Breaking Out Of Rental Car Hell With Hertz

If you read my blog on a regular basis you know that in the past I have experienced horrendous rental car events with Budget and Fox Rental Cars (Las Vegas).

My first trip into rental car hell was with Budget in Miami in the late Fall of 2008.  Besides waiting hours, yes I mean hours, in line for my pre-reserved car, I was not given the model I had requested and the Budget lot was in a very obscure location.  I had to literally spend 2 hours trying to find where to drop the car off and was worried about missing my flight from Miami back to DFW.

I still have nightmares about driving my Budget SUV through the dark un-light backstreets adjacent to the Budget lot that you could see but somehow not get to.  Yes, I did have a map.  Thank you for asking.  Unfortunately Budget gave me a 4 year old map with streets that no longer existed.  It was truly a Twilight Zone experience.

I also experienced the personality altering horrors of Fox Rental Car in Las Vegas when I could not book any other cars but Budget.  Of course I would rather ride my bike than rent another Budget so I went with Fox.  How bad could it be?  If you read my blog you know about the horrors.  No need to recap and ruin either of our days.

It was with great trepidation that I booked a Hertz Rental Car for the HairBoutique Road Trip in Los Angeles.  I was shocked by how different my experience was.  I literally walked off the plane at Burbank, walked into the Hertz rental kiosk and within literally 3 minutes I was helped, even though their was a line.

Unfortunately the car I had reserved, a convertible for ease of videotaping, was not available.  They apoloized profusely, to the point where I was feeling embarrassed.  Then they said they wanted to make it up to me and would I mind taking a brand new BMW328i with 200 miles on the speedometer and a full sun roof.  Even better the car had every possible feature and was a gorgeous steel gray.

My mouth was literally hanging open.  They kept apologizing as they escorted Edan and I to the car and got us all settled in.  They even helped us load our bags into the trunk.  They showed us how to operate the car, which has never happened to me before, and then wished us a happy and safe trip.  In addition, they said we would still have the original rate for the other car which was not available.

I don't think I was able to close my mouth until we were half way to our first location.  Edan assured me that she only uses Hertz and this was a common experience.  A common experience?  Fast, efficient and courtesous people?  Cars that you only have in your dreams?  Helpful attendants who showed you how to drive the car?  Oh my goodness.  I think I have died and gone to rental car heaven.

When I used to travel on business some years ago the company I worked for only used National or Alamo.  They were OK depending on the city I traveled to.  So I guess I was a Hertz Virgin.

Or an even better explanation is that the Gods Of Rental Cars felt I had done enough penance with Budget and Fox and decided to give me a surprise.  If that's the case, I want to make a special thank you to those Rental Car Deities.  They done good.

As far as Hertz?  I will be signing their praises until someone tells me to shout up.

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