Hertz or Thrifty?

[leebee]

I know that Thrifty is owned by Hertz, and that Thrifty doesn't have a desk in the garage. However, I can save about $40 by going with Thrifty instead of Hertz. Any reason for choosing one over the other, considering I don't really care about the garage check-in desk?

 

[sam_gordon]

Any status with Hertz? Could be as a benefit from an airline or hotel program.

I have Hertz status and not having to stop at a counter is great!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Are you asking about a rental at MCO? If you book with Thrifty, you should be able to do an online check-in that will allow you to go right to your car without stopping at a check-in desk - unless there's a reason you need to stop.

If you've had really good experiences with Hertz and trust them as a rental company, I'd probably keep them. If not, I'd save the $40 (gas money?!) and use the Thrifty booking. We've used them many times and it's been good. Also keep checking as you get closer to your trip - you probably know prices change, and booking one now (without prepayment) doesn't cost you anything if you cancel.

 

[EACarlson]

I know that Thrifty is owned by Hertz, and that Thrifty doesn't have a desk in the garage. However, I can save about $40 by going with Thrifty instead of Hertz. Any reason for choosing one over the other, considering I don't really care about the garage check-in desk?

Hertz generally has newer, lower mileage vehicles.

Are you asking about a rental at MCO? If you book with Thrifty, you should be able to do an online check-in that will allow you to go right to your car without stopping at a check-in desk - unless there's a reason you need to stop.

If you've had really good experiences with Hertz and trust them as a rental company, I'd probably keep them. If not, I'd save the $40 (gas money?!) and use the Thrifty booking. We've used them many times and it's been good. Also keep checking as you get closer to your trip - you probably know prices change, and booking one now (without prepayment) doesn't cost you anything if you cancel.

Reports are that Thrifty and Dollar have both shut down their booths in the garage and their skip the counter programs again. All rentals have to go to the counter in the terminal.

 

[linzjane88]

Not that it helps at all but my last interaction with Hertz in Hawaii was extremely poor from start to finish. The grand finale of my rental experience was that they forgot to mark my rental car as returned so I continued getting charges (granted they were pending) every single day and automated threats for not returning the vehicle. I called EVERY SINGLE DAY, multiple times per day, and the local office never answered a phone and the generic numbers put me on endless phone loops where I had to explain the story over and over again but nobody actually would fix it. I finally resorted to going to hoping full Karen and blasting my story on their social media which eventually worked. They gave me a whooping few bonus points for the "inconvenience" which was moot because I swore to never use them again and I haven't. Hertz specifically has a bad rap for that, even getting law enforcement involved for "stolen vehicles" that were actually returned.

 

[DVC-Don]

Hertz = you may get arrested for stealing the vehicle.

 

[linzjane88]

I am a complete cheapskate in every sense of the word but I will pay a little more to avoid the hassle of a bad car rental company! At MCO this is my take based on experiences over the years:

Yes: Alamo, Enterprise, National,

For the right price: Avis.

No: Dollar, Thrifty, Hertz, and anything offsite,

 

[EACarlson]

I am a complete cheapskate in every sense of the word but I will pay a little more to avoid the hassle of a bad car rental company! At MCO this is my take based on experiences over the years:

Yes: Alamo, Enterprise, National,

For the right price: Avis.

No: Dollar, Thrifty, Hertz, and anything offsite,

Why not Hertz, or Budget?

For comparison, I rank the 10 companies that have cars on site at MCO as:
National
Hertz
Enterprise
Avis
Sixt
Alamo
Budget
Thrifty
Payless
Dollar

I have a reservation next month and am paying $40 extra to have Hertz and their Ultimate Choice service over Budget.

 

[sam_gordon]

Knock on wood, but I haven't had a bad experience at Hertz. I've rented all over the country, although not at MCO. If Hertz isn't available, I'll do Nationwide.

 

[kimmar067]

....do not, I repeat, DO NOT use Thrifty! I used them twice [once in Puerto Rico and once at MCO] and both experiences were AWFUL!!! They are the kings of hidden fees!
Personally, I always go with Alamo - reasonable middle-of-the-road pricing and many times I've scored a free upgrade.