Rental Cars! - Do you get looked after??

AndyBoBandy · 16-03-2015 5:40pm #1

So here goes. (This was initially going to be a review of the car I had this last weekend when I went over to the rugby game in Wales (C200 DCI Sport), but I've just decided to do a general rental car thread themed type thing).

I travel quite a bit with work, and as such I rent a lot of cars, I'm at the highest tier level of both Avis & Hertz (10 years plus as a member), and as such, am treated to some decent cars when I rent. When in the U.K. I always use Hertz, and always book an Auto (just the smallest/cheapest on the website, which they never have in stock, so I always get upgraded).

Recent cars rented to me (cars worth a mention anyway) in the last 12 months include;

Mercedes C200 DCI Sport
Volvo XC90 D5 SE LUX
Volvo V40 XC D2 SE LUX
Audi Q3 2.0D S-Line Auto
Mercedes CLS 350 AMG Sport
Mercedes S350
Mercedes E350 AMG Sport Coupe
Mercedes E220 SE Auto
Mercedes C200 CDI Exec
Mercedes ML 350 AMG Sport
Audi A4 2.0D S-Line Estate
Volvo XC60 DE SE LUX
Audi A5 Sportback 3.0D S-Line

These and a whole host of other cars I have driven over the last 12 months, and enjoyed them all.
I do particularly enjoy when on the bus pulling into the rental car village at Manchester airport and there are a few 'business' types on the bus that were on the same Aer Lingus flight as me (I say business types, because I am not a business type, I'm an engineer, and usually travel in a pair of jeans and an old dirty hoody). And as they are getting into their Focus/Golf/Passat/Whatever, They see me rolling past them in a car that wouldn't look out of place in a Bond movie and I'm not going to lie, I enjoy it a little (oh the little things in life).

So anyway, I guess the point of this thread now (as it's not going to be a review of the C220, although now would be a good time to start doing high end car reviews, as there might be a job in it somewhere down the line, maybe with the BBC) is to talk about rental cars, and more specifically the nicer ones that you have driven, whether through luck, or any other means.

Don't get me wrong, I've had some awful pieces of crap too over the years, so I do get my fair share (Dacia Logan & Renault Kangoo in France springs to mind), but I do get looked after as well from time to time.

So, what about you? best/worst rental cars driven?

for me,
best: Mercedes E350 AMG Sport Coupe - what an animal, and then I found the sport mode selector.
worst: Dacia Logan - collected it from Nantes airport, drove into the very next Avis depot on my route and swapped it for a real car.

alias no.9 · 16-03-2015 5:59pm

Andybobandy wrote: »

When in the U.K. I always use Hertz, and always book an Auto (just the smallest/cheapest on the website, which they never have in stock, so I always get upgraded).

Nice angle and I do like a decent autobox but the risk of actually getting something with a 1.0 mated to a CVT sends shivers down my spine and not in a good way

imurdaddy · 16-03-2015 6:07pm

Best : 2012 porsche 911 targa I got for a week in Tuscany as a thank you for been best man for a friend, was amazing car and setting.
worst: lancia epslon eco, id to drive to Pisa Airport for the flight home, no car could have made that drive any better after the 911.

Voodoomelon · 16-03-2015 8:25pm

2010 S350 in Germany. Got pulled by the cops for a random check, bit nerve racking as they were dressed like knackers. I also nearly killed us all at 200kph. Good times.

AndyBoBandy · 16-03-2015 8:32pm

alias no.9 wrote: »

Nice angle and I do like a decent autobox but the risk of actually getting something with a 1.0 mated to a CVT sends shivers down my spine and not in a good way

Well, when I say the cheapest, it's the cheapest that I see when I go to book while logged in, which is always a Volkswagen Jetta Auto.
To this day I have never driven a Volkswagen Jetta.

AndyBoBandy · 16-03-2015 8:35pm

Voodoomelon wrote: »

2010 S350 in Germany. Got pulled by the cops for a random check, bit nerve racking as they were dressed like knackers. I also nearly killed us all at 200kph. Good times.

The S350 I had a few months ago was brand spanking new!! The entire dashboard was just 1 big lcd screen.
Didn't feel like I was driving a car, rather navigating a ship!!

Voodoomelon · 16-03-2015 8:37pm

Andybobandy wrote: »

The S350 I had a few months ago was brand spanking new!! The entire dashboard was just 1 big lcd screen.
Didn't feel like I was driving a car, rather navigating a ship!!

Aye, this was the same back in 2010, brand new bus. Didn't like the S at all; toys were cool but the driving experience is numb. Prefer my E66 any day.

*Kol* · 17-03-2015 12:49am

Whatever car you get the key thing is to take every insurance that's available to make your excess as close to zero as possible.

OldMrBrennan83 · 17-03-2015 12:52am

This post has been deleted.

17-03-2015 1:06am

I use www.arguscarhire.com when renting a car for personal use, really really low cost.

hoodie6029 · 17-03-2015 1:24am

Hired a car for the first time during the train strike a few years ago. I was 24 and extremely chuffed to be handed the keys to a brand new C180!
It's been downhill from there since unfortunately, the ignominy of a Kia Rio saloon 1.5d...

*Kol* · 17-03-2015 1:46am

Augeo wrote: »

I use www.arguscarhire.com when renting a car for personal use, really really low cost.

Don't forget you have a €1200 excess with Argus.

AndyBoBandy · 17-03-2015 10:04am

All the cars I mentioned in the OP were all in the U.K.

In America I've had a few Ford Mustangs including a Shelby GT

markpb · 17-03-2015 10:53am

*Kol* wrote: »

Don't forget you have a €1200 excess with Argus.

And rental companies have a knack of finding that any damage costs the price of your excess to fix. How odd.

Zcott · 17-03-2015 11:07am

Flew to Scotland to get married a few years ago and because I didn't have the paper part of my licence Hertz wouldn't hire me the 107 I'd booked. Avis next door heard about all this and offered to run a phone check on my licence, and then rented me a 2.7 A5 for an extremely discounted price, and I used all 2.7 litres to make it to the wedding on time...

Other half wasn't so lucky, she didn't have any issues renting a Chevrolet Spark, which remains one of the worst cars I have ever driven.

18MonthsaSlave · 17-03-2015 11:43am

*Kol* wrote: »

Don't forget you have a €1200 excess with Argus.

It is more like 1350 on the last two occassions I've rented.

My last 5 day rental in Ireland was under 37 euro all in and the next 5 day rental is about 42euro. I intentionally hired an i10 class car this time around because I've seen Dacia Sanderos on their parking lot and I expect that is what they would give me if I rented a compact.
Last rental car was a 141 Corsa which was horrible and I had to walk back in to the office twice to report additional damage before leaving and I still didn't catch the broken indicator stalk which wouldn't cancel.

*Kol* · 17-03-2015 11:52am

18MonthsaSlave wrote: »

It is more like 1350 on the last two occassions I've rented.

My last 5 day rental in Ireland was under 37 euro all in and the next 5 day rental is about 42euro. I intentionally hired an i10 class car this time around because I've seen Dacia Sanderos on their parking lot and I expect that is what they would give me if I rented a compact.
Last rental car was a 141 Corsa which was horrible and I had to walk back in to the office twice to report additional damage before leaving and I still didn't catch the broken indicator stalk which wouldn't cancel.

That's true. I had to pay €20 extra a day to get the excess to zero.

Crumbs868 · 17-03-2015 12:16pm

*Kol* wrote: »

That's true. I had to pay €20 extra a day to get the excess to zero.

With argus you can reduce to zero for 6 a day(insurance via Allianz).

If you rent a lot you can buy an annual insurance policy against your excess.

18MonthsaSlave · 17-03-2015 12:38pm

Or....you can buy annual excess insurance which is what I've got for 40 euro a year.

gucci · 17-03-2015 1:45pm

18MonthsaSlave wrote: »

Or....you can buy annual excess insurance which is what I've got for 40 euro a year.

Who did you user for that by the way? Would you recommend them or have you been lucky enough to not need to use it

my best car was a diesel Megane (auto) was a decent enough drive, but i was most impressed by the diesel still saying "full" when i drove it from cavan town to the airport!!!

18MonthsaSlave · 17-03-2015 2:57pm

worldwideinsure but haven't had to use them as I'm paranoid about checking the car before driving it off the lot and avoid BudgetCarRental in Dublin like the plague as their cars or rather the cars they have chosen to rent to me are beaten and battered and should have been cycled out of the fleet years before.

gucci · 17-03-2015 3:25pm

I also avoid Budget, as they stung me for a hidden airport collection charge (guts of 50 or 60 euro if i remember) when i used them, and the car was also a complete rattle bag, so never again have i went back to them.
My technique is to try and find a scratch (or even a water mark from a poor wash) no matter how miniscule on each corner before i leave, and get them to mark it on the sheet, so I hopefully have any bumps i may pick up already on the sheet....i have never had to use it yet, but similarly i have never had the rental lads not mark down a scratch no matter how tiny it is on the signing out sheet.

18MonthsaSlave · 17-03-2015 3:37pm

I usually refill maybe 70km from the Airport knowing that the needle will not have dropped by the time I leave it back.
With a Megane Diesel which has a digital LCD fuel gauge if you drove lightly you could have travelled 150 to 200km before the guage drops down to 7/8th full; they might discover afterward that they can put 4 or 5 litres in to the tank but that is after they have given you the receipt with €0.00 for additional charges.

afatbollix · 17-03-2015 3:48pm

I use http://www.carrentals.co.uk/ and http://www.kayak.co.uk/cars

Have to say they both give the best options for seeing every car hire company.

I travel to Dublin alot and got a Quashqi the past 2 rentals which was very nice did about 900km and only used one tank of fuel!

No idea how anyone owns a Opel as the past two rentals in London was a Astra & Moka which were just ****e.

Also if you are renting 5 days + a year go get a yearly excess cover which cost me £40 for £5000 of cover which is loads.

towelly · 17-03-2015 4:52pm

I've never had a problem with Enterprise. I'll never use Avis/Budget unless it's a last resort, I'd prefer to walk.

moby2101 · 17-03-2015 6:59pm

On hols in Los Angeles a couple of years ago, we had booked a Mustang convertible for 6 days, when we landed there weren't any convertibles to be had..ended up just getting dropped to the hotel with the promise that the problem would be rectified the next morning.
They sure know customer service in the good ol US of A!
830 next morning the rep was waiting for us with the paperwork and keys of an M6 convertible!
Drove up and down the coast for the next 5 days!!
Awesome car

For Forks Sake · 17-03-2015 7:17pm

For personal trips I use http://www.izzirent.com/ most of the time, they're a scanner of sorts, tend to throw up a lot of decent deals (€0 excess and the like).

For work we keep changing providers, we're using National/Europcar at the moment who I like, they don't hand you a set of keys, instead you're directed to an area in the carpark and can pick your favourite of what's parked up in that section. Can be motoring russian roulette at times.

markpb · 17-03-2015 8:32pm

gucci wrote: »

I also avoid Budget, as they stung me for a hidden airport collection charge (guts of 50 or 60 euro if i remember)

doesn't every car rental company charge an airport collection charge of about that amount?

alias no.9 · 17-03-2015 9:54pm

My last personal rental was with enterprise out of Stansted.
Booked a chevy aveo 'or similar' and the first bonus was when I asked about adding an extra driver at the desk in the terminal and they did so for free.
Next up was the cabin in the car park where I was told they'd too many bigger cars and would I take one?
Now it was a pretty straightforward journey, about 40 miles each way for a rugby match but the second driver bit was going to allow me have a few drinks but the catch was that too big a car would have been a deal breaker on that front so I settled for an Astra but £15 for a 1 day rental with 2 drivers wasn't bad.

The one before was with Avis out of Malaga, I booked and got a Fiat Panda. The clincher here was time, I use Avis for work and have all my details set up on their Avis Preferred system so were off the plane and on the road within 15 minutes. Our flight slipped 2 hours after booking leaving us very tight on time to get to a wedding. I drove that thing like it was a rental

18-03-2015 12:22am

*Kol* wrote: »

Don't forget you have a €1200 excess with Argus.

I always purchase car hire excess insurance, policy is underwritten by a member of the AXA Assistance group, the argus site links to it. Cheaper than the rental companies policies by quite a tad

paddydriver · 18-03-2015 12:27am

Best has to be the Merc C180 that I rented in Frankfurt Hahn... wasn't so much the car but the fact I then took it to the Nurburgring and hammered around in it. This was a good few years back, wouldn't get away with it now as much cause they have trackers on the car and once you go near the ring then its trouble.

delthedriver · 18-03-2015 12:41am

Cadillac CTS & DTS ( Several times )

Lincoln Town Car

Infiniti Q50 ?

Toyota Land Cruiser

Land Rover

Buicks several models including a 7 seater SUV

Mercedes Benz 8 seater Mini Van several golfing trips

Mazda mx5

Ford Galaxy

Subaru Forrester , Subaru Imprezza

and the list goes on..................

The worst car ever was a Fiat Panda in Crete, which required a push start downhill every morning , once it started , continued running well for rest of the day. Though one day I did a Basil Faulty and promised to give the car a damn good trashing !!!!! LOL:D

testicle · 18-03-2015 12:45am

Alfa Brera, Alfa GT
Lexus GX470

Worst was a Kia Rio.

goz83 · 18-03-2015 1:05am

Best was a Camaro convertible in Vegas. No Stangs available

Worst......i've got selective memory syndrome.

AndyBoBandy · 18-03-2015 7:25am

I'm on my back over to the U.K. this morning and just got the email from Hertz saying that there's an E220 SE 7G Auto waiting for me!!

Unfortunately I'll only have it for about 6 hours

Hard times!!

fricatus · 18-03-2015 10:47am

Our honeymoon in the States, in car terms, was like an evolution from the '90s to the present day.

We started out with a Chevy Aveo in California - windy-up windows and no central locking!!! :eek:

Next up was a Kia Amanti in Vegas... roomy and comfortable, with all the toys, but completely lacking in character.

We destroyed half the front bumper of it against a deer in Utah, and then limped on with one working headlight (and fading daylight) to our destination.

The nearest place to replace her was in Flagstaff, AZ, 180 miles away, so we got up early and plodded along. We got a lovely Chevy Impala, big, all-American, comfortable, all the toys once again, and just a way nicer car than the Kia.

We headed to Pennsylvania for the last few days and imagine my delight at Pittsburgh airport to be handed the keys to a gleaming Ford Taurus. I thought I'd been given the Space Shuttle!

I reckon it's still the nicest car I've ever driven. Being a 2010 model, it's definitely the newest... :rolleyes:

Jude13 · 18-03-2015 11:10am

Had a Merc C class and we couldn't fit our luggage in the boot so some had to go on the back seat. Lovely car other wise, that was in the UK.

I then flew to Ireland and got given a Volvo 60 which just about had the boot space to fit the luggage but was no where near as nice to drive as the c class.

On we went to Cannes where I got given a BMW 3 series, diesel m spec thingy. Fit all the stuff in the boot, it went like the clappers and was by far the best to drive, especially on the cost road to Monaco. I did however manage to grind the car off a pillar in a basement carpark. It went un-noticed by the guy taking the car back in a dark Nice multi storey and I have not heard a word since.

AndyBoBandy · 18-03-2015 3:08pm

Andybobandy wrote: »

I'm on my back over to the U.K. this morning and just got the email from Hertz saying that there's an E220 SE 7G Auto waiting for me

So I got into the E Class this morning and it only had 5 miles on the clock!

In fact Hertz Man had about 6-7 brand new mercy in the bay's this morning!!

18MonthsaSlave · 18-03-2015 4:08pm

This is the time of year for new hire cars. Whenever I've hired in March/April in Germany they've had new cars waiting for me.

AndyBoBandy · 20-05-2015 6:17am

U.K. bound again this morning and just got the email from Hertz that I have an ML 350 AMG Sport waiting for me!

Happy days.

boombang · 20-05-2015 7:03am

Booked a Focus through Hertz in the US yesterday. Was given a Mitsubishi Mirage. I think they offered me something in the class below in an attempt to up sell me. I wasn't in the mood to query what I was given, but it was pitiful in comparison to a Focus. Not that it matters, but I did feel cheated by Hertz.

I don't rent much other than budget, but I was really impressed by a Passat once.

OldMrBrennan83 · 20-05-2015 7:24am

This post has been deleted.

power pants · 20-05-2015 7:56am

rented out a hummer before

Yawlboy · 20-05-2015 9:49am

Booked a Mustang Convertible a few years back with Hertz in Boston but found it was a little too small for three of us and luggage so the following morning they changed it for a Ford Expedition - or the death star as we called it. 11MPG at 55MPH ;-)

Best fun was a Mini Cooper S from Avis that we took to the British Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2003/4 - the roads from the track back to our friends house in Milton Keynes are all twisty and loads of roundabouts etc.

Heading to Texas on Monday and have a Dodge RAM Quad Cab lined up - when in Rome....

_Kaiser_ · 20-05-2015 10:09am

Nicest was probably the Merc E320 I was given one say due to a mix-up in where my own car was being serviced (they booked it into their workshop 40 mins further up the road)
Worst.. little piddly bubble shape Micra

All this talk of Stangs and such has me very jealous! I'd love to get my hands on a new A6 for a weekend though just to see what it's like (can buy it then 6 years or so later

)

biko · 20-05-2015 10:10am

I'm an Emerald Club member with National in Amerikay
Very handy. No need for desk, just go and pick any car you like in their lot and drive off.
I usually go for Dodge cars.

mickdw · 20-05-2015 10:15am

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Nicest was probably the Merc E320 I was given one say due to a mix-up in where my own car was being serviced (they booked it into their workshop 40 mins further up the road)
Worst.. little piddly bubble shape Micra

All this talk of Stangs and such has me very jealous! I'd love to get my hands on a new A6 for a weekend though just to see what it's like (can buy it then 6 years or so later )

Your own one is a better car than 90 percent of the new ones given that the county is full of front drive 2.0 tdi versions.

_Kaiser_ · 20-05-2015 10:18am

mickdw wrote: »

Your own one is a better car than 90 percent of the new ones given that the county is full of front drive 2.0 tdi versions.

You have a point... It's becoming increasingly hard to find one with the spec and engine I have in mine, which is why I keep thinking I'll have to move to an A8 next to retain both.

I don't think I'm quite at the Merc level yet, although I'm 40 this year so who knows!

mickdw · 20-05-2015 10:21am

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

You have a point... It's becoming increasingly hard to find one with the spec and engine I have in mine, which is why I keep thinking I'll have to move to an A8 next to retain both.

I don't think I'm quite at the Merc level yet, although I'm 40 this year so who knows!

Don't be daft. You can have a merc at any age. Just go for one with a bit of performance. Biggest problem is trying to get a dealer to actually talk you when you are not a 60 year old man in a suit.

_Kaiser_ · 20-05-2015 10:27am

mickdw wrote: »

Don't be daft. You can have a merc at any age. Just go for one with a bit of performance. Biggest problem is trying to get a dealer to actually talk you when you are not a 60 year old man in a suit.

There's definitely a big difference though.. the E320 was extremely comfortable but definitely more leisurely about things.. Like driving a barge.

The A6 Quattro I have though is definitely the more sporty/performance oriented of the two.

Given the choice I'll probably stick with Audi a while yet

Tea 1000 · 20-05-2015 11:35am

I've never gotten anything over and above what I ordered/paid for. I've been the very first renter of a car a couple of times, which is nice. And often I'll ask what they have, and pick my favourite or maybe the newest. Yet to get a free upgrade though.
E92 M3 and C6 Corvette ZHZ are the two best though. M3 more enjoyable because of the Autobahn, can't go nuts in Florida in a 'vette, they all drive to the speed limit.

Worst was the boxy shape Fiesta. Horrible car outside and in, and to top it off had none of the cigarette lighter sockets wired up. It was a cost saving for Ford at the time, you had to buy the smokers package to get them wired up. Couldn't charge the Sat Nav so took it back for another car. Got a Punto. Not as refined in the suspension department, but the rest of the car was much nicer.

Rental Cars! - Do you get looked after??

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