geez10

Of course Gold status actually means something. You don't have to wait in a line for two hours at a busy location when your can can actually be ready for you ahead of time. That's a big plus. I always give my PC and Five Star customers free upgrades and MOST of the time I give Gold customers free upgrades. Gold members are not guaranteed a free upgrade; it's only based on availability.

geez10

That's something you have to take up with the agent that is renting to you. You must remember though, Hertz cannot guarantee you a make and model. We only guarantee you for the class you are booked for.

I get this situation a lot when customers tell me they booked a specific car when it's not at all possible. When you book a full size car, for example, you will see that it says Ford Taurus OR SIMILAR. That simply means that you can get a Taurus, Grand Prix, Impala, LaCrosse, etc.

amelia50

What about when reserving a car from the Prestige Collection? We reserved a Volvo S80 for pickup at DEN in early August. On the Hertz website, we reserved that specific make and model car. We aren't Gold, or PC or whatever. Will we get that car or will it be something "similar"?

geez10

Call the location that you have your reservation with for that information. In your case, you should be able to get the car you booked.

Owen Chase

My question is when the car is returned to the lot. I know I'm not the only that has returned car to your location and running late to catch a flight. I handed the keys off to the lot agent and when the bill comes in the mail, there is a fuel charge. Now, is someone trying to earn an extra commission?

Flatliner

Once again, thanks for the quick reply Geez10.

Now about the prestige car reservations, I was wondering if you had 2 reservations for the same prestige car, but only had one to give out, would it be a first-come first-served basis or if one of the 2 customers were a gold member, would the latter have a better chance of getting the prestige rental (considering the gold member would have a later reservation then the first customer)?

Thanks

javajunkie

I had a similar situation happen to me at a very small location. I drove very little (less than 25 mi) and turned in the car, without purchasing gas or choosing the fuel purchase option (FPO). The gauge still read full. Then, when I go to file my expense report, the CC charge is $12 higher.

I called that HZ office to invsestigate and was told "the car held gas" - meaning the service agent was able to put more than a gallon of gas in the tank. I was charged for 2 gallons at $5.99/g. I felt gouged, but paid it.

But at another location (where I frequently rent) I chose the FPO. When I turned in the rental, the charges were lowered by an attentive check-in agent who noticed I had not driven many miles. They changed the contract to remove the FPO and just charged me mileage. ^ It cost me about $20 less. ^^ I now the changes were after the fact, but they were to my benefit.

I've started using the FPO as a "faster" way of returning the car, since I don't have to stop and fill-up before I turn it in. And the FPO price has tended to be a bit cheaper than street prices for gas.

mw3538

Thanks for all the info.

I am headed to IAH today to pick up a van that I got on PL. What I am wanting to know is can I use my Gold for any upgrade? Could I pay for an upgrade to a Expidetion or similar even though I got on PL? We were planning on 6 for the trip from Houston to Florida and now it has grown to 7. J/W. thanks.

pinniped

What does your location's "playbook" say to do in the event of an oversell?

I've thankfully only encountered this once in my life at Hertz (which is better than other agencies), and thankfully I was the only PC member in the building at the time, so I was in a car within 5 minutes. But even in that five minutes, I could tell it was chaos throughout the building: a large crowd of angry people (customers and employees alike) yelling at each other. It did not appear that there was any kind of coordinated crisis management going on.

Does someone step up and take command when an oversell occurs? I'd expect someone to immediately be on the phone with local cab companies - "we have an emergency, we need a steady supply of taxis on the Hertz lot: keep 'em coming until we call off the dogs." I'd expect someone fairly senior in the organization to be explaining options to customers. I'd expect that someone has already called other agencies and confirmed that they are in the same situation: if they aren't, I'd expect Hertz to reserve their available cars.

Does this happen? Do you guys have solid plans to handle oversells? Are the plans issued out by corporate, or do individual locations develop and refine their own plans? I've read too many oversell stories here - some Hertz, some not - and the recurring theme is chaos. I think travelers understand that occasionally oversells happen, but they don't understand why it seems to the customer that nobody is proactively thinking and efficiently managing things when they do happen. Every oversell has a "Holy sh#@! This has never happened before!!" feeling to it.

JLewisinSyr

I would disagree, the reserved the following for my vacation:

You have selected a HUMMER H2 - PRESTIGE

Special Recreational Vehicles
1 week at 949.99 USD

Unlimited Free Mileage

Total Including Approximate Charges: 1139.73

I don't see where it gives any option other then H2, and in fact, one of the things with Prestige cars is that they are model reservable. So although what you say is true for the standard classes, it doesn't apply to Prestige, Green or Fun, those all are listed as model reservable.

geez10

No, we do not earn commission if we charge the customer for gas when they return.

geez10

If you purchase the FPO and drive under 100 miles, you will pay less. They charge you the higher price for gas (i.e. 5.99/gal) but in the end, it works out to be cheaper b/c you used less gallons.

msv

I'm a Gold member for years. My corporate rate is great and for $10 they bring the car where I work but I would like to rent for a personal trip in August. The nearby place closes at 3 pm on Sunday so I asked about the rental from Nanuet to BWI and came up with an $84 rate (almost double the corporate rate). I'm coming back on a Thursday from BWI to Nanuet returning on the same day and the rate was >$160. Previously the corporate rate always seemed to apply for my personal trips with the only change that some years ago my insurance was covered by the company. I also have a National Emerald card which isn't as convenient where I live but I sure have used on vacations. So at the moment I'm driving and paying $6/day to park which is cheaper. If the return rate was in the vicnity if the $84 out bound I'd reconsider. Any insites?

Owen Chase

Then why do I constantly get charged for fuel after I fill up myself?

geez10

You are charged for the amount of gas they have to put in the vehicle. If you feel as though the charge is inaccurate or you should not have been charged at all, call the renting location's manager or call billing inquiries and they may be able to give you an adjustment on your bill. This is the only thing I can tell you to do.