the rental-car follow-up

[lagilman]

This morning I returned the rental car to Enterprise, the moment they opened (7:30), mainly to be able to cross it off my 'done' list.

I was greeted by one of the women who works there, about to drive someone back, who asked if I'd need a ride. I said yes, so she waited. Nice. I was greeted in the office by name and asked how everything went. I updated the story, ending with "and then the glove compartment door came off in my hand." The guy - a young man in a rather nice suit - stared at me, utterly deadpan, and then admitted "I'm trying very hard not to laugh."

"It's okay," I said. "We did. Rather hysterically at that point."

End result: I was not charged for the rental, and I watched as they took the car out of service and marked it on the computer as needing repairs from -previous- rental.

Previous to this, the only bad experience I had with a rental from Enterprise was another car (also brand new) that had its emergency brake fail - not dangerous, but worrisome -- and they handled it with the same blend of professionalism and concern. The car itself was sub-par but I am still extremely pleased with the company, and this office in particular.


{this also leads me to believe that it's better to get a 'broken in' car than a brand-new one, when renting.)


(oh, and the guy checking the car in had the same problem with the ignition that I did. So it wasn't "just me." That made me feel much better)

Comments

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

Good to hear you weren't charged for that comedy of errors. What car was it?

[debg.livejournal.com]

I've had nothing but good experiences with Enterprise myself, both here and in Europe. They've been solid as rocks, and they're my first call whenever I need a car. Good people.

(They were also the company who was so happy to hear that we actually preferred a straight shift for our Cannes rental in 1991 that they upgraded us to a tricked out Lancia - three categories up - with no extra cost.)

[lagilman]

Yeah, when an American in Europe says "manual? no problem" the rental companies tend to wet themselves with job. That's how we got the Pretty Beemer, the first trip to Italy.

[debg.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yep. The Isabelle Ajani clone at the Enterprise office at the Nice airport heard Jeannie (she was driving that trip) say "oh, damn, it's an automatic - I was hoping for a straight shift" and literally fell on our necks. That Lancia was kickass for light years - we had a hottie in a Ferarri pull up next to us just outside Avignon to tell us he loved the car.

[chibiaingeal.livejournal.com]

Was it a Ford Focus by chance? There is a known issue about that but Ford sees no reason to recall. I rented one from Enterprise and they ultimately had to tow it away (because nothing me, a male friend, or the Enterprise person did could get the stupid thing unlocked) and give me a different vehicle.

[lagilman]

It was a Kia G-somethingorother. The problem was not with the car itself, which seems to be a very basic putter-about-town vehicle, but the condition this particular car was in. The missing sun visors, which looked to have been ripped off the metal rods, was a major, major issue (try driving in direct sunlight without them, and you'll see what I mean)

The ignition locking issue is one that many cars have - my problem was that none of the usual tricks (pump the gas, turn the wheel) worked.

[cepetit.myopenid.com (from livejournal.com)]

Care to guess who has a substantial interest in Kia's parent company, and where they get their designs? Yep. Ford.

[lagilman]

Again, I can't really find a flaw with the car's DESIGN (many cars have steering locks, and you just have to find the trick around it) but the condition this particular car was in.

[blazedglory.livejournal.com]

Yup. Maintenance is important with any make or model. I can't tell you the make or model of the school car that broke down on me on the Mass Pike with a load of students, but I do remember that the inspection sticker had expired and the maintenance hadn't been done.

And we, too, like Enterprise Rental.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I am somewhat relieved that they at least didn't charge you at all for driving that deathtrap!

[lagilman]

Again, I don't want to call it a 'deathtrap" as if it really were I would not have taken it off the lot. It was just...sub-par and required extra caution when driving in direct sunlight.

"Deathtrap" would be like my old '77 Volare, where the power steering would occasionally die while you were driving.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Or my parent's Ford Large Tin Dog which stalled whenever you pressed the gas pedal too hard. There's a reason I'll never drive a Ford again...