Hertz in Europe
Jun 22, 2012, 5:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: Delta Skymiles, Flying Blue
Posts: 717
Hertz in Europe
So I get into a nice new (2400 KM) Fiat Punto, at the RR station in France, and it's all good. A diesel, so that I can save a LOT on gas, and nice size, manual transmission, as per usual in Europe.
When I started to do city driving, at every light and every time I would stop the car would stall out. Not knowing this "feature", I restarted the car with the key every time. I noticed if I kept the clutch depressed, it would not stall out.
I had to do a lot of driving, and France is VERY rural, so I was concerned. I called Hertz the next morning and wanted to change the car. But they finally communicated to me that it is "pas de probleme!" Apparently, this is a "gas saving" feature in many new cars in Europe! They shut off anytime the speed reduces to zero. When you depress the clutch, it starts by itself. (When you get used to this, it's hardly noticeable, except for the radio recycling often-- but not always).
The issue here is, of course, WHY DON'T THEY TELL YOU THIS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE CHECK-IN COUNTER????
And secondly, I'm not sure this saves any gasoline-- I was taught that restarting the car uses more gas than idling for a short period of time.
Any similar stories??
When I started to do city driving, at every light and every time I would stop the car would stall out. Not knowing this "feature", I restarted the car with the key every time. I noticed if I kept the clutch depressed, it would not stall out.
I had to do a lot of driving, and France is VERY rural, so I was concerned. I called Hertz the next morning and wanted to change the car. But they finally communicated to me that it is "pas de probleme!" Apparently, this is a "gas saving" feature in many new cars in Europe! They shut off anytime the speed reduces to zero. When you depress the clutch, it starts by itself. (When you get used to this, it's hardly noticeable, except for the radio recycling often-- but not always).
The issue here is, of course, WHY DON'T THEY TELL YOU THIS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE CHECK-IN COUNTER????
And secondly, I'm not sure this saves any gasoline-- I was taught that restarting the car uses more gas than idling for a short period of time.
Any similar stories??
Jun 22, 2012, 5:27 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 405
While it may save gas, you bring up a good point, its important to find out all "features" before leaving the lot. I will ask next time I rent and look at the owners manual if in the car before leaving the rental lot. Thanks for the tip as my guess is we will see this or other "features" more often.
Jun 23, 2012, 12:44 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Hertz #1CLub Gold
Posts: 4
Indeed, this system is called Start&Stop and is a valaible on alot of new cars in europe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Start-stop_system
It seems that if you stop more than 30 seconds or something like that, you will save more gas than let the engine on. At the beginning, it's weird but you get used to it. It's very usefull when there is a lot of traffic lights and traffic jams, like in Europe.
The first kilometers, you have to wait that the engine reach a certain temperature so it won't stop at the traffic light.
In most of the car, there is a button on the dashboard and you can diseable the system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Start-stop_system
It seems that if you stop more than 30 seconds or something like that, you will save more gas than let the engine on. At the beginning, it's weird but you get used to it. It's very usefull when there is a lot of traffic lights and traffic jams, like in Europe.
The first kilometers, you have to wait that the engine reach a certain temperature so it won't stop at the traffic light.
In most of the car, there is a button on the dashboard and you can diseable the system.
Jun 23, 2012, 3:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: Hertz #1 Gold 5*, United,Virgin and AA
Posts: 208
Hi All
I own one of these cars (insignia eco flex), and would like to clarify a few points
1) restarting engines does not use any more fuel than letting them idle. the fuel is all computer controlled. this is different from old carburettors which did use lots of fuel.
2) on manual transmission engines they will only stop when the transmission is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is not depressed.
3) if you look at the rev counter it will have the needle at the AUTO STOP position when auto stopped.
4) drive the car normally, do not worry about auto stop etc. but you will see an eco button on the dashboard if you want to overide the feature.
5) I would expect Hertz to tell you the car is auto stop when picking up a vehicle, it will make their lives easier!!
6) I get 55mpg driving my 160 BHP 2.0 diesel round London, therefore I can confirm that eco flex does work!!!!!
I own one of these cars (insignia eco flex), and would like to clarify a few points
1) restarting engines does not use any more fuel than letting them idle. the fuel is all computer controlled. this is different from old carburettors which did use lots of fuel.
2) on manual transmission engines they will only stop when the transmission is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is not depressed.
3) if you look at the rev counter it will have the needle at the AUTO STOP position when auto stopped.
4) drive the car normally, do not worry about auto stop etc. but you will see an eco button on the dashboard if you want to overide the feature.
5) I would expect Hertz to tell you the car is auto stop when picking up a vehicle, it will make their lives easier!!
6) I get 55mpg driving my 160 BHP 2.0 diesel round London, therefore I can confirm that eco flex does work!!!!!
Jun 26, 2012, 8:32 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,546
These systems do save fuel - it enables manufacturers to achieve better and better mileage figures - even on the urban cycle.
Whilst I appreciate some customers would like to be warned, in practice it would be hard for the Hertz rep to tell anyone if a particular car has the feature of not. There are many vehicles (eg Focus Golf Mondeo) where it is fitted on some models but not others. Simpler to assume virtually any vehicle in Europe will have it - especially larger vehicles (counter intuative as that might be)
It even crops up on automatic models now - that was a surprise at first - but you rapidly get used to it.
Whilst I appreciate some customers would like to be warned, in practice it would be hard for the Hertz rep to tell anyone if a particular car has the feature of not. There are many vehicles (eg Focus Golf Mondeo) where it is fitted on some models but not others. Simpler to assume virtually any vehicle in Europe will have it - especially larger vehicles (counter intuative as that might be)
It even crops up on automatic models now - that was a surprise at first - but you rapidly get used to it.
Jun 26, 2012, 10:42 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,665
These systems do save fuel - it enables manufacturers to achieve better and better mileage figures - even on the urban cycle.
Whilst I appreciate some customers would like to be warned, in practice it would be hard for the Hertz rep to tell anyone if a particular car has the feature of not. There are many vehicles (eg Focus Golf Mondeo) where it is fitted on some models but not others. Simpler to assume virtually any vehicle in Europe will have it - especially larger vehicles (counter intuative as that might be)
It even crops up on automatic models now - that was a surprise at first - but you rapidly get used to it.
Whilst I appreciate some customers would like to be warned, in practice it would be hard for the Hertz rep to tell anyone if a particular car has the feature of not. There are many vehicles (eg Focus Golf Mondeo) where it is fitted on some models but not others. Simpler to assume virtually any vehicle in Europe will have it - especially larger vehicles (counter intuative as that might be)
It even crops up on automatic models now - that was a surprise at first - but you rapidly get used to it.
-J.
Jun 26, 2012, 1:05 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,717
First it is as little as 10 seconds for their to be a savings.
Second; you are complaining because you where not made aware of something common in europe?
Should the hotels tell you when you check in that the standard outlet is 220 and not 120? Or that in the UK they drive on the wrong side of the road?
Or that people can drive quiet well over there and obey the rules of the road more then they do/can in North America....
Need me to go on?
Second; you are complaining because you where not made aware of something common in europe?
Should the hotels tell you when you check in that the standard outlet is 220 and not 120? Or that in the UK they drive on the wrong side of the road?
Or that people can drive quiet well over there and obey the rules of the road more then they do/can in North America....
Need me to go on?
Jun 28, 2012, 10:21 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: Delta Skymiles, Flying Blue
Posts: 717
First it is as little as 10 seconds for their to be a savings.
Second; you are complaining because you where not made aware of something common in europe?
Should the hotels tell you when you check in that the standard outlet is 220 and not 120? Or that in the UK they drive on the wrong side of the road?
Or that people can drive quiet well over there and obey the rules of the road more then they do/can in North America....
Need me to go on?
Second; you are complaining because you where not made aware of something common in europe?
Should the hotels tell you when you check in that the standard outlet is 220 and not 120? Or that in the UK they drive on the wrong side of the road?
Or that people can drive quiet well over there and obey the rules of the road more then they do/can in North America....
Need me to go on?
No, I love European culture. I love many of the differences. In many ways the lifestyle is preferable to that in the US.
However, it's not unreasonable to perhaps make a foreigner aware of something that might be alarming and after all, is a fairly new feature and not an entrenched one such as 220V.
In my trips to London I seem to remember that many intersection pedestrian crossing had a sign painted in the pavement that said "Look Right". Have any objection to that?
FYI, most of the French people I told the story to were not aware of this feature, either.
Do you dislike most agencies making renters aware that the car is diesel so that they don't pump gasoline into the tank and ruin the engine??
Perhaps jzsweighaft is on the right track-- a note or some sort of sticker might be a good solution. In a couple of years when this becomes entrenched, it may no longer be necessary. But really, this is only recently rolled out, and if not aware of it may seem like a big problem with the car!
Last edited by menton1; Jun 29, 2012 at 8:08 am