Hmm - should have looked at that before posting it. It seems like it just takes you to the Emerald Club enrollment page with no mention of Executive status.

I dug through a drawer here and found a Emerald Club car in an envelope with a OnePass logo on it (guessing I did sign up with the link above). The card makes no mention of the Executive club and when I log in to my account, it doesn't look like I have Executive status. So, I just called National and the representative said to call 1-800-962-7070 in the morning and they should be able to add the Executive status to my account.

Just thought I'd pass this info along in cause anyone is interested in doing this...

I rent at least a couple of times a month with National's Executive Selection. The quality of cars depends solely on the station. DCA is one of the worst in the system, for example, with a poor selection of cars and awful staff. The ES is usually stocked with Impalas and regular Grand Prix. Occassionally, if you are lucky, there will be a Volvo S60, Grand Prix GXP, new Malibu, Impala SS or LTZ, or an Envoy or Highlander (if you are into SUV's), in the ES. Some of these end up having high mileage, however. The EA there is abysmal, with usually only HHR's, old-style Malibus, and assorted, random small cars (G6's, Mazda 3's, VW Golfs, Toyota Corollas). At DCA, I consider myself lucky if I get a low-mileage, higher-end American car, like an Impala SS/LTZ or a new Malibu. If I manage an S60, it is a good day.

The ES selection is much better at other stations, where you routinely will find a selection of Volvo S60's, Toyota 4Runners, Toyota Avalons, fully loaded American sedans, and sometimes large SUV's.

It is still much better than Hertz, IMO, because you can select your car, even if the overall selection is crappy. The last time I rented with Hertz, I got "upgraded" to a Mazda 3 with 23k miles, scuff marks all over the dashboard and glove compartment, sticky residue all over the dash, stains and dirt all over the seats, squeaky breaks, a "pull" to the left, and a piece of plastic that hung down from beneath the engine compartment and dragged along the ground every time I drove on some sort of inclined surface. The time before that, I got an old-style Malibu that was in marginally cleaner condition, but equally well worn.

At least with National, even if I arrive at the wrong time w/r/t a good selection being parked in the ES, I can usually find a relatively clean, low mileage standard Impala or Grand Prix. At Hertz, if the car is in really bad condition, you have to run all the way back to the Gold booth and make them give you another car, which usually ends up being something only marginally better.

I also should note that many cars that one would think would have XM or Sirius end up not having it. The only cars I have had recently with XM enabled were a new (regular) Grand Prix, an old Impala LTZ, a new Impala SS, a new Avalon, and a newer 4Runner. The Volvo S40's and S60's did not have it, nor did a new Grand Prix GXP I had awhile back, nor do most of the smaller cars.

As ssullivan said, however, the ES is not what it used to be. It is about as good as the EA was a few years ago, maybe even slightly worse, at some stations. The National Forum on FT has some good info on specific stations that you should check out before you rent at any given location.

Think I'll be making the switch, then. Hertz 5* is a complete joke. Here's a snippet from my requal email:

They never gave me a 5* card in the first place (not that it really matters). I only rent about 12-15 times a year, but that should be good for 2-3 free rentals with National Executive Status. With Hertz, I'm lucky if my 12-15 rentals earns enough points for a 500-point two-car-class upgrade (which you then have to fight for at the counter, after the points have already been deducted) :rolleyes:.

Its funny that the box is talking about rental car programs, I just got my kit from Avis in the mail today , I was downgraded from " (Avis First Whatever that is) " Belynch to Avis Preferred.

UA did that to me with my Premier status this year. And I never got a card for it last year when I first attained that status. Cheap b*stards.

I've never managed to land a Volvo S-60. I've seen a few, but they were usually reserved for someone who had reserved (and paid for) a Premium or Luxury class car. I have managed a few S-40s at MSP though.

Last week the ES at MSP was truly awful. Lots of base model Impalas (I swear GM must have dumped a ton of those on National about 4 months ago) and even worse, lots of base model PT Cruisers. I managed to find a 2008 Saturn Vue with active XM that had about 9,000 miles and took that.

This week at LBB I had a choice of an Impala or new Malibu. I took the new Malibu. It's the first one I've had, but it's a pretty nice car for an American sedan. I'll start looking for these.

But I do miss the days of getting a fully loaded car with active XM and leather nearly every week.

Gauging Box Interest - PBI June 7/8
 

sdm1130 and I will both be in PBI that weekend. A trip to PBI and a stay at the Resort at Singer Island was my self-reward for finishing off this last round of finals. If anyone else is interested in heading down to Sofla that weekend (or is already there), perhaps a small Beach/Cocktail DO is in order? Hotel prices seem somewhat reasonable that weekend.

The Resort at Singer Island has SPG50 rates available, starting at $200/night (cheapest Internet Special is $270/night). Not too bad for an All Suite Hotel. I'm sure there are many other (also cheaper) options in PBI, but I'm a Starwood addict, through and through.

I'm in! :p

Seriously, SoFla is not that bad in June. The high heat and humidity haven't quite set in and ocean water temps will be in the 80s. Upgrades to PBI and FLL are both pretty easy to get for people at all elite levels. As ALCO mentioned, there is an SPG property on Singer Island as well as a Hilton. There are also a few Marriotts in the area.

I'm going to make you pay a royalty on my joke. ;)

I'm forced by corporate to use Avis, which is mildly amusing sometimes. I showed up somewhere random and went to pick-up my car (at a facility that didn't have a preferred set-up) and the agent pulled up my res. and laughed. I asked what had tickled her (damn Southern phrases are going to get me puched one day) and she said "your rate is absurd. You could have walked up here, with no reservation, purchased every insurance, and the gas, and still had a cheaper rate for the car I'm giving you - and you have 0 insurance and 0 gas. Do you want me to change it?"

I couldn't, because they I wouldn't get reimbursed. So, off I went in my Malibu MaXXXXXXXX (the reason why American car companies can't make money is because they produce carp like that - sorry, didn't intend to insult any fish out there) paying some absurd rate. They must have negotiated the contract in Euros or something...

In other news, PBI is intersting. I need to find my way down to FLL sometime in June (I take care of my grandparents finances :rolleyes:) so, stay tuned.

Too bad they don't give Emerald Executive to people less than 24 years of age. I would have rented from them exclusively last year if they had. But for me it's been Avis because of the upgrades.

And no, I can't make it down to PBI for that weekend, prices are just too much. Sounds like it would be fun though.

lol
I have edited my earlier post to give you credit

Just returned from six days on the beach in Puerto Vallarta... we stayed at the Westin Regina there (highly recommend it!) thanks to the SPG 50% offer earlier this year. Great sun, beach, pool, beautiful people, tequila, and cervesa.

The only disappointment came on our flights CLE-IAH-PVR. There was none of the infamous cheese soup that I've heard so much about! ;) It would have been my first opportunity to try it. Hopefully it will be served later this month on EWR-LHR in BF!

John

Well, that nationalcar.com/offer/COELITE08 link is a bust. I just spent half an hour on the phone with National's incompetent Emerald Club staff. After first being told there was no such offer (:rolleyes:), I was then told I would have to contact Continental, because if they mailed it to me, it must refer to Continental's website (:rolleyes:), then I was put through to National's version of Continental.com support, who put me on hold for 20 minutes, who told me that the only way to get the comp would be to fax a copy of the promotional material I received from CO with my Platinum package (which I no longer have) to some fax number. Apparently, a scan of my CO Plat Card and Statement would not suffice (:rolleyes:). Also, they won't match earned Hertz 5* (:rolleyes:). Lousy implementation of a partner offer, all around.

The annoying thing about DCA is that twice in the last month, the lone S60 I have seen available was in the EA, not the ES, even though there were plenty of open spaces to park the car in the ES and it was stocked with base Impalas and a couple of Grand Prix. Once, I got the S60 that was parked in the EA and the other time, someone was already getting into the car just as I noticed it in the EA. I ended up taking an Impala LTZ with 19k miles, leather, XM, and dirt all over the dashboard and seats. It also smelled like cheap perfume - I think someone must have taken it out for a little "fun" with one of the ladies on 13th Street. :rolleyes: A few weeks before that, there was a new S40 in the EA, while the ES had only a handful of crap vehicles.

Renting again from DCA this weekend - can't wait to see what I find this time.

I just spent the last 20 minutes on a call with National's Emerald Club agents as well. It turns out, that if you do complete the form on the link I provided, you will be given Executive status automatically. They were unable to apply the status to my current Emerald Club membership but I had no problem signing up for a new number as I did not have any credits with them to begin with. So, if you are new to National, use the link above and at the end you should see a temporary Executive card to print out.