Gold Choice Car List by Location
 

I was over on the National forum because I'm thinking of doing a status match to try them out since I've already qualified for 5star this year plus don't put all your eggs in one basket etc etc.

I noticed the National guys have a thread where posters put what cars they found in Emerald Aisle and its organised by location. I know we have a gold choice experience thread and its probably a null endeavour because they change out cars all the time and its immensely varied but I think it might be a good idea to get a feel of what might be available based on frequency and also the chance of seeing something nice in there. Maybe even a pic of the aisle even if you don't actually use it.

What do you guys think?

MIA- May 2012
Two Ford Escapes - Basic, no N/L and no XM
Two Malibus - One decked out LTZ, N/L and XM (I figured some person didn't take it and they just dumped it here) and One LS

MIA - Sept 2012
One Cadillac Escalade (Yeah I was confused too)
One Chevy Equinox
One Nissan Altima
Two Malibus - didn't check trim but they looked to be basic

Nice idea, but I think it would get way too complicated or unwieldy a list.

In my experience, any car in Groups C, D and F could potentially appear in Gold Choice (and there is a list elsewhere on the Hertz thread), and on many occasions you will also find Group R (MiniVans), and sometimes, Group Q (Small SUVs) and Group L (Standard SUVs). If supply happens to be skewed, you may see "better" than this - last time I was at PHX for instance, they had a surfeit of brand new Tauruses, and a couple of them were parked in Gold Choice (I took a Legacy figuring it is harder to source one of those). There was one time at LAX when I found Nissan Frontier pickups there - presume they had a whole lot and no bookings for them.

You are most likely to find the most commonly found vehicles in Gold Choice - Corolla, Sentra, Mazda 3, Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Mazda 6 and the T & Coutry/Grand Caravan. If you want something more unusual, you are more than likely going to have and go ask at the desk.

I've been renting from IAD over the last two months and recall seeing the following in the free swap slots:
Chevrolet Captiva
Chevrolet Cruze
Chevrolet Impala
Dodge Avenger
Ford Fusion
Nissan Altima (2-door & 4-door)
Subaru Legacy
Toyota Camry
Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen Passat

In short, nothing special.

Legacy and the Passat seem like an nice alternative while paying the midsize rate

Fair enough. I haven't driven the Legacy but I was pleasantly surprised to see the Passat, particularly since there was a Camry in my assigned slot.

The thing is that Gold Choice at any given location can change on a moment's notice. They usually don't put their best cars there and a lot of the time they put cars that belong at other locations in those spots.

Last night SLC had a couple of Mazda3s, what looked like a 2011 Camry, and a '13 Mustang Convertible (CA plates) which I took. In the past I've often seen Malibus (usually LS/base), Elantras (base), and Mazda3s (base) in GC at SLC (most common). On occasion I've seen Altimas, Cruzes, once an Impala, and once a '12 Fusion SEL. One time I think back in September or October I saw a Nissan Versa :rolleyes:

^

Also it depends on the location. Like last night the Mustang CV I got was in GC likely because nobody in their right mind would rent a convertible when it's 10 degrees out. On the other hand I was originally assigned a Hyundai Accent and wasn't about to take that.

I once got a Legacy sedan on an ICAR reservation. GC was fully stocked that day but the Legacy was decently equipped and I really liked it.

-J.

I thought about looking for a thread like this around christmas and now this one was just made, how convenient. I am looking for SFO for a trip in the spring. Sadly I haven't been to big airports with GC since April 12 but here was mine...

PHL - I was assigned a licensee Sentra with no antennae for a Oneway... Yeah, I will pass on a garbage Sentra.

a late PM Thursday in April 2012

3 brand new Rogues
1 Liberty (40K but active Sirius)
1 Sonata (high miles and XM)
2-3 Sentras
2-3 Corollas
1 Versa sedan with 133 miles.
2-3 Cruzes (I took one w/ 3400 mi, of course mine was an LS w/ no XM which I didn't realize until I was getting onto 95)
1 Altima Coupe.

Lots of fun and expensive upsell/upgrades available
Regal, Lacrosse, C250, E350, Escalade, Suburbans, Mustang GT. I didn't check prices.

IAD
Free:
2012 Chevrolet Cruze
2013 Chevrolet Cruze
2012 Chevrolet Malibu
2012 Mazda 3
2012 Nissan Altima Coupe (2x)
2012 Toyota Camry

Upgrades:
2013 Buick LaCrosse
2012 Chrysler 200 Convertible
2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450 ($25)

PHX

Free:
12 Chevrolet Cruze
12 Toyota Corolla
12 Toyota Camry
13 Nissan Altima

Upgrades:
Ford Mustang
BMW 3 Series
Chevy Corvette

These are the ones I saw while I rented mine. Someone else could probably chime in to add to this list...

Damn, that's nice!
I would have went for it!

Damn! Is that the sign on it or what you negotiated?

How does the Gold Choice Line work
 

I haven´t seen the Gold Choice Line in Europe yet, but how does it work in the U.S.?

What happens if I rent the cheapest car class (let´s say A) as a Gold?

1) Can I chose every car in the Gold Line (also a B or C car) or do I just have the choice between cars from class A?

2) How do upgrades work for specialty cars? Is it the same upgrade-price regardless of the booked class? Or does Hertz differentiate between the reserved class (upgrade to a Mustang is cheaper if F is reserved than A)?

That was the price on the sign. In retrospect I probably should have gone for it.

You must be on a Intermediate (C) or higher rental to qualify for Gold Choice. If you qualify, you are able to choose any car in the regular Gold Choice line at no extra cost.

Additionally, there is an area of Gold Choice marked "Upgrades". This is normally where you find specialty cars (though I have seen Fiats at CLT with $20 upgrade tags on more than one occasion), each with a hangtag indicating the cost/day to upgrade. I believe you still have to be on a C or higher reservation to get these upgrade prices, but I'm not 100% sure.

If you see a car you like, you just take it and a new contract will be printed at the exit.

IMO you only really need to be on a C or higher if you gonna take the gold choice aisle and not talk to anyone.

I've done B(given Versa) to a MB C300 that was parked in gold choice in LAX and an A(didn't bother to check what I was assigned lol) to a Galant in Miami which was also parked in gold choice area so I guess it depends on who you talk to and if you're not in a hurry

^

I was on a B reservation (assigned a Hyundai Accent) when I got the Mustang at SLC last weekend. I asked the Gold Booth agent to up my reservation to a midsize, he said don't worry about it :)

-J.