Well, here I am...killing time until Monday. Might as well give a rental car review. First, my reservation was with Budget. I got the keys, and went to the car. Big notice on the driver's side door: $250 fee for cleaning the car if you smoke. Budget apparently went to non-smoking on Oct 1., along with Avis. So...I returned the keys, and went to Hertz. Got a Kia Fortis. I start out leaving the airport and get immediately on the PA turnpike. I look down at the dash and see a warning light for low tire pressure. Damn. I'm on a turnpike with tolls, and the nearest pull-over with any kind of service is 60 miles down the road. I get out and sure enough, one tire is very low, almost flat. I buy a tire gauge and fill it up to 35 psi, and the light goes out. Whew! 3600 miles and a flat tire?
So...I continue on, monitoring the dash idiot lights, which never came back on. This AM, I go and check again, and sure enough, the light is back on. Call Hertz and they say take it to Firestone and they can bill Hertz directly. OK...1.5 hours later, the tech comes out and says it's leaking at a previous plug, and the tire needs replacing. The manager tries calling Hertz without success, so it looks like I'm gonna have to pay and get reimbursed somehow. This is on a gov't travel card. Hertz previously told me if necessary, simply pay for the service and it will be deducted from the rental agreement. Now how am I going to vouch for the charges? So...while the tire is being replaced, I call Hertz again, and finally got someone there to provide a Purchase Order number for Firestone. All is well: I'm out the door with a good tire and no charges I have to pay.
So...what is the car like? Not too bad. Power brakes are very touchy. Comes with Sirius radio (good!). Drives like a rental car. No windshield scraper and it's snowing. Oh well.
So...I continue on, monitoring the dash idiot lights, which never came back on. This AM, I go and check again, and sure enough, the light is back on. Call Hertz and they say take it to Firestone and they can bill Hertz directly. OK...1.5 hours later, the tech comes out and says it's leaking at a previous plug, and the tire needs replacing. The manager tries calling Hertz without success, so it looks like I'm gonna have to pay and get reimbursed somehow. This is on a gov't travel card. Hertz previously told me if necessary, simply pay for the service and it will be deducted from the rental agreement. Now how am I going to vouch for the charges? So...while the tire is being replaced, I call Hertz again, and finally got someone there to provide a Purchase Order number for Firestone. All is well: I'm out the door with a good tire and no charges I have to pay.
So...what is the car like? Not too bad. Power brakes are very touchy. Comes with Sirius radio (good!). Drives like a rental car. No windshield scraper and it's snowing. Oh well.
