Intermediate car
Oct 29, 2010, 10:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 19
Intermediate car
I will be renting at Miami airport.
What cars do Thrifty have in its Intermediate class?
I can only see a Ford Fusion which I presume is comparable to a Pontiac G6.
Do Thrifty let you choose a car like Alamo does?
What cars do Thrifty have in its Intermediate class?
I can only see a Ford Fusion which I presume is comparable to a Pontiac G6.
Do Thrifty let you choose a car like Alamo does?
Oct 30, 2010, 9:52 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
No, Thrifty doesn't usually let you choose a car, since they need to complete the paperwork inside. I may have heard that a very few Thrifty locations do allow you to select your own car, though.
Oct 30, 2010, 11:33 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 19
Thanks for your reply.
I think the problem is that in the UK the car rental companies use vague terms which do not always fit in with the USA classifications.
For instance NetFlights have the Ford Fusion as a 4 door Intermediate car but on the Thrifty.com website, the Ford Fusion is a Standard car and this category is not shown on Net Flights option. They have Compact, Intermediate and Full Size etc.
The voucher says Ford Fusion or similar but I don't think the Fusion is viewed as an Intermediate car in Florida. Do you see the confusion and difficulty when booking from the UK.
I think the problem is that in the UK the car rental companies use vague terms which do not always fit in with the USA classifications.
For instance NetFlights have the Ford Fusion as a 4 door Intermediate car but on the Thrifty.com website, the Ford Fusion is a Standard car and this category is not shown on Net Flights option. They have Compact, Intermediate and Full Size etc.
The voucher says Ford Fusion or similar but I don't think the Fusion is viewed as an Intermediate car in Florida. Do you see the confusion and difficulty when booking from the UK.
Oct 30, 2010, 10:47 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Well, from what I've seen across the rental industry, the Focus is the compact, the Fusion is the midsize (intermediate), and the Taurus is the fullsize.
On the Thrifty lots I've seen around the country, I usually see the Focus or Dodge Caliber as the compact, the Fusion as the midsize, and the Chevy Malibu or Chevy Impala as the fullsize (I haven't seen too many Tauruses in the Thrifty fleet yet). Standard is kind of an odd car class that's in between midsize and fullsize, but in my experience, if you book a standard, you'll end up with a fullsize, but don't quote me on that.
On the Thrifty lots I've seen around the country, I usually see the Focus or Dodge Caliber as the compact, the Fusion as the midsize, and the Chevy Malibu or Chevy Impala as the fullsize (I haven't seen too many Tauruses in the Thrifty fleet yet). Standard is kind of an odd car class that's in between midsize and fullsize, but in my experience, if you book a standard, you'll end up with a fullsize, but don't quote me on that.
Nov 11, 2010, 4:15 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: YYJ
Programs: Aeroplan, Priority Club, National Exec Elite, Hertz #1 Gold, Avis First, Thrifty Bluechip
Posts: 1,924
Not complaining though really, I usually book Fullsize and would rather take a new Sonata or Fusion - both technically downgrades to Standard - than a bare bones Altima or Impala that reside in Fullsize.
Nov 14, 2010, 8:51 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 2,506
Hertz lists the Fusion as a Standard as well, IIRC. Focus is a compact; I'm not sure about the Taurus.
Nov 15, 2010, 7:31 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: YYJ
Programs: Aeroplan, Priority Club, National Exec Elite, Hertz #1 Gold, Avis First, Thrifty Bluechip
Posts: 1,924
Well, Hertz LISTS the Focus as a Compact, but in practice I've seen Compacts to generally be a Toyota Yaris Sedan. Fusion is indeed a Standard but I haven't seen too many of them at Canadian airports at least. They seem to price Standard and Fullsize the same, so if you book a Standard chances are they'll just give you a Fullsize (Camry, Altima, or Impala usually).
May 20, 2011, 2:34 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott PP; Hilton Gold
Posts: 171
I realize this thread is a few months old, but in case anyone out there is still wondering about MIA Thrifty's intermediate offering, it is indeed a Ford Fusion 95% of the time. I travel to MIA every week, and the Fusion is the reason I rent with Thrifty. It is an excellent automobile, and miles ahead of the intermediate offerings from other rental agencies, especially those with primarily GM fleets. Most of the MIA fleet is very new, as well, so I almost always get a car with Sirius still active.
May 21, 2011, 7:02 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat Prem, Hilton Diamond, Delta Diamond
Posts: 207
In Atlanta intermediate means Chevy Malibu.