Discussion: Experiences Renting a Tesla Model 3 / Y from various companies

I have just come back from Florida where I rented a Model Y from AVIS from Orlando Airport. Here's what I thought about it all... I have a MY at home.

To start, I was surprised they were doing Teslas at all - I know Hertz do, but now AVIS as well it seems. I saw several MY's there and maybe a M3 too. The car had 92 miles when I picked it up, and I did around 700 miles during my stay.

All did not go well - although that is the subject of another post later on.

But in general:

You get one card-key in a relatively big clear plastic case. I did not get access through a phone and I could not assign my phone to be a key, so I was stuck with the card-key.

This means.... No walk-away locking, no auto-unlock, no pre-cool on climate, have to use the card-key every time to 'start' the card. Most annoying, but no different to a gas car I guess. How spoiled we are.

Supercharging was great... I guess Avis will bill me for it eventually!

Popped into Disney Springs one night, overjoyed to see some ChargePoint chargers... but they were CCS, so no joy there :-(

Avis do not have Premium connectivity, so no Satellite view, no streaming. Gah! And yes, I did connect to my phone as a hotspot to get around that, see my other posting in a few days.

Given that these cars are new, there are no ultrasonice sensors, which I found annoying, as I have them on my 2022 MY. It did have the trunk cover to keep things a bit more hidden and cool, so that was good.

Car came with the standard J1772 adaptor. No FSD obviously, and AutoSteer was disabled to start with.

Overall..... Good to drive 'the same' car as I own.....but annoyed to be back to 'basic' and having to set the car up as I wanted it.

So... thinking outside the box.... What does this look like for AVIS and Tesla? I think that Tesla and Avis need to do something about this 'basic' level of support and no App-access. It turns the Tesla from a tech-leader to an annoying expeience, which might put off future buyers. Avis probably don't want us using our phones as we can't then un-associate the phone, which is a security risk, but maybe Tesla needs to do something in this area for rentals?

There was (obvuously) no manual there - yes - I know why ! Not a problem for me as I have a MY... but what's a first-time Tesla renter supposed to do? It's not really a good experience, and that can hurt both Tesla and Avis. For the newbies, maybe a slip of paper saying 'Press here and here to see the manual'. If you know... you know.... if you don't... it's well hidden.

I don't know what Hertz do that's different, as I am Avis President's Club and so brand loyalty and all that.

Would I rent a MY or M3 from Avis again - yes! Great to get into a car that's almost identical to your own and drive through the night after a long journey. Discuss ;-)

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[FultonMDUSA]

Didnt know Costco supported this. Thanks for sharing.

Would you mind sharing your daily rental price?

For next week, San Francisco $415 for a full week, for a "Telsa Short Range Model 3 or similar". The LR Model 3 is $483.

The "you will be able to access Tesla Superchargers to recharge Tesla vehicles without any cost to you" was on the main Avis page, not anything to do with Costco.

I'll report back a few weeks after my rental to advise if I'm charged for Supercharger sessions.

 

[LadyOnikara]

My brother is coming down for Easter and was planning to rent a Tesla from the airport, so we'll see how it goes. He can charge it at our house since we have two outlets. It's not supercharging, but I think he was going to spend the night so it doesn't really matter how long it takes.

 

[itsjohnnayy]

I've rented from Turo twice, once in Atlanta and once in Boston. Boston rental was clean and Atlanta rental smelled like someone left their gym clothes in the car for two weeks. Both didn't charge me when I went to supercharge the car. I got to set up my phone as a key for both and my profile was loaded onto the rental which was a time saver! I'd recommend using Turo!

 

[EL CapiTRAN]

No, they didn't... So this is quite handy for longer rentals or road trips

I hate to think what the constant supercharging is going to do to the rental batteries... but I guess that in itself will be a useful data point for Tesla too.

I supercharged primarily for an entire year because our 1st Y came with a year of free supercharging and there is a station less than 3 miles from us. We would slow charge from time to time but it was just much easier to run to the SC and charge up. over the 1 year we had the car, it deteriorated to 305 at 100% so I think as long as you're only charging to 80% as recommended, it shouldn't have that much of an impact. we put 29k miles in that time period, then we got a wall charger and traded up to a MYP. I kind of miss that extra range but we plan on swapping to smaller wheels so we'll get some of that range back hopefully.

 

[FultonMDUSA]

For next week, San Francisco $415 for a full week, for a "Telsa Short Range Model 3 or similar". The LR Model 3 is $483.

The "you will be able to access Tesla Superchargers to recharge Tesla vehicles without any cost to you" was on the main Avis page, not anything to do with Costco.

I'll report back a few weeks after my rental to advise if I'm charged for Supercharger sessions.

Mid-rental update. 2023 M3SR with 1900 miles and 74% charge came only with a key card, but I brought my own key fob, and was able to pair it without any issue. Very convenient. Unfortunately, no way to add mobile access. Also, glove box is protected with a PIN, so no access to that, but there's apparently a USB stick already plugged in, so I can view sentry mode videos in the vehicle. Only standard connectivity and basic autopilot. Software version was 2023.2.12, but it showed 2023.6.9 as available, so I connected the vehicle to my phone WiFi to download it, and thus I gained Vision Park Assist on my second day. Supercharging works fine, but I'm still not clear from the rental documents if I will be charged for the sessions. I'm Avis Preferred, so I did not speak to any agent when I picked up the vehicle.

Tesla's one pedal driving with brake regeneration and auto hold are a dream on San Francisco's hilly streets, both uphill and downhill. I daresay Teslas were designed this way because of the company's proximity to San Francisco.

 

[israndy]

Or because EVs just work that way as opposed to ICE vehicles. One pedal driving wasn't in the cars to start with, they went for emulating ICE as much as possible including a fake grille.

 

[NovaY]

I've been enjoying my new 2023 Y so I rented a Model 3 from Avis on our trip. The car has 3500 miles on it and looks like it has never received a good wipe down. My own car has 3000+ miles and is nowhere near this dirty. Funny thing is that on landing, Avis assigned me a Cadillac XT6, so I had to go to the counter to get switched back to a Tesla.

So far, no surprises since the interfaces are identical. I do miss enhanced autopilot and feel like Tesla crippled Autosteer so that they can encourage upgrades. There is no reason why Autosteer needs to be canceled and restarted with each lane change. Other cars I've had with autosteer remain engaged as long as I signal a lane change.

 

[FultonMDUSA]

Mid-rental update. 2023 M3SR with 1900 miles and 74% charge came only with a key card, but I brought my own key fob, and was able to pair it without any issue. Very convenient. Unfortunately, no way to add mobile access. Also, glove box is protected with a PIN, so no access to that, but there's apparently a USB stick already plugged in, so I can view sentry mode videos in the vehicle. Only standard connectivity and basic autopilot. Software version was 2023.2.12, but it showed 2023.6.9 as available, so I connected the vehicle to my phone WiFi to download it, and thus I gained Vision Park Assist on my second day. Supercharging works fine, but I'm still not clear from the rental documents if I will be charged for the sessions. I'm Avis Preferred, so I did not speak to any agent when I picked up the vehicle.

End-of-rental update. Drove 800+ miles and returned at 85%. E-mailed receipt is the expected amount for the week ($415). Supercharged several times, and likely incurred some idle fees a couple times (the on screen estimates of charging time were not always accurate - despite returning to the vehicle 5-10 minutes before the estimate, I returned to the vehicle a couple times at 100% and charging already stopped). It's really annoying not to have app access. Anyway, I'll post again after a couple weeks to report on supercharger and/or idle fees charged to my card (if any).

 

[LadyOnikara]

My brother is coming down for Easter and was planning to rent a Tesla from the airport, so we'll see how it goes. He can charge it at our house since we have two outlets. It's not supercharging, but I think he was going to spend the night so it doesn't really matter how long it takes.

Update: Seemed to go smoothly. I forgot that not all M3's have a long range battery like ours so I was puzzled by his low range number total at first. The rental company gave him the wrong car at first. Apparently they go by parking places, not individual vehicles. Not sure what company but it was in Oakland, CA.

 

[Brian-MS90D]

@Richster64 thanks for your post. I just booked a M3 for my late March trip to Phoenix from Avis. Only $380 for the week all-in ($120 in airport taxes!!). Hertz was ~ $900 for the week. Before your post I didn't know Avis had Tesla's. You saved me about $500

Following up to note that my Avis rental was great. I got an Austin built MY LR. I used Supercharging and was never charged by Avis (that being said, I believe this is because Tesla's are new to Avis and eventually Avis intends to pass Supercharging costs onto the renter).

A few nerdy notes:

• I originally rented a M3. Upon entering the vehicle, the car presented a warning that tire pressure was dangerously low. I looked and sure enough one tire was completely flat. Avis promptly upgraded me to the Y at no additional cost. (This is not really a Tesla topic, but an Avis experience topic).
• The Austin built MY LR was: (1) Far quieter than my '21 Y P is; and (2) Far smoother / softer ride than my '21 Y P. I've read about it but this was my first time experiencing the stark difference in person. The MY LR was much more efficient than my Y P, but I already expected that.
• If you are a user of the Avis app, know that it is not fully set up for Tesla rental yet. If you try to pick your vehicle in advance, it will only show ICE vehicles. For now, ignore the app and go to the counter. It seems Avis wants to have a brief conversation with EV renters about charging, return state of charge (80%), etc.

 

[Baym4x]

I had two positive Model Y rental experiences with Hertz over spring break. I was in Minneapolis in mid-March for a volleyball tournament and rented a Model Y there. It was my first time renting an EV but not my first EV experience. I've test-driven a Model 3, Model Y, and Model S, a Volvo C40 and XC40, VW ID.4, Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Audi e-tron, and a Ford Mustang Mach E. We've owned a '22 Mach E GTPE for almost a year now.

Back to the rental experience. Hertz Gold worked as expected. We arrived at the airport, found the Hertz location on site, walked past the desk and found my name and parking space on a digital display, walked over to our Model Y, loaded it up and headed out. I collected all the emails for a case study at work, but never read them, and this Hertz didn't have the Tesla Tips card in the car. That's important because it was sleeting/freezing rain outside by the time we exited the garage, and my know-it-all self neglected to peruse all the menus and figure out the basics - like the simple task of turning on the windshield wipers. Fortunately my daughter is quick on her iPhone and found the voice prompts (the button on the turn signal stalk wasn't working, maybe because I was pressing too hard and just adding more slush to the window, or maybe I was just flustered in the moment).

Once we got past that scare, the rest of the trip was a piece of cake. I put a couple hundred miles on the Y in Minneapolis in wind chills down to -20. We charged the car once the night before we left at a super charger about an 18 minute drive from the hotel.

MN price was $92/day.

We then flew from Minneapolis to LA for a spring break trip to Universal Studios Hollywood. The experience in LA was nearly perfect. The lone negative was the interior wasn't cleaned well before we picked it up. I chatted with Hertz while waiting for dinner the first night and they comped our next rental, so no further complaints.

There was a Tesla Tips card in this Model Y, but by then we were able to laugh about my windshield wiper ignorance. We put close to 400 miles on the Model Y in LA, drove in some serious rain and flash flooding, lots of highway driving and stop-and-go on highways and in and around the city. It was only a 5-seater and comfortably fit my family of 5 and our luggage, the latter of which we had more than normal because we met up in LA after the volleyball tournament.

LA price was $62/day.

Ultimately, the rental experience sold me on the Model Y. I always appreciated Tesla, but I guess I was indifferent to them because they're the ubiquitous EV. Even here in Missouri, you see them everywhere. The Mach E looked/looks unique, so that along with availability a year ago made it the choice. What happens next is a cliffhanger I'll save for another post.

 

[israndy]

Good info, I think the only EV I ever test drove was the MS. You hit every non-compliance EV on the market. That's serious. I just don't trust anyone but Tesla to release a car that can last, as none of them have had time to prove it. Plus they are all Gen 1 cars, my Model 3 is the third ground up redesign of a car, and it has proven to be quite reliable. I drove a VW when they were everywhere and even an OG hybrid when they took over the marketplace so I am OK with driving the "in" thing.

 

[Brian-MS90D]

I've test-driven a Model 3, Model Y, and Model S, a Volvo C40 and XC40, VW ID.4, Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Audi e-tron, and a Ford Mustang Mach E.

 

[janicestephens]

Glad to hear about positive rental experiences with Tesla vehicles. I'm renting a MY this weekend from Avis and don't have a Tesla (yet!). Where can I find basic information about how to drive a Tesla? Open to ideas, tips, do's and don'ts. Thanks in advance!

 

[Brian-MS90D]

Glad to hear about positive rental experiences with Tesla vehicles. I'm renting a MY this weekend from Avis and don't have a Tesla (yet!). Where can I find basic information about how to drive a Tesla? Open to ideas, tips, do's and don'ts. Thanks in advance!

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[SO16]

I rented a 22 M3 LR from Hertz in Ft Lauderdale in Feb.

Did not go great waiting for the car. I made a reservation quite early. Got to airport and car wasn’t ready. Waited almost an hour for it. Their help was not great. Also should not have been talked into the toll responder and just paid by plate when needed. Way overpriced.

The car itself was good but not having app access was definitely missed due to wanting to check charge status at a supercharger. There was a rattle over some bumps coming from the trim in rear. I found the location but couldn’t fix it myself and didn’t bring it into a SvC. Should be an easy fix though.

Had basic AP which I think is good enough for rentals.

Supercharging was billed through Hertz which was convenient.

Paid about $600 per week for two weeks all costs considered including charging. Almost 900 miles driven. Supercharging rates pretty close to a cheap gas car at that time.

Keycard worked fine even in the large plastic case. But it certainly scratched the b pillar over time.

Didn’t use radio and it did have complementary premium connectivity since the car was under a year old. Will go away soon though on that car. Had about 15k miles on it.

Came with J adapter and 110. Used the 110 at a rental property when possible. That saved 2 supercharging sessions.

 

[FultonMDUSA]

Supercharging was billed through Hertz which was convenient.

How soon did Hertz supercharging charges show up on your credit card? At the same time you charged? All at once when you returned the vehicle? Or sometime after the return?

 

[SO16]

How soon did Hertz supercharging charges show up on your credit card? At the same time you charged? All at once when you returned the vehicle? Or sometime after the return?

I think about a week after the return all at once.

 

[FultonMDUSA]

End-of-rental update. Drove 800+ miles and returned at 85%. E-mailed receipt is the expected amount for the week ($415). Supercharged several times, and likely incurred some idle fees a couple times (the on screen estimates of charging time were not always accurate - despite returning to the vehicle 5-10 minutes before the estimate, I returned to the vehicle a couple times at 100% and charging already stopped). It's really annoying not to have app access. Anyway, I'll post again after a couple weeks to report on supercharger and/or idle fees charged to my card (if any).

Post-rental update. Well, unfortunately, the hope of free supercharging from Avis did not last. 11 days after my rental end, my credit card was charged twice, once for $32.64, and once for $71.40. My Avis invoice also updated with a new total price including these two charges, although there was nothing in the itemized charges what they are for. Hopefully, these are the only charges I will receive. I guess $100+ for 800+ miles isn't bad (assuming that even more charges don't eventually show up)?

 

[FultonMDUSA]

Avis has now officially updated their web site to address Supercharger fees: