So the GTO has been in the shop several times in its life, and I've driven my share of loan-a-beaters. Wondering what others have endured. Of course they're ALL base model, no frills, suckass rides, but what's the best and the worst?
I had my first DSM in the shop after someone broadsided my wife - which is cool, 'cuz if someone had been rear-ending my wife, this might be an altogether different story.
Anyway, the body shop loaned me an automatic Geo Metro. 3 cylinders, automatic. Walking would have been faster.
To add insult to injury, it was a wonder this thing had managed to survive. It looked like it had been through a war. Multiple panels were damaged, pushed in, hanging askew, etc. It was a big metal stress ball or something.
I took it home for one night, took it back and told them I'd simply make my own arrangements for transportation. That may have been their plan all along.
My most recent loaner while the GTO was in the shop was a Cobalt. It was supposedly the only car they had available at the rental place. Stripped down with no power windows and no power door locks. I hated it.
I had a 04 Saturn Vue AWD V6 that I took in for some warranty work and the dealer loaner I got was a brand spankin new Chevy 1500, V8, 4x4, extended cab with a few nice options. When I had to return it, I asked them if I could keep the truck, they could have my Vue.
in some form or another, I've enjoyed every loaner I've had. usually for all the wrong reason if you catch my drift.
I don't recall a "best" rental car. Once had a Pontiac G5 which wasn't terrible. I just liked the fact that it looked like a baby GTO.
Worst (in recent memory) was a Kia something-or-other. Base econo model, pretty cheap even for Kia. Oh lord I made that poor little car scream. An interesting note: Kias do not drift well. Very squirrelly in a slide.
It wasn't a loaner I got for having the GTO in the shop, but the PT Cruiser is the second worst rental car I've ever had. I couldn't believe my eyes when I got into it. Who designed that interior, Stevie Wonder? Since it was the base model it of course had absolutely zero balls.
The worst loaner EVER, though, had to be the '98 Hyundai Elantra I had in Orlando once. The only good thing about that car was the air conditioner. I think it had somewhere around 85 horsepower. I felt like I was surely going to die every time I pulled out of a driveway onto 436...or I-4...or hell, any road for that matter. Ugh.
To be honest I haven't rented many cars in my lifetime. A few years back I got an Intrepid for some boring business trip that was actually a pretty good car. Nothing else really comes to mind.
My dad once rented a Ferrari 308 whilst in California...now that's my kind of rental. By the time he brought it back it no longer had first gear...
That thing is one big POS, I don't know how people deal with that car on a daily basis. I had to take it to NY last week and after that I'd never buy this car. The seats suck never can get the right seating position, hard cushions, has forced lumbar support(no adjustment), and the seats are so high it feels like you are driving a PT Cruiser/HHR. Had a back ache after a 3 hour drive. Then to top it off it has a shitty transmission, gear shifts are always stiff which makes your head bob back and forth even under light throttle, gets real annoying in traffic. It did get good gas mileage though, but not worth driving a penalty box. The PT and HHR were much better vehicles than this car.
there should be some consideration on the dealer's part as to what loaner is given to whom, based on the quality of the vehicle it is in loan for. For example, if I bring in a GTO, I should get at least a somewhat nice car as a loaner, certainly better than the guy bringing in the G5.
OTOH, I wonder if the guy bringing in the G5 looks forward to his loaner as a step way up from his current ride.....
ALl visits are scheduled a week before so I always have a loaner waiting f0r me.
Pontiac vs Mercede vs Acura
Whenever the Acura goes in for the service: I get a free Loaner. normally a TSX, sometmes a TL. those cars see the red line in each and every gear I use. never get more than 20mpg.
I once was priviliged enough to be handed over abrand spanking-new TSX with 13 miles on ODO. Had it for three days /600 miles. Lets just say the engine was "broken in" and I just noted the VIN # so I never end up buying that one.
Once he gave me a Mustang convertible from enterprise and i hated every second in that car.
Mercedes Dealer gave me the new C class. C300. I liked it a lot. and spanked it pretty hard. the 7 speed auto is pretty nice.
Pontiac Dealer:
Gave me a YUKON XLT which was like probably 2 car lengths long and was hard to fit in one lane.. on the freeway, in the company aprking lot, in my garage. anywhere.
My first driving the SUV, I could also see what's goin on in the cars below.
Next he gave me a G5 and DAMM.....
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06 Red on red GTO: ALL GO
07 Mercedes CLK 350: the cute one
07 Mercedes E 550: ALL Show
08 CBR600RR Graffiti: All go, All Show. Not Cute.
Location: Close enough to Cincinnati, or is it Dayton?
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The worst? Back in January, my wife took her Highlander in for service - timing belt, etc. - have I ever mentioned how much I hate that smurfing car? Anyways, they give her a Nissan Quest for the day. 15-minutes late, some high school bimbo in a shit-stang does a 270 into the side of the rental. After calling the local donut-eater (no offense LEOs, but that group doesn't exactly have its hands full of crime) and the dealership to get another loaner delivered, the Wife calls me, so that someone can witness this chick flipping right-the-smurf-out! Wife even interjects (while I am on the line), "Ummm... you hit me, while I was sitting at a stoplight." So the cops get there, and the chick's mother shows up in a Benz. They both are raising all kinds of hell with anyone and everyone. The cop tells my wife to stay in her car during the drama.
The cop takes my wife's info, and she leaves with the new loaner - Ford Focus 4-banger/automatic. Later that day, she goes back to pick up the Highlander, and they tell her that the new timing belt snapped during installation, and the car won't be ready for another 2-days. So they hook her up with loaner car #3 - Grand Caravan. Now, for someone who was calling me names for considering a more practical ride prior to buying the GTO, I give her one of these ---> every so often as a reminder.
The best? Once upon a time, I took my Thunderchicken in for service, and they gave me a Taurus SHO for 2-days.
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Winning isn't everything, watching you lose is.
2005: SAP grilles, M6, Factory 18s - 1 of 114
Mods: 18x8.5 Beyern 5s w/Kelly Fierce HP, DBA Standard Series Slotted and Drilled Rotors/Hawk HP Plus Pads, JHP Gauge Pod, Holden Bluetooth & Door Lock, Afterthoughts Auto stainless steel lettering kit, CAGS delete, Gas-Cap Velcro, BMR Color-Matched Strut Tower Brace
345.72-hp & 351.13-ft/lbs... BONE STOCK!
Worst: Hyundai Sonata. I've had several of these steamers as rentals when in Seattle and Baltimore for business. Couldn't get out of these plastic nightmares soon enough. People actually buy these cars? Voluntarily...?
Best: Cadillac CTS. Rented one of these in Baltimore on my own dime last year (Avis had a special on 'em), and it was nice. Even with the wheezy 2.8L it was a nice car. I'd rock one as a family hauler.
Favorite: Mercury Grand Marquis. Had one while I was in Texas on business. Night time was especially fun - it was like every road in the state was reserved for my personal use the way people got outta my way! Plus as granny barges / donut transport vehicles go, it was pretty nice (but that 4.6L SOHC mod-motor... ). F*rd "Panther" platform vehicles for rentals :FTW:
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-Brian
----- 1987 Gray Metallic Mazda 323 DX - 22k miles and stock as the day she was new 1988 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz - Gone to the great boulevard in the sky. 1994 Gold Jeep YJ Sahara - Modded 6 ways from Sunday! 2006 SRM M6 GTO - Sold 2007 Galaxy Blue Yamaha V-Star 1300 - Stock 2008 Machine Silver M6 C6 Z51 - Stock
Back when I had my Acura TSX I would always bring it in for the first appointment for service so I could get a TL loaner. Lemme tell you I had some fun in that car. I'll just say that the suspension takes dirt roads at 80mph damn good. Oh, and I had a blast testing out the stability control on the dirt roads trying to get the damn thing to spin out....we'll just say I FAILED at that.
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06 Torrid Red/Red M6 <---- Sold
420whp/405wtq
Quote:
Originally Posted by BUstd...
Btw, VISA and FAIL are not acronyms, they are ways of life.
ive only had a loaner a few times. both times was 0something buick century with the 3.1L
couldnt get out of its own way, couldnt turn, and couldnt stop, but rode like it was a on cloud it jumped snow piles pretty well too
but i have had my fair share of rentals. latest and most favorite was a ram 1500. thing was huge, and drove over things great. could do burnouts pretty well too.
least favorite was a mitsubishi lancer. i literally walked into enterprise rent-a-car, and said give the cheapest, crappiest thing ya got. well, i got it. story behind it is that i was changing the tstat in the goat, and found out after i put everything back together, that i was out of coolant. wonderful. so i call up a friend that i know would be free, but find out, he stuck in montclair while his car was in rutherford. whole nother story behind that.....but anyways, i get a ride from my grandpas nurse to the enterprise and the rest is history.
honorable mentions:
cadillac escalade - comfy but not very fun
cadillac deville - see escalade
suzuki grand vitara - interior made our of legos with weenie engine
pontiac grand prix - interior out of legos with enough power to be driven.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/Hummina/GTO.jpg
Mods: CAI, Kooks 1-3/4 black, Ported TB, Custom Borla Catback, Full Pedders Suspension, TTP V3 Equalizer cam, Vig 3600, ETP 215s, Ported FAST 90, Built 4L60E, 1 Piece Aluminum Driveshaft, 3.91s by Rocksand
All engine and trans work done by TTPerformance in Passaic, NJ
11.562@116.70 1.568 60' 458RWHP/431RWTQ through an A4
Mitsubishi Galant: I labeled it "Teh Bic Pen of Cars"; It was cheap, mass produced and disposable. What a piece of crap. Rode terrible. Engine sounded like an old Mercury outboard, interior filled with hard plastic surroundings. Horrible car.
Dodge Caravan: Preferred rental of racing teams everywhere! We used to rent these on road trips when I was on the team SVSi crew for the Viper Club Races around the country.
Abuse Ratings:
Good:
- can pack 9 guys in it with bags and tools.
- easy to get in/out
- will do 105 MPH going downhill through the Chatanooga Mountains.
- will take speed bumps in Vegas full throttle with 9 guys in it.
- will do great reverse curl burnouts.
Bad:
- scary at high speeds through off ramps(especially with the team driver behind the wheel)
- won't climb the grading under bridges around LVMS.
- tail pipe gets smashed severely when trying to do the above^.
- can take a frontal impact of an underground parking lot support when leaving the casinos drunk.
- Red clay from Alabama does not wash out of of grey carpeting.
Back in 04 in SpringField MO I got a new Grand Prix GXP, flogged the ever living out of it. For a front driver it was fun.
San Antonio: V6 Hyndai Santa Fe with 4wd: There is a mall near the airport that for all intents a purposes is deserted. With these islands in the parking lot for trees and grass. In January of 05 the trees were dead and no grass. I decided that 4WD meant I could take short cuts. Imagine: Whoomp, Bang Whoomp....WAAAAAAA, Screech, Whoomp, Bang, Whoomp....WAAAA etc etc across the parking lot.
05 Mustang Vert: San Antone again, If anyone from SA remembers a person bringing a new Mustange vert V6 to the strip and flogging it with the top down, it was red and that was probably Me. Otherwise a POS, but chicks at the hangar dug it.
07 Chrysler Town and Country: Dallas TX, for a mini van it take 90mph lane departures with aplomb. Acceleration with 8 people is decent considereing, cross winds make for interesting tales of sway. Stow and Go seating is the shit.
05 Ford 500: San Antone again, Thought we would die trying to merge with traffic on 1604, HOLY WTF. 0-60 in 12 minutes, I ragged that thing for all it was worth and it could not get out of its own way or turn. Seats felt good though, hope they were easy to clean too.
05 Rover Diesel: Ireland, damn these roads are too narrow. Roomy, leather and wood as you would expect from Britton. Radio was decent, Cruise Control was hard to find (button in the middle of the dash?) Electric folding mirrors, and back up sensors were nice.
04 Cadilac DTS: Loaded, nice. Young Guy driving a Caddy in LA, doesn't pick up chicks. Go figure. Car was great though. Nav helped, but I wish I had a vette the whole time
Toyota Avalon: Roomy, confortable ride, sounds like shit (for a sedan it sounds like shit). Radio sucked
02-04 Nissan Altima/Maxima: Honestly other than trunk and some rear legroom these are the same car especially if the Altima has the v6. Occasionaly you will find a rental v6. Other than that not a bad car, but I honestly think the Grand Prix has better feel and acceleration.
Volvo XC-90: Nice ride, plenty of room, good interior, neat key, Great Radio, great Seats. Except its a Volvo.
Public Sercice Announcement: Don't buy a Hertz Rental car if its from San Antone TX If I got it, it saw trapzoidal speed bumps at speeds over 30. Just saying the suspension is prolly shot as is the tranny. Regardless of brand. Just an FYI. Actually scratch that, Don't buy a rental car period from anywhere. I or one of my co-workers/buddies may have driven it.
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Since Guns Kill People, Spoons Cause Diabetes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Konnie the Goat...
I dont see Monkey-Ears interrupting American Idle , cause some rabid tween would try to stab him with the tampax pearl she'll never use due due to a life spent on her back and preggers. He knows it.
I flew out to Seattle and they gave me a brand new Subaru Legacy. I e-braked the hell out of that car! We also used it to jump curbs and embankments. We pretty much drove the shit out of that car!
Public Sercice Announcement: Don't buy a Hertz Rental
or any rental, for that matter.
best: 06 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 Big Horn edition. nothing overaly special. not even a hemi. but, i sold my truck about a year ago and miss it terribly, so when the hole-in-the-wall Enterprise in Mystic, CT offered me that, a minivan, or a Chevy Aveo it was a no-brainer. probably the rental i abused the least, ever. just had a blast driving a truck again. made me want to come home and buy another one. made for a nice addition to our honeymoon.
worst: 1st gen Jeep Liberty. nothing wrong with the actual vehicle, but why would people spend good money on such a piece? craptastic interior, uncomfortable seats, scary handling (top-heavy), poor mileage, and no real off-roading ability. just a pointless vehicle IMO.
i've also rented a handful of Grand Marquis/Towncars. like someone else mentioned, a total blast to drive, esp at night. the seas part for you in those things.
Best: Infinity G35x. We got caught in a snowstorm in Chicago Ohare on our way back from a business trip. Snowing and foggy as hell. Next flight was going out in the morning so we said F it and rented the car to drive home. Very nice inside. Outside looks nice. Stiff sports car feel. What would usually take 5 hours took us more then 8 driving around 30-40 mph in the fog. I never want to get in a G35x again.
About an hour outside of town the fog lifted and it was very dry. Took it up to about 130 no problem. Very solid car. HID headlights are wonderful.
Worst: Kia sedan
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I love the IT department.
05 MBM M6 18s - Bolt-Ons - Sold
05 QSM/Red M6 17s - Bolt-Ons - Sold
Quote:
Originally Posted by Punisher GTO...
I would suggest posting this in the golf cart section
Ok my 2 bests were an Impala n a Trailblazer and the 2 worsts were an Malibu and a PT cruiser!!!! I had the pedal to the floor of the PT and i was like u have got to be freaking kidding me!!!!!! I want my GTO back!!!!
Back when I had my Acura TSX I would always bring it in for the first appointment for service so I could get a TL loaner. Lemme tell you I had some fun in that car. I'll just say that the suspension takes dirt roads at 80mph damn good. Oh, and I had a blast testing out the stability control on the dirt roads trying to get the damn thing to spin out....we'll just say I FAILED at that.
Back when I had a 2002 Acura TL-S, they only gave me a loaner if I brought it in for normal service [and paid for the service]. And I got another TL-S.
All four times when my TL-S' transmission broke and the car was in the shop for 10 days each time, they hooked me up with these rentals:
- Dodge Stratus - POS
- Mazda 6 - OK
- Volvo S60 - OK
- can't remember...
Oh, also when one of the TL-S' HID headlights rotted and burnt out, they gave me a 2004 or 2005 TL. That was nice.
Worst: PT Cruiser. Not even a close second out there IMO.
Best: Toyota Camry with decent options. I've had lots of rentals and loaners having owned 5 Cadillacs that lived in the shop, but nothing ever rode better or seemed as worthy of it's cost as that Camry [about a 2000 model ]
My wife wrecked my '91 Riviera in 1993 and we got a '93 Lumina for a month and had to use it on a lengthy vacation trip. That car rode terrific and is probably the best value for dollar I've ever driven. It was fairly new, however.
Cars I hated (worst to least horrible):
Kia Rio - slowest car I've ever driven and it was built out of cardboard
Chrysler PT Cruiser - drove terrible, uncomfortable, and embarrassing. I beat the crap out of it out of spite
Dodge Charger 2.7 - second slowest car I've ever driven. Couldn't spin the tires on water.
Mitsubishi Diamante - don't get me started
Toyota RAV-4 - Ugh... worst controls layout ever, total chick car. Ran it over every snow bank I could find.
Indifferent:
Hyundai Sonana with 20k miles - peppy engine, but everything else was falling apart
Honda Accord - really didn't like it, but I can't fault it for too much other than the terrible suspension.
Jeep Liberty - Peppy, awd, uncomfortable and ugly.
Cars I liked (least to most):
Pontiac G6 4cyl - not bad in base form, could've used more power
Ford Taurus V6 - Great highway cruiser, enough power to get out of its own way.
Hyundai Sonata with 2k miles - I swear this was the exact same one I rented a year later with 20k miles. When new it's a pretty nice car. Then it falls apart.
Pontiac Grand Prix - Pretty good power, roomy, great DD
Chrysler Aspen - pretty luxurious, decent power, balla status.
Pontiac G6 GT 6cyl - Good power, comfortable, nice interior, great car
Chevrolet Impala V6 - Comfortable, nice simple interior, good power, perfect highway car.
Chevrolet Tahoe - Loved it, awesome vehicle
And my favorite rental car so far....... *drumroll*.....
Chrysler 300 3.5L! Turn off the stability control and flog the crap out of it. Really fun on damp roads, it will slide around better than the GTO. All rental cars should be RWD with 250+hp. Not the best interior but good enough, and decently comfortable. I just like it because it's fun to drive. Still waiting for someone to rent me a Mustang GT I shed a tear when I think of what I'll do to one...
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'05 IBM/Blue M6
11-8-08: 12.699 @ 109.17
Recent Changes: PS coated LTs, Super 40s - no times yet.
Wow, I dont know where to start with my rental car episode...
Got a 4cyl Cavalier one time, lets just say to get it to hit WOT and top speed on the higway was a challenge in its own, I had to draft cars then pull out and flog the pee out of it. Lets just way it does better E-brake slides than it does going forward.
Got a Hyundai Santa Fe when I lived in wichita and had to take my Formula in for warranty work. I would give it hell everytime it came to getting on the highway. Not bad little SUVs though
Now that I have gotten older I dont usually flog them much anymore, I dont have the money to afford the tickets and dont want the repair bills if one of the floggings turn to the worse.
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2009.5 G8 GXP SRM A6 Performance Mods - Rotofab CAI, Underpanel mod, 160° thermostat, Powerbond UDP, Resonator and Secondary cat delete, x-pipe, and HP Tuners tuned. Suspension mods - BMR front radius rod bushings, diff bushings, and cross member bushings. Dyno #'s - 361rwhp / 359rwtq
My "best" is a little unfair as I actually was renting a car on my own volition for a long-distance trip and didn't want to put the mileage on either of my cars.
Best:
Ford Edge SEL AWD
Worst:
Ford Focus
Rented the Edge to go to Florida in with the fiance and dog, so we needed something that had enough space to leave the dog's kennel erected and haul all of our luggage for a pretty long stay. I'm indifferent to their looks, but it was a nice riding and driving car. Rented through Budget and was completely painless and they were easy and accomodating to deal with.
Now the Focus was horrible. Got that after a lady backed into my car with her Silverado and left a square divot in my front bumper from her trailer hitch. It was the most basic model possible, no frills whatsoever. I was thankful that it at least had cloth instead of vinyl. Roll windows, no power locks... hell, the shitbox didn't even have a center armrest/console! My right arm just kind of hung limp at my side as I drove. It was dodgy on the highway, and was impossible to maintain any kind of speed in. I was either going 10 under or 10 over. And God forbid you try to take a corner at more than 10 mph... it would leeeeeannnnnnnnn big-time and the crap 14" tires would squeal and groan. Ugh, after that experience, I can't believe someone willingly pays money for those.
Others:
Mazda 6 V6
Ford Expedition
Chrysler Sebring
Chevy Malibu
04 PT cruiser Turbo: Springfield MO again, why they had the a turbo for rent I'll never know but thank you National. Now on a twisty county road named EE or FF (they have strange names in MO) I decided to pull a rally car trick. I dropped off the inside tires off the road and hooked against the inside of the curve and rode the biatch. I only did it once as I was reminded that rally cars you 3 piece rims with bead lockers and I didn't want to have to call a tow truck. Otherwise the car was nice for a Neon wagon.
Originally Posted by pinski, referring to the Ford Focus...
Ugh, after that experience, I can't believe someone willingly pays money for those.
*raises hand*
i did, and it was one of the best vehicles i ever owned. my brother has a base model zx3 as well and uses it as his commuter. 90K miles without a single mechanical issue, and that car has seen PLENTY of hard driving.
you just got to get something better than the base model is all. some decent wheels and tires, and that thing will handle better than anything else in its price point (one of the few cars left that will get you IRS for that price).
I had a Corolla for 46 days while the Goat was getting repaired. It wasn't too bad - no temptation to speed and I probably saved $100 in gas.
Today the goat is in for some power steering issue, and I have a Chevy Uplander minivan. I had to leave my testicles at Enterprise this morning, but I'll get them back when I return it.
2006 GTO Owner
That may have been their plan all along.
Later that day, she goes back to pick up the Highlander, and they tell her that the new timing belt snapped during installation, and the car won't be ready for another 2-days. So they hook her up with loaner car #3 - Grand Caravan. Now, for someone who was calling me names for considering a more practical ride prior to buying the GTO, I give her one of these --->
every so often as a reminder. 
I've had several of these steamers as rentals when in Seattle and Baltimore for business. Couldn't get out of these plastic nightmares soon enough. People actually buy these cars? Voluntarily...? 
Plus as granny barges / donut transport vehicles go, it was pretty nice (but that 4.6L SOHC mod-motor... 
it jumped snow piles pretty well too
I shed a tear when I think of what I'll do to one...
