Cars at PVD
 

Since I did not see anything remotely recent for this location, here is what I found at the PVD (Providence, RI) location:

Emerald Aisle: 2 Malibu, 1 Charger, 1 Hyundai (cant tell them apart!)
Executive: 2 Impala, 1 Charger

This is a small location, so the Emerald and Executive "aisles" are just four places. I grabbed on of the Malibus, had 350 miles on it. I found the people quite nice, again it's a small location. Right now it is located off site so you have to take a shuttle van. They are building a super long skybridge that will bring you right over there, however. So I think they will probably move (ironically further away from the airport!) when that is done.

I just picked up at car at PVD. The skybridge walk took 4ever! When I got to the ES they had a pile of SUVs and one cream colored 300 with leather. I took the 300. it had 10K miles. I will drop in BOS - they asked me if I wanted a sonata which needed to go to Logan and I said that's not such a good car for ES/midsize rate - so they said pick whatever you want and it was the 300. I noticed the 300 has Jersey plates - coincidental I imagine. It's going the wrong direction but maybe it is more likely to catch a ride back to Jersey from Logan than from PVD.

Providence and Logan are corporate stores, since they participate in the FL driveout/in. Having a car with NJ plates shouldn't matter. If PVD has a specific car to send to Logan, it might be that Logan called for help in filling a reservation of that size class. Or perhaps the car needs non-essential servicing, and maybe Logan has a bigger maintenance facility to handle it. It would have been interesting to ask them why they wanted to send that specific car.

National has relatively few neighborhood stores, although they do have one in downtown Boston. So if one branch is running low on a type of car, it's presumably harder for employees to move stuff around.

They told me the car that needed to go to Logan was one with Canada plates. They never said why it had to go to Logan. Anyway I took a different car.

Ah, I think I know why the Canadian car needs to leave, and how it got there.

I don't think National allows booking a one-way from Canada to Providence. However, Canadian cars are probably allowed to travel into the US and vice versa. If a Canadian visitor broke down in Providence, the nearest location would probably assist with a breakdown exchange. Eventually the car is repaired. But, due to import laws, I'm pretty sure a Canadian car can not be rented locally in the US and vice versa, except perhaps for certain circumstances. It's not like the time in June a few years ago when I saw the HPN National and Hertz parking lots with almost every single car having FL plates, since it's still the same country.

The Canadian car most likely needs to either be sent back to Canada, or to a border city. Canadian citizens renting in the US but driving into Canada are required by Canadian import law to drive a Canadian-plated rental car, so the border cities tend to keep some around. The rental company probably asked if you would agree to take the Canadian car north since it's at least in the general direction of Canada.

Picked up in PVD tonight. The sky bridge to the consolidated facility is a long, long walk even with the motorized walkways. (IMO, the shuttle was better and quicker.) When you get you car it is on level 5. I reset the trip ODO when I got in and it was over a third of a mile just to get out of the garage.

But that is not the worst. I picked my car from the ES section, had just what I needed, an AWD mid-size SUV and a great variety of everything else, but no candy. 300's, Chargers, various SUV's Impalas, a good selection. No hang tag in my car so I drove to the exit. No one in the booths. I waited a bit and drove back. No National booth at the aisle. The Alamo guy said he would check me out but he did not have keys to the check out booth. Ended up going through the Alamo exit to check out. Strange.

Good lord, you guys weren't kidding about that Skybridge walk! It took me a full 5-7 minutes to walk across, even with the aid of 4 enormous moving sidewalks.

ES had some Lucernes, Impalas, and other bland sedans. But there was also a Journey, Xterra, Edge, and Challenger. I was heading towards the Challenger (probably not the best decision for a work trip), but the National guy cut me off and said it was not supposed to be in the ES. So I grabbed the Edge, burgundy, with nav (or so I thought at the time), Sirius, 4WD, and about a billion other gizmos to play with and distract me from the road!

Can't remember much of what was in ES besides a few Impalas, perhaps a Lucerne or two, and a large SUV (CX-9 or Traverse I believe), but did pick out a silver Equinox with leather, AWD, and 13K mi. out of EA. If I recall correctly, there was also a Santa Fe and two Malibus in EA. Overall, a relatively small selection, but I was happy with what I drove down to NYC with. To add to the registration conversation, the Equinox had North Carolina plates -- so I guess I got it a bit closer to its home today!

Pick up Thursday at 11:30pm, EA was stocked full, every spot had a car

Among the pickings:
*Malibu's (pick your colour)
*Altima
*Camry
*Jeep Liberty
*Dodge Journey (which I took)

The Journey has FL plates, just over 12,000 miles and fully working sat radio.

Picked up today Fri @ 5 pm. Forgot that I had a premium reservation and took from ES. ES ad a decent variety Traverse Equinox Avalon Camaro (thought about it) but took a Maxima. EA had some nondescript SUVs, Impalas and a Maxima. There was a Genesis in Premium though but didn't feel like switching.

Monday, 17 December - 11AM
 

After the aforementioned trek from the terminal to the rental car center (Interlink) via the skybridge, arrived at National on the 5th floor.

Executive :
4X Malibu/Impala
Camry
LaCrosse
Mustang
Santa Fe
Mazda 6
Journey
Minivans (2)

Sportier offerings in the Aisle, highlighted by a Taurus, and my selection, '12 Buick Verano (once it was verified that mileage was <20K - per the attendant, vehicles with 20K+ are not to be given to Elites). Was glad to get the Verano, as I just missed out on the LaCrosse...7800 on the odometer, only downside was expired SiriusXM. Destination was the Route 3 corridor south of Braintree, MA - so listened to WEEI/WBZ (WCBS from New York was clear as well).

Just a reminder - PVD is -not- 24 hours...returned at 0400 this morning, all deserted, but it appears staff arrives around 0430 as e-receipt received at 0436. Shell/Sunoco one block away on Rte 1/Post Road, garage entrance on Jefferson.

Finally, a dinner recommendation - IronWorks Tavern - attached to Hilton Garden Inn, and across from the garage...try the "world famous" Mac & Cheese (w/bread crumbs)

ES/EA were pretty slim pickings last Saturday evening (16/2/2013). As snow was forecasted for the next day, I wanted something with AWD or 4X4, but all they had was a Taurus SEL. It was mostly GM sedans with a smattering of Altimas, Jettas, and Camries. Not a single SUV or crossover available.

6" of snow fell the following day, and the Taurus, while it did have AWD, foundered quite a bit due to the 19" summer tires.

Cars at PVD
 

I didn't even know they made the Taurus with AWD!

Many of the higher-spec Taureses (Tauri?) have AWD. They also had a Chrysler 300 with AWD, but I'd rather walk.

I was back through PVD on Wednesday (5/1), and found the ES and EA to be stocked with the standard selection of 200s, Altimas, and Malibus. There were a couple of Patriots and an F150, as well. I ended up grabbing a fairly well equipped Santa Fe after unsuccessfully lobbying for an XC60 or a 3-series.