Car rental horror stories
Jun 7, 2011, 3:42 pm
#61
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Ah yes the infamous HHR (stands for Heritage High Roof). It was Chevy's answer to the PT Cruiser and amusingly, it outlasted it. I had to rent those to customers as "SUVs" when I worked at Enterprise and we were short on cars. I know very few people who liked it. I love your joke though.
Jun 7, 2011, 9:09 pm
#62
Join Date: Jan 2011
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One rental we had and the nozzle wouldn't fit in the tank opening...made me realize I was about to pump the wrong fuel.
Jun 8, 2011, 9:29 am
#64
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Ah yes the infamous HHR (stands for Heritage High Roof). It was Chevy's answer to the PT Cruiser and amusingly, it outlasted it. I had to rent those to customers as "SUVs" when I worked at Enterprise and we were short on cars. I know very few people who liked it. I love your joke though.
Side note on that, when I returned the car they ended up having to do a bunch of extra paperwork because the other Enterprise location in town had accidentally fat-fingered a keytag and re-rented the car (in the computer) to somebody else. I still wonder how long it would have taken them to track it down if I hadn't returned it for some reason.
Jun 8, 2011, 12:47 pm
#65
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While this is true, we had somebody rent at my location who used a filter to put the diesel fuel in the gasoline engine. Instead of wondering why the nozzle wouldn't fit, they chose to force it in. It did indeed damage the engine.
Jun 8, 2011, 2:19 pm
#66
Join Date: Oct 2005
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A friend worked for one of the more enterprising car rental chains when we were in college. She warned me against buying a used rental. Her specific objection was lack of maintenance. Their airport location would routinely send cars needing service to other locations or rent them to people doing one-ways.
My biggest problem with a non-one-way so far was a PT Cruiser whose fuel pump spontaneously decided the new top speed of the car was going to be 40 MPH--which might not have been such a huge concern had I not been in the left lane of I-95 at the time.
Based on its looks I always thought it stood for "Hybrid Hearse/Roadster," but I suppose Heritage High Roof makes slightly more sense from a marketing standpoint. The best thing about that car IMO is that it makes every other rental's blind spots seem refreshingly teeny by comparison.
Jun 8, 2011, 6:15 pm
#67
Join Date: Feb 2006
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The diesel nozzle is too wide to fit a gasoline intake BUT a gasoline nozzle will fit into diesel engine. (As gasoline engines are far more prevalent than diesels, this prevents the more likely mistake of putting diesel in a gas engine.)
Jun 8, 2011, 9:35 pm
#68
Join Date: Jun 2009
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plus a diesel will run on gasoline, albeit not very well.
Jun 8, 2011, 11:57 pm
#69
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I've been a bit concerned pumping diesel into a gasoline engine, for the last gas fill up.
Jun 9, 2011, 8:58 am
#70
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Central Texas
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I've had to re-circle several rental lots during my career, being quick to complain about condition and operating issues, but the worst was years ago in Lafayette, LA, a couple of weeks after a hurricane that wreaked its wrath along a stretch of the Gulf Coast from S. Louisiana to West of Houston. I should have been suspicious of "We've a nice upgrade for you!" (company unnamed, but it starts with an "N"). The pristine white LeSabre w/Texas plates turned out to be a survivor of an extended period in a lot covered with 18" of water. The tipoff was the squish from the floor mats, but the ripe aroma of tidal marsh blowing from the AC was even more noticeable.
Fortunately, the hospitable yet naturally conniving nature of South Louisianans (even at car rental desks) triumphed, and the staff, satisfied that the original con-job had failed, tried to sell me on taking an econo-bucket, but ended up giving me a far grander machine, after I had hinted that I would likely pursue a grand and public "I'll have your guts for garters!" approach. I drove off in an even more luxurious Buick in which good fortune had left only the trunk modestly waterlogged, so than when driven fast the taint of the dismal swamp didn't reach the driver's seat. Smarter or earlier renters had cleared the lot of high clearance (likely less wettened) SUVs before my late evening arrival.
I note that I (and most others) will settle for less in the late evening, just to get on our way.
Fortunately, the hospitable yet naturally conniving nature of South Louisianans (even at car rental desks) triumphed, and the staff, satisfied that the original con-job had failed, tried to sell me on taking an econo-bucket, but ended up giving me a far grander machine, after I had hinted that I would likely pursue a grand and public "I'll have your guts for garters!" approach. I drove off in an even more luxurious Buick in which good fortune had left only the trunk modestly waterlogged, so than when driven fast the taint of the dismal swamp didn't reach the driver's seat. Smarter or earlier renters had cleared the lot of high clearance (likely less wettened) SUVs before my late evening arrival.
I note that I (and most others) will settle for less in the late evening, just to get on our way.
Jun 9, 2011, 3:26 pm
#71
Join Date: Sep 2010
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A friend worked for one of the more enterprising car rental chains when we were in college. She warned me against buying a used rental. Her specific objection was lack of maintenance. Their airport location would routinely send cars needing service to other locations or rent them to people doing one-ways. Once at the new destination, it was a toss up as to whether they would get timely service or be sent somewhere else.
Poorly thought out accounting procedures probably gives the individual stations an incentive to 'defer' maintenance though.
Jun 9, 2011, 6:26 pm
#72
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Many years ago I had a reservation for a full size car, but when I got to the rental agency they were totally out of cars because there was a large convention in town and they were late returning their cars.
The only vehicle they had left on the lot was a 9 passenger Ford van, so it was take this or go back to the airport and take my luck with other rental agencies. The rental agency offered me the van at the same rate that I had reserved the car for and since I was not going to put that many miles on the vehicle, I decided to take the van.
Mr. Elliott
The only vehicle they had left on the lot was a 9 passenger Ford van, so it was take this or go back to the airport and take my luck with other rental agencies. The rental agency offered me the van at the same rate that I had reserved the car for and since I was not going to put that many miles on the vehicle, I decided to take the van.
Mr. Elliott
Jun 9, 2011, 9:58 pm
#73
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I did some consulting work a few years back for a known agency. To be fair, the people at headquarters were very much concerned about fleet maintenance, asset value and liability likely the biggest factors.
Poorly thought out accounting procedures probably gives the individual stations an incentive to 'defer' maintenance though.
Poorly thought out accounting procedures probably gives the individual stations an incentive to 'defer' maintenance though.
and the drive for the biggest bottom line is an incentive for employees.. to overlook the details of maintenance as well..
Jun 13, 2011, 2:38 am
#74
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Qatar
Programs: QA Priv. BA Exec, HHonours. Europcar. Hertz Gold
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Where to start....
I may be one of the unluckiest renter!
Hertz DC - Rented a Mercury Grand Marquis, drove to office car park and couldn't get out of the car, it locked me in. Climbed out of the window, which then shut itself leaving my luggage inside. Remote wouldn't open the car so had to call out recovery. Taken back to National Airport and given Lincoln (can't remember what type, but about size of Taurus). Now driving to Dewey beach on a nice warm day, so of course the car will switch on the heated seats and refuse to run the AC. So now diverted to Baltimore Airport where the rental agent told me this was the second car I had had in just one day! I thanked him for pointing that out. Wasn't the slightest bit sarcastic. He then gave me a Volvo XC70. That car was perfect.
Alamo Orlando - Rented a Trailblazer, rear glass fell out on 192. Rented a Olds Silhouette with the electric doors. Had to drive back to airport with them randomly opening and closing on the I4. Yes, to any other roaduser I was well aware of the gaping hole behind me!
Alamo Miami - Buick Century. Nuff said.
London, UK - Guy Salmon (remember them!) delivered an Opel Carlton to my office. My parking bay was number 4. Between bays 4 and 5 was an small area for motorbikes. Bordered by two concrete columns. So where did the delivery guy put the car? Wedged in between the two columns. He couldn't get out and we had to call the rescue services to drag the car out.
Hertz DC - Rented a Mercury Grand Marquis, drove to office car park and couldn't get out of the car, it locked me in. Climbed out of the window, which then shut itself leaving my luggage inside. Remote wouldn't open the car so had to call out recovery. Taken back to National Airport and given Lincoln (can't remember what type, but about size of Taurus). Now driving to Dewey beach on a nice warm day, so of course the car will switch on the heated seats and refuse to run the AC. So now diverted to Baltimore Airport where the rental agent told me this was the second car I had had in just one day! I thanked him for pointing that out. Wasn't the slightest bit sarcastic. He then gave me a Volvo XC70. That car was perfect.
Alamo Orlando - Rented a Trailblazer, rear glass fell out on 192. Rented a Olds Silhouette with the electric doors. Had to drive back to airport with them randomly opening and closing on the I4. Yes, to any other roaduser I was well aware of the gaping hole behind me!
Alamo Miami - Buick Century. Nuff said.
London, UK - Guy Salmon (remember them!) delivered an Opel Carlton to my office. My parking bay was number 4. Between bays 4 and 5 was an small area for motorbikes. Bordered by two concrete columns. So where did the delivery guy put the car? Wedged in between the two columns. He couldn't get out and we had to call the rescue services to drag the car out.
Jun 13, 2011, 4:43 am
#75
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Its not advised to purchase a rental vehicle after it's useful life as a rental..
We're talking about renters who may not be as careful as they would be with their own vehicle.. 100% driving the rental.. once the rental is finished.. another renter renting who may not be as careful.. in a recurring cycle for up to a couple of years..
We're talking about renters who may not be as careful as they would be with their own vehicle.. 100% driving the rental.. once the rental is finished.. another renter renting who may not be as careful.. in a recurring cycle for up to a couple of years..
The comments on the advisability (or lack thereof) of buying used rental cars made me think of this:
Originally Posted by P J O'Rourke
Even more important than being drunk, however, is having the right car. You have to get a car that handles really well. This is extremely important, and there's a lot of debate on this subject – about what kind of car handles best. Some say a front-engined car; some say a rear-engined car. I say a rented car. Nothing handles better than a rented car. You can go faster, turn corners sharper, and put the transmission into reverse while going forward at a higher rate of speed in a rented car than in any other kind. You can also park without looking, and can use the trunk as an ice chest. Another thing about a rented car is that it's an all-terrain vehicle. Mud, snow, water, woods – you can take a rented car anywhere. True, you can't always get it back – but that's not your problem, is it?
I'll have to calm my nerves before I post any of my hire car horror stories, but, in the meantime, you can imagine the problems I have with the additional driver coverage!
Willard the Bear - Left hand down a bit....