Cars at LAX
Jun 8, 2014, 12:26 pm
#541
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 4
We arrived at LAX on Wednesday 14/5 with a reservation for a Premium car with Alamo. Arrived at the rental lot around 3pm and had a quick look at the Premium cars on offer, there was a Nissan Maxima, Taurus SEL and two Hyundai Genesis (I think), a Toyota Avalon arrived later on. There was nothing in the luxury lot at that time. We were offered an upgrade to Luxury class for $20 a day, haggled down from $35 which we took. They brought down a Cadillac SRX from National which I didn’t fancy but an Infinity Q50 had arrived on the Alamo lot just before which we took. Almost brand new with 4000 miles, fantastic car and great to drive.
Jul 1, 2014, 8:46 pm
#545
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Boston
Programs: Delta Diamond, Jet Blue Mosiac, Marriott Platinum, SPG Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 148
Jul 8, 2014, 10:51 pm
#546
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
This afternoon ES was mostly Maxima and Fusion with one Enclave (just missed it) and a couple of Camaros. I grabbed a '13 Genesis instead... strange thing is it has 31k miles but still active SiriusXM. EA was almost completely '14 200s... had there been a '15 200C I probably would have gone that route, but the Genesis feels like home.
The other strange bit is all of the Executive Reserve sections were completely empty except for a CTS and an S60 parked in "Specialty" with no PS tags. Other than those couple of cars and the aisles, the top of the deck was a ghost town.
The other strange bit is all of the Executive Reserve sections were completely empty except for a CTS and an S60 parked in "Specialty" with no PS tags. Other than those couple of cars and the aisles, the top of the deck was a ghost town.
Jul 8, 2014, 11:19 pm
#547
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
This afternoon ES was mostly Maxima and Fusion with one Enclave (just missed it) and a couple of Camaros. I grabbed a '13 Genesis instead... strange thing is it has 31k miles but still active SiriusXM. EA was almost completely '14 200s... had there been a '15 200C I probably would have gone that route, but the Genesis feels like home.
The other strange bit is all of the Executive Reserve sections were completely empty except for a CTS and an S60 parked in "Specialty" with no PS tags. Other than those couple of cars and the aisles, the top of the deck was a ghost town.
The other strange bit is all of the Executive Reserve sections were completely empty except for a CTS and an S60 parked in "Specialty" with no PS tags. Other than those couple of cars and the aisles, the top of the deck was a ghost town.
You don't mind driving them when in base trim?
Jul 8, 2014, 11:40 pm
#548
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
Through bluetooth I double-up Google Maps navigation and Pandora together, so I still get turn-by-turn and music I like without having to switch inputs. The only drawback is the Genesis won't skip Pandora tracks using the car's stereo controls. There are better infotainment systems in FWD PCARs for sure (Cadenza, Lacrosse, and Impala LTZ come to mind), but my phone negates most of that to the degree that I'll take a nice RWD car any day of the week. I also get frustrated that every Ford in the fleet with full Sony/Sync has had the Nav SD Card swiped, so I try to aviod the frustration of having that great screen in front of me when it's nearly useless.
One of the few ES regulars I would take over a Genesis would be a Grand Cherokee Limited or the K900 if I were lucky enough to find one not requiring a PS upgrade (tried to negotiate one for free at SFO without luck). As you can see, I have a major RWD bias unless I'm somewhere with snow/ice on the ground.
Jul 9, 2014, 5:47 pm
#549
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
Jul 9, 2014, 11:22 pm
#551
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
Jul 10, 2014, 1:46 am
#552
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
That said, the Genesis and 300 are the only RWD PCARs which is a big draw for me. Bluetooth + Smartphone is an equalizer in terms of infotainment for me, making a base Genesis or a 300 preferable since the basic luxury items are covered. I definitely wouldn't turn away a Cadenza/Azera/Lacrosse/Impala LTZ (or a '15 200C, a lowly SCAR, for that matter) for a low-end RWD FCAR/SSAR car like a Charger/Challenger/Camaro/Mustang V6... those interiors are just too spartan.
Of the cars I've found semi-frequently on ES my top 3 choices are the Genesis, 300, and Grand Cherokee. I have a feeling the 200C will be seen on ES more and more, and it's not a car I'd complain much about seeing more of either.
Last edited by IsleOfMan; Jul 10, 2014 at 1:55 am
Jul 11, 2014, 12:10 am
#553
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
Not sure I'd agree with this in 2014... many other PCARs have better infotainment systems including the Cadenza, Lacrosse, and even Impala LTZ. The Azera is pretty similar to the Genesis because it too is in base trim with a non-touch stereo and no backup-camera, while the few Cadenzas in the National fleet seem to be in a higher trim level. I've had a Cadenza at SEA and would rank it as the best of the FWD PCARs (with the Taurus Limited and Lacrosse tied for close second) and better than a few LCARs/GXARs (G37, ATS, etc) as well.
Jul 11, 2014, 7:12 am
#554
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
I was speaking specifically about the infotainment system similarities between Azera and Genesis in base trim, but I agree with everything else you mentioned.
Jul 27, 2014, 4:34 pm
#555
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: BOS
Programs: National Exec, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 171
Not that I imagine that many other people besides myself around here are on the hunt for a Wrangler... last time I was at LAX, an 40 minute search by the greeter and station manager failed to produce one between National and Alamo. Was told that if I gave her a heads up next time I would be in town, she'd make sure she had one available for me.