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