PARK RIDGE, N.J., June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hertz (NYSE:HTZ), the world's largest general use car rental brand, announces it has begun servicing two new CARSTAR locations:  Stock Auto Body CARSTAR in Illinois and Schlenker Automotive CARSTAR in Florida.  The openings are part of a Company-wide strategy to expand in the off airport, neighborhood car rental market servicing replacement, leisure and business customers.  

"Hertz is excited to be partnering with these CARSTAR locations and expanding our network in Illinois and Florida," commented John Holt, Senior Vice President, Off Airport Operations for Hertz.  "As CARSTAR facilities, the shops are known for providing consistently, high quality vehicle repairs.  Our partnership lets customers get back on the road in the fastest and easiest way possible after dropping their car off for service or repairs."

With convenient and easy to reach locations; the partnership with Hertz provides customers with a range of rental vehicles including compact through full-size cars and SUVs for rent while their car is in the shop.  In addition to insurance rates, Hertz offers special weekend rates and rentals are eligible to earn Gold Plus Rewards points, Hertz's customer loyalty program that has a wide range of flexible reward options.  Pickup and delivery service and direct billing to insurance companies are also available. In addition, as with all Hertz corporate locations, vehicles are available for rental with unlimited mileage and all rate structures are honored, including one-way, inter-city rates. 

Hertz products and services specifically tailored to the suburban market include:

Hertz Local Edition:   Hertz's network of neighborhood locations serving replacement, leisure and business customers and offering customers pickup and delivery service as well as 'Key2Key' service with cars conveniently located at auto body and collision repair shops, enabling customers to have access to a car while their car is in the shop.

Hertz Technology: Committed to providing customers speed, ease and value with technological innovations and personalized service, unique customer services include:

  • Carfirmation: A mobile email/SMS text service - Mobile Gold Alerts -- that confirms a Gold customer's reservation, advises of their car, and its location at the facility.  Mobile Gold Alerts also show other available cars and upgrades and lets customers select the one they want - all via their mobile device.
  • Choose Control: Hertz Gold Choice gives the customer the power to keep the car they reserved or simply choose another, something no other car rental brand offers.
  • Zap Technology:Hertz e-Return is the fastest way to get customers, when they return, back on their way home.  Hertz will email the customer's receipt in a flash.
  • Acceler-Rental:Hertz offers customers the ability to rent cars through a live face-to-face video kiosk with ExpressRent kiosks.
  • Mobile Apps: As consumers are looking to mobile technologies as a way to take back control of their travel experience, from on-the-go bookings to instant upgrades.
    • Hertz Mobile App: Book, modify and search car rental reservations, find locations, and browse special deals and offers all from the palm of your hand.
    • Hertz NeverLost My Explore App: Users can plan their itinerary and navigate popular cities all on their smart phone and import it into a calendar or to the award-winning Hertz NeverLost® GPS.

The new locations are as follows:

  • Stock Auto Body CARSTAR, 263 S. Sixth Street, Wood River, IL (618) 251-9587
  • Schlenker Automotive CARSTAR, 385 Barton Blvd., Rockledge, FL (321) 632-5436

Serving the insurance replacement industry for more than 10 years, Hertz has more than 2,500 neighborhood locations nationwide, the majority of which offer pickup and delivery service as well as insurance replacement rentals, and is a recognized supplier to more than 193 of the 209 largest insurance companies. 

About CarStar
CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts is North America's largest Multi-Shop Operator Network of independently owned collision repair facilities with more than 440 locations in 31 states and 10 Canadian provinces. CARSTAR delivers national scale, consistently high-quality vehicle repairs, repeatable outcomes and the industry's highest customer satisfaction ratings; all repairs are backed by a national warranty and service guarantee.  For more information visit www.carstar.com.

About Hertz
Hertz operates its car rental business through the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty brands from approximately 10,400 corporate, licensee and franchisee locations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and New Zealand. Hertz is the largest worldwide airport general use car rental brand, operating from approximately 8,800 corporate and licensee locations in approximately 150 countries. Hertz is the number one airport car rental brand in the U.S. and at 111 major airports in Europe. Dollar and Thrifty have approximately 1,580 corporate and franchisee locations in approximately 80 countries. Hertz is an inaugural member of Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards Hall of Fame and was recently named, for the thirteenth time, by the magazine's readers as the Best Car Rental Agency. Hertz also swept the global awards for Best Rewards Program and Best Overall Benefits from FlyerTalk.com. Product and services such as Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, NeverLost®, and unique cars and SUVs offered through the Company's Adrenaline, Prestige and Green Traveler Collections, set Hertz apart from the competition. Additionally, Hertz owns the vehicle leasing and fleet management leader Donlen Corporation and operates a leading North American equipment rental business, Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation, which includes Hertz Entertainment Services.

SOURCE The Hertz Corporation

Paula Rivera, 201-307-2824, privera@hertz.com

distributed by