We rented a car in Europe this summer through Enterprise. I specifically reserved a subcompact hybrid. Picking up the car was chaos and when it was finally our turn they told me they did not have any hybrids left. I knew we were going to be driving a LOT of miles, so I insisted they find a hybrid.
The agent told me there were no hybrids available and asked me if a Hummer would be an OK substitute. 
Europe reminds me - last weekend I was trying to find a way for DH to get home from Tuscaloosa after he drove DS there, in GF’s car.
Rental car, one way, was my first thought. Except I couldn’t find any cars. Even trying Atlanta. “Sold out” at all my usual rental agencies.
I guess there’s a limit on the number of one-way rentals, or the distance was too far… I’ve never tried to book a one-way rental for such a long way.
So I tried booking.com, which usually has everything. And yes, they had a rental. From a company I’d never heard of: Sixt. It was … a Citroen. And, a bit more expensive, a Peugot. And then a Mercedes.
And I finally looked at the pickup location: some village in France, 4,500 miles from Tuscaloosa.
The key to good rental car rates is a good corporate discount code. I have been using the same one for a very long time.
It does seem to be standard procedure to bias the rental fleet to larger and nicer vehicles, because renters are more likely to accept a free or low cost upgrade than a downgrade. Someone wanting a 7 seat van is less likely to accept a Kia Rio than the other way around.
But during one of the fuel price spikes, renters were more likely to refuse the “upgrade”, because some of them did not want the big thirsty SUV or van in place of the economy car they reserved.
Could be based on where the rental company has a surplus or shortage of cars. A one way from a surplus area to a shortage area may be easier to get than the other way around.
The Volvo was surprisingly good on gas.
Sixt is actually a national company but i think more in the South (not southern France, just regular USA south). I rented from them in Orlando. It is ‘off airport’ but very close and they pick you up. Also, some of the other companies are also off site as there just isn’t enough room at the airport.
It was a little bit of a pain as I didn’t think their employees were the sharpest (nice, tho) and they required things like a copy of your car insurance policy but it was quite a bit cheaper the time I rented. Orlando in March is a tough rental.
I think Sixt was also available in boston last fall but again, off site.
My favorite car rental is National and worst is Thrifty.
I’ve been good with Hertz, Alamo and National. Budget is the lottery. Thrifty is REALLY taking a chance.
When I rent, I use Costco and compare prices: Enterprise with 2 places, one walking distance from my place, one a short subway ride away; Budget/Avis, two offices in downtown Brooklyn, a longer but still short subway ride, and another Enterprise in downtown. Budget has the longest hours so many times, that’s my choice, and they are usually the lowest price.
I always ask for a small car so it’s easy to park near my apartment. Once when the office person used the walkie-talkie to communicate with the people on the lower level where I pick up the car (in a Marriott hotel), the lower-level people suggested (in jest!) that I try to rent a scooter!
I’m signed up with every car rental program that enables you to pick up without waiting in line. None are perfect. I tend to do airport rentals so don’t use Enterprise often.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has the best car rental insurance. No extra fee (unlike Amex Plat, though that is a reasonable deal).
There have been some recent-ish changes to the Amex Platinum that you may have missed. The authorized user card now is $195 per user, instead of the previous $175 for up to three AUs. The “free” AU card (previously was a gold card, now called the Companion Platinum card) remains $0 but does not allow access to the Centurion Lounge/Priority Pass and it never did, so I’m guessing your kids had the Platinum AU cards. Netflix also has never been a covered partner for the $20/mo digital entertainment credit. We have used our various credits on Sirius, Audible (when it was eligible, now that’s gone and has been replaced with WSJ), Disney Bundle, and NYT.
Also, if your kids set up their own online accounts with Amex for the cards they are holding (or you set it up for them), they too are eligible for Amex Offers. My kid holds 5 AU Amex cards and each one of them has Amex Offers. Most of the time the offers are the same as what show on our cards, but sometimes they’re different.
My kid this year became old enough to sign up for their own credit cards; their credit score is good to excellent already due to being an AU on our old cards.
If you are not affiliated with the corporate discount code then there’s a problem. Rental car companies especially Avis has been very strict about asking for IDs in many locations.
Our last few Hertz rental, via Gold club, have allowed us to pick a car from a section of their Boston/Logan lot. We fly red eyes, so at 5:30am it is great to just see our name on the board and skip the Hertz desk. (There was a while where they had a name entry snafu, and we did not get that perk. We appreciate it more now that the data is corrected.)
My husband used to be a Hertz gold customer when he was a business traveller. I guess I need to look into what it takes to become a member now.
Well…the end of the rental car saga. I returned the car and the agent in the return line could NOT process. My car return for some unknown reason. I was told I had to go to the Budget desk indoors to check out and close out. So I did. Of course there was a very long line…and I patiently waited. When I got to the counter, I gave the clerk my reservation info, and she said no problem, she could check me out. Well when she went to do so…apparently I was already checked out🤦🏻♀️
When I checked my email, I had two receipts…one for the right amount and one for the wrong amount. I hope I didn’t get billed twice. If I do, I’ll dispute the charge.
Funny…I got a survey request from Budget. I completed that! They asked me if I wanted to do a Yelp review and I wish there had been a comment section on the survey so I could have written “ I don’t think you really want me to do a Yelp review”.
Now, I just need to call my credit card company tomorrow to see how many charges I actually have…it better be just ONE.
In my neck of the woods (So Cal) Fox has a reputation for bait & switch (you’ll need to wait for that size car…unless you want an upgrade…which will cost ya!); forcing upgrades (and charging for them!) - oh, that car didn’t come back, here, take this one…at a higher cost! False charges after returns, and impossible customer service to try to rectify.
We just say “no” to Fox.
Thanks @JustaMom! I already was having a bad feeling about Fox, so I cancelled that reservation and got a different (though more expensive) reservation with Budget.
I’ve only used legacy rentals—Budget, National, Alamo, Hertz and sometimes Enterprise.
So far, we have been pretty fortunate. Have had negative experience with Thrifty (their lot was very remote) and small local company that tried to charge me for a flat but wouldn’t provide any proof so CCard company could reimburse the claim so CC just considered that part of rental disputed and recredited us.
I’m DONE with Budget. I will say…I reserved a mid size car because it was their least costly option. When I got there, there were signs everywhere “cars available”. With their goof up, they offered me a pick up or Mini van at no extra charge. Say what? I reserved a mid size car for a reason. So…I waited.