Rental Car Roulette

Wow, I had no idea they tried to sell the EcoShart in the US, that's a failure waiting to happen.
After Ford stopped selling, uh, cars, it was apparently Ford's entry-level offering!
2022 is the last year. This has the very American effect of making the two cheapest things Ford sells.... Pickup trucks.
*sigh*
 
After Ford stopped selling, uh, cars, it was apparently Ford's entry-level offering!
2022 is the last year. This has the very American effect of making the two cheapest things Ford sells.... Pickup trucks.
*sigh*

I hope it bites them in the ass. But it won’t until federal rules change for efficiency standards.
 
The EcoSport is famous for having a new type of headlight bulb that looks like a H7 but isn't. And you probably won't find a replacement at the gas station when you need one.
 
I hope it bites them in the ass. But it won’t until federal rules change for efficiency standards.


It won't change until people start buying sedans again.
 
After Ford stopped selling, uh, cars, it was apparently Ford's entry-level offering!
2022 is the last year. This has the very American effect of making the two cheapest things Ford sells.... Pickup trucks.
*sigh*

But that's not new. The Ranger used to be the cheapest vehicle on the lot at Ford and people bought it, not necessarily because they needed a small truck, but because it was the cheapest thing they could buy new. They tought that would transfer over to the Fiesta when it was released, but I don't feel it did. Couple that with transmission troubles and it was pretty doomed.
 
Okie dokie artichoky.

End of August, I returned to the father land to start my new life. I booked a rental car so as not be a drag with needing a ride down to Freiburg, and subsequently need a ride over to my apartment. I booked through Sixt since I forgot until it was too late for a low rate to rent a car and my usual rental company of choice is Hertz. Always had good luck and their rewards system was preferable when I lived out of a suitcase for work. I heard good things about Sixt. That was the last time. Let's get started.

I land in Frankfurt early and get to the rental counter a few minutes before I need to pickup, I'm told no cars are available and to come back 30 minutes. Confused, but also exhausted from a trans-atlantic flight and not sleeping most of the way, I chose to go and to a bakery in the airport to eat up time. I come back after half an hour and was asked, "would you like to try an electric car?" I figured it wouldn't hurt to try and assumed there's enough charging locations along my route and Freiburg is hippy dippy tree hugger land. So I get the keys for an Opel Mokka-e and am told where to pick up, which I always hate this part in FRA because the parking structure is numbered and quite spread out, but I always get turned around and spend a long time finding it. I eventually get to the place and see the car. I throw my stuff in, get my phone cable and turn the car on and I'm greeted with this:

IMG_5616.JPG


I grown but figure at this point in electric car adoption, I should be able to find a charging point nearby easily. I leave the airport and thought it was as simple and looking for signs or something on the built in GPS. No dice in my exhausted state and that typical panic of "I can't park here or here, or here, or there, where the truck do I go to get things straightened out that has cell service?" I call @leviathan because my cell data is acting up and only Telegram works. I share my location and ask him where to find a charging station. He guides me there because I can't load navigation on my phone thanks to a strange server setting that I never finished months ago, I didn't know that at the time. So, I get to the charging station by the airport and see it's got a contactless reader on the side and the display says to plug in and tap your card. I try this, the car recognizes the charging point being plugged in and waits for the angry pixies. I try and get the touch screen to work but it won't accept finger inputs. I tap my card, no dice. I call back @leviathan and he remotely turns in on from an app. Great, after this I feel it's best to return the car for something more conventional to avoid more problems even farther away. I'm bummed out but hey, as a novice to electric cars, I would have guessed the rental company would give a fuel card type thing and explain the process a bit. None of that happened. So I get about 50% into the battery an try to go turn off charging. No can do, I have to yet again call @leviathan back (at this point I feel guilty bugging him early in the morning) who then remotely turns it off. I drive back in frustration. Get the return attendants attention and explain the situation. He directs me to the rental counter before closing out the ticket to avoid any issues that might arise, fine. So I get to the counter, explain the situation and I get a very defeated-annoyed look and an apology. I'm quickly handed another set of keys for a Citroen C4 diesel automatic.

So far this one is better and I'm a bit weirded out that the infotainment is identical in design, and dash layout to the Opel (Stellantis give zero fucks) and I leave the rental garage without a problem. This had a full tank of fuel too! Suddenly, 100kms away from FRA I see this:

IMG_5621.JPG


For those that don't read German, it's telling me the car is low on AdBlue diesel fluid and if you try and start the car after 80kms, the car will not start. WONDERFUL.

IMG_5624.JPG


An Dave for scale of the C4.

So I'm told by multiple FG folks in the telegrams to just leave the car running until you get adblue yourself or what I ended up doing is going to the local Sixt in freiburg. @thomas went with and pitched a bitch to them to which they did not charge for the adblue, and gave a small discount while opening an internal case with Sixt corporate. Fun, I get all settled in and go back up to Frankfurt to pick up my dog, Hank after a couple days and some flight delays on Lufthansa's side, I get Hank and meet @leviathan again so that I can return the rental car and meet up with @thomas for the return trek to Freiburg area and get the Opel for the new transport.

But wait, theres more!

I get the return receipt from Sixt and see that they charged me seemingly way more than was reasonable for returning the citroen with not a full tank. My fault yes but it was something around the tune of 250 euromonies. That seems astronomical and I feel negated the discount that was applied. I complain and am told there's nothing they can do. Uff, ok.

Sorry, no photo of the Mokka-e, heres a google image of one:

1664743654220.png


So yeah, that was my experience with Sixt Rental of Frankfurt airport.
 
After Ford stopped selling, uh, cars, it was apparently Ford's entry-level offering!
2022 is the last year. This has the very American effect of making the two cheapest things Ford sells.... Pickup trucks.
*sigh*

Making their cheapest car a pickup makes sense, especially if that pickup is made on an amortized platform that is underpinning no less than three other vehicles in their lineup and, thanks to the miracle of more efficient engines and hybrid systems, is within 1 MPG of the last-year US fiesta (per actual, real-world usage. Fiesta. Maverick.), and does over 4MPG better on average than the Ecosport.

So It's larger and more practical than a Fiesta but small enough to make sense in more dense environments (it's exactly the size of the old Ford Ranger) and removes the need to rent a larger, more wasteful vehicle when you do need to carry something larger than a chest of drawers. All of this at no penalty to fuel economy or indeed anything but the traditional perception that a sensible, economical car has to be at least adjacent to a penalty box. And that pickup trucks are leaving a trail of pollution like they're the return of the slime from Ferngully.

You'll forgive me if I don't join on the collective sigh :p
 
Making their cheapest car a pickup makes sense, especially if that pickup is made on an amortized platform that is underpinning no less than three other vehicles in their lineup and, thanks to the miracle of more efficient engines and hybrid systems, is within 1 MPG of the last-year US fiesta (per actual, real-world usage. Fiesta. Maverick.), and does over 4MPG better on average than the Ecosport.

So It's larger and more practical than a Fiesta but small enough to make sense in more dense environments (it's exactly the size of the old Ford Ranger) and removes the need to rent a larger, more wasteful vehicle when you do need to carry something larger than a chest of drawers. All of this at no penalty to fuel economy or indeed anything but the traditional perception that a sensible, economical car has to be at least adjacent to a penalty box. And that pickup trucks are leaving a trail of pollution like they're the return of the slime from Ferngully.

You'll forgive me if I don't join on the collective sigh :p
I wish it were an EV and had a frunk, or had some other clever weather-proof, lockable storage that didn't eat up bed space like a bed tool box does.

But, man...you sit inside a Maverick, and you *clearly* understand how it's their cheapest vehicle. It feels (and sounds) *way* cheaper than even the base model of the first "modern" US Fiesta (the 2008). The materials are more interesting, but definitely cheap.
 
Can't bloody buy them if there aren't any!


Other companies sell them. Far fewer choices these days, but there are some around.
 
I can go about 16000kms on a full tank of AdBlue in the Passat. How oblivious do you have to be to not keep your rental fleet topped up? I'm guessing a slightly more modern car like the C4 gets less out of a tank but still.
 
I can go about 16000kms on a full tank of AdBlue in the Passat. How oblivious do you have to be to not keep your rental fleet topped up? I'm guessing a slightly more modern car like the C4 gets less out of a tank but still.

Not only that, but give some rundown of charging for electric cars would be nice. I get harassed basically about insurances, so why the hell can't they do the same with charging?
 
Not only that, but give some rundown of charging for electric cars would be nice. I get harassed basically about insurances, so why the hell can't they do the same with charging?
Also let's be honest, there's multiple absolute fails by SIXT here:
- Offering a low-range city runabout EV to someone needing an Autobahn cruiser with decent range in the first place
- Having said car sitting at close to 0 charge in parking, degrading the battery
- Handing the car to customer without checking that it's charged
- Not providing a charging RFID or any information on where and how to charge it

The only way this would've gone _remotely_ well is if the renter was a) already EV-knowledgeable b) in posession of a way to charge (RFID card or pre-configured charging app on their phone) and c) only needing a low-range car to putter around Frankfurt. As it stands, this is complete bullshit. And Sixt will probably try and present customers being pissed off from situations like this as "people don't actually want rental EVs".

I'm happy I could help navigate you through a somewhat shitty morning and do what I can, no worries there. But it's pure luck you remembered to contact me, I was up and not busy, and able to actually help. In most cases this would've ended with a tow truck. And let's not think about you not making the slightly important appointment later that day :)
 
The only way this would've gone _remotely_ well is if the renter was a) already EV-knowledgeable b) in posession of a way to charge (RFID card or pre-configured charging app on their phone) and c) only needing a low-range car to putter around Frankfurt.
Plus d) someone renting a car at an airport not actually wanting to go anywhere for a while... which doesn't exist.
 
2022/23 Polestar 2

1674341598444.jpeg





Things I didn't like, when you adjust steering wheel heat or heated seat just blocks the entire screen.





I connected my phone, first day I got annoyed wondering why I couldn't play music on my phone. Apparently, default phone connecting doesn't mean music is automatic? You have select it.




Okay, I booked the cheapest rental car at Hertz because the Mercedes I thought needed a radiator and was asked if I wanted to try an electric car. I was understandably reserved, almost said 'no' but the alternative was a Fiat 500C. I would have been ok with a regular 500. but eh ok. Since I wasn't taking a 2.5hr long drive south from Frankfurt, why not?

I got in the car and the battery was full! So already off to a good start. It was fine commute car, power was good, not Tesla levels of power but still electric car fast. Something I didn't like was the suspension noises. In my 2007 Mercedes, the bumps are heard, but the Polestar had this tightened drum metal noise when going over bumps which got annoying. It has radar cruise control both the "follow the car in front" and "take steering and throttle/brake control." My drive to/from work is mostly arrow straight. The first time I tried self driving, it ping-ponged on an arrow straight road with good markings, it's not like the lines were scrapped off or there was road salt making the road white. So I disabled auto steering, but kept radar speed control. That worked mostly well, except for when somebody turned off. First it braked late, which made me wish the car could read brake lights on top of the car moving in front of you. Then when the car left your field of vision it took a good 2-3 seconds before it started to throttle up, and it throttled up slow. So it was like "oooooh, now I should maybe speed up." Not as if "free space, go up to the set limit." I ended up having to throttle up myself to avoid being some stupid driver not realizing I can speed up. Interior was nice enough, the rear seats are not @thomas certifed. He had to tilt his head to sit in the back. Trunk space was reasonable, but with the sloping roof means you're limited quite a bit. Liftgate was powered though, and the button to activate it was where the license plate lights are, just like the current Ford Mustang.

The other issue, I was given charging cables but where are they? The 230V single phase charger was in the trunk under the expected, under floor storage. It took a couple days, but apparently somebody put the Level 2 charger in the Frunk which for me was a bit of confusion. I saw one charging cable and assumed this was all I got. But it was good I found the Level 2 charger, because within a couple minutes walk is a Badanova Level 2 charger. So no problems after that. I plugged it in, left it overnight and had a full battery the next morning.

Most of my problems with this car are this: the sake of changing, not for the better, but because they could. Like how the HVAC controls are all within the infotainment, and when I get in the car after work, naturally the car is cold this time of year, you would expect the heating to just go to max until it's close and ramp down. It seems to be doing a noise level thing and, eventually it heats up, but I ended up having to max it myself and then put back to 22-23 degrees. I never did find the USB jack for my phone, and the infotainmaint supported only wired carplay/android auto.

Wireless phone charging only had one spot and there wasn't really an indent. If I took a turn too sharp, my phone could slide off the charging pad and stop charging.

All in all, I didn't care very much about the electric car side of it, I hated the infotainment and other HMI side of this car.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lip
Rental roulette from the past six months with little notes:
Tesla Model Y; The rear hatch contained gravel instead of insulation. And it likes to beep/bong/dong/doot at everything.
Ford Expedition XL Max; 4 miles, fresh from the vehicle transporter in a snow storm. Ecoboost with 10 speed, and incredible seats.
Ford Explorer Limited; Turns out you can use a plastic water bottle as a weight in the spokes to keep the lane-assist going hands free. Great way to cross the flat plains and not feel fatigued.
Chevy Equinox; Seats with side bolsters so aggressive that I could not wedge my shoulders/chest in and had to sit in front of the seat. Only vehicle I've had recently that could be full-throttle up a hill with 3 passengers/luggage and not accelerate.
Ford Bronco Sport; Featuring Jeremy Clarkson with a hammer inside the transmission whacking the cogs. Once he takes a break and lets it stay in gear, the turbo wakes up and feels responsive. Rental companies think this is a "standard suv". It's not. It's tiny.
Jeep Grand Cherokee: It's nice.
Jeep Grand Cherokee L: It's also nice and happily seats six adults.
Jeep Grand Cherokee L: I see a trend here.
Jeep Grand Cherokee L: Hmmmmm.
Dodge Durango R/T: Hemi in Detroit. Nice.
Chevy Silverado WT: What the fuck is this? Rental franchise bought it from a Florida used car lot, had a copy of the first-owners maintenance logs in it, and a photocopy of some other dudes' license...? Sketch.
Nissan Murano: Power corrupts. I see why Nissan drivers are assholes on the road.
Hyundai Palisade: Completely forgettable.
Chrysler Pacifica x4: It's nice. Standard FCA user interfaces, it just works and transports six quietly and quickly. At this point it's my first choice at the rental lots unless there is something interesting offered..
 
Nissan Murano: Power corrupts. I see why Nissan drivers are assholes on the road.

You guys have different Nissan drivers. We just have morons in Qashqais trundling along at 15-20 below the posted speed limit, braking for empty roundabouts, not accelerating on onramps, etc.
 
I have, finally, at almost 39 years of age, rented a car instead of buying one and ... it didn't go well :D

Or it did, depending of your view point. Anyway, we did a driving holiday in the UK, visiting some of the most scenic areas of the Lake District, the Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales. After I booked flights and accommodation in Penrith (which is in the center point compared to all of those three spots, in Cumbria), I noticed I could get a car for a hundred quid. Not per day, but for the entire five-day stay. A Ford Focus or similar, instead of paying something like £500 for a Fiat 500.

F02LQ6IWIAAmiy5


The car in question turned out to be a mild-hybrid 48v Hyundai Kona in black (not that different visually from my Kona EV) with 33,000 miles on the clock. And as I discovered 20 minutes into the journey, an engine warning light that put it in limp mode. When you only have three cylinders to begin with that's not great! I had the code reseted and the light banished by an AA man in a van 45 minutes later, but the light did return the following day as we climbed the Pennines. You could feel the car sputtering now and then, bucking and hesitating at 3000 rpm, and generally pulling poorly even when not climbing mountains. Thanks to the ongoing situation with rental cars post-pandemic, amidst supply chain issues, it seems rental agencies just don't have enough cars in certain locations and as a result drive them long with lacking maintenance. I presume the car had dirty injectors which caused it to run too lean under load which put it in limp mode.

F1Bq6S6WYAUmrau


The nearest rental desk could put me in a replacement Corsa only on the evening of the fourth day, which meant we had to adjust our drive plans so not to get stranded too far from the home base without mobile phone coverage (notoriously poor in these places). But the Corsa was wholly okay and we got a great driving evening out of it plus a secure drive back to the airport. I agreed to the suggestion that they refund me half of the rental cost, which would mean the entire thing would have been very very cheap even taking fuel costs into account.

But maybe I'll buy a car next time...
 
Top