Hertz rental PIREP (pilot report!)

[afadeev]

@afadeev check priceline/Expedia much cheaper for me at least. Hopefully I'll be be getting a tesla...

Hard pass - not worth it.
I'm getting mid-class from Avis for $35/day, and will get upgraded upon check-in, as per usual.
If they offer to upgrade me to a Model 3, I will probably decline.

Surcharges on super-charging cost (already priced at par with gasoline prices) make it more expensive per mile, then ICE cars. Inferior value proposition.
I am pretty sure my hotel will not have an L2 charger, and even if it does, I don't want to pack J1772 adopter with my luggage. Not worth the hassle.

The requirement to bring the Model 3 with 70+% SOC is an unwelcome burden, since I usually time thing to ditch the car before the flight, and don't need to added delays and uncertainty of looking for and sitting at a super-charger. Which will be extra tricky without an integrated Tesla app.

Plus, mid-/high-level cars have nicer interior than Model 3.
So why would I pay more for less?
It's just not worth the bother, and the added expenses, to me.

YMMV,
a

 

[jboy210]

I recently had a Model Y LR from Hertz for over a month. I must say... living with a Tesla and having to use the key card as your way of locking and unlocking the car makes the whole experience suck. If this was my 1st or only experience with a Tesla and I never knew how awesome having your mobile phone paired as a key was, I would be turned off on Teslas completely.

I treat the card as the emergency backup. I am Fob person, since I don't always have my phone with me (yes, I an older!!). So bought fobs for our Teslas. But I still carry the card, just in case.

 

[basskleff]

Hi all,

I just registered, and I'm interested in this and other Hertz threads.
I just now booked a rental of a Tesla M3 through my local Hertz through AAA for late June into early July. Long road trip planned.
Mass to Orange, CA and back. 2+ weeks.
Can one pay themselves on the spot with the Tesla Superchargers and not have it bill back to Hertz?
Are those Tesla Supercharger charges billed back to Hertz reasonable enough in the end?
Are there other equivalent competitor superchargers on the road that work? Like Electrify America or other?
Are Tesla Superchargers just much more prevalent and the best bet?
I need to keep this car moving reliably, 6 days out, 6 days back.
What's best charging methods to keep this car moving?
I'm going out to see a specialist in Orange. But I thought I'd enjoy the road trip and freedom.
I've driven across the country I70 to I40 4 times in the past.

-B

 

[afadeev]

Hi all,

I just registered, and I'm interested in this and other Hertz threads.
I just now booked a rental of a Tesla M3 through my local Hertz through AAA for late June into early July. Long road trip planned.
Mass to Orange, CA and back. 2+ weeks.
Can one pay themselves on the spot with the Tesla Superchargers and not have it bill back to Hertz?
Are those Tesla Supercharger charges billed back to Hertz reasonable enough in the end?
Are there other equivalent competitor superchargers on the road that work? Like Electrify America or other?
Are Tesla Superchargers just much more prevalent and the best bet?
I need to keep this car moving reliably, 6 days out, 6 days back.
What's best charging methods to keep this car moving?
I'm going out to see a specialist in Orange. But I thought I'd enjoy the road trip and freedom.
I've driven across the country I70 to I40 4 times in the past.

-B

A few follow-up Qs and some answers:

• Why not fly? Driving across the country is for tourists, and teenagers.
• Driving across the country with a fill-up every ~150-200 miles will be a royal PITA. No way I'm doing that. Rent an ICE car, if you must do the drive!
  • SuperCharger rates are at, or higher then gasoline prices, per mile. You will NOT be saving any money on gas if you are using Tesla SuperChargers ;-(
• SuperChargers bill to the vehicle owners, which is Hertz. There is no interface to modify bill-to-party.
• There are tons of alternative L2 and L3 chargers all across the country. And at some hotels along the way.
  • Again, having to stop a LOT for EV charging would be a MAJOR turn-off for me, if the primary purpose of the trip was to see and explore the fly-over country!
• If you've got to go, you've got to go. It can be done. It has been done. There are just better ways to do it then driving a rental EV.

HTH,
a