Do you ever get upgraded from Intermediate to PCAR?
 

As an exec elite, as if it matters, I can't get a break it seems ever on getting a PCAR - unless the place is out of cars altogether, and they are trying to hand out minivans, trucks, and large SUV's to people who rent...intermediate cars. Then they might reluctantly give out a PCAR.

But I was just wondering if I am going to be forever doomed to cars like the; Fusion, Impala, Malibu, Altima, Maxima, Sonata, Camry, Jetta, Rio, Taurus, etc?

It isn't that I mind driving say, a Fusion or a Impala. But I have rented the fully loaded Fusion Titanium (that is priced at like 36,900 base if you were to buy one new), which is way different of course then the norm. I have also had the luxury of the fully loaded Impalas with the backup cameras, lane change assist, etc - and then of course you still see the fleet Impalas and shake your head.

If you're talking about from the Executive Selection (ES) at aisle locations, I would never EXPECT to see higher than an Impala 2LT/LTZ or Maxima (both PCARs) in terms of sedans on the ES... I've seen Lacrosse or 300 on ES before, but rarely. The best upgrades you're likely to find on ES, in terms of interior luxury, are the the newer Tahoe/Yukon, Grand Cherokee Limited, and Durango Limited... I see these on ES far more frequently than the better PCARs.

That said, as an EE, why not just reserve PCAR? The price difference from ICAR to PCAR will be marginal as you'll be paying the FCAR rate. You still could be stuck with a Maxima or Impala 2LT, but you'll give yourself more leeway to ask for a better PCAR (even if it means bringing something up from storage) and also be more likely to get an upgrade to a LCAR/GXAR, ESPCIALLY when the station isn't correctly operating ER-PREM/LUX which gives you even a bit more leverage in negotiating a better car.

Remember, all an ICAR res with ES guarantees you (per the T&Cs) is an FCAR or better. It's often possible to do better, but if you expect or need better, reserve the class you need/expect.

Yeah, I am not allowed to. So I just get what I get, but I got a Volvo S60 T5 AWD once, a Fusion Titanium once, and I just wonder if people get better treatment ever. For 2015 for instance, I could be a 250day/yr renter. I am ontrack for 150days this year.

How does your corp policy read regarding class? When you reserve PCAR, the receipt will show class paid as FCAR, class driven as PCAR/PXAR... also, if you reserve ICAR and drive a PCAR from ES it will show class paid as ICAR and class driven as PCAR.

The fact that the receipt showed the class charged as FCAR kept me in PCAR reservations until a shift in managers left me with someone much more pragmatic (now I screenshot the price of our corp ICAR rate and book cheaper PCAR or LCAR using other corp rates I have legit access to... I've never been questioned or had to show the screenshots, but I have them just in case).

I've seen Maximas fairly often. I avoid it but it is a PCAR.

Maxima and Taurus are PCAR. The Impalas with backup camera are PXAR. So it seems to me you had some PCAR or above rentals.

What you really get depends on the location. I've gotten the Cadillac SUV once on a $20 ICAR reservation at a smaller airport location (agent said pick any car since they don't have ES aisle). I've gotten the Buick Enclave a few times at airport locations by asking. The local location I'm renting the most from does not normally upgrade but since I rent frequently, I was able to grab a Mercedes a number of times. The two airport locations I rent the rest of the time from almost always has some 300C in the ES aisle. However someone mentioned above that he/she rarely saw a 300C in ES.

I agree that it is very much station dependent. I will hold that I see better SUVs (Grand Cherokee/Tahoe, Yukon, Enclave/Acadia) on ES more often than I see better PCARs (Lacrosse, Cadenza, 300C). For awhile it was reported that MCO was putting K900s on ES, but I've never seen anything like that on an aisle anywhere. On the other end of the spectrum, at TUL you'll rarely see anything other than a Captiva on ES, but they will at least let Exec Elites chose from the PCAR section (if there are any available, my last 2 rentals there I've arrived after 9pm and all that was left was minivans).

Ah I wish there would be more Grand Cherokee's at EWR but don't have the luck there. I think National really need to balance their stocks across locations. There has being locations where pretty much all I see are mini-van

+1 I think its is station and time dependent.

I would also add that in my experience, If you rent from major locations that have space issues (i.e. PHL and SFO) and rent during "rush hours" you are more likely to see more premium cars or SUV's (and sometimes more compacts). Some locations simply don't have space to store all the cars over the weekend so when they start replenishing the aisles on Monday morning they are placing the cars based on how they were stored over the weekend. It does seem that they try to put the "better" cars in the ES aisle but with space constraints a lot of times it can be a crap shoot.

I just had a burgundy colored Taurus with the infotainment system (and I think backup camera) @ TUL. Anecdotal datapoint

From ES? And was it actually sitting in the ES so a non-Exec Elite could select it? If so, it's a Halloween Miracle!

If it was in the PCAR area and they assigned it to you on an ICAR res as an Exec Elite, this SHOULD be the way it works there according to what I've been told at the station and what has been reported here (though I've also come across some extremely under-trained staff there as well, so I don't take anything working as it should for granted).

I remember I was razzing them about wanting a car with backup camera, push button start, and bluetooth. And I asked what options I had. They were like, the Taurus is probably the best we have. I had a choice, and it was in the ES aisle.

Because if i recall, they don't have executive aisle service, but hell, i could be mistaken :)

Here is what my receipt says tho

Model: TAURUS
License #: 832WCS
Vehicle Class Driven: Premium Special Auto A/C
Vehicle Class Charged: INTERMEDIATE 2/4 DOOR AUTOMATIC A/C

Normally at TUL if you are facing the booth and look to your left there are the return stalls, to the right is PS. Across from return is EA and acrsoss from PS is ES (though it's usually hard to tell since it's usually all Captivas). Regardless of EA, ES, or Reserve, you still have to go to the booth for keys. If the Taurus was sitting in the ES section across from PS (and not in the PCAR section back towards where you enter the garage on the lower level) then this is a welcome departure from the norm for TUL.

Yes, I recall better now. It was the bottom floor of the garage. And they did give me a Taurus PCAR on a intermediate rate.

I went to go look at what I actually rented, and I am actually seeing everything is....a PCAR. What I want, is like the S60, which on that receipt says ELITE or something.

The way National orders their S60s, you're better off with a Taurus or any of the better PCARs. Also, expecting what is technically a 3-category upgrade from what is gauranteed to be on ES, and 5-categories from the rate you're paying, might be a bit much (GXAR is technically a class above LCAR even though it is mismash of cars that mostly should be PCAR, LCAR, or PFAR).