rental car WAY overfilled on oil...

Status
Not open for further replies.
What do you think the rental company would say if you suggested you might drain some oil out?
 
Originally Posted By: expat
What do you think the rental company would say if you suggested you might drain some oil out?


They'd think you were crazy and would black flag you in their database to ensure that they'd never rent anything to you anywhere ever again.
 
Originally Posted By: expat
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: expat
I wonder just how many renters lift the hood to check.

Likely less than 1%


The last rental car I opened the hood! I wanted to see the condition of the oil - should have taken pics. The window sticker said the car was overdue by at least 10K miles (pushing 15K on the oil change). The oil was super thick feeling and it was blacker than used diesel oil. The engine made a horrible racket until it was running for 30+ minutes.

It also had tires worn to the cords, heater stuck on full blast ...


I was once given a Uhaul like that for a 3k one way trip. I think they wanted it off their lot.
Unfortunately I did not realise how sick it was until I had it loaded, and did not want to have to unload and re load to another truck in poor weather.

I put 5 liters of oil in that V10 over the course of the trip. They did re-emberse me, but it was a worry.


Uhaul is horrible for maintenance. They simply do not maintain anything.
 
Some people check as a matter of habit or before leaving on a trip. I'd let them know when dropping off the car unless I was worried about driving it.
 
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I don't care if I'm driving my own car, or a rental, or indeed a friend or family member's car. I always check under the hood. If something goes wrong, that could have been easily prevented, I'm not going to risk it or waste hours of my time on the side of the road waiting on a wrecker.

When I was back in CA last month, I had a rental '16 Passat 1.8 TSI that was ticking like crazy. A quick look under the hood - the oil was right on the full mark, but pitch dark and "watered down". So I called the rental company, and was told if I had the oil changed, I would be reimbursed. Picked up 6 quarts of German Castrol 0W-40 from Walmart for $38.93 and an OEM 06L-115-562 filter from the VW dealer for $10, changed it myself and presented both receipts when I returned the car. They refunded $48.93 back to my credit card.

Often times, I try and hand pick what I'm renting where possible. Although I've had no issues with companies like Avis or Budget, some of the smaller places like Fox or Firefly tend to have slightly older vehicles that appear to have been maintained on a very tight budget. Nothing like a fleet with no brand tires and squeaky brake pads!


I question the logic of doing this yourself...you didnt get paid for labor..probably a better idea to have a dealer change it or not bother at all. The whole point of a rental is not having to maintain it. I get checking oil and air pressure..but as long as it aint empty I aint doing nothing with it.


This is another case of BITOG non sense. Why would one assume liability for performing maintenance on a car you are renting? The poster said the "oil looked black". The poster must have a great set of fingers to rub some oil between them and come up with such a analysis. Since when is the color of oil an indication of the condition without performing tests? What is done on this board in the name of oil is astonishing....quite frankly!



Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Who cares.
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I don't care if I'm driving my own car, or a rental, or indeed a friend or family member's car. I always check under the hood. If something goes wrong, that could have been easily prevented, I'm not going to risk it or waste hours of my time on the side of the road waiting on a wrecker.

When I was back in CA last month, I had a rental '16 Passat 1.8 TSI that was ticking like crazy. A quick look under the hood - the oil was right on the full mark, but pitch dark and "watered down". So I called the rental company, and was told if I had the oil changed, I would be reimbursed. Picked up 6 quarts of German Castrol 0W-40 from Walmart for $38.93 and an OEM 06L-115-562 filter from the VW dealer for $10, changed it myself and presented both receipts when I returned the car. They refunded $48.93 back to my credit card.

Often times, I try and hand pick what I'm renting where possible. Although I've had no issues with companies like Avis or Budget, some of the smaller places like Fox or Firefly tend to have slightly older vehicles that appear to have been maintained on a very tight budget. Nothing like a fleet with no brand tires and squeaky brake pads!


I just don't see how they can do that. Seems like a real good way to get free oil changes for life with premium oil of my choice for my own vehicle. Change my own oil, present receipts, get paid...how do they know if the rental oil got changed?

I would NEVER do this...but the rental company logic seems to have some gaping holes welcoming fraud.

Personally I would never pop the hood unless the engine was making some seriously bad noises and I was afraid of getting stranded. I am paying to NOT maintain a car I am driving.
 
Originally Posted By: DriveHard
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I don't care if I'm driving my own car, or a rental, or indeed a friend or family member's car. I always check under the hood. If something goes wrong, that could have been easily prevented, I'm not going to risk it or waste hours of my time on the side of the road waiting on a wrecker.

When I was back in CA last month, I had a rental '16 Passat 1.8 TSI that was ticking like crazy. A quick look under the hood - the oil was right on the full mark, but pitch dark and "watered down". So I called the rental company, and was told if I had the oil changed, I would be reimbursed. Picked up 6 quarts of German Castrol 0W-40 from Walmart for $38.93 and an OEM 06L-115-562 filter from the VW dealer for $10, changed it myself and presented both receipts when I returned the car. They refunded $48.93 back to my credit card.

Often times, I try and hand pick what I'm renting where possible. Although I've had no issues with companies like Avis or Budget, some of the smaller places like Fox or Firefly tend to have slightly older vehicles that appear to have been maintained on a very tight budget. Nothing like a fleet with no brand tires and squeaky brake pads!


I just don't see how they can do that. Seems like a real good way to get free oil changes for life with premium oil of my choice for my own vehicle. Change my own oil, present receipts, get paid...how do they know if the rental oil got changed?

I would NEVER do this...but the rental company logic seems to have some gaping holes welcoming fraud.

Personally I would never pop the hood unless the engine was making some seriously bad noises and I was afraid of getting stranded. I am paying to NOT maintain a car I am driving.


I think some would follow the old addage of thoroughly inspecting a car they are about to drive. Now, while that could be called simply a full walkaround, I'm not going to say that opening the hood and checking the oil level is wrong. Possible a simple precaution. May be thinking, Hey, if this engine locks up while I am driving it, I have some explaining to do, so let's see if it needs some oil. Not that it would, but you can't be overly cautious!

Quote:
Nothing like a fleet with no brand tires and squeaky brake pads!


Define fleet please, some here seem to think a fleet is a van or two!
 
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I don't care if I'm driving my own car, or a rental, or indeed a friend or family member's car. I always check under the hood. If something goes wrong, that could have been easily prevented, I'm not going to risk it or waste hours of my time on the side of the road waiting on a wrecker.

When I was back in CA last month, I had a rental '16 Passat 1.8 TSI that was ticking like crazy. A quick look under the hood - the oil was right on the full mark, but pitch dark and "watered down". So I called the rental company, and was told if I had the oil changed, I would be reimbursed. Picked up 6 quarts of German Castrol 0W-40 from Walmart for $38.93 and an OEM 06L-115-562 filter from the VW dealer for $10, changed it myself and presented both receipts when I returned the car. They refunded $48.93 back to my credit card.

Often times, I try and hand pick what I'm renting where possible. Although I've had no issues with companies like Avis or Budget, some of the smaller places like Fox or Firefly tend to have slightly older vehicles that appear to have been maintained on a very tight budget. Nothing like a fleet with no brand tires and squeaky brake pads!


I question the logic of doing this yourself...you didnt get paid for labor..probably a better idea to have a dealer change it or not bother at all. The whole point of a rental is not having to maintain it. I get checking oil and air pressure..but as long as it aint empty I aint doing nothing with it.


This is another case of BITOG non sense. Why would one assume liability for performing maintenance on a car you are renting? The poster said the "oil looked black". The poster must have a great set of fingers to rub some oil between them and come up with such a analysis. Since when is the color of oil an indication of the condition without performing tests? What is done on this board in the name of oil is astonishing....quite frankly!


1. Thank you for your opinion.

2. You're naturally entitled to your own opinion of some form or another.

3. I could care less about your opinion.

4. Thank you for complimenting on my fingers, little did I know I had super powers!

5. It's my time and money. Someone brought up I wasn't paid labor, I'm not bothered.


Everybody is weird in their own unique way here, and to me, that's what makes BITOG worthwhile. Some people have the xW-20 f3tish, complimented by a Fram Ultra filter. To others, Toyota is God and Group III basestock is the best thing since sliced bread. Either way, none of that is any of my business.

Personally, I dislike driving cars that are not "clean" based on my own set of "standards", and I dislike driving cars that have what I consider "faults" - black oil and ticking lifters being two simple examples. Whether said vehicle is registered in my own name, or Daffy Duck is not of any concern, so long I am the one behind the wheel. Whether you judge me on that or not, I am without a care in the world.

If you're going to act like an Internet tough guy, judge a group of people based on what goes on in your head, backed by stuff you've read about online with barely any shop tech to back it up, please, do us a favor and save yourself the hassle.
 
I once rented a box van from [XXXXXXX] to move my sister-in-law 90 miles from here. This is from East Tennessee to Western NC and back across the mountain. I don't know if anyone has ever been on I-26 but if you have, you know the mountain I'm talking about.

I asked for a van with the best tires because they were expecting snowfall that weekend. One of the vans looked like it was newer and in better condition but bad bald tires.

Anyway, the van was doing OK empty going up the mountain but on the way back loaded (on flat land) before heading back down the mountain, the CEL starting flashing and the engine was running rough. I've seen CELs kick on but not flash. When I got home I Googled it and it said "random misfire, have serviced immediately".

OK, so what was I supposed to do? Call Budget and have them bring me another truck and unload her stuff from one van to another along side the road or a gas station?

Once I got starting going down the mountain, the van stopped misfiring.

I wondered if I had way too much stuff crammed into this van but apparently not. The following day we went back to get another load. Once again halfway up the mountain, the van started misfiring again! Then at some point started running fine.

The misfiring occurred unloaded, on flat land and other times when it was not misfiring, the van actually had more stuff in it and I was going up a mountain under a heavy load.

After the first day, I considered stopping by the dealer and telling him what the van was doing and if he could give me another van. I did not. Reason: When I rented the van, the guy had me fill out and sign an excess amount of paperwork. I think it took me 2 hours to do the paperwork yet 2 hours to drive to my sister-in-laws house.

I was really pushed for time. It was in January, cold, expected snowfall, shortest daylight of the year, etc.

Isn't everyone "pushed" when they have to move from a rental property? Everybody I have always helped has had 2 days to get their stuff out...

So I used the van a second day. Misfiring again!

I dropped it off Monday morning and never said a thing to guy. Why should I? I bet this van was misfiring on the last guy who rented it and he never said a thing. Maybe for fear the dealer would charge him for repairs. I can't say I blame him.

The guy at the rental place said I was the last person who would be renting this van and that it was being taken to Nashville to be sold at auction.
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I don't care if I'm driving my own car, or a rental, or indeed a friend or family member's car. I always check under the hood. If something goes wrong, that could have been easily prevented, I'm not going to risk it or waste hours of my time on the side of the road waiting on a wrecker.



I do and feel the exact same way. The vehicle is under my watch so I am responsible for it.

So far all the vehicles I rented from Enterprise and Hertz have been good and I have taken them on very long trips. Enterprise recently told me they stop renting vehicles and put them up for sale when they get to 46K miles. It seems Enterprise services their vehicles every 5K miles.
 
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
I rented a 2015 Durango for a week out west - and 1200 miles into my trip (and a few thousand miles since its last oil change, from what I could tell) I checked the oil. 1-1/2 inches Above the full line. 3.6 PentaStar engine. now that was a dilemma! I was way up in the mountains with no access to tools or anyone that could assist... what does one do?



It's a POS Mopar. Abuse the living you know what out of it and return it. Not your job to worry about their vehicle.
 
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
I rented a 2015 Durango for a week out west - and 1200 miles into my trip (and a few thousand miles since its last oil change, from what I could tell) I checked the oil. 1-1/2 inches Above the full line. 3.6 PentaStar engine. now that was a dilemma! I was way up in the mountains with no access to tools or anyone that could assist... what does one do?



I have a 2014 Durango with the V6 and see similar results on the dipstick when it has been sitting. You can't check the oil accurately until you wipe the oil from the dipstick that creeps up while sitting. Wipe it, stick it back in, then you should get an accurate measurement.

Wayne
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I don't care if I'm driving my own car, or a rental, or indeed a friend or family member's car. I always check under the hood. If something goes wrong, that could have been easily prevented, I'm not going to risk it or waste hours of my time on the side of the road waiting on a wrecker.

When I was back in CA last month, I had a rental '16 Passat 1.8 TSI that was ticking like crazy. A quick look under the hood - the oil was right on the full mark, but pitch dark and "watered down". So I called the rental company, and was told if I had the oil changed, I would be reimbursed. Picked up 6 quarts of German Castrol 0W-40 from Walmart for $38.93 and an OEM 06L-115-562 filter from the VW dealer for $10, changed it myself and presented both receipts when I returned the car. They refunded $48.93 back to my credit card.

Often times, I try and hand pick what I'm renting where possible. Although I've had no issues with companies like Avis or Budget, some of the smaller places like Fox or Firefly tend to have slightly older vehicles that appear to have been maintained on a very tight budget. Nothing like a fleet with no brand tires and squeaky brake pads!


I question the logic of doing this yourself...you didnt get paid for labor..probably a better idea to have a dealer change it or not bother at all. The whole point of a rental is not having to maintain it. I get checking oil and air pressure..but as long as it aint empty I aint doing nothing with it.


This is another case of BITOG non sense. Why would one assume liability for performing maintenance on a car you are renting? The poster said the "oil looked black". The poster must have a great set of fingers to rub some oil between them and come up with such a analysis. Since when is the color of oil an indication of the condition without performing tests? What is done on this board in the name of oil is astonishing....quite frankly!


1. Thank you for your opinion.

2. You're naturally entitled to your own opinion of some form or another.

3. I could care less about your opinion.

4. Thank you for complimenting on my fingers, little did I know I had super powers!

5. It's my time and money. Someone brought up I wasn't paid labor, I'm not bothered.


Everybody is weird in their own unique way here, and to me, that's what makes BITOG worthwhile. Some people have the xW-20 f3tish, complimented by a Fram Ultra filter. To others, Toyota is God and Group III basestock is the best thing since sliced bread. Either way, none of that is any of my business.

Personally, I dislike driving cars that are not "clean" based on my own set of "standards", and I dislike driving cars that have what I consider "faults" - black oil and ticking lifters being two simple examples. Whether said vehicle is registered in my own name, or Daffy Duck is not of any concern, so long I am the one behind the wheel. Whether you judge me on that or not, I am without a care in the world.

If you're going to act like an Internet tough guy, judge a group of people based on what goes on in your head, backed by stuff you've read about online with barely any shop tech to back it up, please, do us a favor and save yourself the hassle.



Nope-it's way too much fun on here busting up "stereotypes" and BITOGisms. However, if you don't like my comments feel free to use the ignore button. It works pretty good!


Now maybe I will go used car shopping for a Crown Vic, and put the greatest tires in the world on it (Michelins) while deciding if it's really prudent to use 0w-20W oil while I check to see when the oil was changed last in that rental car.......OH-and I need to tell my neighbor those Chinese tires he installed on his car are going to get us all killed on the highway.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top