Morkai

I have Presidents Circle. I currently have an SUV booked for this coming friday for two weeks. I see I can select a Premium (G) class for $200 less than my current reservation.

I am thinking of canceling my current rental, paying the $50 fee, and booking this instead. Would it allow me to select any car from PC, 5 star, and Gold selections? If so, I assume the likelihood of getting an SUV is high in SLC? A 4WD or Luxury SUV is preferred.

Thanks for the help.

tarheelnj

PC and rent from this location average of four times/year. Terrible experience trying to reach a live person at the station. Here's what happened.

I had a trip scheduled for arrival yesterday and needed to cancel about a week ago. I tried on both the app and Web site to cancel, and got an error message (wish I'd copied it) that said something about the rate not being available? I just assumed it was a weird confirmation that my reservation was canceled and didn't worry any more about it. Then yesterday I got the reminder email and quickly called reservations to cancel. The agent confirmed the cancelation and again I didn't think anything about it. Then later, I got an email with the Rental Record number and contract. I called the main reservations number again and they said I'd have to call back and select the option for rentals in progress, as the reservation was showing as "active." I did that, and that agent said he'd send an email to the location, but my only other option was to call the SLC location directly. Ever try that? You get a voice mail saying someone will get back to you within 24 hours. I tried every conceivable way of getting to a live person and no luck. At this point, I was convinced someone has taken the car in my name and somehow gotten past the check point. So I called the SLC Airport Police, and they said they would transfer me to a direct number to the Hertz counter. It rang for more than 5 minutes before I gave up. I called the police back and they said they had a second number, which went back to Hertz's regular phone tree. I called Airport Operations, and got the same result. On the verge of reporting the car stolen, I called the Police a 3rd time and got an officer was was very understanding and took down the model and license number (which was on my rental record) and agreed to back me up if the car was stolen, got into an accident, and Hertz or the police tried coming after me. I then called an left a very specific message on the SLC location voice mail that I needed an immediate call back or I would be reporting the car as stolen.

Then last night, hours later, I got a call from a Dollar/Thrifty agent, who said he was checking the emails (see second phone call above), as there were no Hertz agents on duty. I asked about the voice mail I left, and he said he didn't have the passcode to their voice mail. He acknowledged that they had not closed my reservation and did so right then. Very pleasant and efficient (he even sent me an email to confirm), but it's insane that no one (not even Hertz call center or airport police staff) has a phone number for an on-duty Hertz rep either at car pick-up or inside at the counter. Really, really annoyed, and definitely putting my rentals now through Avis.

GW McLintock

You should be aware that, unless you pre-pay a rental, you can no-show without penalty. They'll automatically cancel your rental if you don't show up within like 6 hours or something like that. I've rented at SLC literally hundreds of times and have done this plenty. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble as Hertz is much better than Avis at SLC; I rent from Avis now and their cars generally suck.

-J.

tarheelnj

I agree, and I've done that myself a few times. This time, though, when I got an email with the rental record (including a charge for LDW, which I clearly have marked "decline" on my profile and the individual rental reservation) I just needed to confirm whether someone had driven off with my car. What infuriated me was that neither I nor the airport police were able to reach a live person, and when I finally got a call-back from a Hertz-generated email, I learned that a Dollar/Thrifty agent was covering the emails, since no Hertz manager was on duty. It's now more than 24 hours since I left an urgent message on a voice mail that promised a call back within 24 hours, which tells me they haven't been picked up (since only the Hertz manager has the passcode).

I appreciate the heads-up about Avis at SLC. I'm going to give them a try, as I've just booked a weekly rental at SLC for next month with them, that would have gone to Hertz. While there, I'll ask how they would handle a similar situation. Maybe it's the same and I just have to pick the best of the worst.

FlyingJayhawk12

I have had this same issue with the SLC Hertz location - nobody ever answers the phone regardless of the day/time you call, and when I left a message I never got a call back. I just had to address the problem with the desk upon returning the car.

pregabalin

Arrived yesterday night at SLC. Pretty poor selection in PC; the only AWD car was a Kia Sorrento V6, which I took. The car was decent and is pretty quiet and had CarPlay so no huge complaints. Otherwise, there were a bunch of American sedans (impala, Malibu, Charger, etc.), Mazda 3. No other SUVs to be seen; must be because of ski season. There was a Mercedes and Jaguar SUV in the premium upgrades section.

glostix

With rare exceptions, it is impossible to reach a live person at *ALL* Hertz airport stations, their phones are set to forward to the main 1800 national number with agents in the Philippines etc. It's total bull if you ask me.

GW McLintock

I once actually had the cell phone number of one of the SLC managers, but only because he had linked his phone to Bluetooth in the Camry I rented

-J.

whiskeyplease

One AWD?? Wow - I've done a number of ski trips using SLC Hertz and always had the choice of 3-4+ AWDs/4WDs (PC). Hope that's an aberration and not a new normal...

kbean

I thought the same when I read this - in ski season that's pretty unacceptable. I get they're more in demand but they should be working to supply it.

I'm not renting from Hertz next week. I hope National will have a better selection.

GW McLintock

At SLC, they won't

-J.

kbean

I have read things have changed since they became corporate owned. I'll have just as much of a chance getting something decent there than anywhere else.

whiskeyplease

Update - after a flight delay (got in close to midnight) the only 4WDs/AWDs in PC were big pickups. The "variety" was in your choice between Ford, Chevy and Dodge. Other than that, a few minivans, a couple small 2WD, SUVs, and a Camaro and Mustang convertible or two.

kbean

This was Hertz, correct? Just making sure.

AALoyalNYC

I'm curious about the pick-ups if you recall at all, but did the beds have covers or were they all open? I'd have no problem with a pick up if I could throw all my stuff in the "trunk" with it being covered. Particularly with skis...