Ask the Car People.SM


Rental Car Experiences?

739 messages,  Last post on May 19, 2013 at 1:13 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum.

What is this discussion about? Automotive News

Messages Page 48 of 75

#468 of 739 Re: . [fintail] by steve_ HOST

Jul 28, 2012 (6:45 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Jul 28, 2012 6:27 pm)
Cool, maybe I'll be able to pick up a cheap one some year.

#469 of 739 2013 Ford Taurus Limited - a nice free upgrade, but... by igozoomzoom

Aug 31, 2012 (9:30 pm)

A few weeks ago, while I was grocery shopping in Whole Foods, my 2008 Volvo S60 was hit in the parking lot. It wasn't just a 'rub' either, but the jerk who hit me didn't stick around to take responsibility. Fortunately, I'm an independent insurance agent and I am insured with a very good company. My Uninsured Motorist coverage paid for the $2900 in repairs (using OEM parts) and covered a rental car while mine was being repaired.
 
My office is located in an upscale area of Atlanta and we send the local Enterprise a LOT of business. They typically have a decent selection of SUVs and 'premium' vehicles in addition to the regular mid-size and compact rental fare.
 
I called to reserve a rental for four days last week and asked for a Ford Fusion or Nissan Altima, if possible. When I arrived last Tuesday morning to pick it up, they only had a Toyota Yaris, Chrysler 200, and a brand new 2013 Ford Taurus Limited that had never been rented before. They initially tried to give the Chrysler, but I told them no thanks and kindly asked if they had ANYTHING else...
 
They had just received a new Taurus the day before and I was the first to rent it. It was the Limited model, Sterling Grey with Black Leather. It was a very sharp looking car (19" wheels and all) and I was even more impressed when I sat down in the driver's seat! The interior was beautiful, definitely in line with the car's $35k sticker price.
 
It drove like a dream and the 288hp 3.5L V6 was plenty to haul some serious tail. It handled great, the ride was quiet and smooth...it could easilly have passed for a Lincoln...and a very good one.
 
BUT the MyFordTouch and the insanely over-complicated and counter-intuitive instruments and controls were a NIGHTMARE!!! There is reason that something as simple as changing the radio statio or switching from FM to CD or SAT or any other routine audio function should require multiple steps! Even worse, multiple steps using the touch screen which wasn't always responsive and was dangerous to use while driving. I just set it on my favorite radio station and didn't touch it again.
 
The climate control was slightly easier to use. It could be controlled through the touch screen OR there were buttons for adjusting temp, selecting A/C or Max A/C or AUTO and a knob for selecting fan speed. But the 'buttons' weren't very user-friendly either. They were sort of like the number pad on a gas pump, where you can't tell if you pressed hard enough or not...sometimes they weren't responsive on the first try.
 
The instrument panel had a crap-load of functions also, but you had to scroll thru menus using directional buttons on both sides of the steering wheel.
 
It was the WORST experience I have had with technology in a vehicle yet! I thought BMW's iDrive was a pain, but it seemed tolerable in comparison to Ford's cluster-f%&!!!
 
I was SO thankful to get back behind the wheel of my Volvo! Buttons, dials and switches with clear labels are all that I need and want!

#470 of 739 Re: 2013 Ford Taurus Limited - a nice free upgrade, but... [igozoomzoom] by steve_ HOST

Sep 01, 2012 (6:37 am)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Aug 31, 2012 9:30 pm)
At least one owner around here likes FMT in spite of the annoyances and the kids want to buy tech. Current generations of the software may be a bit much for a rental, especially when you consider that most people don't even bother to adjust their mirrors until they get on the freeway, much less figure out where the wipers are.
 
The Truth about Cars says that Mulally was in charge of the design of the first all digital flight deck at Boeing. So it'll continue to be tweaked but I doubt that it's going away. Unless Mulally does. BMW's iDrive is still around, tweaked with 7 keys (aka buttons).

#471 of 739 Re: 2013 Ford Taurus Limited - a nice free upgrade, but... [igozoomzoom] by fintail

Sep 01, 2012 (8:08 am)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Aug 31, 2012 9:30 pm)
That's a lucky rental for Enterprise, my experience with them seems mostly to be cars that have too many miles for Alamo or National (I've had an Enterprise rental with over 40K on it). But that could be a local thing. They do have a small fleet of Infiniti and MB C-class here, too.

#472 of 739 Re: 2013 Ford Taurus Limited - a nice free upgrade, but... [fintail] by igozoomzoom

Sep 01, 2012 (10:21 am)

Replying to: fintail (Sep 01, 2012 8:08 am)
The Enterprise location near my home is like that. I rented from them in 2010 when my Mazda3 was almost totaled in 2010. I went through three different POS crappers before I finally came unglued and went elsewhere!
 
First, they gave me a 2009 Dodge Avenger with over 30k miles on the odometer. It was bad enough that it had the weak 2.4L 4-cylinder engine, but it had some mechanical issues that made it unbearable. It would hesitate, almost to the point of stalling, if you pressed the gas pedal more than about half-way to the floor. The A/C compressor would also kick on at the worst possible times. Several times, it kicked on while I was trying to accelerate as quickly as possible. Most cars will turn off the A/C compressor under hard acceleration to avoid draining much-needed power. Not this thing!
 
I took it back and all they had was a PT Cruiser (no way!) and a Chevy Aveo...I was screwed no matter what! I took the Aveo with the promise that I could exchange it for a Sonata, Optima, Fusion or even a Focus on the following day (which was a Saturday). I drove it home and parked it. They didn't call me with anything better on Saturday and closed at noon, so the Aveo stayed parked until Monday. My parents still had my mom's old '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee (with 220k miles on it) and I drove that instead.
 
I returned on that Monday and insisted on something, anything vaguely similar in size and quality to my 2006 Mazda3. I knew that I would be stuck in a rental for at least three weeks (ended up being 33 days) and I wanted something tolerable, nothing more!
 
So they came up with a 2010 Toyota Corolla LE that had 28k miles on it and reeked of cigarette smoke. It hadn't been washed or vacuumed, but I took it anyway. I also learned that it had the Check Engine AND Tire Pressure lights were ON, the alignment was out of whack and it was trashed inside (glovebox door broken off, stains and burns on passenger seat and large rip in rear seat fabric...just to hit the high points). I made it about three miles before I spun it around in the middle of the highway and gave it back to them.
 
I called the Mazda dealership that I used for service and asked them if I could 'rent' a service loaner for a few weeks. They took pity on me and said they could work something out for me. Then I called State Farm (the at-fault driver's insurer) and told them that I ditched Enterprise and that I expected them to cover the rental from the Mazda dealer even though it would be about $10 more per day.
 
When I got to the dealer, they gave me a 2007 Mazda6 that had been sitting unsold on their used lot for over six months. It was a hideous color called Violet Gray (pretty much as ugly as it sounds- gray with a purple hue). But I was glad to get it and gladly drove it for the next month!

#473 of 739 Re: 2013 Ford Taurus Limited - a nice free upgrade, but... [igozoomzoom] by fintail

Sep 01, 2012 (11:46 am)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Sep 01, 2012 10:21 am)
The worst I recall was a Kia Spectra that had been abused. I want to say it was under 30K miles, but the interior was trashed and it had some bruises outside, too. Enterprise, of course. At least it was cheap. Contrast that with a ~19K mile Regal I rented from Alamo/National last year, which was nearly flawless. Years ago I remember an Enterprise Malibu that had electrical gremlins - dead stereo, idiot light malfunctions...I forget the mileage though.
 
PT Cruiser was probably the most hated rental vehicle of all time. Once the novelty wore off (probably sometime in 2001), they were something you'd always get "stuck with" rather than wanting. My mother had one as a rental once, and even she hated it - and she's not a car enthusiast.

#474 of 739 My local Enterprise.. by kyfdx HOST

Sep 02, 2012 (7:27 am)

... is within walking distance of my house. (less than 2 miles).
 
I'd love to be able to use them, but they are only open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM... I work a pretty normal shift.. but, if I had to wait to get a car when they opened, I'd be 90 minutes late for work... and, if I hit any traffic on the way home, I'd never make their 6 PM close time.
 
And, it's a suburban location, not an airport... would never trust them by dropping the car off and just getting the credit card charges later... to sleazy and as mentioned, the local cars are total crap..
 
What kind of way is that to run a business?

#475 of 739 National, again by seank2

Sep 04, 2012 (11:24 am)

I found myself back at the Albany, NY airport a few weeks ago for another family funeral. Since the Emerald Aisle at National was so accommodating for the last one, I tried them again, especially since their prices were literally half everyone else's. All in, 3 day rental was $60.00.
 
I arrived at noon on Friday, and the guy in the booth offers me my choice of (1) Dodge Avenger (2) Dodge Grand Caravan (3) Chrysler 300. After a split second of pondering, I took the black over black 300. It turned out to be a 2012 300 Limited, with the Pentastar and the 8 speed auto, black over black leather, showing 12,000 miles.
 
I've never, ever been much of a Chrysler fan, but this car may change my mind. UConnect, with bluetooth that even my Blackberry can use, Sirius, dual auto climate, and one of the best interiors in an American car I've seen in years; it almost gives my Mercedes a run for the money. I was very impressed with the car, which showed some interior signs of abuse, with several scuffs on the back seat, but the overall quality of the car was spectacular. My father and uncle, from whom I got my "car guy" gene, were also very impressed with the vast improvement in quality of the car, and its interior. Even my stepmother who won't be caught dead in anything less than her X5, loved it.
 
When I returned the car, 360 miles and 3/4 tank of fuel later, I even said to the return clerk that the 300 was a heck of a car. She agreed and said they've been getting better and better cars, which in a small market like Albany is saying something.
 
I've sworn off American cars for a long time, since their quality and general competitiveness have been lacking. This 300 may make me reconsider. Now if they'd put the 8 speed in the 300C or the SRT (both of which are expected for 2013), they may have a buyer.

#476 of 739 . by fintail

Sep 26, 2012 (6:52 pm)

Saw a rental GLK and rental Infiniti M today - both likely Hertz Prestige vehicles.

#477 of 739 objections dropped by steve_ HOST

Sep 28, 2012 (2:43 pm)

Car-rental companies to support legislation on recalls (Detroit Free Press)
 
No word on whether they can still order fleet cars without "standard" safety equipment.

Messages Page 48 of 75

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement