Hire car gold

[mark44]

Just got lucky on the rental car lottery in France.

I reserved a '5+2 seat' MPV. At check-in was asked if I wanted to upgrade for 50 euros a week. I agreed and nabbed a new Renault Espace 7-seater with 500km on the clock (after rejecting the Peugeot 5000-thing)

What a great car! Very impressed. Must be a top-of-the-range model. Leather, full-length sun roof, head-up-display, all the trimmings. After changing the settings to sport steering + comfort damping it really is like driving on a big cushion gliding over even the most pot-holed D-roads. Even more surprising is despite being vast, it really doesn't feel big to drive.

Don't think they sell it in England, which is a shame. I'm sure a lot of people would love one, though I bet the depreciation would be shocking.

Have you ever struck Rental gold?

Mark

 

[Scott_F]

Even with a bit of leather and a sunroof, you will never strike gold by driving a Renault !

 

[Revvd]

Hired a Suzuki Jimny in Cyprus once.. got "upgraded" to a Vitara, circa '99 vintage.

 

[mark44]

Ah, don't be mean.

As a holiday car it's exceeded my expectations, and with 7 seats a far better proposition than the 'premium' cars that were on offer.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

In the queue behind my Father in Miami Airport who was trying to wangle a Lincoln Towncar for very little money, when it came to my turn the Dollar Car Rental guy said 'and what do you want sir'? I replied that as I wasn't going to pay for an upgrade I would take any old smoker they had going.

Imagine my surprise to be led to a rather nice convertible?

 

[E63AMG]

Hired a Suzuki Jimny in Cyprus once.. got "upgraded" to a Vitara, circa '99 vintage.

I lived there for 5 years. Most are death traps with no insurance at best. They wonder why the country is on its ar$e [emoji23]

 

[Petrol Pete]

My many, many times picking up rental cars at various French airports over the years my experience is EXACTLY the opposite to that of the OP.

Must have been an eclipse or a full moon.

Well done. I was 'upgraded' to a Renault once (from a Golf/Fiesta) and ended up with one of those hideous van based car things. POS.

It appears their idea of an upgrade is that if it cost one Euro a day more to hire it must be a better car. NOT.

I am wise to their Sh*t nowadays.

 

[PobodY]

I met a couple in Iceland who'd reserved something like a Golf. When they went to collect it, they were told it was a stupid choice and they were having a Subaru AWD instead.

 

[fabes]

The HJ video review of the Espace was very complimentary though and it is for sale here - I have seen at least one (on 20" wheels!)

I drew sort of lucky when I arrived at the Enterprise rental desk in Toronto a few weeks back. I had ordered an SUV (Nissan Rogue or Ford Edge - both capable but a bit meh and generic)

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Ended up with a Jeep Cheerokee

It added to the (north) American experience (and I doubt I will ever drive one else where)

 

[Doodle]

Similar to above, flew into San Fransisco and they were all out of the mid-size (Taurus etc) that we'd booked, so got a free "upgrade" to a Crown Vic. I'm not sure it was necessarily a better car, but certainly an experience!

Not quite an upgrade, but last year in Berlin it worked out cheaper to hire a C-class than a Focus/Astra etc.

 

[davidjpowell]

The HJ video review of the Espace was very complimentary though and it is for sale here - I have seen at least one (on 20" wheels!)

I drew sort of lucky when I arrived at the Enterprise rental desk in Toronto a few weeks back. I had ordered an SUV (Nissan Rogue or Ford Edge - both capable but a bit meh and generic)

.
.
.
.
Ended up with a Jeep Cheerokee

It added to the (north) American experience (and I doubt I will ever drive one else where)

Sadly it's not available here - not in RHD anyway. I guess there is nothing stopping someone importing a LHD model.

 

[brucemillar]

We hired a Suzuki Vitara soft top (well no top actually) when in Rhodes. We forgot to upgrade to the model that had brakes, as we discovered to our horror, as we set off down the first hill we encountered. Luckily though, this was the model where the rear sub frame is held onto the chassis by sellotape and bungee ropes. I think it was called a Suzuki Death Trap. Truly a scary experience.

Keen to remain alive for the rest our holiday. I then made big mistake number two (no I didn't do a number two). I hired a Moped/Scooter thing. The young lady who delivered it to us watched in awe as I just touched the throttle and executed a massive wheelie across the shingle carpark before crashing (still in full wheelie) into the hotel wall. The collision was spectacular to watch (according Mrs M) bits flew in every direction and I left a perfect human starfish print in sun tan oil up the wall of the hotel. It hurt, but luckily no bones were broken. I now realise that the throttle was in fact an on/off switch and not to be confused with the words "apply gentle throttle".

In Prague I hired a BMW at the airport. As a gift from the hire company to me, somebody had curled out the biggest human turd you will ever see into the rear foot well. I actually thought it was an Anaconda lying in wait, and I am not making this up. Worse was to follow. On returning to the ire car office, after I made my discovery. The lady accused my of doing it. There then followed the most bizarre conversation (in front of the arriving tourists) where I attempted to explain, my body was not physically capable of holding such a monster, let alone giving birth to it. I was given a Fiat Panda - with no resident poop.

 

[GP801]

We were luck in Toronto too. Had booked some run of the mill hatchback. At the desk we were asked where we were going and the nice lady said you dont want one of those. How about a nice Grand Cherokee instead. Result

 

[MercedesDriver]

Some 6 years ago at Stuttgart airport I had got from Sixt (corporate contract) a Renault Fluence (with French plates) and that was one of the most hurting driving experiences of my life. Since there was no resistance coming from loud pedal at all I couldn’t lean my foot for once and in painful way have learned how many muscles a foot has. Horrible car that was. After a complain they have delivered me in a hotel a brand new A150. In that A150 I’ve learned that some traffic lights in Germany are equipped with GPRS signal transmitters of red lights on.

 

[Rowanlaw]

Brilliant, just brilliant!

 

[SW18]

I used to rent cars often from Hertz, was a Gold Card holder and always booked group D ("Skoda Octavia or similar") for a couple of quid more than Group C ("Ford Focus or similar"). There were almost never Group D cars in stock and I was usually upgraded. Highlights included a few VW CC, an Audi A5 4-door coupe, a Mercedes E220, and a Mitsubishi LM200 pickup.

 

[tonyspicer]

Just declined an upgrade from a Mustang convertible to an Audi or Beemer cabrio at Atlanta airport

When in the US you gotta have an American car. I can drive a German Cabrio at home

Great car, poor build quality but makes you smile

 

[Wjk167]

Booked an 8 seater in Florida a couple years ago for family holiday. There were 8 of us so lots of luggage which I highlighted at the booking. Was offered a Kia Sedona (american version is quite big) but not big enough for luggage. I subsequently complained that it was not what I had requested. Was offered (for a much reduced fee than normal) an upgrade to a top-spec Chevy Surburban. Huge tank on wheels. Big V8. Perfect for the States. A dream US proper SUV. Was what I actually wanted at the time of booking but was just too expensive. Still had to pay a few hundred $$$ for the 3 wks. Made the holiday though!!.