Renting a Y from Hertz?

[Watts_Up]

You have to scan a QR code that shows on the screen in the rental. See the video.

Honestly, does anyone tried it and made it working?

When you want to add your phone to your Tesla, you use the Screen display inside the car
and select I think the Security menu to add your phone or a new card key.

But in the case of a rental car, this function is grayed out and not available.

I tried to add the Hertz key using the QR code, but this opened my own Tesla App on my phone.
So then I was expecting finding a way to add maybe a new car to my account, but I could not find out how to do so.

I looked both at my car sub-menus and my account sub-menu.
In the case of my own Tesla account, I can find for example Charging a Non-Tesla at a Supercharger,
so I was thinking finding something similar such as Adding keys to your account for another Tesla or something of that nature.

I tried also using the QR code with a phone without any Tesla App. In this case the QR code redirects you for installing the Tesla App.
But after doing so, I could not find a way to add the Hertz keys to the phone App
(since doing this using the display screen inside the car not available and is grayed out).

Maybe I missed a step, and adding the Hertz key might be very simple, but I didn’t find it self explanatory way to do it (see my posting #96 above).

 

[EL CapiTRAN]

Honestly, does anyone tried it and made it working?

When you want to add your phone to your Tesla, you use the Screen display inside the car
and select I think the Security menu to add your phone or a new card key.

But in the case of a rental car, this function is grayed out and not available.

I tried to add the Hertz key using the QR code, but this opened my own Tesla App on my phone.
So then I was expecting finding a way to add maybe a new car to my account, but I could not find out how to do so.

I looked both at my car sub-menus and my account sub-menu.
In the case of my own Tesla account, I can find for example Charging a Non-Tesla at a Supercharger,
so I was thinking finding something similar such as Adding keys to your account for another Tesla or something of that nature.

I tried also using the QR code with a phone without any Tesla App. In this case the QR code redirects you for installing the Tesla App.
But after doing so, I could not find a way to add the Hertz keys to the phone App
(since doing this using the display screen inside the car not available and is grayed out).

Maybe I missed a step, and adding the Hertz key might be very simple, but I didn’t find it self explanatory way to do it (see my posting #96 above).

I've done it twice and it worked. Granted, it will take a few moments to pull down the profile and load it to your account. It was not instantaneous. Some settings didn't get pulled down right away but after a couple of minutes it did. Like any type of roaming profile, it takes a few moments to download the settings. I'm not sure how big the profile is that is being transferred but it definitely takes some time.

 

[laservet]

I am flying to a family reunion at the end of the month, looked at Hertz rates and a Model 3 is $135 per day, a similar ICE vehicle is $34 per day. Sadly, I'll have to go with the ICE car.

 

[Watts_Up]

I've done it twice and it worked. Granted, it will take a few moments to pull down the profile and load it to your account. It was not instantaneous. Some settings didn't get pulled down right away but after a couple of minutes it did. Like any type of roaming profile, it takes a few moments to download the settings. I'm not sure how big the profile is that is being transferred but it definitely takes some time.

I imagine that it was just a matter on finding the right menu and button... I didn't rent the car, it was just a friend passing by and showing his rental car and he was very short.

But I noticed this QR code on the display when starting the car and then it disapear, and you need to start the car to find it again.

Honestly the Hertz location didn't provided him deep any information, I even wonder if they know about this phone key feature.

I hope someone will capture some pictures on how to connect the phone to a new rental car.

 

[EL CapiTRAN]

I imagine that it was just a matter on finding the right menu and button... I didn't rent the car, it was just a friend passing by and showing his rental car and he was very short.

But I noticed this QR code on the display when starting the car and then it disapear, and you need to start the car to find it again.

Honestly the Hertz location didn't provided him deep any information, I even wonder if they know about this phone key feature.

I hope someone will capture some pictures on how to connect the phone to a new rental car.

The QR code is there when you start and when you go into the menu, it should pop up again. At least that's how it was for me.

 

[dbeiler]

The Hertz phone-as-key has been unreliable in my experience. The first three days of use it worked flawlessly. Then the rental started randomly disappearing from my Tesla account. I'd become aware of this when the Approach unlock would stop working, forcing the use of key card unlock. The rental will be removed from your Tesla account whenever the key card is used, by design, I assume. The QR code will show up on the vehicle screen only if the vehicle has not already been attached to an account.

 

[robertvg]

The Hertz phone-as-key has been unreliable in my experience. The first three days of use it worked flawlessly. Then the rental started randomly disappearing from my Tesla account. I'd become aware of this when the Approach unlock would stop working, forcing the use of key card unlock. The rental will be removed from your Tesla account whenever the key card is used, by design, I assume. The QR code will show up on the vehicle screen only if the vehicle has not already been attached to an account.

I had assumed the car would be removed from your account upon returning the car to Hertz.
Or that it would be time limited, expiring at the end of the rental period.

 

[acarney]

Can confirm once the key card is used it will be removed from the app… though at check out I got a notice that the key card was used *while my mobile phone wasn’t close by* and thus the car was being removed from the account.

Either way, once linked it worked perfectly for me for my 9 day rental. Now we just need APIs so Hertz can offer premium connectivity for an additional cost. I would gladly pay $2.99/day, or maybe even $4.99/day for connectivity… the real time traffic is HUGE in big cities…

 

[SunnylandY]

Just picked up my third Tesla rental from Hertz. This one has premium connectivity expired, super annoying. Somebody needs to fix this.

 

[acarney]

Just picked up my third Tesla rental from Hertz. This one has premium connectivity expired, super annoying. Somebody needs to fix this.

None of mine have every had premium connectivity, you must have lucked out and got a vehicle that is ~30 days old or something.

(I've rented four times I think)

 

[Mike_TV]

None of mine have every had premium connectivity, you must have lucked out and got a vehicle that is ~30 days old or something.

(I've rented four times I think)

One would think they would be fully subscribed for rental cars like Sirius XM has been for years.

 

[acarney]

One would think they would be fully subscribed for rental cars like Sirius XM has been for years.

How's that work when Hertz upsells the Sirius XM service at a daily charge?

I suspect we'll see premium connectivity become an option as Tesla expands it's dashboard and API offerings to fleet agencies. That certainly is an extra profit option for rental companies. $5/day for a 7 day rental would be a huge profit for Hertz or someone.

 

[Farmer]

Well, I haven't rented a Tesla from Hertz since this past July and now that I have, I've noticed a few changes.

It seems that the newer Tesla software updates have done several custom things for Hertz:
1.) The phone app is available via a QR code. This worked okay. I did have to do a few extra steps to connect the phone key to the car, but it worked okay. It did seem to make the app lose the phone key for *my* Tesla which was parked nearby. I simply put it back in and I then had both the rental and my MY in the app.
2.)The Rental doesn't seem to turn on wifi anymore, even when parked. I wonder if Hertz is shutting off wifi now as a way of better controlling when the car downloads an update? As I mentioned up-thread a few months back, the car automatically updates even though Hertz says in the rental Terms and Conditions *not* to run an update. I'll have to try this some more when parked. I've been on Premium Connectivity so long in my car, perhaps I have missed something here with these Standard Connectivity cars.
3.) Hertz now has video tutorials offered right on the screen next to the QR code for the phone app when you get in the car.

Other things beyond software:
1.)The condition of the Hertz Tesla fleet has taken a beating at the hands of customers. I had to refuse the first M3 they offered me today when I noticed one tire had a chunk of sidewall missing from severe curbing. Of course, all the rims were rashed pretty badly too, but that's minor if the rims aren't bent and the tire rubber is okay. The 2nd car had badly rashed rims. Both cars were fairly dirty on the outside. One had a front cowling packed with leaves and what looked like tree sap all over the front hood area. The insides were both well-vacuumed, but the outsides? Meh.
2.) Neither the first M3 or the one I eventually took had a Mobile Connector, though the first M3 had the empty storage bag. I noticed that in all the charging videos and tutorials Hertz sent me via email that there was no mention of the MC in the charging tutorial this time suggesting that Hertz is no longer supplying MCs. I can't blame them if so as I bet the MCs are being damaged, lost, stolen. I am taking this rental on a longish trip so as to save some miles on my MY. I'm headed to a house with a 14-50 plug so I was going to use my 14-50 adapter with Hertz's MC as I have done in the past, but now I have to bring my whole MC.

I've never had more than one vehicle at a time in my phone app and now that I do, I wanted to be able to move the order of the cars in the app so that, for now, the rental is the front, first car. After playing around with the app and home screen widget for a bit (I am on the Android app), I found that if I long-hold on the widget, I get a settings gear menu where I can pick which vehicle appears on the widget. Select the one you want and that's what appears as the first, "top" vehicle when you open the full app.


I probably missed a few things, but those are the changes I see from early summer to now, renting a Tesla from Hertz.

 

[cdub]

Neither the first M3 or the one I eventually took had a Mobile Connector, though the first M3 had the empty storage bag.

Yeah they had to give me a Volvo charging cable when I rented one

 

[solo-act]

FYI, Avis in Valencia, CA locked out stop options on a 3 and stayed with “roll” which IIRC is most-similar to conventional vehicles. Regen was same, and chill/standard could be toggled. The renter charges the 3 at any Tesla station; the cost goes to the Avis franchisee and is a pass-through charge to the renter, no additional fees to the renter.

 

[Occhis]

FYI, Avis in Valencia, CA locked out stop options on a 3 and stayed with “roll” which IIRC is most-similar to conventional vehicles. Regen was same, and chill/standard could be toggled. The renter charges the 3 at any Tesla station; the cost goes to the Avis franchisee and is a pass-through charge to the renter, no additional fees to the renter.

I would argue that CREEP is the stopping mode most similar to auto transmission ICE vehicles. ROLL is more similar to manual transmission.

 

[acarney]

I get the feeling these Tesla’s are getting *A LOT* of use with Hertz. I often see them completely rented out when I check closer to the date that I need (I have a reservation but am always curious on demand). I also had to wait for a car to be ready for me at SNA earlier this month, indicating either someone returned it late, or it was on a tight back to back rental. Took about 20 minutes and ultimately I got a rear wheel drive iron phosphate version compared to the LR AWD I reserved. Clearly the staff didn’t really know or understand the difference. Was about $60 cheaper over my total 9 day rental but I didn’t feel like fighting with them for a refund on the difference. Turned out the standard range in LA was perfectly fine for me and I could charge at Disney, the Westin near Disney, and the Hilton across the street from Universal. Car was never below 80%, lol. I did bring my own J1772 adapter and didn’t even check the car to see if it included one.

I feel like Hertz probably needs to make it where you have to pick up the mobile connector at the desk and maybe make a $250 to $350 deposit down for it and then get that back at return.

Mobile app worked fantastic for me and my model Y remained in the app the whole time. I wish my profile would transfer to the car (it didn’t) and I wish premium connectivity was an option (willing to pay). Other than that, I’ll never rent anything else (until other EVs are standard with NACA… then maybe a Polestar… though Tesla nav is by far the best nav system I’ve dealt with and was great in LA, way better than Audi or Alfa Romeo which were the last vehicles I rented in LA in 2021. Tesla was very affordable for me too, I think $576 for 9 days after my Amex Platinum discount and a one day reward ($69) from the points I had. So $64/day after airport fees and everything and if I don’t count my points redemption ~$71.50/day. Not too bad.

 

[laservet]

I get the feeling these Tesla’s are getting *A LOT* of use with Hertz. I often see them completely rented out when I check closer to the date that I need (I have a reservation but am always curious on demand). I also had to wait for a car to be ready for me at SNA earlier this month, indicating either someone returned it late, or it was on a tight back to back rental. Took about 20 minutes and ultimately I got a rear wheel drive iron phosphate version compared to the LR AWD I reserved. Clearly the staff didn’t really know or understand the difference. Was about $60 cheaper over my total 9 day rental but I didn’t feel like fighting with them for a refund on the difference. Turned out the standard range in LA was perfectly fine for me and I could charge at Disney, the Westin near Disney, and the Hilton across the street from Universal. Car was never below 80%, lol. I did bring my own J1772 adapter and didn’t even check the car to see if it included one.

I feel like Hertz probably needs to make it where you have to pick up the mobile connector at the desk and maybe make a $250 to $350 deposit down for it and then get that back at return.

Mobile app worked fantastic for me and my model Y remained in the app the whole time. I wish my profile would transfer to the car (it didn’t) and I wish premium connectivity was an option (willing to pay). Other than that, I’ll never rent anything else (until other EVs are standard with NACA… then maybe a Polestar… though Tesla nav is by far the best nav system I’ve dealt with and was great in LA, way better than Audi or Alfa Romeo which were the last vehicles I rented in LA in 2021. Tesla was very affordable for me too, I think $576 for 9 days after my Amex Platinum discount and a one day reward ($69) from the points I had. So $64/day after airport fees and everything and if I don’t count my points redemption ~$71.50/day. Not too bad.

Better than the $135 per day (before fees and taxes) for a 3 in Phoenix.

 

[paulsalem]

I’m a Tesla owner, but just picked up a 3 from Hertz. I can’t get the QR code to show up. Any tips?

 

[Mike_TV]

I’m a Tesla owner, but just picked up a 3 from Hertz. I can’t get the QR code to show up. Any tips?

It is possible that the rental has an older software installed and no one has updated it yet. The QR code was added in a recent firmware software update.