...or 'Gary learns to pre-book his car rentals for the long-weekend.'
Sometimes little details escape my notice and I have to learn lessons the hard way which would be otherwise obvious to the general public. The most recent lesson was "Plan ahead when booking a rental car so close to the August long weekend".
I had to be in Vancouver on July 31st for a staff meeting, so I went online on the Monday to book my flight and rental. Apparently, not enough time in advance. Budget Rental, my tried-and-true, had no cars available by this time (Doh!), so I went to National because they also have an outlet at the airport.
When I checked National's line-up, the "1/2 Ton Extended Cab - Chevrolet Silverado or Similar" was cheaper than any of the cars, so I booked that one. I'd rather drive a truck than a car anyway, so I need very little prompting in that department.
What I got was not quite as advertised. I got off the plane, made my way over to the rentals desk, and had to pry the booking agent away from some very important conversation with her co-worker. She wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible, and I wanted to get to the office so I didn't feel I had the time to stop for chit-chat. She gave me the paperwork and handed me the keys to...
...a Ford Ranger, which in my estimation is nothing similar to a Silverado. There's no way you can tell me the Ranger is anywhere near equivalent to a 1/2 ton extended cab. The Ranger has more in common with an El Camino than it does with a Silverado.
And to add insult to injury, it didn't really bother them that the tank was about 1/8th below full. If I don't bring it back full, I have to pay as though the staff personally drilled for and refined the oil, and then carried it to the truck in approved containers while riding on the back of a camel. Not a bad money-making scheme if you can get it. Charge people pretty much double the pump price if they bring in the vehicle less than full, then send it back out again without actually filling it up again so you can either 1) get the new driver to fill it up, or 2) charge him through the nose for not bringing it back full.
The guy who checked over the truck when I brought it back cared even less than did the lady at the desk in the morning. We'll see what the corporate customer service department has to say about the email I sent them this morning...
Sometimes little details escape my notice and I have to learn lessons the hard way which would be otherwise obvious to the general public. The most recent lesson was "Plan ahead when booking a rental car so close to the August long weekend".
I had to be in Vancouver on July 31st for a staff meeting, so I went online on the Monday to book my flight and rental. Apparently, not enough time in advance. Budget Rental, my tried-and-true, had no cars available by this time (Doh!), so I went to National because they also have an outlet at the airport.
When I checked National's line-up, the "1/2 Ton Extended Cab - Chevrolet Silverado or Similar" was cheaper than any of the cars, so I booked that one. I'd rather drive a truck than a car anyway, so I need very little prompting in that department.
What I got was not quite as advertised. I got off the plane, made my way over to the rentals desk, and had to pry the booking agent away from some very important conversation with her co-worker. She wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible, and I wanted to get to the office so I didn't feel I had the time to stop for chit-chat. She gave me the paperwork and handed me the keys to...
...a Ford Ranger, which in my estimation is nothing similar to a Silverado. There's no way you can tell me the Ranger is anywhere near equivalent to a 1/2 ton extended cab. The Ranger has more in common with an El Camino than it does with a Silverado.
And to add insult to injury, it didn't really bother them that the tank was about 1/8th below full. If I don't bring it back full, I have to pay as though the staff personally drilled for and refined the oil, and then carried it to the truck in approved containers while riding on the back of a camel. Not a bad money-making scheme if you can get it. Charge people pretty much double the pump price if they bring in the vehicle less than full, then send it back out again without actually filling it up again so you can either 1) get the new driver to fill it up, or 2) charge him through the nose for not bringing it back full.
The guy who checked over the truck when I brought it back cared even less than did the lady at the desk in the morning. We'll see what the corporate customer service department has to say about the email I sent them this morning...
1 comment:
LOL
Yea the Canadian divisions of the rental agencies are pretty thin on the customer service department.
also... first rule of cars. to them a chevy pickup is a pickup is an SUV (if your lucky) is a 4 door sedan (if your not) at thier pleasure or convenience.
ignore the brands, styles or sizes when booking rentals... it's meaninless to them.
my best story was returning a car in Burbank and then getting a form in the mail a couple weeks later demanding why I hadn't filed an accident report with the police. Apperently there was a scratch, fortunatly a quick phone call from the company lawyer with a threat to revoke the contract since my company self insures anyway fixed the issue.
BTW they are all bad
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