List your upgrades!
Jun 16, 2009 | 9:58 am
#661
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
When I was turning in the keys for the dead car, I asked if they "participate in the Avis First program anymore?". The answer was, "oh yeah, sure, but its space available. An upgrade is an intermediate and we have none". Odd thing was that I never used the word "upgrade", I just wanted to know whether that franchise had stopped recognizing that Avis program.
Jun 16, 2009 | 11:55 am
#662
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 100k, SPG Platinum, Avis PC, National Exec
Posts: 107
Location: CMH
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Compact
Offered: Impala
Received: Ford Flex
The Flex only had 133 miles on it plus Leather and XM. Really nice car!
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Compact
Offered: Impala
Received: Ford Flex
The Flex only had 133 miles on it plus Leather and XM. Really nice car!
Jun 16, 2009 | 12:58 pm
#663
Join Date: May 2004
Location: PWM
Programs: Marriott Platinum Hyatt Diamond Hilton Gold SPG Gold National Executive Avis Preferred Hertz Gold
Posts: 633
Location: PWM Status: President's Reserved:Subcompact Received:Mercury Grand Marquis
Jun 17, 2009 | 12:34 pm
#664
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC; UA 1MM, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 959
Jun 18, 2009 | 5:45 am
#665
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: dfw
Programs: AA EXP/MM, HGP ♦; former elite in Hilton, Marriott & DL (just under MM thanks to Leo)
Posts: 415
Yes, the two counter agents started arguing with eachother about what a true subcompact is and came to a conclusion that the Rio was "really" a compact and some Suzuki was a subcompact. Like I mentioned I don't care about upgrades (the size), but I was worried about reliability.
Jun 20, 2009 | 9:45 am
#666
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SAT
Programs: UA Premier Silver
Posts: 3,682
Location: ANC
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Full Size
Received: Chevy Malibu
I found out the hard way ANC does not participate in Preffered Service.
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Full Size
Received: Chevy Malibu
I found out the hard way ANC does not participate in Preffered Service.
Jun 22, 2009 | 8:43 am
#667
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
Yes, the two counter agents started arguing with eachother about what a true subcompact is and came to a conclusion that the Rio was "really" a compact and some Suzuki was a subcompact. Like I mentioned I don't care about upgrades (the size), but I was worried about reliability.
Oh well.
Jun 22, 2009 | 10:27 am
#668
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Still going through ORD security when boarding has already started
Programs: AA EXP, UA Silver, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Hyatt Disco, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,322
Location: PDX (one-way to EUG)
Status: Preferred
Reserved: Subcompact
Received: Nissan Versa
Pretty good little car for $56 total (incl. all taxes) for two days.
Status: Preferred
Reserved: Subcompact
Received: Nissan Versa
Pretty good little car for $56 total (incl. all taxes) for two days.
Jun 23, 2009 | 6:55 pm
#669
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SAT
Programs: UA Premier Silver
Posts: 3,682
Location: SE2 (Seattle Downtown)
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Full Size
Received: Lincoln MKZ w/ 1,500 miles and Sirius Radio
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Full Size
Received: Lincoln MKZ w/ 1,500 miles and Sirius Radio
Jun 24, 2009 | 10:25 am
#670
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,889
Jun 24, 2009 | 3:26 pm
#671
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,070
I have one right now... It's basically a Ford Fusion with a few more options. It's very zippy, just like the Fusion, so I like it a lot. The 6-speed transmission is great with the manual-shift mode; it's VERY responsive to up and down shifts. However, as a "premium" car, I'd say it leaves a lot to be desired. Yeah, it has rear back-up sensors, bluetooth, Sirrius, but misses a lot of things that I'd expect in a premium car these days (lockable glove box, rear heated seats like the Caddy, rear camera, sunroof, remote start, etc). If I have time, I'll do a short write-up on a plane ride in the future.
Jun 30, 2009 | 9:55 am
#672
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: BOS / PHL / PEK / YYZ
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 232
Location: Offsite (Renton/South Ford, a few minutes from SEA)
Status: just good ol' preferred
Reserved: Compact
Received: Ford Flex Limited with less than 900 miles
Leather seats, power pax seat, heated seats, Sirius, Sync, power liftgate, etc. Nice agent said it was a very recently received vehicle from the Ford Fleet dealership the Avis office was inside. Pretty nice ride and power, and also a surprise to get such an upgrade (there was a Colbalt sitting a couple spaces away). Missing a sunroof and I haven't found a regular aux jack yet (there is USB).
Status: just good ol' preferred
Reserved: Compact
Received: Ford Flex Limited with less than 900 miles
Leather seats, power pax seat, heated seats, Sirius, Sync, power liftgate, etc. Nice agent said it was a very recently received vehicle from the Ford Fleet dealership the Avis office was inside. Pretty nice ride and power, and also a surprise to get such an upgrade (there was a Colbalt sitting a couple spaces away). Missing a sunroof and I haven't found a regular aux jack yet (there is USB).
Last edited by czhang; Jun 30, 2009 at 10:01 am
Jun 30, 2009 | 2:40 pm
#673
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,070
How's it drive? I turned one down a few weeks ago, but now I think I should have given it a try.
Jun 30, 2009 | 3:30 pm
#674
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BEG/DUS/FCO - YYZ/MRY
Programs: LH G, CO G, BA B, HH G, PC P, SW G, Sixt P, Hertz G and YES A|Club G :)
Posts: 800
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Sub-Compact
Assigned: Pontiac Vibe - Intermediate SUV
Took: Nissan Altima - (CD player cannot play mp3s
- luckily AUX is there)Location: SAN
Status: President's Club
Reserved: Compact
Received: Kia Amanti - (very nice sound system)
Jul 4, 2009 | 8:55 am
#675
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: BOS / PHL / PEK / YYZ
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 232
): it is a relatively large vehicle that has some more car-like characteristics such as it's suspension. There is lots of room for pax and in the back if you put down the third row seats, and there are a few little things that are nice such as the driver's seat which automatically moves to the last used position when you put the key in and returns backward so you can exit the vehicle easier when you take the key out. Was relatively comfortable as well although there were on occasion some hard downshifts from the transmission. Also missing a manual shift mode. Had some nice power and still got an average of 19+ MPG with a blend of freeway, city, and mountain driving. I suppose YMMV especially depending on the model you are given and what you turned it down for, but overall it was much better IMO than SUVs/crossovers I have gotten in the past (Suzuki XL7, Explorer, Saturn Outlook, etc).