Drat. No More XM Cars
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Hinterlands, CA
Posts: 363
Drat. No More XM Cars
OK, yes, I got spoiled over the past few months. So much so that I came back to National after spending a year or two becoming a Hertzie. Today, I arrived at the TPA Emerald Selection only to find 35 Malibus, 3 Impalas, and a Grand Prix. I walked the lot and didn't see any XM antenna-ed cars. I heded into the special Emerald Club alcove and, to his credit, the agent headed out to the back and came back shortly with a "sorry, no XM". He then explained that all the LaCrosses and G6's had been "called back". I asked if that meant they were taken out of the fleet. He said that they had been pullingthem out for the past 6 weeks and that most have been gone (from TPA at least) for over a month. It's only a stray long-term rental return that brings them back to the lot, at which time, National ships them out.
I do seem to recall the hype on nationalcar.com about the LaCrosse being limited time. Guess they meant it.
Oh, and I refuse to pay $3 for Sirius in Hertz cars. Guess I will just have to hope for the stray Hertz 5-star Upgrade.
I do seem to recall the hype on nationalcar.com about the LaCrosse being limited time. Guess they meant it.
Oh, and I refuse to pay $3 for Sirius in Hertz cars. Guess I will just have to hope for the stray Hertz 5-star Upgrade.
#2
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MCO-The Mouse House
Programs: AA EXPlt, SPG Plt, Nat EE
Posts: 1,542
Robert,
I've had XM in cars other than what you've listed. Although, 10 days ago in Indy, I rented a car, picked one with an XM antena and drove away. Later on, I discovered that while XM was installed, there was no subscription. All I could get was channel 1 with information about activating the radio.
I've had XM in cars other than what you've listed. Although, 10 days ago in Indy, I rented a car, picked one with an XM antena and drove away. Later on, I discovered that while XM was installed, there was no subscription. All I could get was channel 1 with information about activating the radio.
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton-Lifetime Diamond, WN-Companion Pass, National-EE
Posts: 248
G6 gone in my haunts too
Originally Posted by BigBopper
Robert,
I've had XM in cars other than what you've listed. Although, 10 days ago in Indy, I rented a car, picked one with an XM antena and drove away. Later on, I discovered that while XM was installed, there was no subscription. All I could get was channel 1 with information about activating the radio.
I've had XM in cars other than what you've listed. Although, 10 days ago in Indy, I rented a car, picked one with an XM antena and drove away. Later on, I discovered that while XM was installed, there was no subscription. All I could get was channel 1 with information about activating the radio.
I haven't seen a G6 or anything else w/ XM in about a month. LAS, DIA and ABQ always had a few in the aisle until recently.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: All over
Programs: Most
Posts: 10,839
Originally Posted by hotelcwby
Just finished a week long rental at LAX. Brand new LeCrosse....actually 6 or 7 brand new ones. (Mine had 4 miles on it.) Unfortunately not a single car in the Executive Selection or anyplace else on the lot with XM.
FM radio drives me nuts!
#8
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: F9,DL,CO,US,UA,Hyatt,Marriott,Radisson, National
Posts: 29
You would think that a really smart Marketing Manager at Vanguard would monitor this website and figure out that XM and G6s drive loyalty to the brand...and that Impalas and Malibus are best pushed on the non-elites.
#9
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,396
XM is still listed as a feature on the National EI webpage
http://www.nationalcar.com/servlet/D...8a8d5a970a9d9e
About to fly to LAX and will report on the XM situation there when I visit the Executive Selection, aka "Chevy Cove". BTW when I asked an LAX Nat'l Mgr. why the ES was filled with Chevys his reply was that they were the lowest mileage cars in the LAX fleet.
-----------------
Noon update
LAX Executve selection had more non-Chevys than I had seen in awhile: several low-mileage (non-XM) LaCrosses in different colors and PT Cruisers. Saw no XMs on my first pass but saw the duty manager and she pointed to the "ready" area just behind the Ex. Selection. Waiting in the wings were 2 XM LaCrosses and an XM G6 and she willingly got me an XM LaC with 17K miles. So then I asked if XM was only in the "older" cars? She was somewhat vague but said that she expects that a certain part of the fleet National gets will still have XM. Hoping when the '06s come in there will be more XMs.
http://www.nationalcar.com/servlet/D...8a8d5a970a9d9e
About to fly to LAX and will report on the XM situation there when I visit the Executive Selection, aka "Chevy Cove". BTW when I asked an LAX Nat'l Mgr. why the ES was filled with Chevys his reply was that they were the lowest mileage cars in the LAX fleet.
-----------------
Noon update
LAX Executve selection had more non-Chevys than I had seen in awhile: several low-mileage (non-XM) LaCrosses in different colors and PT Cruisers. Saw no XMs on my first pass but saw the duty manager and she pointed to the "ready" area just behind the Ex. Selection. Waiting in the wings were 2 XM LaCrosses and an XM G6 and she willingly got me an XM LaC with 17K miles. So then I asked if XM was only in the "older" cars? She was somewhat vague but said that she expects that a certain part of the fleet National gets will still have XM. Hoping when the '06s come in there will be more XMs.
Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; Aug 19, 2005 at 1:26 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Avis Rock Star
Posts: 1,217
Originally Posted by alphascan
You would think that a really smart Marketing Manager at Vanguard would monitor this website and figure out that XM and G6s drive loyalty to the brand...and that Impalas and Malibus are best pushed on the non-elites.
I am actually thinking of renting from Hertz every other week, just for variety.
And, the cars lately, as mentioned in another thread, are starting to show some wear. An Impala or Malibu with 15k miles shouldn't have trouble startings, as the one I rented this week did.
#12
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: ATL
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Posts: 1
XM cars at ABQ
I just got back from ABQ last week and their Emerald Aisle was full of XM antenna-ed cars. I don't know if they have subscriptions, but the whole aisle was full of G6's...
#14
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton-Lifetime Diamond, WN-Companion Pass, National-EE
Posts: 248
They do
Originally Posted by kylethebisch
I just got back from ABQ last week and their Emerald Aisle was full of XM antenna-ed cars. I don't know if they have subscriptions, but the whole aisle was full of G6's...