Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Normally when I rent cars, I choose mid-sized because that's what I hope to get.
For my next trip I plan to rent the cheapest car class available because of the price difference. My hope is that there are no tiny cars available and they give me a free upgrade. Worst case scenario I get a tiny car (the smallest available, think of something the size of a Smart Car. They advertise a Chevy Spark as being in that category).
I heard some people always rent the economy class(cheapest category) and often get free upgrades when the tiny cars aren't available.
If you usually reserve the smallest class of rental car, do you often get upgraded to a larger car because there are no tiny cars available when you pick-up the rental car?
I had this happen to me once. Not with super sub compact. But I requested a midsize 4WD SUV, she didn't have it, but had Tahoe. After 20 minutes of looking into options, I simply said - well, why don't you rent me that Tahoe for the price of car I had reservation for? And she did.
You want to stick to small sized rentals though. Chances are much higher they will be short on anything.
Sometimes you may not get a free upgrade, but will be offered a per-day upgrade price that is lower than what you would have been able to get for a rental, based upon the availability of the vehicles in the upgrade category, and number of vehicles available in the smaller category, when you are at the rental counter. The agent may offer to upgrade at $X and you can politely ask if that's the best that they can do in that category. Sometimes, the upgrade offer price will change. And, if you are a member of the particular agency's rewards program, you are more likely to get better deals because of your regular business.
Renting an economy class car, the next upgrade would the the compact class, which is likely to have a vehicle available. For an intermediate/standard class, I would anticipate having to pay a portion of the difference in price, because that would jump two classes from the economy.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
It really depends on the location you are renting from. If you are renting from an airport location, the chances of booking a subcompact / compact and getting an upgrade, assuming you do not have status with their loyalty programs, are slim because they have so many cars on hand. You have a better chance if you rent from a neighborhood location that has fewer cars and more walk ups. I'd also recommend looking for a coupon code that gives you a free one or two class upgrade if they are available. Problem is, most people rent Intermediate or Standard, so you're still going to have a tough time getting an upgrade.
Having worked for a rental agency, it really depends on the location. If you rent from a place like EAN(Enterprize, Alamo, National) the chances may be slim, but if you rent from a smaller place like(Thrifty or Dollar) it may be a better chance. The bigger the company the more cars they will have. The company I wokred for for(Advantage) had to give out free upgrades all the time. They would have super cheap specials like $9.99 a day for a compact, wouldn't have the car, and we would have to give mid or full sized cars for the same price. That being said, take the chance, the upgrade price will probably be cheaper then the standard daily rate they offer, plus the rental agent is more willing to make a deal as it will help their "numbers"
The only three times I've had to rent a car, I went for the smallest / cheapest class (just me and luggage, why do I need a big car?). The first time I got a Ford Fiesta, the second time I got a Chevy Sonic Sedan. the third time I got a Toyota Corolla. The Fiesta was my favorite. Comfortable, plenty of luggage room, cruised great on the freeway. It got 38 MPG cruising along at 80-85 MPH. The Corolla was the 2nd best. 33 MPG, good radio, drove fairly well. The Sonic was horrible. Seriously Chevy? 28 MPG? While cruising at 65?
(edit to clarify: when steadily cruising, the Sonic would get closer to 36-38 MPG. The moment you had to give it a little gas to pass someone, the transmission couldn't decide what gear to go in, the car went insane, and fuel economy plummeted. And that's just a little bit of throttle).
On an "upgrade" note, they offered me a free upgrade to a Focus when I rented the Fiesta. I turned it down though, didn't see the point. It was me and a friend, with 2 suitcases. Why would we need a slightly larger car that got slightly worse economy?
If trying to save money is high on your priority list, then rent the cheapest car, and take what you can get. If having a midsize is your minimum acceptable standard, they pay for the certainty of getting it.
Sometimes, rental car companies will offer free upgrades to larger vehicles. They do this mainly because compacts tend to be in high demand. This sort of upgrade may seem like a great deal for you, the renter. If having a larger vehicle will genuinely enhance your rental experience, then take the upgrade. But if you have no real need for the extra space, it's cheaper to decline. Larger vehicles burn more gas, so that "free" upgrade isn't really free — you'll wind up paying for it at the pump.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Corolla was the 2nd best. 33 MPG, good radio, drove fairly well. The Sonic was horrible. Seriously Chevy? 28 MPG? While cruising at 65?
