Good Bye to Hertz and Thrifty etc - Avis & Budget Only for QFF

[markis10]

+1 great option

Sounds nice in theory I've had hell to get anything to credit... I had 6 rentals within a few weeks not go to VS. They slowly credit to QF even though I removed QF from the gold club profile and individual reservations and asked the airport agents to remove QF from the booking. Cancelled the last two bookings... waiting on the club gold agents to get back to me, previously they've always been quick and helpful...

I hope it's simply a bug with my profile and not affecting others.

There is a bug in their gold system, I have removed all FF preferences now and just complete the FF credit after the rental, it seems to take 2 weeks max rather than the 6-8 with the right details pre rental.

 

[jdlover23]

500 points if its corporate, if its longer term try priority club, 150 points per day.

Markis10 - how long does it ordinarily take to credit to a VS account?

 

[Mal]

There is a bug in their gold system, I have removed all FF preferences now and just complete the FF credit after the rental, it seems to take 2 weeks max rather than the 6-8 with the right details pre rental.

Yep, the Hertz system is stuffed. It really can't handle you putting a different FF number into the booking, nor can it easily recognise that you've changed your profile.

 

[jdlover23]

Thanks Mal, sorry was going through the thread and hadnt got to the end, which i now see ppl have been having issues as you describe - ill try with the direct approach i need some activity on my account so i dont lose a bunch of miles

 

[AdMEL]

There is a bug in their gold system, I have removed all FF preferences now and just complete the FF credit after the rental, it seems to take 2 weeks max rather than the 6-8 with the right details pre rental.

Yep, the Hertz system is stuffed. It really can't handle you putting a different FF number into the booking, nor can it easily recognise that you've changed your profile.

Yep, definitely a bug/stuffed! My last two rentals have shown as being credited to QFF, despite me ringing to amend one to DJ and the other definitely being DJ when the booking was made. They seem to have alot of bugs in their system! Hopefully they fix it soon. In the meantime, I hope I can get the points credited to velocity. Will have to remove FF from future rentals.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Can people stop referring to Hertz Gold Club as being something special.......it's not...it's free and you get what you pay for.

I am 5 star thingy and have received zip out of these people...dirty cars and no upgrade as it stated as part of that Program.

 

[TonyHancock]

Can people stop referring to Hertz Gold Club as being something special.......it's not...it's free and you get what you pay for.

I am 5 star thingy and have received zip out of these people...dirty cars and no upgrade as it part of that Program.

My experiences with Hertz have been quite poor. Early in 2010 on a trip to the UK they tried to saddle me with a car that looked as though it had just come out of a demolition derby - it has some serious damage to the body work. It took over an hour to sort out, and I suspect some other poor unfortunate was next in line to get it.

I rarely received upgrades and, particularly in NZ, was repeatedly charged for fuel even though I had filled up to the brim.

My recent experiences with Avis have been surprisingly good. I've had upgrades on 3 of my last five rentals.

 

[Sprucegoose]

My experiences with Hertz have been quite poor. Early in 2010 on a trip to the UK they tried to saddle me with a car that looked as though it had just come out of a demolition derby - it has some serious damage to the body work. It took over an hour to sort out, and I suspect some other poor unfortunate was next in line to get it.

I rarely received upgrades and, particularly in NZ, was repeatedly charged for fuel even though I had filled up to the brim.

My recent experiences with Avis have been surprisingly good. I've had upgrades on 3 of my last five rentals.

Do you have any 'status'?

Beware the fuel tricks.......the Prius was good,could drive 100 km without the fuel gauge moving!!

 

[markis10]

Can people stop referring to Hertz Gold Club as being something special.......it's not...it's free and you get what you pay for.

I am 5 star thingy and have received zip out of these people...dirty cars and no upgrade as it stated as part of that Program.

Who is calling it special, it is free, mind you, the 5k QFF (VELOCITY NOW?) points you get for your birthday as a presidents circle member and the fact I always book a yaris and never get one is special to me , not bad for a free program. The upgrade for a 5 star is not guaranteed BTW.

 

[Major]

My experiences with Hertz have been quite poor. Early in 2010 on a trip to the UK they tried to saddle me with a car that looked as though it had just come out of a demolition derby - it has some serious damage to the body work. It took over an hour to sort out, and I suspect some other poor unfortunate was next in line to get it.

I rarely received upgrades and, particularly in NZ, was repeatedly charged for fuel even though I had filled up to the brim.

My recent experiences with Avis have been surprisingly good. I've had upgrades on 3 of my last five rentals.

I need to hire a car in NZ late March for about 2 weeks. Do you know of any deals going at the moment ?

 

[RSD]

Used Budget for the first time recently after previously being a Thrifty person until they left the QFF program. Wasn't particularly impressed that Budget don't have a $0 excess option available. Amount charged to my CC seems a bit higher than it was supposed to be as well.

 

[markis10]

Used Budget for the first time recently after previously being a Thrifty person until they left the QFF program. Wasn't particularly impressed that Budget don't have a $0 excess option available. Amount charged to my CC seems a bit higher than it was supposed to be as well.

You can always negotiate a $4000 excess CDP with the rental companies and then use that in conjunction with a $4000 excess annual travel insurance policy, which as of last week could be had for $260 if you exclude USA etc, the savings in the rental will soon pay for the annual policy which has other benefits!

 

[PineappleSkip]

I wont go back to Avis just to get token QFF points, I stopped using them because I didn't like their cars much.

Switched to Europcar and DJ points, although I would have preferred to credit my points to my QFF account if anywhere.

As for 'upgrades', yeh Avis were always offering me these, but don't see any value in a larger car that chews more fuel. My last 'upgrade' was to a Commondore that felt like stepping back into the 90's. I mostly knocked them back.

BTW I am similarly unenthused with upgrades to Falcons from Hertz.

Cheers skip

 

[Sprucegoose]

You can always negotiate a $4000 excess CDP with the rental companies and then use that in conjunction with a $4000 excess annual travel insurance policy, which as of last week could be had for $260 if you exclude USA etc, the savings in the rental will soon pay for the annual policy which has other benefits!

Good idea, at the desk or through corporate via correspondence?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Who is calling it special, it is free, mind you, the 5k QFF (VELOCITY NOW?) points you get for your birthday as a presidents circle member and the fact I always book a yaris and never get one is special to me , not bad for a free program. The upgrade for a 5 star is not guaranteed BTW.

Yes but you are at the top of the tree. My point would therefore be if you are not PC then you get bugger all!! I have never had an UG, in quite times is bit strange?

I also find the country centers better franchisees than the major ports. Good exp with Hba and Wagga, as an exception.

 

[antycbr]

I am Hertz 5* and get upgrades quite a bit - I think if you're renting for weekends from a major port they'll upgrade because they want to keep the smaller, cheaper cars for last minute renters? although, I must admit I'm not very enthusiastic about getting upgraded to a Camry - they're awful.

 

[RSD]

You can always negotiate a $4000 excess CDP with the rental companies and then use that in conjunction with a $4000 excess annual travel insurance policy, which as of last week could be had for $260 if you exclude USA etc, the savings in the rental will soon pay for the annual policy which has other benefits!

Due to the slightly hazardous nature of the work I do I already have a custom travel insurance policy so that it is something that I can look at adding in at renewal time - thanks for the tip!

 

[JohnK]

Markis10 - how long does it ordinarily take to credit to a VS account?

Generalyl I find it takes ~1-2 weeks for miles to appear in VS account.

I have not had issues with my Hertz profile and it was only ever one time the rental credited to QF when I had changed the number over to VS. Called them and they simply credited my VS miles and I also received the QFF points as well.

Only issue now is I cannot seem to complete a booking while logged in to my Hertz #1 Gold account.

I wont go back to Avis just to get token QFF points, I stopped using them because I didn't like their cars much.

Switched to Europcar and DJ points, although I would have preferred to credit my points to my QFF account if anywhere.

Interesting point. If hope I have it right but Europcar credits to Velocity at 5 points per $1 whilst Avis credits to QFF at 3 points per $1.

I know we are going into a silly (subjective) discussion again but for $1,000 rental from Europcar would earn ~5,000 Velocity points whilst a $1,000 rental from Avis woiuld earn ~3,000 QFF points. Well not quite as it is only time and kilometre charges that earn points but you get the drift. Anyway unless someone can come up wth an even remotely attractive Velocity burn rate in my (very humble) opinion I would much rather have ~3,000 QFF points than ~5,000 Velocity points any day of the week, month and year.

P.S Unless I was driving Cairns-Brisbane I would not have a $1,000 bill from a car rental company. If I go to somewhere like ADL, PER, DRW for a few days of golf then I will be changing cars on a daily basis as I have done this weekend in Brisbane.

P.P.S I need to remember to stop talking about my car rental runs (similar to status runs and mattress runs) for fear of the VS loophole closing....

 

[markis10]

Yes but you are at the top of the tree. My point would therefore be if you are not PC then you get bugger all!! I have never had an UG, in quite times is bit strange?

I also find the country centers better franchisees than the major ports. Good exp with Hba and Wagga, as an exception.

No, I am back to PC now but last year I was 5* and booking Yaris's and yet to get one, mind you with Avis which is getting more of my business it's not unusual to get an i30 instead of a Getz, I like them. As for upgrades, I am not a fan of the large cars in cities but a XR6 or SV6 in the country is worthwhile. The Hybrid Camrys must be unpopular, it was the cheapest option with Hertz in CNS in a few weeks time, I do like the way Hertz display all the options and pricing.

 

[AdMEL]

You can always negotiate a $4000 excess CDP with the rental companies and then use that in conjunction with a $4000 excess annual travel insurance policy, which as of last week could be had for $260 if you exclude USA etc, the savings in the rental will soon pay for the annual policy which has other benefits!

Not sure why you would need to negotiate a $4,000 excess CDP when many standard excesses are lower than that!

Non-airport locations (higher at airports):
Europcar: $3,850 ($5,500 for Audis)
Avis: $2,915 ($5,500 for 4WD and Caprice)
Budget: $2,750 ($5,500 for 4WD and convertible)
Hertz & Thrifty: $3,300 + $2,200 if no other vehicle involved

And, as has been mentioned on this forum, many credit cards will cover excess.

If hope I have it right but Europcar credits to Velocity at 5 points per $1 whilst Avis credits to QFF at 3 points per $1.

According to the Velocity Rewards website, Europcar earns 3 points per $1.