dvs7310

I'm renting from Austin next Friday evening. What's normally available at Austin? I always have rented from Hertz there and typically get a decent import.

I'm just standard EC, not EE. I keep reading reports of people just taking nearly any car on the lot at other locations without anyone batting an eye... if I don't like the cars on the aisle am I likely to get away with this at Austin if they have a Volvo or something interesting on the Executive aisle that isn't on the EA??

Sholey

I am there once a month. They have a good selection for EC and excellent for EE. Last year I got a Volvo as EC.

dvs7310

I arrived in Austin around 9pm on Friday night, the EC and the EE aisles were both full. There was only one Volvo on the whole lot, but was parked on the EE side. After reading others reports I grabbed it anyway and not a word was said when I went to the booth to checkout.

If this is the norm with National then they'll have all of my business. I've been a Hertz renter where the best car I normally run across is a Mazda or Toyota outside of Prestige Collection airports.

This is only a base S40 with the weak engine, but I'm a whole lot happier driving this than a domestic anything and really there wouldn't be very many Asian cars I'd pick over this car either.

TexARN

I always get the Volvo. I have been to Austin once a month for the last several months, and have had a different volvo each time. I think they have 6 or 7. The EC selection seems to have decent cars when I walk through the lot. EE is great at AUS.

atxtraveler

I just got back from Austin on a one day turn... there were no Volvos in the parking lot this week, but I did enjoy a Dodge Charger with 36 miles on it. It was fun.

dstan

I was at AUS last Saturday afternoon. The selection was a little sparse, with a Camry and Sebring the only cars on the Executive Aisle - besides one minivan, everything else there, and on the Emerald Aisle, looked to be pickup trucks.

ElmhurstNick

A very tiny selection here last night (Thursday). Lots of SUVs in the Specialty vehicle area, and the way the lot is laid out you can't "accidentally" take a vehicle from there instead of the EA/ES. The EA/ES is across from the Midsize/Fullsize, and the selection was actuallly better on the non-Aisle.

The EA seemed to have all the typical midsize options, but I didn't walk down quite that far. The ES had a RAV 4 (!?), a Jeep Compass, a Grand Marquis, a Charger with no keys in it, and some Impalas and Malibus.

brendog

Last Wednesday's ES selection was pretty much limited to Malibus, although I did snag the lone Santa Fe with fairly low miles and active sat radio. Aside from the annoying CVT, it's not a bad vehicle.

joshwillis

Flying into AUS next week and was wondering if anyone knows what the EA/ES aisle looks like these days since there hasn't been an update to this thread in over a year.

mirobatka

I was there 2 weeks ago. From what I can remember, there were the usual Impalas, Camrys and Altimas. Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata. Then they had a bunch of different SUVs: Hyundai Santa Fe, Durango, some Mazda crossover, GMC Acadia, Jeeps, Ford Escape.

ElmhurstNick

They've changed the layout a little bit. Now the ES is closest to the gate on both sides of the aisle, the EA is further back, and I can't figure out what they do for general members.

The booth attendant greets you as you come out. She told me (last night) that the Camaro and Challenger parked at angles right next to the booth were not on the ES (they also had signs on them) but were available for an upcharge. The ES had 12 vehicles - 7 minivans, 2 Suburbans, 2 Journeys, and a Silverado. I was about to take one of the Suburbans when a porter brought out a 2011 Acadia, which I took instead. The XM had expired, which was ok for this trip, and it appears to be a 2WD model. I just didn't need the heft of the Suburban for three people.

PA42

Picked-up/returned on 3/4/12 Sunday mid-morning

Executive: Journey, Few Impalas, A Malibu, 200, Buick Regal, Ford Escape, Grand Cherokee Laredo, Jetta, A few Avalons and a Genesis
Aisle: Few Impalas, 200 and a few other low-key cars.

dwbf11

Stopped in yesterday afternoon (3/9) to swap out my cursed SAT rental. It was pouring rain so there wasn't too much out. A couple Malibus and an Impala in EA. ES had a brand new out of the wrapping 2012 300 with the 8 speed auto and large touchscreen. I would have taken it but the Chrysler UConnect won't sync with an iPhone 4. I grabbed an Avalon with 1500 miles on it (review forthcoming). There was also a CTS and S60 as the paid upgrades. The Alamo side had 5 or 6 new Genesis sedans but didn't get the OK to take from them.

carwag25

Any recent experiences at AUS? Renting a car there next week (Thurs afternoon) and was curious as to what is usually available.

EEE

I rolled in at midnight a couple of nights ago, and they had a pretty wide selection of midsize-fullsize cars and SUVs/crossovers. Sadly, I think I might have barely missed grabbing a convertible. I ended up taking a Jeep Wrangler with SIRIUS and 4900 miles.