How does Hertz treat you

[docjames]

When: July 2024 (2d 4h)
Pickup: Hertz STR
Drop off: Hertz FRA
Booked: Midsize, 4-5 door, manual (Class D)
Received: Jeep Compass PHEV S-Limited, 67000km, auto
Cost: EUR 301 (ouch)

Had booked an early morning pickup however flight delays meant we arrived under slept and over tired, and with two children who’d misbehaved the entire flight and nearly 5 hours later for the pickup time. I was grateful given it was summer and middle of Euro Football that they’d saved the car at all for me. I didnt have the will power to ask for anything else and i thought being a Jeep it would be a) big enough and b) not unpleasant - although if I’d realised how bad this car would be I absolutely would have at least asked the question.

The car was awful. Under powered, a battery that never recharged itself, and it could barely get to 140kph on the auto barn and felt awful doing it. It did cruise at 110-120 ok. Was lousy on fuel, was big on the outside and small on the outside.

 

[docjames]

When: July 2024 (2d 3h)
Pickup: LHR (T5 then Hertz shuttle to Hertz lot)
Drop off: LHR (Hertz shuttle to T3)
Booked: Midsize, 4-5 door, manual (Class D)
Booked via: Hertz app
Received: MG HS (small SUV) with 2500mi and not a scratch on it (Group K apparently according to the receipt). The cargo cover was in it which is a nuisance when you have luggage but useful when parked on the street to hide anything left in the boot (although in our case, nothing).
Cost: GPB 108

Wanted to like this car and it was superficially ok but I’d never buy one. Again would have preferred what I’d booked. Stressful parts were: crazy low speed limits (too low to use cruise control); brand new (driven mostly inside the M25…..not ideal). Kids loved the colour (I hated it). The shuttle to the pickup was probably more efficient than virtually anything else at Heathrow…….but that’s not saying much.

Best feature in the end was seeing it the day after we’d returned it being driven by someone else!

 

[docjames]

When: June 2023 (9d 23h)
Pickup: CNS
Drop off: CNS
Booked: Compact SUV Class G (Kia Sportage or simialr)
Booked via: Hertz website
Received: VW TIguan (base spec) with 20km (yes, 20 - it’s first rental).
Cost: AUD553 (unlimited kms, LDW)


Good result on the car although always stressful when brand spanking new (any mark is mine). Got it back in one piece. Boot a little on the small side for what we needed but price for next category about was terrible so kids had to lump the trip to and from airport with stuff in the back seat. Managed to find room for a stop and the purchases at Liqourland on the way further north though…..

 

[Happy Dude]

I made a Hertz rental via Trip.com, as Hertz directly seems to have dropped off cashback schemes. The booking process was simple enough but there was nowhere to add any Hertz or FF number. I thought I'd be able to add those details at the counter but not possible. So I missed out on Tier benefits (ie an upgrade).

I called Hertz during the rental, who said yeah we can add it once the rental concludes and gave me two emails (?!) to contact with my status, rental details etc. They emailed back saying sorry can't be done suggesting that if you don't add those details during the reservation, regardless of the booking channel, then it can't be added at any stage. I definitely know that to be nonsense. The email also said that the rental also wouldn't count towards the little status challenge they proffered me. They also sent me a tax invoice showing $0 as the rental charge.

So I submitted a missing points claim which was approved within two days. The rental shows up in my "previous rentals" list now too, as does the cashback in my shopback tracking.

If booking through Trip.com for the cashback, I'm confident that calling prior to commencing the rental to add status/FF details would be fine to secure "normal" tracking of status and benefits but will have to wait until my next rental to confirm.

I hate dealing with this company, especially given the litany of horror stories that are so prevalent, that I seem to have avoided. I need to rent from Mitchell (ACT) as it's on the way of town for me and street parking for a night or two is acceptable. Europcar have moved their city branch out there too now (but you wouldn't instantly know that by the description on the website though) but parking is a little more difficult.

 

[clifford]

I need to rent from Mitchell (ACT) as it's on the way of town for me and street parking for a night or two is acceptable. Europcar have moved their city branch out there too now (but you wouldn't instantly know that by the description on the website though) but parking is a little more difficult.

I live in the ACT and always pick up from the Fyshwick depot. They are a corporate Hertz site and seem to have a good selection of vehicles at a reasonable rate (using my CDP code). Easy to get to by bus, so no parking necessary. I'm not sure I'd be parking my car randomly in any suburb of Canberra for a couple of days. Michell may be one of the better places to do it as no one (officially) lives there, but maybe not.