Rental Cars - how do you treat them?

I treat rentals as if they were mine. I was not brought up to abuse someone else's property and feel it is just wrong to beat on a newer car just because you can. Rental rates are fairly reasonable and it's the losers that abuse the privilege that make others pay more for the overall cost. People that take advantage of beating up rentals probably take advantage of other things too just because they can get away with it. I just think its wrong.
 
I do about 100 rental days a year. I tend to test their acceleration performance, but no more than I do my own vehicles. I drive them normally, and pick up my trash inside before I return them. However, they are getting whatever the cheapest regular gas I can find, and I never check the oil. I don't even open the hood unless I want to see what motor is in it.
 
I treat rentals as if they were my own car. I'll check the fluids, and sometimes the tire pressure (just like my own car), and if there is an issue, I'll report it to the rental agency.
 
I had a rental in Munich and I drove that a lot faster than I drive my cars at home. Primarily because there was no speed limit and my senior managers with me both fell asleep.
 
I felt bad when I had a rental in Florida and ran over a piece of debris on the road, while it was still dark in the morning. Shredded two tires! And this was the very newest car I had ever rented, less than 3000 miles on it. So they sent me a flatbed from JAX with a replacement car on it and traded, no questions asked. Didn't cost me a dime.
 
Depends on the vehicle. Something like a minivan or SUV, treat it nice. Random piece of crap econobox like a Nissan Maxima or Dodge Journey? We're doin multiple redlines a day.
 
I treat rentals with respect. I won't even put cheap gas in a rental. To mistreat a rental car is a reflection of a person's character.

Scott
I mean....I don't take them above redline or anything.

But I'm definitely going to floor it. I need to understand the capabilities before I go merging into traffic ;)

As for cheap gas, I put the cheapest available that is convenient to my location. It all comes from the same tank farm most likely. I would never knowingly put gas in that was going to cause any sort of problem. But I won't go out of my way to find Top Tier or anything.
 
I do about 100 rental days a year. I tend to test their acceleration performance, but no more than I do my own vehicles. I drive them normally, and pick up my trash inside before I return them. However, they are getting whatever the cheapest regular gas I can find, and I never check the oil. I don't even open the hood unless I want to see what motor is in it.
Ah, checking the oil is one thing I will do. A long time ago (late 90s) I had a rental Ford Contour that I drove from San Jose to Chico, CA and when I stopped to fill it up in Chico, the dipstick barely registered. Took a quart and a half to fill it up. So since then, if I'm going any sort of distance like say more than an hour away, I stop and check. It's more self preservation than a desire to care for the car. I don't want to have have my trip interrupted by a mechanical failure due to insufficient oil quantity.
 
I can neither confirm nor deny that in the late 90's a group of folks working in the 12v electronics industry swapped the interiors of 2 rental Dodge Neon's. One grey one beige. The grey one went back with a beige interior and the beige one went back with the grey.

Don't host a large car stereo show in a boring town with nothing to do after hours and have a group of skilled people with tools....and beer.

To be young and stupid.
 
If I am going to drive any significant miles I check the tire pressure and fluids. I have rented some cars that have like 13psi in one or more tires. If it smells at all like tobacco when I get it I make sure to note that when I check out. Lots of pictures of any flaws. Otherwise I drive like I normally drive.
 
I mean....I don't take them above redline or anything.

But I'm definitely going to floor it. I need to understand the capabilities before I go merging into traffic ;)

As for cheap gas, I put the cheapest available that is convenient to my location. It all comes from the same tank farm most likely. I would never knowingly put gas in that was going to cause any sort of problem. But I won't go out of my way to find Top Tier or anything.
So long as you're not revving the engine cold I don't see a problem with what you're doing. Nor do I have an issue using "inexpensive" gasoline. My primary reason for using major brands is because I trust the security of their pay at the pump system more than I do those of a convenience store.

The OP said, "...so I would routinely throw them into park in the interstate to test our product..." and "Brake stands and burnouts just to see if it will do it."

You flooring it is nothing like that.

Scott
 
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