Best hire car upgrade...
Discussion
As all petrolheads know, there is nothing faster than a hire car... well, apparently. We all know they are usually base spec models with the smallest engine available in class.
But what free upgrades have you had due to booking cock-ups etc, however modest.
Mine are very modest as I don't hire cars often but the two that spring to mind are a Citroen C5 in place of a Focus-sized estate in Spain. Lovely ride but woeful 1.6 diesel engine. And at the moment in Hungary I have an Austrian-reg (tax dodge??) 1.6 diesel Ford C-Max in place of a Golf-sized hatchback, very well screwed together and that wonderful Ford accuracy to the handling, if again a little underpowered.
So I prepare to be fully outclassed by some of you hire car regulars... any insider tips on decent upgrade tactics?
But what free upgrades have you had due to booking cock-ups etc, however modest.
Mine are very modest as I don't hire cars often but the two that spring to mind are a Citroen C5 in place of a Focus-sized estate in Spain. Lovely ride but woeful 1.6 diesel engine. And at the moment in Hungary I have an Austrian-reg (tax dodge??) 1.6 diesel Ford C-Max in place of a Golf-sized hatchback, very well screwed together and that wonderful Ford accuracy to the handling, if again a little underpowered.
So I prepare to be fully outclassed by some of you hire car regulars... any insider tips on decent upgrade tactics?
Edited by vrsmxtb on Friday 17th May 08:55
Had a few good ones from enterprise via my last employer, standard car for my level was Astra/Focsu/I30, over the years i had:-
Insignia 160 SRI
Nissan Pathfinder
Hyundai Santa fe
Astra Twin top (which was extra good as it was in the middle of summer)
Best way to secure an upgrade was to book as late as possible (after 4pm the day before was always best) and specify you needed cruise control!
When my Audi got rear ended the insurance sent me a tatty Aygo, i complained and the swapped it for a zero mile Astra 160 SRI which was pretty good trade up, wouldn't have minded the Aygo, but at the time i was doing 1000 miles a week and anticipated having the hire car for at least 10 days.
Insignia 160 SRI
Nissan Pathfinder
Hyundai Santa fe
Astra Twin top (which was extra good as it was in the middle of summer)
Best way to secure an upgrade was to book as late as possible (after 4pm the day before was always best) and specify you needed cruise control!
When my Audi got rear ended the insurance sent me a tatty Aygo, i complained and the swapped it for a zero mile Astra 160 SRI which was pretty good trade up, wouldn't have minded the Aygo, but at the time i was doing 1000 miles a week and anticipated having the hire car for at least 10 days.
Almost forgot, when i went on honeymoon to the US, i booked a ford escape for 6 days, which i think from memory was about half the cost of a mustang, when we arrived at san fran airport, i was offered a Stang for only €20 a day extra which was peanuts compared to booking in advance.
Then for the second leg we were down in florida, i booked a standard mid size for 10 days and expected a focus or similar, Avis rang me the day before and said all the could offer me was a Crown Vic....i was jumping for joy! the most comfortable 1600 miles i have ever driven
Then for the second leg we were down in florida, i booked a standard mid size for 10 days and expected a focus or similar, Avis rang me the day before and said all the could offer me was a Crown Vic....i was jumping for joy! the most comfortable 1600 miles i have ever driven
Often have cars via Enterprise through work and have to stick with group D as a max category (Focus/Astra equivalent).
That said I’ve found booking less than 24hrs in advance tends to work out best. Had:
- Numerous Insignia SRI’s
- Seat Exoto’s have been surprisingly nice drives (basically an A4)
- Few years back MG ZT CDTI
- Nissan X-Trail
- And most surprising of all a new Lexus IS250 with 28miles on the clock.
That said I’ve found booking less than 24hrs in advance tends to work out best. Had:
- Numerous Insignia SRI’s
- Seat Exoto’s have been surprisingly nice drives (basically an A4)
- Few years back MG ZT CDTI
- Nissan X-Trail
- And most surprising of all a new Lexus IS250 with 28miles on the clock.
big_boz said:
Had a few good ones from enterprise via my last employer, standard car for my level was Astra/Focsu/I30, over the years i had:-
Insignia 160 SRI
Nissan Pathfinder
Hyundai Santa fe
Astra Twin top (which was extra good as it was in the middle of summer)
Best way to secure an upgrade was to book as late as possible (after 4pm the day before was always best) and specify you needed cruise control!
When my Audi got rear ended the insurance sent me a tatty Aygo, i complained and the swapped it for a zero mile Astra 160 SRI which was pretty good trade up, wouldn't have minded the Aygo, but at the time i was doing 1000 miles a week and anticipated having the hire car for at least 10 days.
Tricks like that and the booking automatic trick made working at Enterprise a nightmare at times. Working late to get extra cars for last minute bookings. Unsure why they dont surcharge late bookings. Why not just pay a couple of pounds more a day and guarantee a nicer car. Insignia 160 SRI
Nissan Pathfinder
Hyundai Santa fe
Astra Twin top (which was extra good as it was in the middle of summer)
Best way to secure an upgrade was to book as late as possible (after 4pm the day before was always best) and specify you needed cruise control!
When my Audi got rear ended the insurance sent me a tatty Aygo, i complained and the swapped it for a zero mile Astra 160 SRI which was pretty good trade up, wouldn't have minded the Aygo, but at the time i was doing 1000 miles a week and anticipated having the hire car for at least 10 days.
I had mates who went to France and prebooked a Megane Convertible for a week. When they arrived they had no Megane convertible left as one they were due to take had been smashed that morning by the last client.
However the hire place were very nice about it all and as they had ordered a convertible they were given a brand new M3 'vert instead. Very nice!
Oh, how I wish things like that would happen to me.
However the hire place were very nice about it all and as they had ordered a convertible they were given a brand new M3 'vert instead. Very nice!
Oh, how I wish things like that would happen to me.
Booked a Group A car (Ka/Panda) at Graz airport a few years ago. Got an E-class Merc! Lovely.
Helped that I had a Hertz "#1 Club" card at the time.
Don't have so much luck these days. Just got back from a holiday in Spain were I booked a compact car (Astra/Focus) with Firefly (a Hertz subsidiary), and got an Opel Meriva. Not impressed - it's just a tall Corsa.
Helped that I had a Hertz "#1 Club" card at the time.
Don't have so much luck these days. Just got back from a holiday in Spain were I booked a compact car (Astra/Focus) with Firefly (a Hertz subsidiary), and got an Opel Meriva. Not impressed - it's just a tall Corsa.
Jon999 said:
Tricks like that and the booking automatic trick made working at Enterprise a nightmare at times. Working late to get extra cars for last minute bookings. Unsure why they dont surcharge late bookings. Why not just pay a couple of pounds more a day and guarantee a nicer car.
LOL, It was via the Santander Account, so not my money, and they were tight as a ducks arse, I imagine the sourcing team badgered enterprise down to a stupid unit price on the volumes they would have been looking at. I think they have swapped to a different company now, my wife still wears a red hat and im sure i haven't seen an enterprise docket come through the door for a while, but then she hasn't seen anything other than Hyundai 130's recently but she doesn't employs the same tactics as i used to to try and get upgrades!
Not the 5.0 litre one but still a nice upgradeedo said:
Cheap estate in France with SixT, got a top spec A6 Avant.
Not quite the same, but Racing green couldn't get their Corsa loan car out from the back of their carpark so they loaned my wife a Sagaris. Note they never did this when I went in...
What a TVR!Not quite the same, but Racing green couldn't get their Corsa loan car out from the back of their carpark so they loaned my wife a Sagaris. Note they never did this when I went in...
best PH upgrade ever, end of thread
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