Exchange Car Assigned by HLE at Ultimate Choice Airport Location?
May 14, 2019, 7:30 pm
#31
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London / Los Angeles
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver
Posts: 1,631
Just curious has anyone has some experience, ideally changing at LAX. I used to rent from HLEs in Canada quite a lot and there was only one time when they could not find an upgrade and in that case they suggested I go to the airport to change to an upgraded car there. No idea if it works the same in the US though.
Last edited by Enigma368; May 14, 2019 at 7:36 pm
May 14, 2019, 7:44 pm
#32
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lexington KY/Coronado, CA
Posts: 950
Your better course of action might be to run it through a car wash and ask Herz to knock it off the final bill. Otherwise, your question has been pretty well answered upthread. Unless there's a mechanical issue with the car, you may get some pushback trying to swap at an airport.
May 14, 2019, 8:37 pm
#33
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London / Los Angeles
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver
Posts: 1,631
Your better course of action might be to run it through a car wash and ask Herz to knock it off the final bill. Otherwise, your question has been pretty well answered upthread. Unless there's a mechanical issue with the car, you may get some pushback trying to swap at an airport.
May 14, 2019, 10:33 pm
#34
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,572
No rebate. It was a prepaid rental so I really don't think I could have cancelled it even if I wanted to - or at least I would not get a refund - I basically had to accept this car.
Just curious has anyone has some experience, ideally changing at LAX. I used to rent from HLEs in Canada quite a lot and there was only one time when they could not find an upgrade and in that case they suggested I go to the airport to change to an upgraded car there. No idea if it works the same in the US though.
Just curious has anyone has some experience, ideally changing at LAX. I used to rent from HLEs in Canada quite a lot and there was only one time when they could not find an upgrade and in that case they suggested I go to the airport to change to an upgraded car there. No idea if it works the same in the US though.
May 15, 2019, 12:21 am
#35
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Hilton Honors, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Executive Elite
Posts: 274
I’ve had instance where my car broke down and was towed into LAX at late night but they refused to give me an exchange because manager told me “people always bring ...... hle cars to exchange for their nice cars” I called roadside and they could do nothing about it, all they could do was to get me a lyft home and found me a vehicle of the same class at another hle the next day and lyft me to the location again.
May 15, 2019, 1:00 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London / Los Angeles
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver
Posts: 1,631
LAX will flat out ignore you, they will probably give you another car if they feel like it but it’s guaranteed to be worst than the one you have.
I’ve had instance where my car broke down and was towed into LAX at late night but they refused to give me an exchange because manager told me “people always bring ...... hle cars to exchange for their nice cars” I called roadside and they could do nothing about it, all they could do was to get me a lyft home and found me a vehicle of the same class at another hle the next day and lyft me to the location again.
I will not be renting from LA Union Station HLE again. Even though Union Station is walking distance to my apartment, I will likely just pay extra and shlep out to LAX or Burbank airport n future for ultimate choice. That said, if anyone knows of a good HLE in LA with decent cars for PC, do let me know!
Last edited by Enigma368; May 15, 2019 at 1:22 am
May 15, 2019, 2:53 am
#37
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,703
Does anyone know if I can go to the airport to change a HLE car because they were not able to honor the PC upgrade, as well as serious cleanliness issues. I booked a midsize and have been given a midsize car with 34k miles that is neither clean on the outside or the inside(candies and nut shells down the side of the seat, car is filthy on the outside). I suspect the car was not cleaned at all since the last customer.
I pushed for the guaranteed upgrade but was basically told they had nothing else. Anyone have any experience?
I pushed for the guaranteed upgrade but was basically told they had nothing else. Anyone have any experience?
May 15, 2019, 3:02 am
#38
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London / Los Angeles
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver
Posts: 1,631
May 18, 2019, 6:17 pm
#40
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 610
PHX won't let you pick a car either.
i booked an AZ drive out rate from an HLE (Scottsdale Motor Mile), and they had terrible selection, with no full size offered. They have me a Mazda CX-5 that was the base trim and quite beat up, 28k miles on the clock. Sure sounds like an upgrade but much worse gas performance than a full size and simply not what I needed for a 14-day road trip.
After asking REALLY nicely, PHX agreed to give me a full size, 2019 Camry LE (base trim). Much better mpg and only 4k miles so I'm actually happy with the exchange.
PC looked pretty good, with a Camaro, Mustang convertible, Jaguar XE, and a full lot in general. Lots of SUVs too.
edit: any experiences with LAS? The Camry is showing "need maintenance soon" after startup, and I've still got 1000+ miles to drive.
i booked an AZ drive out rate from an HLE (Scottsdale Motor Mile), and they had terrible selection, with no full size offered. They have me a Mazda CX-5 that was the base trim and quite beat up, 28k miles on the clock. Sure sounds like an upgrade but much worse gas performance than a full size and simply not what I needed for a 14-day road trip.
After asking REALLY nicely, PHX agreed to give me a full size, 2019 Camry LE (base trim). Much better mpg and only 4k miles so I'm actually happy with the exchange.
PC looked pretty good, with a Camaro, Mustang convertible, Jaguar XE, and a full lot in general. Lots of SUVs too.
edit: any experiences with LAS? The Camry is showing "need maintenance soon" after startup, and I've still got 1000+ miles to drive.
May 20, 2019, 11:20 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
Programs: DL Plat, UA Plat 1MM, AS MVP, Hyatt Discoverist, Avis Presidents Club, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,938
Twice, recently, I've made swaps.
1) Picked up at HLE. Didn't like the car. Returned to airport as I needed to go there anyway to pick somebody up. Walked to the Gold booth. Agent said that if I wanted to rent at the airport I should have reserved at the airport and that they can't simply swap HLE vehicles. Once he learned that I'd already returned the car (and it had already been shuttled elsewhere) he relented and gave me a new car. It was the same category as what I'd been given and I had no UC despite the request -- though it was a Maxima and had working Sirius so I benefitted. He told me that he would have been able to call for my original car and have me wait for it so to not try this again.
2) Picked up at the airport. Drove the XTS for the weekend. Realized I needed a larger vehicle. Returned to airport. Had zero issues getting a Minivan instead.
Moral of the story -- while its not IMPOSSIBLE to swap a HLE car, it is against policy, so YMMV.
1) Picked up at HLE. Didn't like the car. Returned to airport as I needed to go there anyway to pick somebody up. Walked to the Gold booth. Agent said that if I wanted to rent at the airport I should have reserved at the airport and that they can't simply swap HLE vehicles. Once he learned that I'd already returned the car (and it had already been shuttled elsewhere) he relented and gave me a new car. It was the same category as what I'd been given and I had no UC despite the request -- though it was a Maxima and had working Sirius so I benefitted. He told me that he would have been able to call for my original car and have me wait for it so to not try this again.
2) Picked up at the airport. Drove the XTS for the weekend. Realized I needed a larger vehicle. Returned to airport. Had zero issues getting a Minivan instead.
Moral of the story -- while its not IMPOSSIBLE to swap a HLE car, it is against policy, so YMMV.
May 22, 2019, 9:32 am
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: TLV/LHR
Programs: BA GGL, IHG Diamond Elite Amb, HH Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 12,948
May 26, 2019, 9:13 am
#43
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. / Washington, DC
Programs: AA PPro/DL PLT, PPass, Marriott / Hilton Gold, JetBlue Mosaic, Hertz Presidents Circle, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,629
I reserved a full size at a HLE location, and all they had for me was a midsize. I drove to a nearby airport and was able to exchange it for whatever I wanted to choose from the Presidents' Circle area.
Aug 21, 2019, 1:27 pm
#44
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Canada
Programs: National EE, Enterprise Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, NEXUS
Posts: 106
Swapping out cars at airports
I'm a President's Circle Member and renting from a couple neighbor locations because the prices tend to be cheaper than the airport locations. If I somehow get into an awful car or one that isn't mechanically sound, can I drive it over to an airport location and swap it out and keep the same rate plan?
Anyone done this before? Airports generally have better car selections.
Anyone done this before? Airports generally have better car selections.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Aug 22, 2019 at 9:53 am Reason: moved into existing thread on this topic
Aug 21, 2019, 4:25 pm
#45
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,703
I've never tried it with Hertz but it seems to be YMMV based on others' reports here. National is pretty lenient about exchanging but I've seen a lot of people who say Hertz gave them trouble.
If it's a corporate HLE, you can try it but don't expect much. If it's a franchise HLE, forget it, because they own their cars and would have to go get it back from the airport.
And I wouldn't be too worried about the state of the car at the HLE, especially if it's in a major metropolitan area because many of their cars are coming from airport locations anyway.
If it's a corporate HLE, you can try it but don't expect much. If it's a franchise HLE, forget it, because they own their cars and would have to go get it back from the airport.
And I wouldn't be too worried about the state of the car at the HLE, especially if it's in a major metropolitan area because many of their cars are coming from airport locations anyway.