Rental Car Dilemma
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If I rent a car when traveling, I am required by my employers policy to pick the cheapest option. With gas >$5/gal, that is currently full size SUVs. When I arrived yesterday evening, the nice young lady at Enterprise informed me they only had 1 full size SUV and asked if I really needed it.
I explained to her the policy and told her that really, any car would suit me. She told me to go nuts and take whatever else I wanted off the lot. Suddenly a dilemma presented itself:
V8 muscle or open top goodness? Well the weather forecast was perfect this week, so I picked the drop-top Boostang.
First impressions are generally positive, my main gripe is the infotainment system is garbage. Ill have a full review once I've had more time with it (and a chance to test the factory line-lock).
2018 Terrain Denali
2012 Cruze LT
1987 245 DL "Jankvagn" -
@Snuze Ford infotainment is always garbage.
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@Snuze said in Rental Car Dilemma:
I am required by my employers policy to pick the cheapest option. With gas >$5/gal, that is currently full size SUVs.
So, they're just looking at the rental rate per se and not entertaining the possibility that operating costs might make the total cost of the trip similar or lower with a regular car? Sounds like institutional bureaucracy, alright.
That said, last time I checked at any of the airports that I frequent, rental car prices were kinda bonkers regardless of class... and I can definitely imagine an algorithm noticing that the demand was for higher-gas-mileage models while the big boys languished, and adjusting rates accordingly.
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@Ad-absurdum-per-aspera I think you're absolutely right about the algorithm. Also, the price difference wasn't huge, only like $50 over 4 days. But I will give you 3 guesses who my employer is, and the first 2 don't count.
Also, thing thing doesn't get much better mileage than a Tahoe, not with me hammering on it.
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@Snuze said in Rental Car Dilemma:
and a chance to test the factory line-lock
I've tested the factory line lock in a rental GT, it works very well. Enjoy! The high-efficiency junk tires they put on rentals are super smokey.
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@MM54 said in Rental Car Dilemma:
@Snuze said in Rental Car Dilemma:
and a chance to test the factory line-lock
I've tested the factory line lock in a rental GT, it works very well. Enjoy! The high-efficiency junk tires they put on rentals are super smokey.
Rusty Vandura approves this comment.
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@Snuze My program isn’t that market-based. Little cars like the Spark are the cheapest, which big cars are like $100+ per day. My program depends on heavy driving, though, so they want you to take the little cars.
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My company has contract rates. When I went to pick up my last rental, I didn't pay close attention to the rates other than to note that a full-size truck was the cheapest option. So I picked it. No regrets.
But when I got the bill, it was significantly higher than quoted. They charged me an extra mileage fee for going over 200 miles per day. Then I realized that they failed to apply our corporate rates. We have a flat rate with unlimited miles. I got it corrected, saved the company over $200, and still had an F-150 for a few days!
When I was traveling a lot, I had three different Challengers. Never had a chance to pick a Mustang. I'd like to give one a try.
Never discount the possibility that you might live through it.
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@BicycleBuck I don't travel as much as a lot of you guys but I have rented both mustangs and challengers for work and definitely prefer the mustang. The handling on challengers is....iffy....compared to the much more sprightly pony car. At least in the ones I drove which was never the highest performance models.
2020 Gladiator Rubicon (in manual!), 1956 F100 project
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@Zaphod-s-Heart-of-Gold said in Rental Car Dilemma:
@BicycleBuck I don't travel as much as a lot of you guys but I have rented both mustangs and challengers for work and definitely prefer the mustang. The handling on challengers is....iffy....compared to the much more sprightly pony car. At least in the ones I drove which was never the highest performance models.
Handling? What do you need that for? The Challenger presents the most fun you can have in a rental while on the job - the race to 60 from every stop light. They even have the timer built right into the dashboard for you!
Never discount the possibility that you might live through it.
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@BicycleBuck A 2 hour drive through the Pennsylvania backroads presents a much better opportunity to take corners than to test outright acceleration. On that trip I would have much preferred the mustang.
Plus after driving around in a dual motor Tesla 0-60 doesn't mean shit in a rental spec gas car
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@Snuze Lucky dilemma. When I used to rent cars regularly for work I always asked for the challenger they had, but they'd never give it to me. They were saving it for the 'real' customers!
