Rental car luck

^ while getting the sub compact rate.

Depending on how far you were driving, that Charger is actually a shitty choice due to gas mileage. Camry gets 30/41 (city/highway) miles to a gallon. Meanwhile a Charger gets 19/30. So if you were driving quite a distance it would cost you significantly more in gas.

Back in the 70's I rented a mid size sedan from Hertz in Guadalajara, MX for a 200 mile trip to my wife's home town. I knew it was going to be expensive because it was daily rate plus miles but it was that or a Mexican rural bus. We had the car for 3 days and the bill was $300+ which I paid with a credit card.

A couple of months later I got a bill from Hertz in Spanish stating that I owed them an additional amount in pesos which turned out to be $1.25. I was pissed. I wrote them a letter and itemized what it cost me to respond to their letter. Translation, conversion, paper, envelope, postage and my time. I told them they owed me $5.87 but since they were a struggling company I would forgive them.

They did reply that they consider the account paid in full.

Over 10 years ago I was looking to rent a vehicle for a week at the Seattle Airport, the least expensive by far (way less than a subcompact) was a Lincoln Contenental. We had a great comfortable week of sightseeing and in the end it was cheaper even considering the gas expense.

Probably around 2000, I had reserved an economy car (Camry or the equivalent). The rental agency at the airport was out of that class of car and gave me a Cadillac De Ville instead. I thought a luxury car was a great substitute until I stopped at a gas station to fill up my nearly empty tank and I could not find the gas door release button anywhere in the car. I called the rental agency and they had no suggestions. Eventually someone drove into the gas station in a Cadillac and I told them my problem. They told me to look in the glove compartment... yep, the gas release button was hidden in the glove department. Only took me 30 minutes to fill up my tank.

I rent a car over 50 times a year in normal times. I get to pick what is available. Had a Mercedes just last week but had a choice of BMW and a convertible Camaro. I've had Hemi Charger and Challenger before. Prefer the Challenger of the 2. Some of the Infiniti Sedans I got a lot last year.

I avoid the Malibu and most of the Toyota and Nissan sedans due to lack of features. Malibu is too underpowered.

I've owned my Hemi Charger R/T since 2006 and I love it. 150,000 basically trouble free miles. Good for 130 mph, limited by the car's ECM.

I was once offered an upgrade to a Mustang convertible. It was a darn fun ride - until I drove under a huge flock of birds.

They maintained their bowel control, but I was nervous as hell!😵😏

Once I was in Ft Lauderdale FL, just got handed the keys to a brand new Hyundai Genesis (before they made it - it’s own brand). I pull out of the airport and I’m at a stop light fumbling around with all the features and I look up, to see I am surrounded by 4 Rolls Royce Phantoms. I have never seen 4 before all in traffic together. Talk about going from cool to loser in about 3 seconds flat.

I rarely rent cars. I flew to Houston about 10 years ago and rented a car for a few days there. I paid for it along with my hotel and airline ticket on one of the online sites. I had an attractive black girl check me into the car and she was extremely flirty and showed me where to sign without explaining much. Like I mentioned, I rarely do this so I thought everything was normal. While at my hotel someone tried to break into the car with a screw driver and dinged up the door some. When I got back they asked me what credit card I was going to use to pay for the insurance. I had paid extra for insurance while checking out online. I told them I was not using their insurance, but they said I signed for it and it needed to be paid for. I stood my ground and gave them the policy number from my online purchase. Later the car rental company sent me a bill for the damage saying the policy number I gave them was no good. I never paid them. Either the ticket website ripped me off or the car rental company was trying to double dip.

That was the first and last time I rented from Hertz. Funny how they had to file bankruptcy

This isn’t luck at the rental car counter - its something very stupid involving a rental car.

This was about 20 years ago - and I was traveling to Florida for a business trip. Several teams from my bank were having a series of meetings in a large hotel.

I was drinking a lot and clubbing - but still holding it together most of the time. But I didn’t like renting cars on business trips - as I was avoiding temptation to club and drink and drive.

I was traveling solo - and I got through my first day of meetings - and the first nights dinner. I should have gone to my room - and gone to sleep. But, I wanted to club - and I know it’s stupid but I don’t like taking cabs to strip clubs.

So, I know there is another group from my bank there - all straight laced types. I walk down to the valet and ask for the ABC Bank rental car. The valet goes in his closet and grabs the keys - and pulls a Dodge minivan around for me. I tip him a few singles and head off to the club.

This was Orlando, and I went to Rachel’s - as I had seen it on the ride from the airport. The girls were all pretty amazing looking - compared to what I encountered in my favorite NJ whore houses. I couldn’t get any filthy action going - so I drank a lot. I was there until closing - and I got tossed for propositioning several dancers before they finished their shifts.

I got back to the hotel and dropped the car back at valet - and luckily I didn’t get too much glitter or stripper perfume on the minivan seats to cause any issues with the legit renters of the vehicle. It was a definite stupid thing to do.

Four years ago I rented a car for work. I've rented hundreds of cars over the years in different cities from airport based rental car centers. This location was off airport. I pulled away and moments in to the ride I was driving directly east into the morning sunlight. I lowered the visor and $600 in clumps of 10s and 20s dropped into my lap.

Upon return of the car I asked if the prior renter of this vehicle had called about a lost item in the vehicle. They said no so I held on to the $ in good conscience. I wasn't too worried about it actually though. The car reeked of weed when I picked it up so I figure that someone was dealing out of it before me for a few days and likely had money stashed all over.

Over the years I've rented dozens of cars for work trips, but no longer. The only time I can remember getting a really special deal was the time I was given a convertible during a trip to Dallas. But I have lost patience with airport rental cars. I've just burned too much time in shuttle buses, long lines at the rental desks and, of course, having to return the damned thing and then taking a shuttle to the airport terminal.

Nowadays I find using Uber so much more convenient. In almost any city I travel to I never wait more than 10 minutes for a car and often no more than 5. I doubt that I'll ever rent a car for business trips ever again.

Flew into Chicago for airshows in Wisconsin and Illinois. Paying my own way, I went with the cheapest, off-site, off-brand rental agency. Turns out that the guy who checked me in is a private pilot. He gave me a hot Mustang for the price of an economy car. Cost more gas, but the fun factor was high.

Rented a car in Phoenix to take one of my kids around to explore schools and living quarters. Arrived without him a day early so I could explore...some of the local clubs. The person at the counter said due to state law my own insurance would not cover the car and recommended that I buy their insurance. I should/shouldn't have, but did. A drunk gang banger sideswiped the car while pulling out of a club parking lot. (I had just parked and was not moving.) I had to chase him down. Later the Sherriff said I was an idiot for doing so, because if he had been sober, he probably would have shot me. (I was so pissed that I didn't think about it.) He was arrested for being drunk in public. They found a loaded .45 in the car. Later, the rental company sent me a letter demanding that I pay $5K for the repairs. I replied politely with a copy of the contract showing the insurance payment. They apologized and rescinded the demand.

Past two years my job required that I frequently rent cars. Now I have VIP accounts and getting good cars at a fair price has been easy.