Rental car

[CKN]

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.

I currently have one. I have so far put 800 miles on it with a consistent 35 mpg. There is an OLM in your driver's display if you scroll through. That way you don't have to guess. The car is OK for what it is. The Continental tires on it are noisy. The oil you pictured is not " dirty".

 

[Triple_Se7en]

.....it's been raining for 48 hours here and I'm going nuts.

Look outside and if you see an Ark going down the Hudson River with a bunch of animals moving about it, then stop sitting at your kitchen table and paying all the bills due on the 1st of October.

My last rental was free. A Toyota Corolla from a Bump Shop that kept trying to take my head off, every time I tried to get in and out of the drivers seat.

 

[addyguy]

About 10 years ago rented a V10 powered Ford box van for a move. Engine started to knock when pulling in at a destination.
Checked the oil, dry dipstick. Cap said 5W-30; went to gas station next door and found a 4L jug of Formula Shell.
Added about 3.5L to get it full; oil was still very dark. Left the jug behind the seat of the van.
Told the attendant about it when returning, he credited me the value of the oil and that was it.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

About 10 years ago rented a V10 powered Ford box van for a move. Engine started to knock when pulling in at a destination.
Checked the oil, dry dipstick. Cap said 5W-30; went to gas station next door and found a 4L jug of Formula Shell.
Added about 3.5L to get it full; oil was still very dark. Left the jug behind the seat of the van.
Told the attendant about it when returning, he credited me the value of the oil and that was it.

First thing I ever do is check the oil level on all rental vehicles.

 

[Luftmasse]

I always check the tire condition (usually near bald) and oil level before I start the trip with rentals. I am not surprised to see that at all.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I always check the tire condition (usually near bald) and oil level before I start the trip with rentals. I am not surprised to see that at all.

Oh and take pictures of any dents etc.

 

[mr_boring]

I always check the tire condition (usually near bald) and oil level before I start the trip with rentals. I am not surprised to see that at all.

Odd - back when I travelled a lot for work and sometimes went through 15 rentals a year (for several years) I never saw a rental on bald tires. Even got a few Mustangs and Camaro's that I did have a little fun with out in the desert backroads, but cautious fun as I did not have any desire to put a rental in a ditch nor blow/bald a tire. Most rental car agencies still do a walkaround with you, right? I've only rented 4 in the last 2-3 years but each one did get a walkaround with the rep before I drove off.

 

[KrisZ]

I may check the oil level if the rental will be used for a longer trip, otherwise I’m not lifting a finger.
Yes, I do a visual before and after and take pictures, but that is for my own protection so I don’t get charged extra.

Not sure why people worry about stuff that is not theirs? So what the oil is black? Low oil level is one thing, but color? Talk about OCD.

 

[SR20DE]

I have a neighbor who buys all their cars from Hertz car sales and leaves the Hertz license plate frames on too. I always cringe a bit when I see those. Now I have an extra feeling of horror knowing people top off their rentals with their used oil! Though I know, the used oil from BITOG members are rejuvenating compared to rental car's oil.

 

[KalapanaBlack]

7500 miles with the cheapest correct oil weight we could find. Dexos, full syn, all those other requirements didn't matter, just put the right weight in. This applied to Hertz and Avis/Budget between 2006-2018ish. Enterprise has generally been much more selective as they sell most of their cars themselves rather than just handing them back to the remarketers representing the manufacturers. They demand at least semi-syn oil, tire rotations, and then at least replace worn tires and brakes before remarketing. We did occasionally have cars kept on long term rentals well past their oil change intervals, but fudging the numbers to rent a car that had a PM due hold in the computer was a fireable offense.

So, in short, absolutely minimal for liability in not losing/writing off inventory.

 

[Pew]

I may check the oil level if the rental will be used for a longer trip, otherwise I’m not lifting a finger.
Yes, I do a visual before and after and take pictures, but that is for my own protection so I don’t get charged extra.

Not sure why people worry about stuff that is not theirs? So what the oil is black? Low oil level is one thing, but color? Talk about OCD.

Same here. I'm not going to do maintenance on a rental company's car. If it breaks from anything, that's their problem.

 

[The Critic]

7500 miles with the cheapest correct oil weight we could find. Dexos, full syn, all those other requirements didn't matter, just put the right weight in. This applied to Hertz and Avis/Budget between 2006-2018ish. Enterprise has generally been much more selective as they sell most of their cars themselves rather than just handing them back to the remarketers representing the manufacturers. They demand at least semi-syn oil, tire rotations, and then at least replace worn tires and brakes before remarketing. We did occasionally have cars kept on long term rentals well past their oil change intervals, but fudging the numbers to rent a car that had a PM due hold in the computer was a fireable offense.

So, in short, absolutely minimal for liability in not losing/writing off inventory.

@53' Stude - thoughts?

 

[53' Stude]

@53' Stude - thoughts?

That’s about half correct.