Prestige vehicles guaranteed?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
Prestige vehicles guaranteed?
To what extent are specific prestige vehicles guaranteed?
I reserved an E-Class Mercedes, but when I went to pick it up this morning, they said that they rented it to someone else they day before, and gave me an SRX instead. Granted, it was a brand new SRX, but I would've preferred the E-class, and I was paying the E-Class rate for a cheaper SRX.
What's the point of reserving a specific model if they don't have it on hand (methinks they upsold it to someone else).
I reserved an E-Class Mercedes, but when I went to pick it up this morning, they said that they rented it to someone else they day before, and gave me an SRX instead. Granted, it was a brand new SRX, but I would've preferred the E-class, and I was paying the E-Class rate for a cheaper SRX.
What's the point of reserving a specific model if they don't have it on hand (methinks they upsold it to someone else).
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
I had forgotten about the rate being cheaper until I had driven the car off the lot, and later after re-checking the website, was unable to reproduce the exact cheaper rate so I couldn't provide proof. However, I can still argue that the E-class is always relatively more expensive than the SRX, so perhaps they can give me a proportional adjustment.
Last edited by drzoidberg; Feb 5, 2012 at 3:47 pm
#4
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,316
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DCA or IAD (originally DUB)
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum/Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,657
To what extent are specific prestige vehicles guaranteed?
I reserved an E-Class Mercedes, but when I went to pick it up this morning, they said that they rented it to someone else they day before, and gave me an SRX instead. Granted, it was a brand new SRX, but I would've preferred the E-class, and I was paying the E-Class rate for a cheaper SRX.
What's the point of reserving a specific model if they don't have it on hand (methinks they upsold it to someone else).
I reserved an E-Class Mercedes, but when I went to pick it up this morning, they said that they rented it to someone else they day before, and gave me an SRX instead. Granted, it was a brand new SRX, but I would've preferred the E-class, and I was paying the E-Class rate for a cheaper SRX.
What's the point of reserving a specific model if they don't have it on hand (methinks they upsold it to someone else).
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
Well, at least the SRX was brand new... But my experience at DCA has been pretty spotty.
What do people recommend as reasonable compensation, should this happen again? I reserved another car this weekend, hopefully the same thing won't occur again, but I'd like to have an appropriate response if it does.
Last edited by drzoidberg; Feb 9, 2012 at 3:29 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: QFF NB, Velocity Silver, Hertz 5*, Avis Preferred, Thrifty Blue Chip (Oz), Europcar Privilege Exec.
Posts: 378
DCA.
Well, at least the SRX was brand new... But my experience at DCA has been pretty spotty.
What do people recommend as reasonable compensation, should this happen again? I reserved another car this weekend, hopefully the same thing won't occur again, but I'd like to have an appropriate response if it does.
Well, at least the SRX was brand new... But my experience at DCA has been pretty spotty.
What do people recommend as reasonable compensation, should this happen again? I reserved another car this weekend, hopefully the same thing won't occur again, but I'd like to have an appropriate response if it does.
1. they guarantee make and model;
2. you're ending up with a worse vehicle in most cases, which spoils the whole rental experience.
Effectively you want reimbursement of the lost opportunity. I'm not sure thow much that should be, but thinking about it as I type, at least a day's free adrenalin or prestige rental would be a minimum.
Whether you or Hertz feel that's reasonable or not is another story, as is whether they would give you that.
#12
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Emerald Club, Hhonors, Rapid rewards
Posts: 67
I've wondered about this myself.... I've reserved an Escalade for a trip out of SLC during June of next year and I'm wondering what'll happen if I fly into the airport and there are none available? That would make their "reserve this exact model" feature kind of worthless/meaningless. If its actually a guarantee, then it should be backed up with decent compensation should the guarantee be broken. I'm curious how many people here have reserved a Prestige vehicle and was given something else when they arrived at the car rental facility?
#14
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: Hertz PC, QF Plat, Velocity Gold, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,803
I have never had an issue with a Prestige car not being what I have reserved.
At any of the large locations you should be fine as they normally have enough spares to go around
At any of the large locations you should be fine as they normally have enough spares to go around
#15
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Emerald Club, Hhonors, Rapid rewards
Posts: 67
Thats good to hear considering the guarantee doesn't appear to be backed by anything. I'll stop worrying about it until I actually experience an issue.