Hello one and all,

Anyone here have any experience with Avis, Hertz, or Enterprise car rentals ? ?

Planning a family vacation into Tennessee (in July) and want to rent a SUV for the trip (from Ohio)

Have rented "cars" from Enterprise for the past 5-6 years and had good luck -- until last year  ! !

Reserved a SUV (vs. a "car") last July and when I arrived at the airport to pick it up they could not find my reservation.  Then . . .  I had to wait four hours for the SUV to be returned -- I was NOT not a happy camper  ! !

I really do NOT what to get jacked-around this year -- the day before I am to leave -- so been thinking of using "someone" other than Enterprise.

So ? ? ? ? ?

Thanks  ! ! !

What do you want to know?

Enterprise sucks.

Quoted: What do you want to know? Enterprise sucks.

Really?

My family has rented from Alamo, Enterprise, and Budget-and have had good luck with all.  

ETA-Avis and Hertz are generally more expensive than the others.  

Quoted: Quoted: What do you want to know? Enterprise sucks. Really? My family has rented from Alamo, Enterprise, and Budget-and have had good luck with all.   ETA-Avis and Hertz are generally more expensive than the others.

You've been lucky.

If it's important that they actually have the car you want, when and where you want it, you need to use Hertz.

YMMV

I just rented a Cadillac STS for my sons prom from Enterprise. I was treated like a king!
I'll go back to them in a minute. Have had several bad experiences with Hertz...................................

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: What do you want to know? Enterprise sucks. Really? My family has rented from Alamo, Enterprise, and Budget-and have had good luck with all.   ETA-Avis and Hertz are generally more expensive than the others.   You've been lucky. If it's important that they actually have the car you want, when and where you want it, you need to use Hertz. YMMV

Hmmmm....my family has never used Hertz so I wouldn't know.  

I have rented from Hertz and National many times.  I have no experience with Enterprise and only one rental experience with Avis.

I am a President's Circle member at Hertz.  This means I rent from them >40x per year.  For National, they have our corporate account so I rent from them whenever I'm traveling via car on business.

It is true that Hertz and National tend to be more expensive than Dollar and Budget.  My best guess, having not rented fronm Avis or Enterprise at an airport, is that rentals from an airport location don't have a whole lot of difference.  Airport locations are where most rental car companies keep the biggest fleets (compared to in-city locations) so you normally have no issues with availability and the like.

That said, the Gold/Emerald Club service from both Hertz and National (only at airports) are very nice.  You skip the counter entirely.  You just take the shuttle bus to the location, and you pick out whatever car you want from the Emerald lot (National) or you've got a car waiting for you (Hertz).  No lines, no nothing.  Just get in the car, show em your driver's license and go!  Very convenient.  

For in-city rentals, it varies from place to place.  Here, the National/Alamo (they're combined) site often has long lines while Hertz does not.  It's weird.  They're across the street from each other and Hertz might be $1/day more.  I have waited 30+ minutes in line at National before but never that long at Hertz.  For $1/day more, it's not a big deal.  

I know you're looking for a SUV but I like how Hertz has some specialized cars you can request.  Hertz has a Prestige collection (at select locations) where you can rent Jaguars, Volvos and other nicer cars.  Even the "regular" collection has some nice cars.  The Hertz location in Philly has Toyota Solara convertibles, Infiniti G35s, Toyota Celicas, etc.

Last, Hertz is owned by Ford, which means they have the 2005 Mustang!  I have rented the 05 Mustang several times already and it's a welcome change from your boring everyday rental car.    I got the new Thunderbird once but that's a rarity.