Car rental in Perth

[soho]

Hi all,

I am Frankie from Singapore. I am looking to visit perth and the Southern region this coming December. I plan to hire a Full Size (Camry) or a Full Size Sports (SV6) Category vehicle.

I had look through several car rental website and vroomvroomvroom.com.au. I found out that i could get a better deal by going to the car rental website directly ,i.e Hertz and avis.

I would like to enquire:
1. Is it true that they (hertz) would always give free upgrade ? i.e from full size to full size sport.
2. Do i really need to get the GPS system or can I rely on my phone navigation with google map?
3. For the Full size and Full Size sports vehicles, Do they come with in car sat nav?
4. Which Car rental company is the best? ( in terms of new fleets, clean interior, price, checking on vehicle scratches or dents?)
5. Is it necessary to get the Damage waivers?

Thank you very much!

 

[lovestotravel]

Welcome Frankie

1. Always a free upgrade - No
2. The GPS system is extra $. Your phone and Google maps can be great, but you still need data access on your phone to navigate. Although you can save the maps offline, you can't search without having data access
3. Generally no, pretty much 99% no
4. New fleet, clean interior - Europcar is the best
Hertz generally the best of ignoring scratches etc as their fleet is older
Price - Varies but Europcar/Hertz are usually the better ones, always check for discounts/promo codes on their websites etc
5. Depends if your credit card covers it, I don't get them

 

[soho]

Thanx for the heads up.

I would like to know if the data and cell coverage from perth to cape leeuwin to margaret river ,busselton and rockingham good? As i am planning to get a prepaid card to access data for google map.

Also, i would like to check if hertz carry VE or VF SV6?

 

[AdMEL]

Some further comments:

1. Hertz very rarely give an upgrade from full size to premium. Even if you have 5 star status, upgrades only if available and only to max full size. Presidents Circle is a different story.
2. Rely on your phone and try to download maps before you arrive.
3. Hertz premium (they don't have full size sports) includes VW Passat diesels which have sat nav. If by chance they have VF SV6 Storms (unlikely), they have sat nav. I understand Avis have some Storms.
4. If you want a VF SV6, Avis or Budget are your best bets. Hertz only have some, so you might end up with a VW Passat or Toyota Aurion ZR6. Don't think Hertz have any VE's anymore.
5. Depends if you want to pay $4K + if you damage the car and whether you have travel insurance or credit card cover, or other insurance to cover.

 

[austgap]

Hey Frankie, I work for the yellow car company in Brisbane so thought I'd chime in also with what's been said.

1. Is it true that they (hertz) would always give free upgrade ? i.e from full size to full size sport. The only complimentary upgrades are for our President Circle members and then technically it's only up to a full size car.
2. Do i really need to get the GPS system or can I rely on my phone navigation with google map? Think the members above have answered that well enough.
3. For the Full size and Full Size sports vehicles, Do they come with in car sat nav? Within Hertz only our Premium Full Size cars do with some VW Passat's and Toyota Aurion ZR6s. The only other options with inbuilt GPS is some of our BMWs and Nissan Dualis

Also Hertz does have both the VF and a few VE SV6 - yet remember your booking a class not a particular car. Yet if you had your heart set on one, do make that comment in the notes when making the reservation.

Enjoy Perth

 

[Princess Fiona]

Sorry to bump a pretty old thread but this seems the most appropriate place to post it.
I rent from Avis at PER 3-4 times a year and have done for the past 3-4 years. On each occasion it doesn't seem to matter which car group I book or which discount code I use I pretty much always end up with a pseudo-sports car of sorts in either red or red. This weekend I've booked a med sized car on a free day rental on weekend promo. For the past three days I've been cruising between the CBD and Nedlands in a bright orange metallic Camry RS. You couldn't miss me
I'm not a really regular renter in any other AU city so I'd love to know if this is a PER thing or if Avis PER only rent loud cars with spoilers and low profile tyres.