Rental Car Experiences?

fezo

Although I am not looking to splurge on this trip, the rental is part of the fun for me...kind of like opening a present when you get the keys. Sometimes you get a new bike, sometimes you get a festive holiday sweater

Yeah, last time I got the festive holiday sweater in the form of a G6. Speaking of that, I think that Budget wrote the thing off. I have heard zilch despite reporting it to both my insurance and Amex and both wrote to me last week saying they had all they need from me but haven't heard boo from Budget.

Sandman6472

No news is good news I suspect. You've done your part so just sit back to see what, if anything, happens.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stever

aka Accent. Drives fine, lots of hard plastics and no power locks or windows. Reminds me of the 60s. Nice small size for the cramped parking spaces but still has four doors.

fintail

Aha, you must be in PR...

On the rental car note, I'm in ATL next month and I am going to try the Thrifty "Wild Card" game for the first time. I wonder what I'll get.

stever

Yep. The AC is good and strong. :shades:

fintail

Have seen a few odd rentals in the past few days. An Impreza and a Legacy, 2x Mazda 6, and a really lowline Soul. A co-worker recently went to Philly and got a Cube for a rental.

stever

So, our Hyundai Brio is red. We were in the hotel district near the downtown Marriott the other morning getting lunch and walked back to the car, parked curbside.

My wife walked right up to the red car and stood their patiently waiting for me to show up with the key (no fob on this bottom feeder).

I pointed out that she was standing next to a BMW 3 Series and that our car was up a ways.

fintail

That's not something I'd tell people :shades:

Saw a nice rental today, a loaded Lacrosse...moonroof and even appeared to have nav.

kyfdx

I was there in '92... the place was crawling with Mazda MX-3s.. the little hatchback... You could go a week without seeing one of those on the mainland, and you'd see four of them every block in San Juan..

stever

Sedans pretty much look alike to both of us. Our friend with us keeps stopping to admire Audis and the like and can't understand why we keep pointing out the Souls and xDs.

Still lots of Mazdas here; lot of Mazda2s around.

fintail

The views of non car people about cars can be amusing...I'll never forget my mother thinking an M45 was a Buick :shades:

And how car freaks can be excitable about a rental...mine is about a month off and I'm already wondering what I'll get, and thinking how I can talk my way into something nice.

stever

Hey, hatches and minivans are cars too.

I dunno ... sedans all seem so boring. I did enjoy my 4 door Tercel a lot but would have preferred a wagon.

I was pretty excited a few years back when Dollar upgraded me into a Grand Caravan.

fintail

I didn't mean you personally...but maybe your other half

I like sedans...not many wagons out there, 2 doors always seem to be wanting for room, no way would I want or need a van.

For my "Wild Card" rental, last thing I want is a minivan. Although if it is a nice one with heated seats and nav vs an Avenger or something, I might want it.

stickguy

I have no need or interest in a minivan for myself, but I have always loved hatchbacks (had a bunch of them over the years), and would love a wagon now (especially after getting a large dog that does not fit in the back seat of an accord very well!)

something smaller though. Jetta wagon is a perfect size.

Sandman6472

Absolutely the perfect sized car. Used to own a hatch & do love the versatility of them to haul things. Would consider one next time I'm in the market but that shouldn't be for a long while at this time. Right now, the VW that I love is the Tiguan model...perfect size & the height I'm looking for. But Vdubs still scare me reliability wise. Nice to dream though.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stever

We do have similar tastes in cars although she wouldn't like crawling into a Miata very often. She delivered a Crown Vic or something similar from San Diego to Chicago when she was in college and loved it, so a Lemko styled land cruiser could still be in our future.

Maybe a rental would convince her otherwise.

This trip it's nice having something pretty small for the narrow roads and for parking.

fintail

I can relate, I had a 7 series rental in Germany...that got kinda dicey in a few places, a little wide. But at the same time...it made me test my abilities, which was somewhat fun after I knew I didn't crash :shades:

I think they still rent Grand Marquis in some fleets.

berri

Think of it this way Fintail, that Atlanta Rental Minivan will be pretty stealth to the cops!

fintail

If I get something with nav or heated seats or maybe satellite radio, I will deal with it.

And yeah, it'll blend in...I won't get caught by Roscoe P Coltrane :shades:

stever

Better take some cash for the fine so they don't send you to the pea farm (true story from my TN days when a co-worker got a speeding ticket back in the Lester Maddox days - he found the cash, lol).

fintail

Maybe I'd be safer in a white Caddy with steer horns on the hood...it is the south and all :shades:

stever

Well, that's appropriate for Texas and Texas isn't any more the Southern than Florida (at least once you get past the Panhandle).

You could pack a gunrack for the back window (an umbrella in it will be ok). Or just stick a spit jar on the dash (for your chaw) and the cop will figure you for a good ol' boy. They'll be a Sonny's Bar-B-Q near the rental place and a togo bag stuck on the seat next to you could help your image too.

Dang, the memories. I need a cornbread fix now. :shades:

fintail

I was thinking, if it's good enough for Boss Hogg... :shades:

stever

He was Hollywood though, and I don't mean the one in Habersham County.

fintail

Come on, Dukes of Hazzard was a documentary about early 1980s life in rural Georgia :shades:

Maybe I could just rent an old Dodge police car.

fintail

Saw what I believe was a Hertz Infiniti QX - barcode and no plate frames. I know Hertz has carried Infiniti in their prestige fleets. What an ugly beast.

fintail

Saw a rental Cruze in my workplace parking garage today.

Read on the German rental forum that the new style CLS has been spotted in the Sixt fleet already.

fintail

Saw a load of rentals today. Avenger x2 (I hope and pray I don't get one of those), Charger (don't really want one either, along with Impala) Corolla x2, Altima coupe and sedan, another Sienna, Galant x2, and the hotel based Avis (I think) down the street has had a ton of Lacrosse lately. Also saw a Fiesta that might have been a rental, no license plate frame but only saw one side, didn't see a barcode.

fintail

Today's rentals - Cruze, 300, Taurus.

My friend in Atlanta's parents are visiting him this weekend, he says their rental car is a new Malibu - loaded with everything but nav (which IIRC isn't optional) according to him.

fintail

Today's rentals - Mazda 6 x2, Galant, Versa, Impala

fintail

Today's rentals - Yaris, Sonata, Charger, Traverse

fintail

And today - Corolla x2, Matrix, Sonata, old Optima, Avenger

fintail

Today - Rio, Santa Fe, Altima, Corolla...

Are these fleets the same everywhere?

fintail

Saw a Charger badged 3.5 pulling out of an Enterprise lot today. Also a Soul and Altima.

manfredroper

A strange thing happened to me lately when renting an AVIS vehicle at LAX.
I have searched far and wide for an answer to my question, but still haven't found it.
Maybe somebody here can help me out?
Here goes:
A few weeks ago I made a reservation via the .be website of AVIS for a two week rental with pick-up at LAX.
I used the AVIS preferred service and everything went smoothly.
The information given to me on the website was very clear, I received my prepaid voucher in my mailbox and was ready to go.
A few days later I changed my mind about the intermediate vehicle and called the customer service to change my rental to a full size.
Again, everything went smoothly. That is, until I received the new voucher in my mailbox.
This was a completely different design than the previous one, but both clearly state the avis name and logo.
All information on the new voucher is correct, except for where it states the car class.
On the original voucher it stated the exact car class I ordered and had paid for, on the new voucher it says "large, Buick LaCrosse or similar"...
This presents me with a double problem as AVIS does not mention a "large" car class anywhere on its website and on top of that they consider the LaCrosse a "premium" while I reserved a full size.
I called an e-mailed both the .com and .be sides of the company and all they could tell me was they have me down for a fullsize (which is correct when I check via my reservation number on the website) and that the agent at LAX uses an automated system and has no need for my voucher.
This may well be, but what's the point of a voucher in that case? Also, nobody seems to be able to explain why and how I got a voucher stating "large" instead of what I reserved.
What I have found myself is that BUDGET (AVIS-BUDGET merger) does use the "large" description. Probably the number I called was an AVIS-BUDGET combined service and somehow their systems got mixed up.
I doesn't matter that much to me, but on the second page of the voucher it clearly states the rental company must honor my voucher (provided I meet all requirements of course) and that's where my actual problem lies.
Suppose my name is not on the board at LAX and my car is not waiting for me at parking spot xyz... then I have to go inside with my voucher stating an unknown car class asking for a car I didn't order but according to the voucher am entitled to...
In my honest opinion, something somewhere went wrong and got mixed up. But according to my voucher I should receive a "premium" car as "LaCrosse or similar" at AVIS means "premium". I checked the BUDGET website and there "large" means "standard SUV, premium or luxury" .
Does anybody here know what's going on and what my rights are just in case?

fintail

I've never received a voucher before, and I too have rented from other continents, a few times. I just made reservations online, and everything went smooth when I was at the location.

The key to it all is "or similar" - very subjective. If you reserved a large car, you might get a premium car, but also might get a Grand Marquis or Charger or the like. I don't know exactly what is in the Avis fleet. I suspect whoever printed the voucher simply made an error and put the Buick on the wrong classification. But with "or similar", it doesn't matter.

I remember when I rented a Hertz A6 at LAS, the woman in front of me had rented a Toyota Avalon "or similar", and received a Kia Amanti. She wasn't happy, but the agent pretty much went back to "or similar".

I wouldn't worry about it. You'll have some kind of big car waiting for you - but what it is, is the mystery.

kyfdx

Okay.. maybe someone knows this...

I'm renting a Tahoe next month that seats 7... I just assumed that it was in a 2-3-2 configuration...

But, my neighbor has one, and he says he has 2nd row buckets, and that the 3rd row seats three...

Anyone have an idea of how the rentals are configured (Alamo/National, in this case)?

It matters, because I was hoping to fold down half of the third row, but I'm not going to be able to do that, if I lose 1.5 seats, because I still have to seat 6.

stickguy

the fancy models (like the Yukon denali my BIL used to have) are set up with the 2 buckets and a console in the 2nd row, and IIRC 2 person back row (having sat there, no way you get 3 across.

Pretty sure that the lower trim levels (like a rental likely is) will have a standard 3 person bench in the center.

Oh yeah, that reminds me. The 3rd row in a tahoe, IMO, it terrible for an adult. Kids can fit.

kyfdx

I'm not too worried about comfort, if we all fit.... It's a 90-minute drive, each way.... He says he doesn't have a console between the 2nd row buckets... that path is how he accesses the rear seats.. (which he says, seats three) Naturally, this vehicle wasn't home for me to look at it, when I asked him.

Also, guessing that has to be a split bench of some kind, so you can push forward one end, to access the third row? (on the rental)

He says his third row splits 50/50... which would work for us, if the configuration is 2-3-2.. We need six seats.. He says he can get a big suitcase behind one side of the third row.... that would give us a big spot for luggage on the folded down side of the third row...

Our other choice is to rent a 2nd car... Looked into renting a Suburban, but all six of us could each rent our own car for what that costs... Can rent an Impala for the week for $250 (total cost). I reserved the Tahoe last summer, and it's only $365 for the week (again, including all costs).

Also, considered one person taking a shuttle from the airport.... and just folding down the third row of the Tahoe... but, round-trip, that is more than renting a car...

fintail

Today's rentals - full lineup this morning. Corolla, Camry, Versa, Altima, Sonata, Fusion, 6

fintail

Same old same old...Impala, Lucerne, Altima x3, Versa, Camry, Matrix, Taurus

fintail

Versa x2, Avenger, Charger, 300, high-butt Lincoln

Sandman6472

What does the lineup mean every day here? Confusing to say the least! :confuse:

The Sandman :confuse: :sick: :shades:

fintail

The rentals I see on the road or parked every day

berri

I've been out of town the past two weeks and rented several different full size cars from Avis and Hertz. I noticed two things:

1. The newer, lower mileage full sized units are becoming rather stripped like at Enterprise. The previously loaded Impala's are now Altima's. Malibu's etc and most don't have power seats, auto headlights, etc. Forget about leather or a sunroof. Seems like I'm dumb going to these higher priced rental companies any more if they are going to just give me a basic Enterprise car at a higher price.

2. The Toyota's are starting to disappear and Nissan now seems to have become the primary car supplier - Altima's, Sentra's, Versa's and one Hertz location had a bunch of brand new 2011 Quest's already and they've hardly been out. Maybe Nissan models are getting long in the tooth forcing them to go to more fleet sales?

At least that's what I saw recently.

fintail

I can believe it Dumb it down a notch so the execs can collect undeserved bonuses - and a lot of customers don't care anyway, most people aren't car enthusiasts. Nissans are big in the rental fleet here too, along with Toyota and the Koreans. Dare I say it, GM isn't as prevalent as 10 years ago.

However, in Europe you can still get loaded up rentals - I read a German rental car forum, and some of the stuff people get amazes me - loaded up 7ers and S class. Of course, they pay...but not what you'd pay here.

I have a Thrifty rental coming next week in ATL, I am going to try to sweet talk my way into something nice. I'd at least like heated seats or satellite radio...I don't care if it's an SUV or car.

Today the only rental I noticed was an HHR...I DO NOT want one of those.

illinidorry

A buddy of mine and myself are renting car on Long Island and taking it for a week and going to FLA to visit family. We're both on unemployed right now and the car is cheaper and has more flexibility then flying (neither of us mind a road trip either, were relatively young guys). My question is since I sold my car a few months back I don't have insurance so I plan on buying Avis'. Would the basic $9 a day coverage be fine for me or do I need to load it up? Basically just want to cover myself if anything happens to the car or someone else.

lemko

...a 2009 Chevrolet Impala for the week. I got it from Enterprise as i was getting body work done of my 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis fixed due to a mishap with an iron gate.

My biggest criticism is the car was FILTHY when I got it and they used an obnoxious vanilla air freshener to cover up any stink. I cleaned up the car a lot and they're getting it back in the condition they should've given it to me in the first place.

As for the car itself, it wasn't bad. I'd say it was like driving a somewhat cheaper version of my wife's 2005 Buick LaCrosse. Fuel economy was good which is great with ever-escalating gasoline prices.

fintail

I'm glad I am not the only one who does that. Pretty much every rental car I get is returned cleaner than when I get it.

fintail

I might risk loading it up a little, if you have no personal insurance - rental cars can have some weird legalities, and I subscribe to Murphy's Law.

Or if you have Amex, use their insurance, I have heard it is excellent and costs $25 per rental - not day.