Re: Car Rental - What Would You Do?
retired trucker
> You rent a car at a major airport.
>
> You're planning on driving 1,500 miles in several days.
>
> Then 100 miles out of the city center the change oil light comes on in
> the rental car.
>
> It's too impractical to return to the specific location you rented the
> car from, but it's a major chain and there are locations all over the
> place. So you call the 800 number and......
>
> Well? What do you do?
Request another car at the next location convienent to ME!
MLOM
> You rent a car at a major airport.
>
> You're planning on driving 1,500 miles in several days.
>
> Then 100 miles out of the city center the change oil light comes on in
> the rental car.
>
> It's too impractical to return to the specific location you rented the
> car from, but it's a major chain and there are locations all over the
> place. So you call the 800 number and......
>
> Well? What do you do?
The call to the 800 number is a good start. That way you can explain
the situation to the individual on duty and make some sort of
arrangement for an alternate dropoff/exchange location. Major chains
would have a database which would allow for any necessary adjustments
on the contract. I've made adjustments before in renting trucks: not
a real big deal.
Alternate idea: if it is a change oil light, spending an extra Jackson
or so to get the oil changed would save hassling the rental techs -
and the car would be good for the remaining 1,400 miles of the trip.
The rental documents might list some recommended oil change locations.
Car rental agencies have worked so many contracts that no situation
will arise that would surprise them. I had a rental car have a flat
tire once: they set up an exchange without question.
Pleasure doing business with you. :)
retired trucker
comfortably drive, after a day of driving (600 mi from orgin) I called
the 800# and inquired about a change, my intention was to drive to the
next location and change vehicles but noooo, they insisted on bringing
the new vehicle to me for the exchange, a 120 mi round trip!! Now
thats customer service!!
Michael Hale
> You rent a car at a major airport.
>
> You're planning on driving 1,500 miles in several days.
>
> Then 100 miles out of the city center the change oil light comes on in
> the rental car.
>
> It's too impractical to return to the specific location you rented the
> car from, but it's a major chain and there are locations all over the
> place. So you call the 800 number and......
>
> Well? What do you do?
Had the AC go out in July in a rental from Hertz. Called the 800 number
and they told me to come to the closest Hertz location for an exchange.
The location closest to me did not have the same class car that I had
originally rented, only one class larger (it was a smaller Hertz
location). I ended up getting an upgrade in class at no charge.
Definitely call the rental company and arrange for an exchange. Remember
that the oil light on some cars is a reminder to get the oil changed.
However, on some cars the oil light is a warning for low oil level, low
oil pressure or the like. None of which are conducive to you having a
good trip, or the engine surviving long term....
H.B. Elkins
>
>You rent a car at a major airport.
>
>You're planning on driving 1,500 miles in several days.
>
>Then 100 miles out of the city center the change oil light comes on in
>the rental car.
>
>It's too impractical to return to the specific location you rented the
>car from, but it's a major chain and there are locations all over the
>place. So you call the 800 number and......
>
>Well? What do you do?
Nothing. It should be the rental company's responsibility to keep service
current on its fleet.
--
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SP Cook
wrote:
> On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:56:51 -0700 (PDT), Jason Pawloski wrote:
>
> >You rent a car at a major airport.
>
> >You're planning on driving 1,500 miles in several days.
>
> >Then 100 miles out of the city center the change oil light comes on in
> >the rental car.
> >Well? What do you do?
>
> Nothing. It should be the rental company's responsibility to keep service
> current on its fleet.
>
Agree.
The oil change light just clicks on at 5K miles. It has no
relationship to any computer or sensor or whatever actually knowing an
oil change is due. If you can figure out how to reset it, just reset
it.
SP Cook
Josh
wrote:
I would probably call the agency anyway, just to be sure I'm absolved
of all responsibility -- I wouldn't hesitate to drive my own car a
thousand or more miles past an "oil change" reminder (when it's
mileage based, less so with the more sophisticated counters that Honda
and others use that track engine rpm ranges, temperatures, etc), but
some people believe a car will seize up 1 mile past that Jiffy-Lube
"3000 miles" sticker, and I wouldn't want to deal with an ornery
rental agent at the return location. Let the agency tell me (and note
in their records) whether they want me to exchange the car, take it to
a repair shop (they'd better be prepared to give a good discount for
doing so), or ignore it. But in any case, if there is a problem with
the car later on, I'd rather point to what they told me to do...
Josh
John David Galt
> You rent a car at a major airport.
>
> You're planning on driving 1,500 miles in several days.
>
> Then 100 miles out of the city center the change oil light comes on in
> the rental car.
I've never seen a car with a "CHANGE OIL" light. If it's a reminder
light saying "SERVICE" I just ignore it. If it's the CHECK ENGINE light
then I'd call the people I rented the car from: they should be able to
send you to a nearby branch where you can swap the car for another.
> It's too impractical to return to the specific location you rented the
> car from, but it's a major chain and there are locations all over the
> place. So you call the 800 number and......
>
> Well? What do you do?
The 800 number sounds worth trying, but if it's one of those "Press 1
to wait on hold for an hour" machines, hang up and call the office you
rented the car from.
richard
>You rent a car at a major airport.
>
>You're planning on driving 1,500 miles in several days.
>
>Then 100 miles out of the city center the change oil light comes on in
>the rental car.
>
>It's too impractical to return to the specific location you rented the
>car from, but it's a major chain and there are locations all over the
>place. So you call the 800 number and......
>
>Well? What do you do?
If it is on constantly then I'd stop and check the fuel cap.
Check the vehic le and see if it has a manual, if it does, find out
what it says for the light. My safari's light has several coded
signals. A steady light means the fuel cap sensor has detected fuel in
between the cap and lid.
If it has onstar, press the damn button and ask them to check the
engine.
When you stop for fuel, check the oil and water.
If it's not making any obvious unusual noises, continue on. When stop
for the night, call the 800 number and ask what the best option is.
Cyclone Ranger
> Alternate idea: if it is a change oil light, spending an extra Jackson
> or so to get the oil changed would save hassling the rental techs -
> and the car would be good for the remaining 1,400 miles of the trip.
> The rental documents might list some recommended oil change locations.
Under no circumstance would I change or have someone change the oil.
The only thing I'd do under the hood is add bug juice if I needed it.
I don't need to be made complicit in any service deficiencies, and
we've all heard about Jiffy Lube underfilling/forgetting the drain
plug/etc.
Larry Sheldon
> we've all heard about Jiffy Lube underfilling/forgetting the drain
> plug/etc.
Has that ever happened to you? To some one you know?
Yes I have heard. No, it has never happened to me (the check and double
check procedures they use at the one where I trade would require several
people working carefully together to make (much less "allow") that kind
of error. And no, I don't know anybodey that has had that happen to them.
Now. Some brand dealerships? That is another story.
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