Hertz - Calais and Statesman hard to find

[sr81]

I have rented with Hertz for a while and have gotten used to either having a Statesman, or by preferance a G6E or Calais.

I have been looking at cars for about 7 dates over Oct and Nov from Melbourne Downtown, MEL and BNE. On none of these dates can I get a large premium car, in the past this has been a Ford (G6E), Holden (Calais) or Aurion Presaria. All with bluetooth and all large enough for 4 people, golf clubs and an esky.

The new Lexus and Merc's are available but for 4 people plus gear they just aren't big enough or are expensive.

Has anyone heard anything about Hertz phasing these vehicles out?

 

[straitman]

I have rented with Hertz for a while and have gotten used to either having a Statesman, or by preferance a G6E or Calais.

I have been looking at cars for about 7 dates over Oct and Nov from Melbourne Downtown, MEL and BNE. On none of these dates can I get a large premium car, in the past this has been a Ford (G6E), Holden (Calais) or Aurion Presaria. All with bluetooth and all large enough for 4 people, golf clubs and an esky.

The new Lexus and Merc's are available but for 4 people plus gear they just aren't big enough or are expensive.

Has anyone heard anything about Hertz phasing these vehicles out?

I don't know about Hertz but I believe Holden are phasing out the Statesman :!:




Sent from my iPhone using AFF Mobile

 

[sr81]

They are killing the Statesman name badge but having two levels of the Caprice. So basically the same car different badge. That's not happening until the VEII roll out is underway so I am surprised that Hertz would move so quickly.

The biggest issue I have is that under my corp rate I get a lot of car for my money with a large Ford/Holden. These rates have not been carried across to the newer Lexus premium cars.

 

[AdMEL]

I've also noticed the Calais and Statesman have not been available for a few weeks, when I've been checking for other bookings.

I checked the drivenow website today and they don't show anything above a group D (Toyota Aurion) being available from Hertz for the next two weeks in Melbourne. I also asked the Hertz call centre this evening about it when ringing to ask about something else - they said something was going on, but they didn't know exactly what, but that it could possibly be that the Merc has replaced them due to being more popular, which I find hard to believe, given the Merc is generally more expensive and smaller.

I did a few checks of my own and the Calais is still available in Qld (at CNS and BNE) until at least March next year, but not available at MEL, SYD, ADL, PER. Statesmans don't seem to be available at any of those locations.

If you really want a Calais or Statesman, Avis and Budget still have them available and Avis even the V8 Caprice available, although it's not cheap ($93 base rate + fees and taxes, with 150 km daily limit and extra km 35c).

 

[Meggsy]

I booked a Statesman with Hertz back in June for an August pickup at Sydney domestic. No problem with the booking at the time but when I arrived for the pickup I was given a Mercedes C200 and told the Statesman was no longer available. While the Merc was a nice car to drive it certainly was a squeeze for 4 of us and luggage to drive to Wagga. Can't beat the room the big aussie cars provide.

 

[markis10]

Each Hertz location has a fleet they roll over after a set time, it would appear that most of the Hertz locations have decided the premium car is not to be carried moving forward. I believe these have been unpopular and the fleet has been refreshed with the various collection cars instead, offering more choice for various markets for a similar outlay. The premium cars also have poor resale value which would have hurt hertz at auction time.

 

[VirginiaF]

Not sure of your Hertz status, or frequency of rentals, but after 30 rentals (and you can do that by splitting up rentals into smaller periods), you qualify for President's Circle, which supposedly has "guaranteed vehicle availability" (applicable vehicle classes only). I haven't explored the dimensions of this, but perhaps someone with that Hertz status could elaborate. I usually rent from Downtown Sydney and they don't have Toyota Presaras anymore and I seem to get a GX6 more often than Calais. I currently have a Calais with a smidgeon under 50k on the clock, which in my view (like Alex in "Up in the Air", which I am sure was written by an AFFer), is keeping a vehicle in the fleet for far too long. The flick out key doesn't lock, so flops around when you drive. And that's just the beginning.

 

[AdMEL]

Group P (Calais and G6E) is available again at Melbourne Downtown, at least for the next two weekends. Statesman still not available.

 

[sr81]

Picked up on Friday and confirmed that they are being phased out. Interestingly the grace period has been cut to 29 minutes!

If you are looking for a big comfortable Aussie car then the Sportwagons being offered are great. The larger 3.6l engine and a few extra toys over the base model make this a pretty good car. It is also massive inside.

 

[AdMEL]

Statesmans are available again, albeit very limited - available tomorrow at MEL.

I currently have a Calais with a smidgeon under 50k on the clock, which in my view (like Alex in "Up in the Air", which I am sure was written by an AFFer), is keeping a vehicle in the fleet for far too long. The flick out key doesn't lock, so flops around when you drive. And that's just the beginning.

In February this year, I had a Calais from Hertz Melbourne Downtown for a few days that also had almost 50k on the clock - it was very scuffed and didn't drive as well as it should have, but it sounds like yours is worse.

Like you, I thought it was keeping it in the fleet too long! Having said that, I think we are going to have to get used to older cars, as car rental companies have been keeping their cars longer since the GFC hit and that, together with increased prices, has seen them start making profits after years of making losses. Given that, I expect the higher prices and older cars to continue.

Picked up on Friday and confirmed that they are being phased out. Interestingly the grace period has been cut to 29 minutes!

If you are looking for a big comfortable Aussie car then the Sportwagons being offered are great. The larger 3.6l engine and a few extra toys over the base model make this a pretty good car. It is also massive inside.

From your original post, I understood you wanted a large luxury car!

If you liked the Sportwagon, Hertz have the sedan equivalent (Commodore SV6) and the Ford Falcon sedan equivalent (Falcon XR6) both available in group D (listed as Toyota Aurion, but I have always received SV6, XR6 or Calais), usually at a much lower price. Both large, comfortable, with bluetooth.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I booked a Statesman with Hertz back in June for an August pickup at Sydney domestic. No problem with the booking at the time but when I arrived for the pickup I was given a Mercedes C200 and told the Statesman was no longer available. While the Merc was a nice car to drive it certainly was a squeeze for 4 of us and luggage to drive to Wagga. Can't beat the room the big aussie cars provide.

Struth! A German taxi.!

 

[Sprucegoose]

Just booked a Kluger for $51 per day plus extras of course

This is on our Corp rates. Are others getting the same rate for this type of car?

Our excess is $770 which is not too bad but could be better.

Do we have an AFF CDP?

Cheers Spruce

 

[Febs]

I currently have a Calais with a smidgeon under 50k on the clock, which in my view (like Alex in "Up in the Air", which I am sure was written by an AFFer), is keeping a vehicle in the fleet for far too long. The flick out key doesn't lock, so flops around when you drive. And that's just the beginning.

Has it had a hard life? I've got a VE Calais-V Int'l with just over 56,000km on the clock and it's as tight and comfortable as brand new. The interior (cream leather) still looks brand new, everything still works, and it goes harder than ever (though that probably has something to do with the 255rwkw it now has ).

Much better than previous Commodores, I've gotta say.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Has it had a hard life? I've got a VE Calais-V Int'l with just over 56,000km on the clock and it's as tight and comfortable as brand new. The interior (cream leather) still looks brand new, everything still works, and it goes harder than ever (though that probably has something to do with the 255rwkw it now has ).

Much better than previous Commodores, I've gotta say.

Cheers,
- Febs.

Sounds very much like a country car Febs!

 

[Febs]

Sounds very much like a country car Febs!

Well, true, I did buy it from Canberra.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Well, true, I did buy it from Canberra.

Another good place to pick up one is Wagga. Hertz have a fantastic franchisee operator out there. Best presented cars I have seen even clean windows!

Cheers spruce

 

[AdMEL]

Just booked a Kluger for $51 per day plus extras of course

This is on our Corp rates. Are others getting the same rate for this type of car?

Our excess is $770 which is not too bad but could be better.

Do we have an AFF CDP?

Cheers Spruce

My employer has two corporate rates - one for work use and one for personal use.

Work use CDP gives a base rate of $61 incl. reg. recovery and location fee for an all up price of $67.10 with 770 standard excess plus the usual additional Single Vehicle accident excess of 2,200 at Sydney Downtown (seems to be always sold out in Melbourne).

Personal usr CDP gives a base rate of $65 and an all up price of $74.01, with the same excesses.

Sounds like your CDP is pretty good!

Has it had a hard life? I've got a VE Calais-V Int'l with just over 56,000km on the clock and it's as tight and comfortable as brand new. The interior (cream leather) still looks brand new, everything still works, and it goes harder than ever (though that probably has something to do with the 255rwkw it now has ).

Much better than previous Commodores, I've gotta say.

Cheers,
- Febs.

Of course it's had a hard life ... It's been a rental car for 50,000 km!

 

[Febs]

Of course it's had a hard life ... It's been a rental car for 50,000 km!

Ah, I read Virginia's post as she actually owns one with 50k on the clock.

 

[VirginiaF]

Ah, I read Virginia's post as she actually owns one with 50k on the clock.

Oh - my apologies for misleading you. By saying I had a Calais with over 50K on the clock, I meant that the one I had from Hertz had over 50K on the clock and my point was that I think that Hertz tend to keep cars in the fleet a little long. I have had a few Statesmen with over 70K on the clock - just not acceptable. Having said that, they upgraded me from a Corolla to a G6E today, with 8K on the clock. No complaints - I guess it's a swing/roundabout world.