National Hires Robots
Jan 18, 2009, 6:13 pm
#1
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National Hires Robots
So I picked up a l'il Kia Spectra from my favorite National office in downtown Edmonton on Friday. When it came time to sign the inspection form, it had written across it in big letters "CAN'T FIND BLOCK HEATER CORD". The agent explained it to me, apologized, but then said it shouldn't be an issue as we're having unseasonably high temperatures all weekend.
Block heaters are standard issue here in Alberta as we regularly go below -30 C this time of year. So how would this car get missed? Simple, it's not from Alberta. I took one look at it with its BC plates and clued in. The car hails from a part of the country that rarely goes below the freezing mark.
It gave me a good chuckle. Can our cherished lot attendants not think THAT far out of the box?
I'd welcome any similar experiences any of you might have. Be careful out there...
Block heaters are standard issue here in Alberta as we regularly go below -30 C this time of year. So how would this car get missed? Simple, it's not from Alberta. I took one look at it with its BC plates and clued in. The car hails from a part of the country that rarely goes below the freezing mark.
It gave me a good chuckle. Can our cherished lot attendants not think THAT far out of the box?
I'd welcome any similar experiences any of you might have. Be careful out there...
Jan 19, 2009, 4:58 pm
#3
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Yes, some do where it gets really cold.
Jan 19, 2009, 6:39 pm
#5
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Welcome to downtown rental locations in Canada. You get what you pay for. She offered me a Sentra or an Avenger for my midsize reservation. Then she tossed in the Spectra and I figured why not since I'd never driven one. When I'm just running errands for the weekend I'm not too picky. When I travel I like to have something nice.
Jan 20, 2009, 1:29 pm
#6
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I had a car from FL (was in CT) and it didn't have a snow brush/ice scraper. After realizing it was from FL, that's the only reason one can assume in the middle of January a car in CT wouldn't have a snow brush.
I mean, how can you let that one slip by as a lot attendant???
I mean, how can you let that one slip by as a lot attendant???
Jan 20, 2009, 9:46 pm
#7
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I had a car from FL (was in CT) and it didn't have a snow brush/ice scraper. After realizing it was from FL, that's the only reason one can assume in the middle of January a car in CT wouldn't have a snow brush.
I mean, how can you let that one slip by as a lot attendant???
I mean, how can you let that one slip by as a lot attendant???
Jan 21, 2009, 8:39 am
#8
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Jan 21, 2009, 3:14 pm
#9
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That's something I could see the average person missing. They just figure every car is going to have a brush in it by January and not notice with the amount of one-ways that the car is from a sunshine state. But you're right, it means they didn't bother to look in the backseat or trunk for one. In my case a lot attendant actually stared puzzingly at the car and probably rooted under the engine bay looking for the non-existant block heater.
Jan 21, 2009, 5:25 pm
#10
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I was up in CT this past December, with a car I picked up at LGA. I was clearing ice off my windows with a credit card, when I saw the ice scrapper on the back deck. I had checked both door pockets, the trunk, and the back sear, but not up on the deck. I felt really stoopid!
Feb 4, 2009, 10:29 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Edmonton
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Welcome to downtown rental locations in Canada. You get what you pay for. She offered me a Sentra or an Avenger for my midsize reservation. Then she tossed in the Spectra and I figured why not since I'd never driven one. When I'm just running errands for the weekend I'm not too picky. When I travel I like to have something nice.
Feb 4, 2009, 10:56 pm
#12
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They used to with me as well, and YEG was impecable about it. However lately it seems their selection is dwindling. I don't blame them, I think it's more a corporate decision. Plus the staff there has gotten used to the fact that I like the Rondo so I'm usually offered that.
Feb 5, 2009, 12:15 pm
#13
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Rule one of my travel...
Try not to go places where the dang car needs a heater LOL!
(Sorry, but this southern girl didn't really have a clue what the OP was talking about until someone pointed out the hotels have plugs question!) BRRRR........
Try not to go places where the dang car needs a heater LOL!
(Sorry, but this southern girl didn't really have a clue what the OP was talking about until someone pointed out the hotels have plugs question!) BRRRR........
Feb 10, 2009, 11:42 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2006
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(I've seen the cords dangling out the front of the engine)Yes, I have rented a car in Edmonton in winter and no, it didn't have a block heater. Nor did it have a snowbrush. (But that was from Hertz and my record with them in snow locations is not good!)
I actually left the car buried under 30cm of snow for my colleague from Texas to return to the airport - she still brings that up years later.
Feb 11, 2009, 10:08 am
#15
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Regarding scrapers, it's not like it really matters. A credit card is usually just as effective as those flimsy little plastic pieces of junk you get in rental cars.
Hertz is the worst. Somebody thought it would be cute to have an ice scraper shaped like a "1", but nobody bothered checking if it was actually effective at scraping ice.
Hertz is the worst. Somebody thought it would be cute to have an ice scraper shaped like a "1", but nobody bothered checking if it was actually effective at scraping ice.