Arizona and Enterprise Rent-a-Car

[vonVeezelsnider]

Anyone know anything about Enterprise's rental fleet?

I'm flying out to Phoenix for a week on the 18th and we've reserved a full-size; anyone got a clue what Enterprise generally offers in that category in the United States?

(Obviously I'm crossing my fingers against a Camry)

Additionally, anyone know of any good scenic drives within a close vicinity to the Phoenix Metro area? (Saw the roads around Carefree last time and it was a pleasant experience)

[pow]

No idea... Enterprise tends to have more diverse vehicle fleets. I've seen BMW X3s, Toyota Priuses, and MINI Cooper S convertibles with Enterprise plates.

[Justin Bimmer]

Malibu, Impala, Fusion, Camary, Accord, Altima, Hyundai. You name it Enterprise has it.

[Robert Hall]

The Enterprise near my house here in CenPho has a mix of cars--Rav4s, Priuses, Cobalts, Malibus, Camrys. Not sure what they have out at the airport.

For close scenic drives, Carefree Highway and up through Cave Creek is a pretty desert foothill drive...further east, SR 87 from Mesa up to Payson (a shorter drive involves cutting back east at Fountain Hills) is quite scenic, also a side trip to Roosevelt Lake is nice. US 60 out east to Superior and Globe and up into the Salt River canyon is a gorgous Saturday drive, going from the valley floor up into higher altitudes, lots of rocks, plants, etc. Another one I've done is go out to Apache Junction then take windy, twisty SR 88 up to Tortilla Flat. Beautiful mountain scenery..also leads on to Roosevelt Lake, but it's a dirt 4WD road past Tortilla Flat.

[vonVeezelsnider]

The Enterprise near my house here in CenPho has a mix of cars--Rav4s, Priuses, Cobalts, Malibus, Camrys. Not sure what they have out at the airport.

For close scenic drives, Carefree Highway and up through Cave Creek is a pretty desert foothill drive...further east, SR 87 from Mesa up to Payson (a shorter drive involves cutting back east at Fountain Hills) is quite scenic, also a side trip to Roosevelt Lake is nice. US 60 out east to Superior and Globe and up into the Salt River canyon is a gorgous Saturday drive, going from the valley floor up into higher altitudes, lots of rocks, plants, etc. Another one I've done is go out to Apache Junction then take windy, twisty SR 88 up to Tortilla Flat. Beautiful mountain scenery..also leads on to Roosevelt Lake, but it's a dirt 4WD road past Tortilla Flat.

I hear you there, we've been out to AZ ten times although the most recent was 1999, we did the Carefree/Cave Creek drive one year and Roosevelt Lake in either 1997 or 1998.

[PONTIAC06]

Last time I was at enterprise, the basic full-size we got was a Malibu. G6, Impala, and Altima were other choices. The Charger and 300 were more for some reason.

[ocnblu]

Charger and 300 may have been called "Premium", a step above "fullsize".

[Robert Hall]

Charger and 300 may have been called "Premium", a step above "fullsize".

The rental car agencies have made up their own categories for years. The Malibu is a midsize in the real world, but inexplicably the rental car companies call it a full size. Same at Hertz..the '07 Taurus was full size while the Grand Marquis was 'premium'.

[Drew Dowdell]

When I was Connecticut this week I had an "intermediate" which in the past I would have expected something like a G6, Aura, or Fusion..... nope, they tried to give me a G5.

I told the guy "No way" was I paying $127 for a day and half rental of a G5. So he upgraded me to a "full size" for free. I got an HHR. I asked him how National decided that an HHR is a "full size". Told me it was decided by interior volume. I told him an HHR was great as a full size since I was going to fill it with sand.

National has a lot of nerve.

[vonVeezelsnider]

I don't plan to be sucked into that vortex, I'll know better if they try to saddle us with a 4cyl car because Enterprise's website in Canada says a full size has at least 6 cylinders...

[daves87rs]

When I was Connecticut this week I had an "intermediate" which in the past I would have expected something like a G6, Aura, or Fusion..... nope, they tried to give me a G5.

I told the guy "No way" was I paying $127 for a day and half rental of a G5. So he upgraded me to a "full size" for free. I got an HHR. I asked him how National decided that an HHR is a "full size". Told me it was decided by interior volume. I told him an HHR was great as a full size since I was going to fill it with sand.

National has a lot of nerve.

Wow...

[PONTIAC06]

Charger and 300 may have been called "Premium", a step above "fullsize".

That sounds about right

When I was Connecticut this week I had an "intermediate" which in the past I would have expected something like a G6, Aura, or Fusion..... nope, they tried to give me a G5.

I told the guy "No way" was I paying $127 for a day and half rental of a G5. So he upgraded me to a "full size" for free. I got an HHR. I asked him how National decided that an HHR is a "full size". Told me it was decided by interior volume. I told him an HHR was great as a full size since I was going to fill it with sand.

National has a lot of nerve.

That's ridiculous...it makes me mad that they have these different classes especially when they put a Malibu/G6 etc in the midsize, intermediate, and fullsize categories

[knightfan26917]

Charger and 300 may have been called "Premium", a step above "fullsize".

Yep.

And, sadly, if the folks at the Enterprise I rent from here in IL are correct, they are slowly fazing out the Chargers.... Thus, the one I have now may be the last one I get to rent, in which case, not sure what I'd rent then....

von ... have a great time in AZ!

Cort | 36swm.IL | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker

CDshowcase | Sat.Dec 19, 5p-10p.central | Thu.Dec 24, noon.central = www.WRMN1410.com

"It's snowing in the pines" ... Alabama ... 'Christmas In Dixie'

[Justin Bimmer]

After Enterprise screwed me hardcore and did nothing about it. I have switched to Hertz and am able to request a preference (GM only)

[pow]

After Enterprise screwed me hardcore and did nothing about it. I have switched to Hertz and am able to request a preference (GM only)

Last time with Hertz I was given a choice between a last-generation Accord DX or a Camry.

[Robert Hall]

Last time with Hertz I was given a choice between a last-generation Accord DX or a Camry.

Ugh. With Hertz, I always get a Ford product except for the time they were out of Mustang convertibles at LAX and I got a Nissan 350Z.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Ugh. With Hertz, I always get a Ford product except for the time they were out of Mustang convertibles at LAX and I got a Nissan 350Z.

Is it just me or is Hertz always ungodly expensive compared to Enterprise/Avis-Budget/National-Alamo?

[Justin Bimmer]

Hertz is only expensive if you don't plan smart and use their discounts. I got a Hertz rental for a week for under 150 bucks for a malibu.

[vonVeezelsnider]

2010 Impala LS, fire engine red, 8000mi

Even though this vehicle lacks many of the options of our own, I can notice very quickly areas where GM has improved the W-Impala since 2007. The rear seat area is much more roomy with the rear headrests more padded and now your feet fit actually underneath the front seats making a HUGE difference in rear-seat comfort. Also the new front chairs with more side bolstering and the new headrests seem like an improvement. We'll see after I get some loose panels in my 07 cinched up next month but I think there seems to be a slightly tighter tolerance on interior panel gaps. The hard plastic parts of the interior remain but the hard plastic in the 2010 seems to have a slightly more pleasant-to-the touch feel than the 2007.

On the other hand I think the new rocker moldings look cheap as do the new plastic window moldings that are now textured plastic rather than clear-coated. That being said I think that although the textured job looks and feels worse it'll probably hold up better in the sun. The lack of antelope badges and even an "LS" badge show some decontenting though. Despite a couple of loose panels and over triple the mileage our 07 has no rattles to speak of while this seemingly new 2010 has a couple dashboard rattles already.

[Robert Hall]

I drove through an Enterprise lot this afternoon--there is one in suburban Chandler near my office...a mix of Malibus, Impalas, Cobalts, Equinoxii, with the random Camry, Corolla, G6 and Altima mixed in.

[Justin Bimmer]

I'm glad you got a GM car! It makes a big difference that you get a car that you are familiar with in general. Enjoy your trip to the US!

[vonVeezelsnider]

I'm glad you got a GM car! It makes a big difference that you get a car that you are familiar with in general. Enjoy your trip to the US!

We got the last Impala and the only other reasonable choice was a white 2010 Fusion SEL V6. It's a good job our flight wasn't delayed any more than it was or we would have missed out on both of those and had to settle for one of the other vehicles they offered as full-size (I saw HHR, PT Cruiser, Kia Forte). If the Fusion and Impala weren't there I think my dad would have had an aneurysm.

[caddycruiser]

Great! And intriguing differences you've noted in the '10 Impala...particularly of interest to me since it seems--since you'd certainly know the car well--one of the biggest issues, namely the argh rear seat has seen unannounced improvements.

[mustang84]

Last time I rented at Enterprise, the Saturn Aura I got was considered a premium full-size.

[vonVeezelsnider]

All of these changes would be effective for 2009 not 2010. As far as I can see between 2007 and 2010 the following has happened:

Pros:

+ Dual Zone Climate Control standard on all models (on my LS there is only the single zone)

+ More functional cupholder up front (the one in mine has no set partitions and some weird adjustable partition)

+ New Seats and Headrests in front (Headrests lean more forward and are more padded, seats have more bolstering)

+ Improved back seat comfort (Feet fit under seats, rear headrests much more padded)

+ Drop of 2 HP, gain of 1 MPG Hwy

Cons:

- Ugly ass rocker molding

- Lack of Antelope or LS Badges

- Cupholders and storage areas no longer have rubber liners

[pow]

All of these changes would be effective for 2009 not 2010. As far as I can see between 2007 and 2010 the following has happened:

Pros:

+ Dual Zone Climate Control standard on all models (on my LS there is only the single zone)

+ More functional cupholder up front (the one in mine has no set partitions and some weird adjustable partition)

+ New Seats and Headrests in front (Headrests lean more forward and are more padded, seats have more bolstering)

+ Improved back seat comfort (Feet fit under seats, rear headrests much more padded)

+ Drop of 2 HP, gain of 1 MPG Hwy

Cons:

- Ugly ass rocker molding

- Lack of Antelope or LS Badges

- Cupholders and storage areas no longer have rubber liners

Stabilitrak and side torso airbags, too. Personally I like the new rocker moldings.

[trinacriabob]

Enterprise's fleet is truly all over the map...I always scout out the lot before I go in and then ask for a GM car, followed by a Ford product if one is not available.

One thing I DON'T like about Enterprise is that they are slightly militant about inspecting the car both when you take it off the lot and when you bring it back. It kind of reminds me of the few times I've rented cars in Europe.

[Justin Bimmer]

I'm with you on that Bob. At Hertz they really don't hound you about that stuff. Enterprise, its like a commercial vehicle inspection.