I'm a Hertz PC and back in Jan I booked a Chevy Trailblazer for 9 days this July in Jackson Hole, Wy for around $580. A few days ago when I booked the internal US flights, I realised that I had booked the car a day too early and tried to change the reservation online, i.e. move the pickup date back one day. I kept getting 'no cars available' so I phoned the UK reservation number.

They entered the date change and told me the car would now cost in excess of $800 for a days less rental !! This was justified as "because the rates now were more expensive and July was peak season". When I complained (vehemently), I was told that the maximum discount that could be applied was 15% bringing the new total down to around $700. I asked to speak to a supervsior and got the same story. I explained that they were, in fact, not modifying my original booking but making a brand new one at today's rates !!

I even tried to pay the the original cost but not use the car on day 1. I was told that if I didnt turn up at the original time and date, the reservation would be cancelled.

I was told my PC status made absolutely no difference.

I intend writing an email of complaint. But presumably somewhere in the on-line T&Cs they can renegotiate a rental if you change the dates and maybe even the times ?

In the meantime I have made a reservation with Avis, same car new dates (8 days) for $400 !!

It's really not much different than a plane ticket. Change the date/time and you get a reprice. Fortunately, you're not bound to that reservation and can cancel it at no charge, and rent from someone else, which you did. Good job there.

JP

You could have also crossed into a different rate plan based on the different number of booked days.

Unfortunately, this can happen, much like the other poster mentioned.

I would disagree that renting a car is similar to buying a plane ticket. You rent a car for a period of time and the longer that period the more it costs the car rental company and the more you expect to pay. A plane ticket is not period dependent i.e. it doesnt cost the airline any more if you buy a ticket to travel in a months time or in a month and 1 days time.

I could understand that if I wanted to increase the rental period, I could not expect to get an extra day for the same price as a day in the original booking. but to not allow me to reduce the rental perod without penalising me (I was willing to pay the same price) is ridiculous.

At the same time of changing the car rental contract, I contacted a hotel in Jackson and asked if my booking could be modified in the same way (arrival a day later). "No problem" was the response.

The hotel is obviously happy to get a room back to rent (it is sold out now) at a much higher room rate then they would have charged me

I would have to agree with HereAndThereSC. When you change your reservation, it often gets a reprice. Most of the time it works to my advantage and the discount is greater a few days before the trip.

It's possible that they are now sold out of the car you want on the days you want them. Where previously you were picking up on days where they had an overabundance of cars. There are several locations I've been to where they do not have enough parking spaces if all their cars came back on the same day. They give big discounts on those days where there was that danger, instead of requiring them to pay for offsite parking.

So back in January when I made my reservation, they were fearing a surfeit of cars on June 28 but don't anymore, hence the need to add 50% to the rental. I don't think so.

In my 10 years of renting Hertz I've never had this situation before, that when you try and reduce the term of the rental, you cannot and all they will do is offer you a new contract at today's rates.

I've stayed with Hertz even though they are no longer my corporate preferred rental company. I suspect I'm the only Dupont employee world wide that is still PC.

I've put up with (in the UK) an upgrade from a saloon is defined as a diesel or an automatic or an estate car. I've fought the notion that PC status still means an upgrade subject to availability (and even been told in writing that the website is incorrect if it says different!).

In the end, what annoys me the most is the utter irrevelance of my PC status in getting Hertz UK to want to step in and help. It is this which will add an Avis wizard number to my corporate travel profile.

I must admit, a few years ago. when I received my 'no expiry date' PC card I was quite flattered, now I know Hertz can issue millions as they don't have to treat these card holders different from anyone else.

Contrast this with the way Airlines and Hotel chains look after their top tier members !!!

It is my standard operating proceedure to book my car many months in advance (if dates are known) and then every month or so to attempt to make a new reservation - I often save a significant amount because the rates have dropped. And there is no penalty for making a new rez and deleting the old. (in fact, just shaved a couple hundred off two 10 day rentals later this summer doing this).

So, I'm not surprised (and I think I read it some place on their web site, at least the old one?) that modifying a rez may result in a reprice.

No matter, OP, you did exactly what you are empowered to do, book some place else for a lot less money, again, without penalty.

Now you may like Avis enough to book them in the future and Hertz loses you as a loyal customer - that's your choice and them's the breaks for Hertz.

While I sympathize, and this policy does indeed seem to result in some crazy pricing, I would not be as offended as you are.

It's quite common to see 3-4 day midweek rentals more expensive that 7 day (weeklong) ones. Sunday-Monday airport one day rental is almost always more expensive than a two-day Saturday-Monday one.

This is not a service but rather pricing issue and no airline or hotel program will offer you a discount just for being a top tier customer. Seriously this is just the way it works. There is nothing wrong with Hertz.

Now that you have a backup I would recommend checking the rates from time to time as they often drop. Consider priceline and hotwire as another (non-refundable) alternative.

I take all these responses under advisement .. But ..

1 At the end of the day the use of the phrase 'modify an existing reservation' must contravene the UK Trades Description Act . because you cannot !! All that apparently happens when you make a material change to a reservation is that Hertz tear up the old one and generate a new one .. you pay the new price .. if it's more than the old one .. tough

2 Not allowing me to rent a car for 7 days for the same price as an existing 9 day quote is just .. bl**dy mindedness (I was told that if I didnt show on the original start date the rental would be cancellled)

3 This bl**dy mindedness could encourage me to reciprocate ... I might just go to Avis but forget to cancel the Hertz reservation. Maybe even a denial of cars attack .. book 10 cars and ....

I was told that they hold the reservation/rate for 24 hours past your pickup time. If you would have arrived in this time, you could have just kept the original reservation - in this situation, I would have called the station directly on the initial day so that they would have a car for me the next day...

1. You've got an agreement. If you want to change the terms of that agreement, they reserve the right to say "nope, it's that deal or no deal."

2. Making a bunch of reservations would just be childish.

3. You liked Hertz that much before this that you'd be willing to pay an extra $180 to rent from them if they had agreed to let you pick it up a day later? Wow.