Beware of new Hertz Charges

[markis10]

Its only come in the last few weeks but Hertz are now classing a one way rental as one that is from any depot to a different depot in the same city or beyond, I got charged $25 for a one way fee for a 1 day rental DRW to the city. I wont be renting Hertz again when I need to drop it back at a different location!

 

[jdlover23]

Damn all my rentals are one way! Did three last week without the charge, maybe the cdp I'm on doesn't get charged, only time will tell, this could be the last straw for me with them

 

[kamchatsky]

Yes I also noticed this from Hertz. I stopped hiring from them immediately.

 

[jsoprano]

As far as I am aware, this fee should only apply for one-way rentals between off-airport locations and the following 3 airports: BNE, MEL, SYD.

It should NOT apply for any one-ways which originate at these airports, or which do not include those 3 airports at all, i.e. DRW to Darwin City.

Source: Hertz.

I just did 2 test bookings which confirmed the above. So if you have been charged appart from that I would challenge it.

 

[markis10]

It should NOT apply for any one-ways which originate at these airports, or which do not include those 3 airports at all, i.e. DRW to Darwin City.

Source: Hertz.

It is being charged for DRW airport to a city drop off, and not the other way around.

Source Hertz Darwin Downtown Manager

And no, it does not appear on the reservation, which is why I got it refunded when I explained the Avis trouble for a similar thing with the ACCC. Avis is getting a lot more of my money these days, for the same rental amount Avis pre-authorise the rental to my car $42, Hertz pre-authorise $175, another PITA for me.

 

[jdlover23]

Just did a booking from Sth Yarra to MEL airport and the one way charge hasnt shown up on the booking....ill be keeping a close eye on the final charge and will be disputing any one way charge!

 

[futaris]

Shows up for a Sydney City - Sydney Airport booking.

With my CDP for a Single Day, Intermediate car:
Sydney City - Sydney Airport = 83.12 AUD (including 25 AUD oneway charge)
Sydney Airport - Sydney Airport = 66.27 AUD

NB, Tiger Airways CDP is about 10 AUD cheaper, but still includes the 25 AUD oneway charge...

Considering that the Sydney Airtrain is 15 AUD oneway, it's about breakeven...

NB, same car on Europcar with my Contract ID:
Sydney City - Sydney Airport = 64.49 AUD

 

[Will]

Its only come in the last few weeks but Hertz are now classing a one way rental as one that is from any depot to a different depot in the same city or beyond, I got charged $25 for a one way fee for a 1 day rental DRW to the city. I wont be renting Hertz again when I need to drop it back at a different location!

Thanks for the advice!

Hertz certainly offers me nothing that the much cheaper companies do, and with attitude like this I will be sending my business elsewhere.

 

[kamchatsky]

Similar issue for Artarmon (north of Sydney between St Leonards and Chatswood) to Sydney Airport. Hertz charges $75. Europcar charges $55. Guess which one I hire this time!

 

[AdMEL]

Damn! Although I don't do it often, I liked the ability to pick up at the airport and drop off at the CBD, or vice versa, without extra cost with Hertz (and Avis). Europcar have charged for this for years.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[lovestotravel]

Interesting!!

Hertz really have become worse and worse over the years.

Only saving grace was the "re-introduction" of the Prestige collection in Australia, not sure how well it's doing as on most bookings I can get a C200 cheaper than an Falcon!!!

 

[xt_20]

Only saving grace was the "re-introduction" of the Prestige collection in Australia, not sure how well it's doing as on most bookings I can get a C200 cheaper than an Falcon!!!

On this one -- I booked a Lexus (4 door), and instead was given a 2 door Merc, which didn't suit my requirements at all as I needed 4 doors. They couldn't offer me the Lexus, claiming both vehicles are the "same" when clearly they are very different.

 

[lovestotravel]

On this one -- I booked a Lexus (4 door), and instead was given a 2 door Merc, which didn't suit my requirements at all as I needed 4 doors. They couldn't offer me the Lexus, claiming both vehicles are the "same" when clearly they are very different.

Yep that's not acceptable, although I do understand that cars get damaged, not returned etc etc.

The 2 door Merc is also a 4 seater as a mates girlfriend has one... LOL

The Lexus is a 5 seater

I'd email Hertz and get a $50 voucher for your trouble.

 

[Moopere]

Only saving grace was the "re-introduction" of the Prestige collection in Australia, not sure how well it's doing as on most bookings I can get a C200 cheaper than an Falcon!!!

Yes, this is great isn't it? You can get the C200 and sometimes the CLC for about 2-5$ more per day than a Corolla and far less than a 'large' car. Mind you both those Mercs are probably classified as small or medium cars ... still, great value I reckon.

Just watch out for the CDW as the prestige line is usually $5500. Our company CDP reduces most CDW on the other types of cars to <$1000 but not the prestige.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Given that this $25 charge only applies in certain cities (not all) and only when the one-way is in one particular direction (not the reverse direction) - what's the rationale for the new charge?

 

[JohnK]

I don't do one-way rentals very often but very disappointing to read there is now a one-way charge for major rental locations.

I can understand a one-way charge for BNE-OOL but not for BNE airport - BNE CBD. I really cannot see any justification as one would think there would be enough one-way rentals from each major location going back and forth.

 

[pyffii]

Frequently book Brisbane Airport to Surfers Paradise and return at least 6 times a year...Just booked for this week and Hertz online showed no vehicles in any category...Rang No.1 Gold and booked OK with no one way charges applied...They said it was a computer glitch...Booked the return online with no one way charges BUT their rates have gone up by about $12.00 per rental since December...Out of interest Thrifty charge a extra $110.00 for one way !!!

 

[lovestotravel]

Frequently book Brisbane Airport to Surfers Paradise and return at least 6 times a year...Just booked for this week and Hertz online showed no vehicles in any category...Rang No.1 Gold and booked OK with no one way charges applied...They said it was a computer glitch...Booked the return online with no one way charges BUT their rates have gone up by about $12.00 per rental since December...Out of interest Thrifty charge a extra $110.00 for one way !!!

Hertz have lots of ways of stopping you from one way rentals

1. No cars available
2. Higher rental cost, they simply jack the daily/weekly/monthly price up
3. Huge drop fee

My routine for one-ways in the USA

Rent car from location A, use it for the time needed.
Drop car back in location A, and pick up another car to drive to location B
As soon as I am in location B, swap the car for another one

A pain but avoids huge fees, as most USA Hertz rentals seem to be just much higher fees, Europe seems to always be drop fees.

I have always received much older/less better equipped cars as well for one way rentals, as location A always wants to get rid of their older/less desirable cars.

 

[xt_20]

Yep that's not acceptable, although I do understand that cars get damaged, not returned etc etc.
I'd email Hertz and get a $50 voucher for your trouble.

If the car was damaged or not returned, I expect a phone call -- unless it happened just a few minutes before that, I don't see why that's too hard?

I emailed them and got a poorly written "apology" letter (full of spelling mistakes), which I rejected. I opted to write to someone in Hertz HQ, and got a slightly better letter back -- and an offer for $80 credit, which I rejected. The letter merely gave excuses and asked for my address -- they already have my address! Not sincere at all. Never heard back from them since, and not expecting to either.

Compare this against QF -- I emailed them because my flight was changed from an A330 to a B767 without IFE (SIN-PER). Got an apology and $100 voucher without questions.

Also, the Merc they offered me hadn't been cleaned!

 

[The Rok]

I had choosen a new VW Passat sedan for my latest rental with Hertz. When I arrived my name was not on e Gold Counter screen, which it should of been, and I had to q for the car. :evil:

Then the bloke handed me the keys to the car, and it was a mercedes key. I thought ok, that's alright, it's not a Passat but I can live with a C-Class... Imagine the look on my face when I saw the B-Class........

Rang them up the next day and got it changed to an Audi A4. Much happier. In general I find the US locations much friendlier and obliging, more willing to help.

Except when they gave me a stupid Mustang instead of the booked Audi Q7 in Miami a few years back..... Furious, I hate Mustangs