can you cancel just when arriving?