Rental Car Treatment

[The_Nuke]

General consensus among all who know me is that I’m crazy for taking care of the long term rentals I sometimes have to drive. The way I see it, if I am going to have it for a week or longer, I should treat it like my own if possible/practical. This usually includes, but isn’t necessarily limited to, washing and waxing (nothing big, spray waxes only), changing the oil (but only if it truly needs it), and rotating the tires (again, if really in need of).

Current example is a Hyundai something or another with 8333 miles on it, and what was clearly the factory fill engine oil. According to its owners manual, the oil should have been changed at least 800 miles ago, but in reality probably closer to 4K miles ago. I’m going to have it for another 4 days and likely 350-500 miles, so I did a drain and fill in this morning. What came out was oil that was honestly the 2nd worst example of over-extended motor oil I have ever seen, and the winner wasn’t even oil anymore FWIW.

I have plenty of high quality oils in my stash, so this car got 3 qts of what will likely be the best oil it will ever see (Pennzoil plat). Personally, I don’t think there’s anything crazy about that, but I realize crazy people never think what they do is crazy. So I’m putting it out there for the rest of BITOG land: am I insane?




Also I may have de-contaminated the windshield, back window, and all 4 side glasses with some clay so I could get a proper clean on them. That may be borderline I admit, but dang it I was already pot-committed, it would have been odd NOT to at that point!

 

[Trav]

I drive them normally and keep them clean and auto wash them before returning but no maintenance except checking the oil and washing fluid.
I pay them to borrow it not spend my time on it.

 

[RF Overlord]

You're not crazy, Nuke...well, either that or I'm crazy too.

If I'm going to have a rental car for a long trip, I always clean the windows...dirty windows are a pet peeve of mine. I also check and set the tire pressures as necessary.

Oh yeah, I check all the exterior lamps. I don't want to show up on Live PD.

 

[dlundblad]

You're a nicer human than me. Assuming I checked the oil, assuming it was below the add mark and assuming I would have it long enough to deem it an issue, I MIGHT add some oil.

No washing, waxing etc. from me, but I wouldn't intentionally get it dirty. Maybe some dirt road and bug grime?

It's the rental company's job to make certain the things you are graciously taking care of (paying for) have been taken care of. Anything other than that, they are taking advantage of your hospitality IMO. Once again, you're a nicer human than me. Heck, if I had to add oil, I would tell them and want compensated!

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I drive them normally and keep them clean and auto wash them before returning but no maintenance except checking the oil and washing fluid.
I pay them to borrow it not spend my time on it.


Okay okay..

I would return it in the condition I received it. Clean or dirty, but with a full tank of gas.

I don't eat/ drink (other than water) in the car anyways so the interior wouldn't get trashed.

 

[SatinSilver]

I had a long term rental through Toyota. A Yaris that was due for it's first 5k oil change. I brought it back to the dealer for them to service. At first they tried to put me off but I said I can wait for it. Oil change, rotation, car wash, fluid checks, tire pressure etc. I was going to have it for a few more weeks.

 

[JamesBond]

If possible I wipe down interior surfaces that I will touch, inside of the windows, check/top up oil and set tire pressure.

I did wash one once and the women in my life though I was crazy. In my defense there was a different color mark on the bumper that looked like a scuff and I didn't want to get charged for it. Once I cleaned that off I figured I should do the rest since it was filthy.

Change oil...nope.

 

[newbe46]

Are you also planning on doing a used oil analysis on that oil you drain out from the rental?

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
If possible I wipe down interior surfaces that I will touch, inside of the windows, check/top up oil and set tire pressure.

I did wash one once and the women in my life though I was crazy. In my defense there was a different color mark on the bumper that looked like a scuff and I didn't want to get charged for it. Once I cleaned that off I figured I should do the rest since it was filthy.

Change oil...nope.


There's a rumor going around that I even busted out the DA polisher and some Megs Ultimate Compound once to get rid of a few severe clear coat scratches on one rental I had last year. I can neither confirm nor deny that such an event ever took place, but I will say that when I got done, what looked like a body panel in need of a repainting looked like a body panel that just rolled off the factory floor.

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted By: newbe46
Are you also planning on doing a used oil analysis on that oil you drain out from the rental?


I am not, but man, I REALLY want to...if for no other reason than to just see how bad off that stuff is.

Seriously, it's blacker than 2 midnights in a jug, extremely frothy when poured from any container into another one, doesn't smell like oil at all (actually smells like gasoline that's been contaminated with some WD-40...really!), and has the feel of not quite water but not any kind of lubricating fluid either (let's call it melted butter). Fortunately, I do not know what it tastes like, though I guess I could intentionally touch a spot of it to my tongue...no, no, I better not do that, THAT would be crazy!

 

[parshisa]

you are a good man. And I greatly appreciate your effort to make this world better. I wish everyone would do something nice like you do

 

[gathermewool]

makes no sense to me. The likelihood of the car seizing or not serving you well for the duration is incredibly small, so long as the sump is full and all fluids are within their specified level/pressure band. If there was sludge in the sump, I'd return the rental if I needed it for travel. I sometimes check under the hood during the walk-around (looking for damage) and I only remember once seeing a car that needed oil. I needed to go and they didn't have anything else in the sub-compact range, so they kindly offered to reimburse me for adding a quart of oil later, which they did.

Besides, the oil you so thoughtfully changed out (serious, not sarcastic) may be changed soon after you return the car, even if you tell the person that there's fresh oil in there. Not that it's for sure; however, I don't recall being in many rentals that didn't have an oil change sticker in the top left corner of the windshield. I remember at least one larger rental place that had a multi-bay shop for cleaning/maintaining (I believe I recall lifts in some of the bays), but still put up the stickers (e.g., there's an Enterprise near STL airport that was huge and seemed to run everything like a well-oiled machine, from incredibly fast checkout (with reservation) and returns to lot maintenance and crew.

I've also patronized smaller places, with only a dozen or so vehicles, and only one single-bay garage. I doubt that place does the oil changes there, but I have seen them pull returned cars into the garage for a quick detailing, which I think is the only purpose of that bay.

Down in FL we got a minivan with what looked to be a blood stain in it that obviously hadn't been detailed recently. We tried to reject it, but they were booked solid and we were far from home. They had actually initially tried to bait-and-switch us into a much larger passenger van than we needed (they had three passenger vans available) when we arrived from the airport, kids in tow and cranky. The minivan size we had specified was perfectly sized for our needs and, after rejecting the too-large vans, they just so happened to find one while we waited - likely the reason for the lack of detailing. We attempted to clean the stain before strapping-in the car seat, but didn't touch the rest of the van. We were heartened that the stain didn't change, and may have been there a while. We would be driving hundreds of miles in it, so I did check the oil, lights, pressures, etc., all of which were fine (it was a half quart low, but I didn't see a reason to waste my own money when it was in-spec and then stayed in-spec the whole trip.)

Besides that mini-van and an obviously-heavily-smoked-in Lancer way back when (which also had a shot suspension and the most miles I've ever seen on a rental that was still in-service), I've never taken a rental that wasn't at least moderately well detailed. I've found old hair brushes, money and receipts shoved here and there, but nothing that was "dirty", except for the above two examples, IIRC.

So, while it makes sense to ensure the ride is safe and not a hazard, it makes no sense to do unnecessary maintenance on a vehicle which is maintained well enough to service the industry for which it was purchased. If they deem it good enough to rent out and I don't see any obvious hazards, then I see no practical reason to do anything more than ensure it doesn't arrive with less gas or a dirtier interior than when you rented it.

 

[CincyDavid]

I'd be afraid to touch a rental for any sort of fluid change(s)...it's not my car and as a property rights/liability issue, what if that oil change went awry and the engine went *kaboom*??? I always buy the deal where I can return it on fumes and not even worry about filling the tank.

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
makes no sense to me. The likelihood of the car seizing or not serving you well for the duration is incredibly small, so long as the sump is full and all fluids are within their specified level/pressure band. If there was sludge in the sump, I'd return the rental if I needed it for travel. I sometimes check under the hood during the walk-around (looking for damage) and I only remember once seeing a car that needed oil. I needed to go and they didn't have anything else in the sub-compact range, so they kindly offered to reimburse me for adding a quart of oil later, which they did.

Besides, the oil you so thoughtfully changed out (serious, not sarcastic) may be changed soon after you return the car, even if you tell the person that there's fresh oil in there. Not that it's for sure; however, I don't recall being in many rentals that didn't have an oil change sticker in the top left corner of the windshield. I remember at least one larger rental place that had a multi-bay shop for cleaning/maintaining (I believe I recall lifts in some of the bays), but still put up the stickers (e.g., there's an Enterprise near STL airport that was huge and seemed to run everything like a well-oiled machine, from incredibly fast checkout (with reservation) and returns to lot maintenance and crew.

I've also patronized smaller places, with only a dozen or so vehicles, and only one single-bay garage. I doubt that place does the oil changes there, but I have seen them pull returned cars into the garage for a quick detailing, which I think is the only purpose of that bay.

Down in FL we got a minivan with what looked to be a blood stain in it that obviously hadn't been detailed recently. We tried to reject it, but they were booked solid and we were far from home. They had actually initially tried to bait-and-switch us into a much larger passenger van than we needed (they had three passenger vans available) when we arrived from the airport, kids in tow and cranky. The minivan size we had specified was perfectly sized for our needs and, after rejecting the too-large vans, they just so happened to find one while we waited - likely the reason for the lack of detailing. We attempted to clean the stain before strapping-in the car seat, but didn't touch the rest of the van. We were heartened that the stain didn't change, and may have been there a while. We would be driving hundreds of miles in it, so I did check the oil, lights, pressures, etc., all of which were fine (it was a half quart low, but I didn't see a reason to waste my own money when it was in-spec and then stayed in-spec the whole trip.)

Besides that mini-van and an obviously-heavily-smoked-in Lancer way back when (which also had a shot suspension and the most miles I've ever seen on a rental that was still in-service), I've never taken a rental that wasn't at least moderately well detailed. I've found old hair brushes, money and receipts shoved here and there, but nothing that was "dirty", except for the above two examples, IIRC.

So, while it makes sense to ensure the ride is safe and not a hazard, it makes no sense to do unnecessary maintenance on a vehicle which is maintained well enough to service the industry for which it was purchased. If they deem it good enough to rent out and I don't see any obvious hazards, then I see no practical reason to do anything more than ensure it doesn't arrive with less gas or a dirtier interior than when you rented it.



I completely agree that it's non-sensical behavior and shouldn't be used as an example for others to model their own after. I certainly don't tell the rental places I've done anything special to the vehicles when I return them, so the argument could be made i'm even ashamed of it to some degree.

Still though, it goes against everything I feel is right and normal in the universe for me to observe an automotive scenario which could benefit from my intervention but in which i do nothing and let go on as-is.

I think i've just answered my own question...I am crazy...but I'm still gonna keep doing it!

I reckon it has something to do with what @parshisa alluded to - I just want to leave this world in a little better shape than it was in when I found it.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: The_Nuke
I reckon it has something to do with what @parshisa alluded to - I just want to leave this world in a little better shape than it was in when I found it.


If this bleeds over into your everyday actions, then good on you - seriously!

The point that you make is clear, though: regardless of whether it's a safety issue, a perceived issue or an OCD tick, we need to make it right for our own peace of mind...even if it doesn't actually help anyone else.

 

[cjcride]

You can rent my Corolla anytime you want Nuke.

 

[pbm]

The rental company will probably drain out that PP soon as part of a 10K service....I wouldn't do that maintenance to a rental car.

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted By: CincyDavid
I'd be afraid to touch a rental for any sort of fluid change(s)...it's not my car and as a property rights/liability issue, what if that oil change went awry and the engine went *kaboom*??? I always buy the deal where I can return it on fumes and not even worry about filling the tank.


That's what their insurance is for - unforseen accidents that result in the vehicle becoming unusable

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted By: pbm
The rental company will probably drain out that PP soon as part of a 10K service....I wouldn't do that maintenance to a rental car.


I fully expect that they will...I hope they will anyway, because that would mean they are paying attention to the maintenance intervals somewhat.

But still, the thought of me driving it for a week in stop and go traffic for > 500 miles on what I could clearly see was inadequate lubrication, well, that just wasn't an option in my mind.

 

[Wolf359]

Changing the oil is a little over the top. I'd just call the rental car company and ask for another car while they take that one back to do maintenance on it. I can see just adding oil if it's a little low and washing it.