76 lines
3.5 KiB
Plaintext
76 lines
3.5 KiB
Plaintext
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RENTAL CARS
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Due to an accident, the cause of which was the haste of a young man to turn
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left in front of my wife's oncoming small car, we have been renting cars for
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about a month now.
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Since the insurance company will reimburse us for our rental expense (right
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after our credit rating is ruined from overusing our credit cards), and since
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we will soon be in the market for another car, we have been changing cars every
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five days--testing out different makes and models as well as different rental
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car agencies.
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First I want to say something about rental car agencies. Like the autos they
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rent, there are high quality agencies and low-ball ones. We tried one such
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low-ball rental agency (suggested, of course, by the insurance company),
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Wham-Bam Rent-a-Car, for a few days before we became tired of driving an
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incredible hulk around town. Wham-Bam tows the rental car to you, takes your
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money in advance and, at pick up time, comes around and tows the car away.
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(From the looks of Wham-Bam's local personnel, they no doubt do reposessions on
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the side.)
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Wham-Bam's tactics are clear: they're into maximum profit and minimum
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overhead along with very minimal service to the renter. Doubtless, Wham-Bam's
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real customers are insurance companies out to whittle down the cost of rental
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reimbursements that they sit on shamelessly for months.
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So, our lesson on low-ballers learned, we went to a highly regarded auto
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leasing company and picked up a driving machine (or rolling living room). We
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found out, to our amazement, that such companies will rent cars for the same
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insurance rates as do low-ballers like Wham-Bam--IF you're clever about asking
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for the right rate.
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Here's how that goes: <dial, dial>
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THEM: "Happy Holidays from Creature Comfort Rent-a-Car!" US: "We need a
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rental car for a week or so."
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THEM: "Fine! That'll be $44.95 a day plus 85 cents a mile." US: "But the
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tow truck driver gave us your card! He said you were reasonable! That price
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is NOT reasonable. Taxis are cheaper."
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THEM: "Oh! We'll give you the 'Tow-referral rate.' That's 17 bucks a day
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plus a hundred free miles." US: "Okay, fine."
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<later> <dial, dial>
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THEM: "Season's Greetings from Creature Comfort Cars!" US: "Look, I just
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talked to the insurance company and they only reimburse fifteen dollars a day
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and no mileage. I need to bring the car back."
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THEM: "Fine. See you soon!" So, we return the car and, while completing the
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rental charges, start talking with the desk manager... WE: "Too bad your rate
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isn't covered by the insurance company. I really liked the car."
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THEY: "Oh! Are you being reimbursed by the insurance company?" WE: "Yeah,
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do you think we're doing this for fun?"
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THEY: "Well, our 'Insurance reimbursement rate' is $15 a day plus unlimited
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mileage." WE: "You are kidding." THEY: "Nope."
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WE: "Well, give me the car back, then!" THEY: "We can't give you that car.
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It's already booked. But we'll give you a comparable model."
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But, it turns out the key word to define is what 'comparable' means. We
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ended up with a car close in description to Wham-Bam's. So, we tried yet
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another rental agency.
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And another.
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We can hardly wait to get our own car back, even though it's not as luxurious
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as some we have rented. But, if ever we should have another accident, we'll
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know the ropes at the outset. You ought better believe we'll wait a day or two
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until the right rental unit 'comes back' and avoid what you just experienced
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with us.
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