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Consolidated "Renting at LHR; What Kind of Cars to Expect?" Thread

Consolidated "Renting at LHR; What Kind of Cars to Expect?" Thread

Old Oct 26, 2018, 6:13 am
  #31  
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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I agree... best not to think of it as "Gold Choice" because both the training and the implementation are woeful.

A shame, becasue the staff at LHR are generally very good and helpful.
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Old Oct 26, 2018, 7:10 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
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Originally Posted by OverTheHorizon
As a PC having recently had a couple of excellent experiences with Ultimate Choice in the USA, and with a compact booked for pick-up at LHR, I thought I would check our the Gold Choice section there this morning. And, wow!, there was a Maserati parked in one of the bays ! Surely it couldn't possibly be available ?

Nope, that dream died the second I toddled into the Gold Office: "it doesn't work the same here as in America - you can swap to another car in the same class but if you want anything better you'll have to pay..." So basically, it's the same offer as it's always been ?

I know they are 2 different markets but really, using the word "Choice" in the UK version is bordering on false advertising :O
FYI, with a compact booking, you wouldn't have qualified for Ultimate Choice in the US.
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Old Oct 26, 2018, 8:53 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Gold Choice has been around in Europe for many many many many years and this is the way it works. If you see a car in Gold Choice that you like, you can ask to swap with one of those vehicles. If its the same class, theyll give it to you free and clear. If its an upgrade, they give you an upgrade price.

It is NOT Ultimate Choice like the US. Im not quite sure why you would think it was the same, especially with different namings.

Either way, Ive found that most European locations will provide you with an upgrade if you politely ask for FOC. Sorry you didnt have a better experience. Were you nice once you learned about the upgrade charge and that it was in fact a different program than Ultimate Choice, or were you upset and condescending? This would easily affect the way they treated you going forward and their willingness to support you.
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Old Oct 26, 2018, 9:09 am
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by 91StealthES
Gold Choice has been around in Europe for many many many many years and this is the way it works. If you see a car in Gold Choice that you like, you can ask to swap with one of those vehicles. If its the same class, theyll give it to you free and clear. If its an upgrade, they give you an upgrade price.

It is NOT Ultimate Choice like the US. Im not quite sure why you would think it was the same, especially with different namings.

Either way, Ive found that most European locations will provide you with an upgrade if you politely ask for FOC. Sorry you didnt have a better experience. Were you nice once you learned about the upgrade charge and that it was in fact a different program than Ultimate Choice, or were you upset and condescending? This would easily affect the way they treated you going forward and their willingness to support you.

Just for the record, Gold Choice existed for a long time in the US as well (prior to Ultimate Choice), and you could (with an intermediate reservation or higher) pick anything you wanted that was there, instead of your assigned vehicle, not just stuff in the same class.
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Last edited by cestmoi123; Oct 27, 2018 at 5:21 am
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Old Oct 27, 2018, 2:01 am
  #35  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
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Gold Choice does work in the UK with a compact reservation. In theory....
In practice it has never worked at Heathrow, and the gold choice bays are either empty or full of vehicles that they won't let you have. I did once manage to get a very top-end Audi by insisting that the manager come out and explain to me why cars were in the gold choice bays if they weren't available - the counter staff decided they'd make life easier for themselves by just giving me the Audi.
There is an enormous gulf at Heathrow between what marketing staff proclaim and what actually happens.
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Old Oct 30, 2018, 7:54 am
  #36  
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Gold Choice in US sucks as well. Half the time it is empty. The other half it is fill with bland cars you wouldn't want assigned to begin with.
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Old Nov 5, 2018, 8:48 am
  #37  
 
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As a PC and booking a C class car, shouldn't you have been given at least a D car upgrade?

What did you end up getting? I usually have pretty good luck with upgrades there, but I do rent alot from LHR.
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Old Apr 17, 2019, 9:56 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NY NJ
Programs: United 1K, EL AL Silver
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Does London Heathrow have the UC asile ?
I will be renting at London Heathrow next week, as a PC can I book a midsize manual car and hope that the PC aisle will have nice automatic car ?

Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Apr 18, 2019 at 4:07 am Reason: moved into consolidated thread
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 9:33 am
  #39  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Bavaria, Germany
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Anyone an idea what's available in the LDAR (H) class at LHR?
Thinking about booking at Hertz for a September vacation trip for 17 days, and my company CDP surprisingly gives me a price of 633 GBP for the whole period - including basically everything from one-way rental to EDI, CDW, TP to even Super Cover!
Wanted to book a Premium Station Wagon (FDAR) initially, but that offer is hard to beat. And it should not create any problems for 2 people with 2 suitcases :-)
Hope that I won't experience a shortage on cars, but I hope that this category won't be overbooked (it will be Sept 12, so no holiday season).

Last edited by at4behe1; Apr 29, 2019 at 7:22 am Reason: Changed PFAR > FDAR
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 9:38 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Originally Posted by at4behe1
Anyone an idea what's available in the LDAR (H) class at LHR?
Thinking about booking at Hertz for a September vacation trip for 17 days, and my company CDP surprisingly gives me a price of 633 GBP for the whole period - including basically everything from one-way rental to EDI, CDW, TP to even Super Cover!
Wanted to book a Premium Station Wagon (PFAR) initially, but that offer is hard to beat. And it should not create any problems for 2 people with 2 suitcases :-)
Hope that I won't experience a shortage on cars, but I hope that this category won't be overbooked (it will be Sept 12, so no holiday season).
Last time I rented an H from Hertz in the UK, I got a BMW 520d. Nice ride.
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Old Apr 18, 2019, 11:54 pm
  #41  
 
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@solma. No, not a good strategy. Ultimate Choice isn't a thing in the UK. If you've booked a manual, you might get an upgrade to a sightly nicer manual. You can't assume you'll get an automatic without paying extra for it.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 5:06 pm
  #42  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Originally Posted by rcspeirs
@solma. No, not a good strategy. Ultimate Choice isn't a thing in the UK. If you've booked a manual, you might get an upgrade to a sightly nicer manual. You can't assume you'll get an automatic without paying extra for it.
Thanks for help.
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Old Apr 29, 2019, 7:28 am
  #43  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Bavaria, Germany
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Anyone heard of an upgrade from G (LDAR)? Since it is already marked as "Premium", what would that be? T6 Volvo V90 or something from the "Model Guaranteed" section (H5 Audi Q7 / H6/I6 Jaguar XF)?
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Old Apr 30, 2019, 6:27 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Been getting quite a few nice upgrades lately at LHR, so be nice and just ask, as I do. There was a few weeks back where they were rotating alot of their staff around, so on occasion I didn't see the usual staff that I do, but they were still giving decent upgrades. I do rent with them quite often though. Last week booked a D for a week, during easter and upgraded to either a Audi A3 or A4 avant, I took the avant.
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Old May 22, 2019, 2:58 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
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Hi. I have a a3 or quivalent booked with PC status. What cars are in that class, and although I understand there is no upgrade on premium models, can I hope for one? Cheers
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