Can you swap cars once your rental has begun?
Jun 13, 2022, 4:51 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
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Posts: 6,852
Collected a car to drive cross country with from PHL today. As previous reports, it was almost entirely Korean cars in Presidents Circle. There was one brand new Sonata with 1000 miles on it, and a selection of Altimas and Camry’s too. Then there were a few small Chevy and GMC SUVs.
We were really hoping for a Mustang or Camaro but realised it was a long shot at PHL. The lady in the Gold Counter was fairly unhelpful when I asked about whether there were likely to be any american cars giving a fairly corporate answer, but she was polite enough. One of the guys brought round a GMC Acadia SLT as I was looking around. It was high mileage (40,000) but actually surprisingly tidy and high spec (working XM Radio, Apple Car Play, Wifi, Nav, BOSE, leather). 6 hours into the drive now and getting 30 US MPG. Bit of a wobble on the wheel under load, and it’s not far off needing a service so might see if I can swap to something more fancy in Las Vegas next week if the wobble gets worse!
We were really hoping for a Mustang or Camaro but realised it was a long shot at PHL. The lady in the Gold Counter was fairly unhelpful when I asked about whether there were likely to be any american cars giving a fairly corporate answer, but she was polite enough. One of the guys brought round a GMC Acadia SLT as I was looking around. It was high mileage (40,000) but actually surprisingly tidy and high spec (working XM Radio, Apple Car Play, Wifi, Nav, BOSE, leather). 6 hours into the drive now and getting 30 US MPG. Bit of a wobble on the wheel under load, and it’s not far off needing a service so might see if I can swap to something more fancy in Las Vegas next week if the wobble gets worse!
I even had them tow a replacement car to me at my hotel once and pick up the defective one
Jun 13, 2022, 5:09 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 22
Not ever had to return a car in the US. What’s the best practice? Ring the place you’re going to return to first or just turn up to returns?
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Jun 20, 2022 at 6:33 am Reason: split out of PHL thread to keep that one on topic and also let others not renting at PHL to know about swapping result
Jun 13, 2022, 5:36 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
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Link:
https://www.hertz.jo/rentacar/produc...nited%20States
Jun 13, 2022, 8:29 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
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I don’t think a corporate location would have any concern at all
Jun 13, 2022, 8:46 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
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If they tried to offer another high mileage vehicle once again (if I was in the same situation as the OP) I would say would you want me to have the same issue in next city? It’s dangerous to drive. I think that will get them off the dime to give you a better car
Jun 15, 2022, 8:36 am
#23
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 22
And ultimately they didn’t ‘offer’ it to me as such anyway. I could have taken a 1000 mile old Sonata, but we wanted something bigger for the trip which is why we (stupidly) took the GMC. I think Philly in general though seems to put fairly average cars in their PC area.
Jun 20, 2022, 12:11 am
#25
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
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Jun 20, 2022, 8:34 am
#26
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 22
There wasn’t going to be many places in the first couple of days we could have swapped, and we lived with the issue for Tennessee where it wasn’t actually that bad on slower roads. It was a pita on the faster Texas roads though, hence rang up on the way to Austin.
Given the poor selection at PHL I was also a bit nervous of ending up with something even worse! Thankfully that wasn’t the case and the service at AUS was actually really good. A complete contrast in every way to PHL.
Mustang looks great in NM too!
Given the poor selection at PHL I was also a bit nervous of ending up with something even worse! Thankfully that wasn’t the case and the service at AUS was actually really good. A complete contrast in every way to PHL.
Mustang looks great in NM too!
Jun 20, 2022, 8:56 am
#27
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,852
Jun 20, 2022, 2:52 pm
#28
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Programs: United 1K, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 690
Congrats OP on the nice upgrade upon swapping vehicles. Anytime I swapped due to issues, I had to take a vehicle ONLY from my booked class, not my chosen class from PC.
Jun 25, 2022, 5:27 pm
#29
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,668
One way rentals are prime candidates to offload the unwanted inventory. Expect the worst car on the lot unless you booked a very specific vehicle.
I would be very hesitant to rent a vehicle form any car rental if the vehicle has 40,000 miles. A well loved lease return with 40,000 miles could be a good option. For cross country drives the vehicle with the least number of miles has advantages.
Rhetorical, but I avoid the performance vehicles personally due to the noise and the ride. I feel bad when the rental location hands over the keys to a brand new Dodge Challenger but I opt for the minivan...
I would be very hesitant to rent a vehicle form any car rental if the vehicle has 40,000 miles. A well loved lease return with 40,000 miles could be a good option. For cross country drives the vehicle with the least number of miles has advantages.
Rhetorical, but I avoid the performance vehicles personally due to the noise and the ride. I feel bad when the rental location hands over the keys to a brand new Dodge Challenger but I opt for the minivan...
Jul 12, 2022, 4:47 am
#30
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 22
One way rentals are prime candidates to offload the unwanted inventory. Expect the worst car on the lot unless you booked a very specific vehicle.
I would be very hesitant to rent a vehicle form any car rental if the vehicle has 40,000 miles. A well loved lease return with 40,000 miles could be a good option. For cross country drives the vehicle with the least number of miles has advantages.
Rhetorical, but I avoid the performance vehicles personally due to the noise and the ride. I feel bad when the rental location hands over the keys to a brand new Dodge Challenger but I opt for the minivan...
I would be very hesitant to rent a vehicle form any car rental if the vehicle has 40,000 miles. A well loved lease return with 40,000 miles could be a good option. For cross country drives the vehicle with the least number of miles has advantages.
Rhetorical, but I avoid the performance vehicles personally due to the noise and the ride. I feel bad when the rental location hands over the keys to a brand new Dodge Challenger but I opt for the minivan...
The Mustang was great. It’s not a ‘sports car’ in its base form as available from US rental companies. The Ford standard suspension tune there is super soft springs and very compliant compression damping. 18in wheels further help. It rides/handles closer to something like a Jag XF than the Mustangs we get in Europe which are all on 20s with the more driver oriented dynamics. I took it up Angels Crest Highway in LA and it was amusing to throw around but very, very soft and lazy.
Bear in mind too that my cars back in the U.K. are a Ford Fiesta ST and a Porsche Cayman so pretty much any US spec car feels like a Range Rover by comparison!