I get full size rental cars for 35/day including the loss waiver, so I tend to rent for long trips when we need to drive for some reason. Our cars are all newer so it is not a reliability issue, it is the potential issue of an accident out of state and all the complications that arise from that. With the rental it is a phone call, replacement car, and off we go.
Vacation Travel Rent Or Use Your Vehicle
- Thread starter Zee09
- Start date
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
Good point that a rental may provide a more efficient solution should trouble arise over a personally owned vehicle.
Renting enough vehicles, I know a different side. The below is one of many examples I can post. Arrived at the airport at midnight, my vehicle was reported to be in space D12. Went to D12 and no vehicle in the space. Return to the rental counter, wait an hour, and get assigned a different vehicle. I am convinced the vehicle I was assigned was different than what the rental car company computer stated.
Three weeks after the rental I received the below notice. I tried to appeal but in vain. Ended up paying the bill involuntarily, it was taken from my credit card. A dispute would have had me blacklisted from rental cars. I have like stories for accident damage, not filling the gas tank, I could go on and on.
Good morning GON:
I am reaching out as the keys to the Toyota 4Runner you returned on Saturday are not in the vehicle and am in hopes that you took them in error. If so can you please mail them back via next day air with FedEx or UPS to the address below to my attention. The average replacement cost for keys are 450.00 dollars and we are trying to avoid the charge. Please let us know any information that will help us track the keys down. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Senior Ops Manager
Avis Budget Group
O’Hare Airport
10255 W. Zemke Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60666
Last edited:
I think the IRS rate right now is 70¢ per mile.
I've typically used enterprise as a corporate customer. They have two brick and mortar locations in my town that are NOT at the airport. Their typical customer is a car crash rental, insurance pays...discounted rates, etc. When you go there as a corporate/personal rental you're generally treated well. Occasionally there has been a hiccup (if I needed to change my pickup time) but it usually ends up with me getting an upgraded vehicle.
I think the airport locations tend to see their customers as transients, captive. Not likely to be repeat customers. Sounds like you were taken advantage of. I've generally had good experiences even at airport locations but I can see how that would sour your perspective.
In the case of a vacation rental, if things didn't work out you could always say goodbye, and use your own vehicle or try a different agency.
My retired/elderly/disabled in-laws drive a giant SUV that they hate because of the size, but they "need" it for one or two road trips they might take per year and might bring two friends or a grandkid. I tried to talk them into renting for those rare occasions. They won't do it because of this one time they tried and couldn't get a car, they freaked out about it, didn't know what to do, etc. At their level of disability they rely on others for 95% of their life but the big SUV, their automotive freedom, and not relying on a rental company is where they draw the line. Single experiences have a way of shaping our behaviors.
Last edited:
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
never understood renting a vehicle unless you get terrible fuel economy. i drove my pickup to and from golden colorado from houston when i was in school. we take one of our accords on any road trips we do now. i have a wedding next month that is about 700 miles away and my 400k mile accord will be making the trip.
My newest rental was a few years ago.... A Chevy Cruze with less than 3000 miles on it. It was spotless inside and out, and I felt bad because the next morning I ran over a piece of debris on the highway and shredded two tires. Destroyed them! So I called the Roadside Assistance number and waited for them to bring me a replacement. It cost me a few hours of waiting time but they never charged me a nickel despite not paying for any damage waivers. I dunno.... Maybe they extended me a courtesy since I'm a member of their rewards program? Not an elite member like GON, but a member nonetheless.
On the other hand.... I've had a few rentals recently that had a ton of miles on them, like 50K+. I've heard of people getting some with more than that even. Yuck! Imagine the stories those cars could tell. They're probably full of smoke and stains and cooties of all kinds.
I figure that if I bought a vehicle, I bought it to use and put miles on.
Renting a vehicle to keep miles off the one that I own seems illogical to me.
Only reason that I could see for renting a vehicle would be for purpose (needing a van to haul a large # of people, for instance) or if the vehicle(s) that I owned were not roadworthy for a long trip.
I rent cars often for long trips. My wife has a small commuter and I have a 4x4 truck. Neither are good for long road trips. Even if we don't save money a brand new big car is worth it when spending 8hrs a day in a vehicle with family.
What does your wife say about 2000 mile road trip ?
My wife would be complaining after 500 miles.
I rent them for things like AWD. I have to travel for work to areas that get a lot of snow and my personal car is a Mustang.
Work will reimburse me for POV miles or the rental.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- May 5, 2018
- Messages
- 20,914
No wifey....What does your wife say about 2000 mile road trip ?
My wife would be complaining after 500 miles.
Yes, trucks get terrible economy and are not nearly as comfortable driving with family for long periods
If some idiot hits my car and is out of service….. getting it repaired is a nightmare if I’m 400 miles away from home.
If my rental gets damaged I leave it for tow truck to recover and I simply take Uber to rental car agency to get replacement. No worries or concerns.
For long trips, yes. Did a baseball tournament in TN and rented because we had more stuff than the Edge could hold and it wasn't miles on that. Got a good rate and went with it. Drove it over 2200 miles in nine days.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
my vehicles aren’t the type that would be repaired. they’re a totaled for anything. wife had a trailer lose a tire in front of her. blew both passenger side tires out (that is literally the extent of the damage) and they totaled the car. bought it back and there a set of wheels and tires on it. been fine for 50k and counting. i don’t ever want a vehicle im afraid to lose. i’d never let them take my truck rather piece it back together if it was totaled.
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2020
- Messages
- 2,093
+1
We are in a similar situation.
One small commuter, one on "antique" car insurance and one motorcycle.
When it's time to hit the road, a large car (Camry/Accord/Sonata/Altima) is usually provided from the rental companies. Far more comfortable, great fuel economy and easily enough room for all our gear. Not to mention the peace of mind knowing that if there's any issues, I can easily swap it out for another car on the spur of the moment. To me, that's the greatest luxury of renting (for a very reasonable cost)!
Last edited:
Time constraints, usually. Some times I had a max of 7 days off, so Flying to Vegas or Miami cut out a day or day-and-a-half drive each way.
I would literally fly to Vegas after my last Day shift and be on the strip that evening. Nor do I want to drive a 2000 mile trip home to be exhausted and need to get up the next day at 3 am for a 12hr shift.
Last edited:
Does Avis not give you the ability at your status to walk down the aisle and pick a vehicle? I'm President's with Hertz and Executive with National (both via credit card bennies FYI...I only rent about twice a year) and I can't remember the last time I had to ever go to a counter to get issued a key unless it is such a small venue that there is no "pick and go" aisle. Your example is ORD where I will skip the counter in less than 2 weeks with National and take my pick.
Similar threads
