[mjw930]

While setting everything up for our 6/12 delivery I went to the Enterprise site and using the codes given to me by the museum I set about reserving a car. I was shocked at the cost, $188 for a standard size one-way rental. So, I went to the site in another browser and entered the info for a one-way rental to Bowling Green using the same drop-off location, the price was $88!!!!!

What's up with that? I'm not paying them $100 to come pick the car up from the museum!

I've sent a note to the Museum to ask why Enterprise is screwing NCM customers, I'll post up their response.

I attached both reservations, note they are to the exact same location with the only exception being the text that you leave the keys at the Museum and they come "pick it up".

 

[Texas2Gun]

That's crazy!

 

[johnu]

Most interested in the answer. I'll be heading down in a month.

 

[rdslon01]

The phrase "Corvette Museum" just added $100 to the reservation. Somehow, I'm not surprised...

 

[C7DriverOnt]

Agree with rdslon01, the word Corvette jacks the price up on it. I recently went to book a room for a wedding, the bride and groom had arranged a "special rate" at the hotel so I called while I looked up the standard rate on Travelocity. The standard rate was 10% cheaper, go figure so I booked on the website

Just went thru the change of paint color on my ordered C7 as the Cyber Grey is no longer available, added $1045 for the Crystal Red Tintcoat to the price. I see an Equinox which I am pretty sure takes as least as much paint and similar robot to paint it totals $380 for the Crystal Red Tintcoat. I looked at a Enclave which is a much bigger vehicle for the same paint $415 the sticker said. Yup the word Corvette adds a premium.

 

[mjw930]

The phrase "Corvette Museum" just added $100 to the reservation. Somehow, I'm not surprised...

Actually I'm quite surprised, this is supposed to be a negotiated rate so it was either negotiated back when the standard rate was much higher or it includes something the standard rate doesn't. It's quite possible the museum hasn't kept up with what Enterprise is charging on a normal basis so maybe bringing it to their attention will help others out in the future.


Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[mjw930]

I spoke with Enterprise (the corporate reservation center). They looked at both reservations and nothing is different between the two except the price. They also confirmed location offer a FREE pickup and delivery service so the idea that leaving the keys with the museum and having Enterprise come pick up up is any special is BS.

I'm keeping both reservations active until I can talk to the local manager in Nashville on Tuesday because as of this morning the location is sold out!

I sure hope this isn't the museum generating revenue via an $80 kickback from Enterprise. I would lose a lot of respect for them if that's the case.

 

[davelv]

The reservations ARE different, one has 11am and one has noon. Just a different pickup time can change the rental fee significantly. Try same times and see what you get.

 

[mjw930]

The reservations ARE different, one has 11am and one has noon. Just a different pickup time can change the rental fee significantly. Try same times and see what you get.

I tried different times and even went over the 24hr period (drop off at 2pm) and the rates stayed the same aside from the extra hours.


Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[mjw930]

Here's the reservation from noon to noon

Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[Ragtop]

Yeah, I was lucky, my buddy flew down with us, so he drove the car back to the airport. I rented a full size Ford Fusion, very nice btw, brand new, from Avis, and 2 day rental was a little more than one day NCM 'deal'. That NCM 'deal' is no deal at all. It is probably cheaper if you are going to NCM with somebody, to have them drive the car back to airport, and you follow in your new Vette.

 

[Torch-Red-Z06]

It is a rip off indeed. The rental cost the same as our plane ticket from Austin to Nashville.


Sent from my iPhone using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[mjw930]

I will be talking to Enterprise and the museum on Tuesday. If they refuse to "take the keys and call Enterprise" I will call them myself when the delivery is done and install my splash guards while I wait. I will not pay the $100 extra fee to have the privilege of using the NCM account number.


Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[smokey12]

When I went in April the one way rental using the museum discount was $130. We changed it to a two day rental returning it ourselves to the airport and the rate was nearly identical.
One way rentals are always expensive and I think this rate was right in line with others.

Sent from my iPhone using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[Ragtop]

Mark, don't even bother trying to the get the museum to change anything. I've found that while they are good people, they don't budge from their normal practices especially when there may be a money making deal for them. Case in point: I had my splash guards shipped to the NCM after emailing the PDI team manager, who told me they would have them put on for me as long as they arrive before the PDI. Cool right? Then I was called the day the splash guards arrived at NCM and was told there would be a 25 dollar fee to have them installed. So I declined and they left them in the trunk for me. I put them on outside the museum immediately following delivery. I was sweating like crazy in the hot sun for about 20 minutes while I did install, wondering why I was being such a cheap bastard. Luckily, I brought a piece of padding to kneel on (gardener's kneeler). Happy it didn't rain!

 

[elegant]

I am a proud lifetime member of the National Corvette Museum. It is a non-profit Museum "dedicated to the celebration of the Corvette's invention, and the preservation of the legendary automobile's past, present and future." There is no National Mustang Museum, no National Viper Museum, but we do have a National Corvette Museum!

Okay, point made and re-made in above posts. How about if we take a time out until, as mjw930 has said he will, and we await the results of his phone call to the Museum Tuesday morning. Then if it turns about that the Museum is ripping us off -- which I highly doubt, then we can continue to post our displeasure. If it turns out that Enterprise has a wrong pricing code in their computer, or whatever, then we will know to whom to voice our displeasure.

 

[C7DriverOnt]

My bet would be it is an Enterprise issue. Would be pretty strange to have the Museum tied into their pricing or any sort of kick back from Enterprise. There is a Corvette premium tied into a lot of pricing associated with the car such as after market and maintenance costs. Just part of being a lucky owner, same thing goes on with Porsche, Mercedes...good thing we all don't own Gulfstream G5's then we would really have something to bitch about when it comes to premium pricing...

 

[mjw930]

Museum delivery is undoubtedly one of their primary revenue streams, bringing in close to $1M in revenue annually. They should have a dedicated travel and accommodation section on their website tied into someone like AMEX, Carlson Wagonlit, Orbitz for Business or at least a local travel agency where a customer could one stop shop their museum delivery logistics. Orbitz for business can set up an entire page with all negotiated rates and destinations pre-configured and rebranded to look like a natural extension of the Museum website. Done right it's a separate revenue stream and contributes to high customer satisfaction.

Back to the original topic, I only brought it up because of the huge price discrepancy, not because I think there is anything nefarious going on. My comment on a kickback was posted in a moment of frustration because I discovered it when no one at the museum or Enterprise was available to sort it out. I DO NOT think they receive any kickbacks so let me set the record straight.

Additionally, I compared rates at Budget, Avis and Hertz, they ranged from $220 to over $400 for a one way rental. It was only after comparing the museum contract rate to Enterprises NORMAL rate where the discrepancy jumped out. It's fairly obvious Enterprise has dropped their standard rates and failed to update their NCM contract.


Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[mjw930]

---- UPDATE ----

I just spoke with the branch manager at Enterprise and as I suspected, the NCM rate and program was negotiated BEFORE Enterprise changed their one-way program. When this was negotiated the NCM rate was a significant savings, now it's not.

The Enterprise branch manager, Shirley McKeon, confirmed and told me to just use the normal. lower priced reservation that shows a drop off at the Bowling Green branch, drop the keys with the Museum and they will come pick it up as part of their "We'll pick you up" program.

I'll suggest to the Museum staff that they re-negotiate their contract to reflect the new program when I talk with them later this week.