Consolidated "Renting at DCA; What Kind of Cars to Expect?" Thread
Aug 3, 2019, 3:48 pm
#91
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: dca
Programs: Delta Plat, United Silver, Marriott LT Titanium, HHonors Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 337
This Saturday afternoon had a few surprises in PC, 2 Volvo S90's and a BMW 530 xDrive in addition to the normal Impalas & Toyota's. 5 Star had an F150 & Charger Hemi, but the rest of the lot looked pretty light.
Aug 21, 2019, 5:19 pm
#92
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Here's a new one. I returned a car to Hertz DCA this afternoon, a car I'd picked up in BWI. The agent looked inside and told me if I didn't clean out the car I was going to be charged a cleaning fee. I'd only had the car a day and a half so it wasn't dirty. I said that was absurd and she insisted. I threw out three McDonalds cups, a receipt and a straw wrapper to make her happy.
Aug 21, 2019, 9:14 pm
#93
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 11
Here's a new one. I returned a car to Hertz DCA this afternoon, a car I'd picked up in BWI. The agent looked inside and told me if I didn't clean out the car I was going to be charged a cleaning fee. I'd only had the car a day and a half so it wasn't dirty. I said that was absurd and she insisted. I threw out three McDonalds cups, a receipt and a straw wrapper to make her happy.
Aug 22, 2019, 5:53 am
#94
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
You don't see a problem with creating undisclosed fees? I've been renting cars for 13 years and I worked in car rental for 3 years, never in that time have I heard of cleaning fee nor have I ever charged one. The idea of telling a customer who came back with three cups in cupholders and a receipt and a straw wrapper in the center console that if they didn't clean it I'd charge them never would have occured to me and I worked for Enterprise, the most fee based company there is.
Aug 22, 2019, 9:34 am
#95
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Canada
Programs: National EE, Enterprise Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, NEXUS
Posts: 106
While I personally agree, if a rental agent ever told me they'd charge me a cleaning fee over trash, I'd be expecting a call from the branch manager the next day. That is completely unacceptable unless the interior is completely trashed or I have smoked in the car. Hertz and every other rental company employs people to clean cars and it's not unreasonable to expect that Hertz will need to clean rental cars upon return.
Aug 22, 2019, 10:48 am
#96
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,197
This is going seriously off topic but... if the customer can clean it up and put it in the trashcan on return, he should. It's also a good way to make sure that phone chargers, etc. don't stay buried beneath the trash. But that's not cleaning worthy of a fee - in fact, it's almost the level of trash that could come from a single journey to the airport if you stopped off on the way.
In fact, anything that can be removed from the car without some form of liquid assistance is not cleaning in my view, regardless of whether it's good manners or not. Cars get cleaned ou and vacuumed between rentals; this is no different.
In fact, anything that can be removed from the car without some form of liquid assistance is not cleaning in my view, regardless of whether it's good manners or not. Cars get cleaned ou and vacuumed between rentals; this is no different.
Aug 27, 2019, 10:05 pm
#98
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,703
Surprisingly very interesting selection by DCA standards late Tuesday night. PC had a Camaro SS (leather), Challenger R/T Hemi (base interior), Volvo S90, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, and Cherokee Limited, to go along with the regular Hertz fare.
Aug 29, 2019, 2:06 am
#100
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,703
Sep 22, 2019, 11:00 am
#101
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: dca
Programs: Delta Plat, United Silver, Marriott LT Titanium, HHonors Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 337
Another surprise at the DCA PC lot this Saturday, 2 new Mercedes A220 4Matics along with the usual suspects. I took one with 250 miles on it and in the end wasn't that impressed. The panoramic glass roof was nice and satellite radio was working but mostly a bare bones model, nav not activated, etc.
Last edited by dc2005b; Sep 22, 2019 at 11:16 am Reason: typo
Sep 28, 2019, 6:01 am
#102
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: TX, USA
Programs: Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG SA
Posts: 140
I picked up @ DCA as 5 star last night (Friday) around 11:30pm.
Common basic sedans in 5 star: corolla, impala, malibu, sonata. NO SUV.
Similar sedans in PC. There is a black charger. NO SUV in PC.
Common basic sedans in 5 star: corolla, impala, malibu, sonata. NO SUV.
Similar sedans in PC. There is a black charger. NO SUV in PC.
Oct 17, 2019, 3:18 am
#103
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,703
On Wednesday night Hertz DCA had a single Jeep Cherokee and a single Kia Sorento in PC. That was it. Five Star and Gold had a smattering of base trim small SUVs and small sedans. Upgrade section was full, of course. I don't remember what was in the regular upgrade section but Ultimate Series was a Challenger R/T and a Charger R/T.
Nov 15, 2019, 6:27 am
#104
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Better experience than I'm used to at DCA though nothing special:
PC was small to mid sized SUV heavy along with a Mustang and an Impala.
Five Star had some smaller cars and small SUVs. I took a GMC Acadia SLT with 13,000 miles. Annoyingly they enforce the fee to enable SiriusXM at this location.
PC was small to mid sized SUV heavy along with a Mustang and an Impala.
Five Star had some smaller cars and small SUVs. I took a GMC Acadia SLT with 13,000 miles. Annoyingly they enforce the fee to enable SiriusXM at this location.
Jan 6, 2020, 4:45 pm
#105
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,703
Big vehicless in PC on Monday evening:
*Dodge Durango R/T Hemi (first I've seen as a rental)
*RAM 2500 Bighorn (new model, 900 miles)
*Chevy Suburban LT
*GMC Yukon XL
*Ford Flex SEL
*Chrysler Pacifica
*and two Buick Encores which looked silly next to the beasts.
There was another RAM 2500 in FS and lots of Grand Caravans, Kia Souls, and a couple Pacificas across FS and Gold.
Upgrades were a Porsche Macan and three BMW 5 Series. I didn't ask what they were charging.
*Dodge Durango R/T Hemi (first I've seen as a rental)
*RAM 2500 Bighorn (new model, 900 miles)
*Chevy Suburban LT
*GMC Yukon XL
*Ford Flex SEL
*Chrysler Pacifica
*and two Buick Encores which looked silly next to the beasts.
There was another RAM 2500 in FS and lots of Grand Caravans, Kia Souls, and a couple Pacificas across FS and Gold.
Upgrades were a Porsche Macan and three BMW 5 Series. I didn't ask what they were charging.
Last edited by m907; Jan 6, 2020 at 5:59 pm