L-o-n-g wait at Hertz in Louvre
 

Rented a car from Hertz Sept 8, pickup at the Louvre/Carousel office. Arrived at noon, 4 people ahead of me. The keys were handed me an hour and 5 minutes later.

Then began the hunt...they hadn't said where the car was in the 100 meter square parking area with 100+ cars in it. Back upstairs to the office to get someone to show me. When she did, I noted the damage on the front/rear quarter panels/bumpers. Back to the office to indicate same on paperwork. Back to car. Only discovered later there was no windshield washer fluid.

Anybody else encounter similarly shoddy customer service?

We had a nightmare with Hertz in Nice and will never rent from them again. Our credit card reimbursed us for our problems, so you might check with yours. Good luck.

I complained to Hertz this past weekend. I had reserved the smallest car possible because I needed the car for driving around Paris and I was upgraded to a Jeep SUV against my will. "We don't have any small cars today." There are times when I absolutely do not want to be upgraded!

I think that 'shift' happens. One trip to England my Autoeurope rental directed me to an Avis outlet. I had rented an Astra or equivalent and was handed the keys to what turned out to be a v8 BMW. I went back to the office, called the clerk out to the car and she happily exchanged the keys for those of an Astra.
Me behind the wheel of a killer BMW might set a new speeding record in the UK.

There are times when the upgrade is nice. I too was once given a BMW (by Europcar) instead of my usual mini car. Although I had planned a weekend near Deauville, I suddenly found myself driving through the Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy! :)

You have to be careful with upgrades if you are using your own insurance to cover damage "excesses" (rather than doubling the cost of a hire by buying the hire company excess waiver).

My excess insurance (£40 per year, rather than £15 per day) specifies "no premium cars", so I would need to be very sure that the cars I was getting didn't fall into that class.

Not to mention that the upgraded cars are usually gas guzzlers.

Need I repeat the words "Jeep SUV"?