Good to hear someone is getting upgraded been shutout last 3 times since made avis first. Maybe since i usually put 700 to 1300 miles per rental i get black balled fpr upgrades. Dal next week maybe better luck

Location: DCA
Day/Date: Christmas Eve 1pm
Status: First
Reserved: Mid Size
Given: Pontiac G6

Location: DCA
Day/Time: Thursday 9pm
Status: First
Reserved: Mid Size
Given: Chevy HHR with busted locks. Switched next morning to Toyota Corolla at DC2 (downtown DC) after W3C (NW DC) had no mid-size.

Location: DCA
Day/Time: Thursday 9pm
Status: First
Reserved: Mid Size
Given: Hyundai Sonata (an upgrade of sorts)

Location: DCA
Day/Time: Thursday 9pm
Status: First
Reserved: Full Size
Given: Nissan Altima. Not an upgrade but v nice car, near new.

Last week at a local branch in the northern NY suburbs:

Booked: regular SUV
Received: "We're giving you a nice upgrade. You paid for a 5 passenger SUV. This Dodge Journey is a 7 passenger SUV. But the third row folds down if you don't need the extra seats." (we didn't, we booked the SUV for the cargo, and most certainly not for the lousy gas mileage)

Noted: GMC Acadia and Dodge Nitro parked nearby, not sure how they classify them

SEA
1/20 to 1/24
reserved full size
given Caddy CTS
Pres Club

Did you see my mini review of the sucky dodge journey? :D the transmission was probably the worst issue, but say your tranmission was fine, did it have the pep of a tortoise(or would hit the red line if you tried to pass someone or go from 0 to 40 in less than 15 seconds)?

I've been Chairman's Club since may 2009, and I've generally enjoyed the experience, with only once or two exceptions. Some of the locations have given truly PHENOMENAL SERVICE, including a choice of any car they had on the lot (LAX offered me this on a trip there back in September, I chose an Infiniti G37x because I had driven way too many Cadillacs before, but never an Infiniti. I loved it. In November in BOS I asked for a Camaro, and was told those were only available if I paid for a specialty car, and that would cost me another $80 per day, so I took the Cadillac CTS they gave me and went on my way. I was not pleased however, because as far as I knew, other than SUV's and Van's, any car on the lot was available for Chairman's members.

Location: BOS
Day/Time: Thursday 3pm, November 5, 2009
Status: Chairman's
Reserved: Mid Size
Given: Cadillac CTS (asked for a Chevy Camaro for a change and was turned down)

Location: SAN
Day/Time: Friday, 4pm, November 6, 2009
Status: Chairman's
Reserved: Mid Size
Given: Lincoln MKS (asked for a Cadillac STS or DTS, but no Cadillacs of any kind were available on the lot at the time, the MKS was a bit tight on size for the people that I needed to drive around while I was there.)

Did you see my mini review of the sucky dodge journey? the transmission was probably the worst issue, but say your tranmission was fine, did it have the pep of a tortoise(or would hit the red line if you tried to pass someone or go from 0 to 40 in less than 15 seconds)?

The Journey seemed a bit small. I was surprised the cargo fit with no need to fold down the second row. I didn't use max acceleration, so the only red line I saw was the gas gauge nearing empty and singing 'ding ding ding.' ;)

Have a look at the sticky with the fleet list (and a shortcut on your mobile if you rent often enough :D): The Acadia is S (Standard SUV, Jeep Commander or similar) and the horrendous Nitro is F (Intermediate SUV). CNN was right when they voted the Nitro the worst vehicle on the road a few years ago...

I normally don't redline either, must have been this particular vehicle, as shifting into neutral when you go to a stop sign and making the engine rev up insanely isn't normal either.

I will now refrain from slamming the journey for it's performance but a transmission out at less than 12k miles, I may questions its longevity :D

Interesting, I have had Nitro's a couple of times, and I liked them. Don't get me wrong, it was not the best SUV I have ever rented, but it was far from the worst either.

Has anyone been given one of the new model 2010 Buick LaCrosse's yet? I really want to drive one of them, but every time I have asked for one, they tell me that vehicle is not in that station's fleet yet. Comments please?

I inquired about this at FLL and was told it is not yet part of the company fleet, but I thought I saw one at PHX. I guess it depends who you talk to.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse has been out for more than 4 months now, I wonder what they are waiting for?

I'd much rather them get more Toyota, honda and Hyundai than a Buick of any sort. I don't think you are missing much :)

I think your prejudices betray you in a totally unwarranted way. Toyota, more recalls in 2009 than any other brand in the US, and has already had major recalls for 2010. Buick, no recalls for 2009 or 2010. Every Buick model is VERY highly reviewed for reliability and quality, while Toyota has been going down hill for the last few years. The 2010 LaCrosse is actually rated as better than the Lexus ES350 by Motor Trend, and none of the auto reviewers did not give it a glowing review. I think you are behind the times my friend. As a matter of fact, I can't think of a single car that GM builds itself (as opposed to one they rebadge such as the Chevy Aveo) that is not a genuinely good car or truck right now. So you go ahead and drive all the stodgy Toyotas you want to, but I want to drive the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, thank you very much, and I think that a majority of people, given the choice of what they would want to rent between a Toyota and a LaCrosse, would choose a LaCrosse, with two cars sitting side by side, hands down.