Rental car

[KCHOPS]

I am in a rental this week and for the next few subsequent weeks. The car is 2023 Malibu with the 1.5L turbo. As a curious BITOGer, I decided to check the oil level. Oil seems ready for a change but not my car. I have always wondered what kind of service these rentals get.

 

[dishdude]

In my experience they get poor service and a lot of abuse.

 

[c502cid]

Most all the National cars I see get service right at the manufacturers schedule. Many have 7500 mile stickers in the door.

 

[Oro_O]

You are over-thinking this. I recommend revisiting P.J O’Rourke’s advice on rental cars:

You have to get a car that handles really well. This is extremely important, and there's a lot of debate on this subject—about what kind of car handles best. Some say a front-engined car; some say a rear-engined car. I say a rented car. Nothing handles better than a rented car. You can go faster, turn corners sharper, and put the transmission into reverse while going forward at a higher rate of speed in a rented car than in any other kind.

I read this in the 90s and it has really helped me get the most out of rental cars ever since then. It’s still relevant.

Here’s a recent tribute to him and his automotive philosophy, from Car and Driver.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39105473/pj-orourke-obituary/#

We lost him a decade too early. He was really a treasure.

 

[2015Corolla]

Drain and fill with HPL.

 

[Oro_O]

Drain and fill with HPL.

Half of the forum wants to slap you like an insolent child (or at least, if they could time-travel to when that was politically correct). The other half wants to laugh hard at that.

I won’t say where I sit, but as an aside, send me a link so I can follow your channel.

 

[Lubener]

Oil is supposed to get dirty. Rentals are driven hard and receive minimal care. Being a 2023, it could still have the factory fill.

 

[bullwinkle]

I may, in my wasted youth, have taken a rental Enterprise van to Valvoline and had the (long overdue) oil change done... Shame!

 

[FMC]

Obvious question, how many miles on the odometer ?

 

[atikovi]

Drain and fill with HPL.

Only to changed again in 500 miles when it's for the oil change?

I decided to check the oil level. Oil seems ready for a change but not my car.

HAHA, and I get flak for changing oil when it looks dirty.

 

[Chris142]

I worked on rentals 30+ years ago. They want the Cheapest parts available and if it's got oil send it.

 

[eljefino]

I kept a local Enterprise upright when I worked at a chain tire shop, doing $16.95 oil changes with bulk 5w30. It was, approximately, what the cars called for in 2011. ERAC was very into tire rotations so they always got those too.

 

[53' Stude]

In my experience they get poor service and a lot of abuse.

That’s cause you maybe used Hertz who is in dire straits at the present. My company; FORD/GM/Chrysler it’s done at 6,500 miles. Toyota, Mazda, Honda it’s 8,500 miles. BMW/Jaguar/Land River or Range Rover Mercedes and Volvo they get service at 9k with full synthetic and MAHLE/MANN filters. If a diesel pickup needs service they get Rotella 10w30 bulk and either Rotella oil filter or STP XL oil filter. Usually at 7,500 miles

 

[gfh77665]

I rented a Chevy Silverado (about 20 years ago) that was 2.5 qt. low before I went on a 3000 mile trip while towing a trailer. I did not change it but I did top it off 2X. The only oil change documentation I could find in it said it was done 19,000 miles before.

 

[Kira]

Back when I rented cars occasionally, I'd keep a jug of my own drained oil handy for top offs.

Stupid people would ask why I "took care" of someone else's car.

I told them it was so I didn't break down AND that the oil was used, so essentially free.

I'm not crying or anything, but dealing with meaningless sentiments like that always bugged the carp out of me.

 

[Chris142]

Back when I rented cars occasionally, I'd keep a jug of my own drained oil handy for top offs.

Stupid people would ask why I "took care" of someone else's car.

I told them it was so I didn't break down AND that the oil was used, so essentially free.

I'm not crying or anything, but dealing with meaningless sentiments like that always bugged the carp out of me.

I agree. I'd rather spend 5 minutes of my time vs hours of my time sitting on the side of the road in the bad part of town waiting for them to help me.

 

[JTK]

Standard routine scheduled maintenance will tend to take a back seat on rentals during peak demand. Back when I worked for one of the majors in ~1989-90, when we cleaned and prepped returned vehicles, part of our process was to check/add oil, and w/s washer fluid. IIRC, it was some bulk 5w30 back then for engine oil. We had the overhead retractable hose dispensers where you dialed in the quarts you wanted dispensed.

I've owned at least 6-7 ex-rentals for my daily drivers at this point. Never an issue with them. Oil changes are very sparse on them per their carfaxes. They get all the love once I get them.

 

[SeaJay]

Most all the National cars I see get service right at the manufacturers schedule. Many have 7500 mile stickers in the door.

Yes, on the manufacturer's schedule. Not on the usual BITOG poster's schedule.

 

[CharBaby]

Not that this was anyone's question anyone was asking but, It's never a wise choice to buy a rental vehicle. The maintenance history is just to sketchy and the vehicles for the most part are driven hard and put away wet. However, if you find a good one and you're a good DIYer, you can sometimes get a good deal on a decent vehicle.

 

[Kira]

you can sometimes get a good deal on a decent vehicle.

Ergo, it's not never a wise choice to buy a rental vehicle. Ha-ha.....it's been raining for 48 hours here and I'm going nuts.