From Edinburgh to London

Hertz is great. I lost my passport, but Hertz was the only company that could rent a car to me, and they were very efficient. I ended up with a Toyota Chev, which is a great car.

Arrived at the car rental company on time, they said the model we booked wasn't available (Hertz explained that the QEEQ website made a mistake; they don't have such vehicles and normally use them for cargo). They offered us two choices: either switch to a 9-seater or change to an SUV and a regular car. However, both options would cost significantly more, and the second option couldn't fit the luggage of our three families, leaving us with only the first option. After dealing with the car rental company and a 2-hour delay, we finally got the 9-seater, but it disrupted our morning plans, and we had to pay extra. After renting cars abroad many times, this was by far the worst experience.

The wait for arranging the car pick-up was too long. We had a reservation at 10 AM and arrived at 9:45 AM, but had to wait in line until around 11 AM to start the process.

I picked up the car 3-4 hours later than scheduled. The rental company refused to provide the model I booked, citing that I did not inform them in advance. They insisted I pay extra for a different model. I had a contract with the car rental service and paid in full, so I'm not sure why I couldn't get the car I booked. It’s unclear whether the issue lies with the car rental platform or Hertz. During the rental period, I also had a flat tire which caused delays and affected my trip. Although I purchased full insurance from the rental platform, it wasn’t reflected in my Hertz order, meaning I have to handle the claim process after returning home. This adds inconvenience and consumes both effort and time. Currently, the claim process is underway. While the insurance company and the rental service might reimburse the tire costs, it's uncertain whether they will compensate for the time lost and the stress caused. I reserve the right to seek further compensation.

I inspected the car thoroughly during pickup. When returning the car, the Hertz staff barely looked at it, showing a lot of trust. The pickup staff clearly stated that there was no need to wash the car before returning it. Additionally, considering our original drop-off point (Heathrow) was far from our accommodation (there were no ideal drop-off options for our MPV model online), they immediately helped me resolve it after discussing. They were very patient. Later, I found the new drop-off point was only 200-300 meters from the hotel, which was great. They also didn't try to sell me any insurance. The Ford Galaxy 7-seater was a new model, with limited space efficiency (couldn't get a Sharan). The trunk was especially cramped, and the trunk cover had no place to store except underfoot. On the positive side, the diesel engine had sufficient power, the automatic transmission was responsive, the steering was extremely precise with little play, and the suspension was supportive yet resilient. This was a blessing on the narrow, hilly, winding roads in the UK, making the driving experience very enjoyable.