Hertz #1 club or Avis?

[orac]

I am starting to do more travel with hire cars and I am looking at Hertz or Avis to go with on a permanent basis. The threads I have read seem a bit down on Hertz #1 club.

What are your thoughts between the two major car rentals in September 2008?

Regards

 

[markis10]

What are you looking for and how much renting do you do, Hertz looks after their presidents circle members well but you need at least 30 rentals a year, with free upgrades and guaranteed availability.

 

[futaris]

Go with Hertz. The value of the miles that you earn with BMI far outweighs any advantage you'll get with Avis.

 

[oz_mark]

Hertz #1 Gold can usually be had with a waiver of the joining fee, so if you go Hertz, I would go with that.

 

[orac]

What are you looking for and how much renting do you do.

Around a couple a month at this stage - so 20 to 25 a year

 

[orac]

Hertz #1 Gold can usually be had with a waiver of the joining fee,

This is the case at the moment - seems to have been that way for a while

 

[markis10]

Around a couple a month at this stage - so 20 to 25 a year

I would go Hertz then for the additional benefits they offer regular renters, its free to join online, you get two free rental day certs and after 10 rentals get guaranteed upgrades !

 

[simongr]

It is free online at the moment to get Hertz #1 Gold and also free with Amex Plat Chg

 

[orac]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I will go with Hertz and sign up later this week

 

[jasonja3]

I'll go against the grain here.....

I recommend Avis preffered, simply on the basis that in my experience I have found my Hetz #1 Gold card useless, cars never available when I need them, expensive, lack of service and support.

However, I signed up with Avis preferred (no cost), and it is sooo much easier for me, cars are always available at a better rate, and I turn up, look at the board, and jump in the car..... cant get much easier, and not to mention upgrades are plentiful.

Just my experience and preference. Points etc don't bother me, it is the convenience.

 

[markis10]

I'll go against the grain here.....

However, I signed up with Avis preferred (no cost), and it is sooo much easier for me, cars are always available at a better rate, and I turn up, look at the board, and jump in the car..... cant get much easier, and not to mention upgrades are plentiful.

Just my experience and preference. Points etc don't bother me, it is the convenience.

The rates are based on your corporate rate, nothing to do with preferred or No1 Gold, for instance under my number 1 Gold membership I have the choice to use Priority Club, Qantas or my corporate negotiated rate, and after a while I know which one suits which class of car, resulting in a Yaris being available for $20 a day, and with the guaranteed upgrade that means I get a corolla or a territory/camry for that rate I have actually never been given a Yaris despite booking 35 this year so far.


To summarise, if you use the benefits on offer with the frequent rental scheme as far as upgrades go coupled with your corporate rate codes you can do very well, and BTW make sure you check the availability of all cars and their costs, often the luxury or tarago type vechicles are going as cheap as the small cars, another + for Hertz as they show the rates for all cars on the one screen at one time!

 

[file51]

Avis preferred in Australia IMO is by far the best program

Overseas though I normally rent with Budget (owned by Avis) or Thrifty due to significant savings on rates (especially in the U.S.)

 

[jasonja3]

The rates are based on your corporate rate, nothing to do with preferred or No1 Gold, for instance under my number 1 Gold membership I have the choice to use Priority Club, Qantas or my corporate negotiated rate,

Is the Qantas corp rate worthwhile?? Did not know you could do this! I am the only one in the company who travels, so no other big business rates for me..

 

[markis10]

Is the Qantas corp rate worthwhile?? Did not know you could do this! I am the only one in the company who travels, so no other big business rates for me..

They are not bad but vary by car type, for instance my corp rate for a Aurion Presara in Melbourne next month is $10 better than QFF, but the Corolla rate is $42.68 versus my corp of $50.73!

A good page is here for codes for various FF programs:
https://www.hertz.ca/rentacar/partn...artnerType=A&leftNavUserSelection=globNav_7_1

The benefits mentioned may not be applicable for Aus though!

 

[jasonja3]

Cheers, I'll give it a go.

I should mention, I only rent vehicles in Oz, so I cannot speak for International rentals.

 

[Va Bene]

If you are a member of NRMA, you can also get similar pricing to QFF using Hertz, however the excess in the event of an accident is less with NRMA/RACV/RACQ rates compared to QFF (if you don't take insurance). You can ask them to quote both for a comparison.

I've recently taken out an annual travel insurance policy (Travel Insurance Direct) with no excess for $365 which covers up to $4,000 for hire car excess (plus all the other travel insurance benefits).

Just be careful in examining the car before you sign off the condition report. I've had a few times when they didn't highlight scratches and minor damage that I alerted them to and on other occassions when I haven't checked the car, they hit me for costs when I'm sure I didn't do it (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Hertz outsource repairs to a company called Sureplan and negotiating with them is almost impossible.

 

[orac]

The benefits mentioned may not be applicable for Aus though!

They work in Australia. If you go through Hertz Australia site you find the Qantas CDP number is the same a going through the site you have highlighted "Quote CDP Number 297302 in the "Discount/CDP/Club Code" field when booking on-line to take advantage of special rates."

 

[markis10]

They work in Australia. If you go through Hertz Australia site you find the Qantas CDP number is the same a going through the site you have highlighted "Quote CDP Number 297302 in the "Discount/CDP/Club Code" field when booking on-line to take advantage of special rates."

The CDPs work, by benefits I mean the upgrades for PPS memebers etc. CDPs generally are applicable on a worldwide basis.