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#937375 by Francis007
09 Aug 2017, 15:12
May I ask if anyone has any experiences....good or bad....with Avis at Boston ?

The reason I ask is that my missus and I are off to our to our annual roadtrip in the Autumn to New England. We depart LHR on Tuesday 10th.October. As per usual we are treating ouselves and have taken advantage of the VS UC sale that went out earlier in the year. The price this year was £1800 each which surprisingly was a fair bit cheaper than last year's sale . I think we then paid approximately £2300.

The reason I ask about Avis is that this will be our 14th consecutive rental with Hertz. Over that time since 2006 ,two wonderful ladies on the front desk....Flo and Marie....have become good friends :D

However, not once in all 14 rentals has Hertz ever been able to honour the car of my choice in their " Prestige " range. Even though they supposedly guarantee it and I make the booking months ahead.

So over the years I have pre-booked....and paid for....BMW's, Mercedes, Volvos and end up with Cadillacs ! A decent enough car might I add but not what I pre-booked. Last year for example i reserved a Mercedes GL450 and ended up with a bloody great Infinity 4 wheel drive.....in white :D

The thing is that we now walk up to the Hertz desk each year to be met by either Flo or Marie who surpise us with the car available. It has become a bit of a giggle. I have written to Hertz Head Office in the past to query why the " guaranteed "model ain't actually guaranteed !!!! I have always gone on to exonerate Flo and Marie from any griping because they are excellent employees of Hertz and lovely ladies and are merely doing their best.

This year I have pre-ordered a Range Rover Discovery and will not be surprised to find an old Cadillac waiting for me again .

Just wondered if anyone knows whether Avis are any better in supplying car of choice in their posh range ? For the last couple of years since all the rental agencies moved from Tomahawk Drive to the new base at the airport, I have noticed quite a few BMW's in the Avis part of the basement.

I would be a bit reluctant to not use Hertz again as I am a Gold card member and they have all my details online so it only takes minutes to pick up the car. Also dear Flo and Marie greet us with hugs and kisses now and I would miss that alot

Apologies for the length of this but thought I would just ask.
#937380 by Francis007
09 Aug 2017, 16:04
I think I put in my post that I have taken the issue up with Hertz but without much joy. Some years, I have tried to contact the Hertz Boston office the day we arrive in Boston to try see if my car of choice is there for me for the next morning as we always have a night in Boston before picking a car up. However, it's a very busy office and in my experience it's usually impossible to get someone to pick up.

Two years ago, I did write to Hertz Head Office in the USA...not really expecting a reply. That year I had pre-ordered a Mercedes E Class. After about a month's delay I received a reply guaranteeing my Mercedes. When we arrived at Hertz that year, only a Cadillac SUV was available....and I gave up.

Apologies to anyone here who thinks this seems a bit " picky " but I am an old retired guy now, who just likes cars and what I drive is important to me. Sad I know !

However in my defence, on our usual 3 week road trip in Maine,Vermont,New York State and Cape Cod, we probably drive 2000 mile plus and decent car is something I enjoy
#937425 by Eggtastico
10 Aug 2017, 16:18
its not being picky.
Only time I used Avis I got upgraded.. to a Cadilac XTS
booked a Group E - Chevrolet Impala or similar car

I prefer something closer to what we get in the UK, as I adapt quicker. Quite nervous driving the XTS in case I dinged it
#937430 by taffytorchy
10 Aug 2017, 20:21
As a Gold member I've used Hertz at Logan airport multiple times as I love going straight to the garage & picking up the car with no wait or hassle. I usually get a text saying what car I've got & what parking space it's in the day before which gives time to change it if not OK. If it was me I'd stay with Hertz & take the gamble, there's always the opportunity to walk down the garage & choose something different?

Good luck!
#937431 by Eggtastico
11 Aug 2017, 07:04
personally going to try Alamo next year.
I want a minivan & they are coming back £100 cheaper than anyone else. As I am booking from the UK site, I think I am right in saying that it comes with all the insurances needed.
#937432 by chriski
11 Aug 2017, 07:19
I have found Avis to be fairly consistent in their vehicle quality but in all the years I have been renting vehicles I have rarely got the vehicle model advertised/selected.
For me, price is a major consideration and rooting out the hidden charges when booking ( before you are ambushed at the desk).
#937436 by dickydotcom
11 Aug 2017, 07:57
In my experience it is more unusual to get the car I have ordered than an 'or similiar'
On one occasion in Savannah, which is admittedly a very small airport by comparison, we had ordered a Cadillac.
On the day there was not one and we were offered a variety of cars including a mini van. I was not happy but remained calm and eventually settled for a Nissan Murano, with the proviso they would try and get me a Cadillac.
Two days later I got a phone call they had a Caddy SRX, an SUV rather than the saloon I'd ordered.
They delivered the Caddy to Hilton Head where we were staying. I loved it and changed my car when we got home.
On the big Infinity. I had one of those a couple of years back and really enjoyed it. Ugly but full of toys, and with US petrol prices a 5.3 litre engine didn't seem expensive to run.
If you have built up a relationship with Hertz I'd stick with them.
Dick D
#937438 by Francis007
11 Aug 2017, 09:58
Thankyou chaps for the replies and advice.

In regards to the model of car chosen for the rental " or similar " on most car rental websites, I don't think I was too clear in my original post in what my gripe with Hertz has been over the last few years.

Up to last year, Hertz have had a range of " prestige " cars on their website that they " guaranteed " they would honour. The wording actually stated that. That was my gripe as it was never ever honoured at all in 14 goes. Not once ! However I now notice that that wording has been deleted, so I presume they have had a lot of problems with the logistics of getting the correct cars to the the right destinations.

In fact last year when I walked into the Hertz Logan office hopefully expecting a Mercedes E class to be waiting for me and ending up with an Infinity QX80, I took it on the chin as life is too short. However 2 American guys who had also reserved Mercedes went absolutely ballistic at poor Flo and Marie when they found out that they were going to be disappointed. Those 2 poor ladies were left to carry the can.

Dear Dickydotcom.....I do agree with you that the Cadillaic SUV was a fine car and the Infinity QX80 was fun with the 5.3 litre engine with lots of toys. However I think the poor guy who designed it had probably lost the will to live ! So, if I end up with one of those again this year, I won't be too disappointed and I will try and post some pics ( By the way, how do you do that ? )

Also thankyou to the other post about the heads up regarding being a Gold Card member and getting a message on your phone from Hertz Boston on the morning of pick up detailing car available and what number bay it is in. I have never received anything like that. Probably because I am an old git now with a very ancient phone. Think I need to purchase a fancy new smartphone before we head off into the wild blue yonder in October ! :cool:

So, thankyou again chaps. Think I will take the advice given and stay with Hertz again.

May I just add that this is a fine website that I have only recently discovered. The kindness and knowledge shown here by many other poster is very helpful and most welcome.
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