Subscription Rental Car: You Can Now Swap Hertz Vehicles Twice a Month for $999
If you've dreamed of renting a car, falling in love and never returning it, listen up — Hertz My Car is a new all-inclusive monthly subscription to rental cars. On the heels of a disappointing loyalty program devaluation, Hertz's new car subscription service is launching first in Atlanta and Austin, with monthly pricing starting at $999.
Subscribers to Hertz My Car have the flexibility to choose from two subscription tiers. Tier One ($999 monthly, plus taxes) includes full-size sedans, small SUVs and trucks, while Tier Two ($1,399 monthly, plus taxes) offers luxury sedans, regular SUVs and large trucks. According to a Hertz press release, customers can exchange their vehicle twice a month to another make or model within the tier "so they always have the vehicle that best fits their needs."
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The all-inclusive monthly subscription covers vehicle maintenance, roadside assistance, vehicle damage, a SiriusXM satellite radio subscription and limited liability protection. Hertz has outlined the steps to get started on its website. It looks as simple as subscribing online, paying a one-time $250 enrollment fee and awaiting a phone call to arrange your first selection.
While the move is a first for a major car rental brand, it's not a first in the industry. Audi Select allows customers to pay $1,395 monthly for access to an A4 sedan, A5 convertible, S5 coupe or Q5/Q7 crossover. As ridesharing and leasing options become more popular amongst those who are opting out of car ownership, it makes sense for Hertz to leverage its fleet in this manner.
The $999 tier breaks down to roughly $33 per day, which isn't a screaming deal by any measure. AutoSlash, our go-to source for securing deals on car rentals with outstanding customer service backing the deals they surface, can routinely find rates for less than that sum. If you book your rental car with the right credit card, primary auto insurance is included as well.
As a matter of comparison, we ran mock rentals for the entire month of July 2019, picking up and returning in Atlanta — one of the two cities where Hertz My Car is launching.
AutoSlash found a deal for $913 per month for a standard car.
With National, rates started at $1,208 for a midsize car and climbed to around $1,700 for an SUV, though this includes taxes.
Ironically, Hertz's website routinely produced an error when attempting to book a monthlong reservation.
Hertz has also confirmed plans to expand the subscription service "to additional cities in the near future," though details beyond that are scarce. It's also unclear if you're able to pick up and drop off at different locations. Subscribers will earn Gold Plus Rewards points at a rate of 1 point per $1 spent, with 25% and 50% bonuses for Five Star and President's Circle members.
Unfortunately for road-trippers, there's a monthly mileage limit of 2,000 miles, with overages charged at $0.35/mile. You can swap vehicles more than twice per month if you're willing to pay an added $75 per exchange. Hertz My Car can pick you up and bring you to the location you selected, so be sure to request it when completing your subscription.
There are quite a few other stipulations (including one that cars must be returned during business hours), so be sure to study the frequently asked questions page on Hertz's site before pulling the trigger.
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