Random Rental Car Reviews

Day 1 - 2014 Dodge Dart SXT: The Tigershark 2.4L is a sweeeet motor, lots of power, sounds great. The 6-speed auto flare-shifts like an old GM, will NOT obey commands in manual mode, and has granny-gears in 1st and 2nd. The driver's door panel rattled, the wiper stalk was frustrating, the radio sucked, and the handling was a little vague. Put a stick behind that motor and throw the whole interior in the garbage and you'd have a nice race car.

Day 2 - 2014 Chevrolet Impala: Holy E36 M3, they still make the W-Body?!? This thing is still so like SEMBO's ancient Grand Prix it's almost funny. Everything is old. The key and fob, clunky mirror, door handles, etc. The rear springs must have the same rate as a ball point pen because 200 Lbs in the trunk makes it squat like a drag car launching. Did I mention that it has FOUR forward gears?!?!

Javelin wrote: Day 1 - 2014 Dodge Dart SXT: The Tigershark 2.4L is a sweeeet motor, lots of power, sounds great. The 6-speed auto flare-shifts like an old GM, will NOT obey commands in manual mode, and has granny-gears in 1st and 2nd. The driver's door panel rattled, the wiper stalk was frustrating, the radio sucked, and the handling was a little vague. Put a stick behind that motor and throw the whole interior in the garbage and you'd have a nice race car. Day 2 - 2014 Chevrolet Impala: Holy E36 M3, they still make the W-Body?!? This thing is still so like SEMBO's ancient Grand Prix it's almost funny. Everything is *old*. The key and fob, clunky mirror, door handles, etc. The rear springs must have the same rate as a ball point pen because 200 Lbs in the trunk makes it squat like a drag car launching. Did I mention that it has FOUR forward gears?!?!

Wait, they still make the old impala? I thought they redid that E36 M3 and made it good. Cant keep good parts bin down.

In reply to mndsm.

Rental only up until 2014 or 2015

I have had a few Fusions this year. I like them enough to seek them out on the rental lot.

I had a Dart rental near the beginning of the year. Everything you said, plus biggest key ever. I mean seriously, why does the key have to be so damn huge?

I've also been stuck with a Malibu. I have no idea what the engine was, but everything it did was kinda cranky and grumbly. Interstate on-ramp? Grumble grumble grumble. Idle forward at the gas pump? Grumble grumble grumble.

mndsm wrote: Wait, they still make the old impala? I thought they redid that E36 M3 and made it good. Cant keep good parts bin down.

Counterpoint: The last couple years the Impala had the plain government-issue wrapper, but the new 304hp 3.6L direct inject V6. Sure, it's not modern looking, but it's comfy, FAST, and gets 30mpg. Best rental car ever.

Tyler H wrote:

mndsm wrote: Wait, they still make the old impala? I thought they redid that E36 M3 and made it good. Cant keep good parts bin down.

Counterpoint: The last couple years the Impala had the plain government-issue wrapper, but the new 304hp 3.6L direct inject V6. Sure, it's not modern looking, but it's comfy, FAST, and gets 30mpg. Best rental car ever.

Yeah, seriously, the W-body with the 3.6L absolutely hauls ass. First time I drove one with that engine, I had to stop and look under the hood because I knew it wasn't the old 3500/3900. One of our techs was going to NYC every other weekend for special training and he would always grab a used 3.6L W-body off the lot for his company rental.

Mike wrote: I had a Dart rental near the beginning of the year. Everything you said, plus biggest key ever. I mean seriously, why does the key have to be so damn huge? I've also been stuck with a Malibu. I have no idea what the engine was, but everything it did was kinda cranky and grumbly. Interstate on-ramp? Grumble grumble grumble. Idle forward at the gas pump? Grumble grumble grumble.

If it was a 2.4L it was probably because the timing chains were flailing around the chaincase like that engine always does. If it was the 2.5L, those just have a tone of direct injection noise. Seriously, DI engines always sound like there is something hideously wrong with them.

^Malibu is the opposite of the W-body Impala. It looks good. The interior looks nice and well-appointed. But it drives like crap and it isn't comfortable.

The W-body Impala was my first choice. Now that it's gone, I look for a Camry. They are bland, but they handle well for the rental fleet.

I rent a LOT and get offered free upgrades when I fly in to major cities. Occasional G37, 370z, Genesis Coupe, etc. Sometimes I'll still get the Camry.

Driving in an unfamiliar big city can be challenging, but it's a little less-so in a familiar car.

Worst rental car I ever had: An '09 Hyundai Elantra. The rear seats seemed to have been chiseled from a block of granite, there was literally no deflection in the cushions at all when you sat on them. It wasn't particularly comfortable or roomy. And best of all, the power steering was a hit-or-miss affair. Sometimes you would start it up and it would work, other times it would have no power steering and it never set a service light either. Not ideal for when you are on the PCH.

Also, scored big on the Rental Car Lottery once and my family got a Pontiac Aztek. Oh, hell yes. Honestly, it wasn't awful, aside from the styling. It rode nice, got expected fuel mileage, was pretty comfortable and had plenty of room. Only squabble was the weird bifurcated rear window made a blind spot right in the very middle, so cars behind you would just kind of vanish. I think I may have just given an Aztek the kindest review ever.

NickD wrote: bifurcated rear window

^^LOL

The Dart was a raging disappointment...for some reason I expected more. Fun fact, they continued on the old Impala as a "limited" model only being sold to fleet/rental lots. When I worked at CarMax it confused the beJesus out of everyone. I had a '15 Malibu Eco last year that I drove from Austin to Kansas City. It was actually a decent car, the only gripe was the size of the backseat from my passengers, but it achieved 30 MPG the whole trip and did it in relative comfort.

thedanimal wrote: I had a '15 Malibu Eco last year that I drove from Austin to Kansas City. It was actually a decent car, the only gripe was the size of the backseat from my passengers...

I would like to know what group of geniuses thought that it was a great idea to take 3.5" out of the rear legroom on a midsize sedan when they redesigned the Malibu for '13

In reply to NickD:

I hear you, it didn't make a lick of sense to me. The trunk was hilariously large and the backseat was like my 01 corolla.

In reply to NickD:

Yup. Can confirm. The 3.6L is pretty darn quick! I'm in the Hertz friends/family deal and the impala is always the cheapest to rent. I'm not complaining

I can confirm that the 3.6 Impala hauls ass. 14-second car according to the OBD/GPS dongle.

Pro-tip: a v6 charger turns into a pretty enjoyable car when you turn off the traction control and put the car in sport mode.

Javelin wrote: I can confirm that the 3.6 Impala *hauls ass*. 14-second car according to the OBD/GPS dongle.

Yeah, they are way faster than they have any business being. The beauty of those cars was that in '14 you could get '13s for some stupid low rates. I think our dealership was doing like $199 a month. And strangely, the 3.6L seems to behave itself in the Imps, unlike every other application.

Tyler H wrote:

mndsm wrote: Wait, they still make the old impala? I thought they redid that E36 M3 and made it good. Cant keep good parts bin down.

Counterpoint: The last couple years the Impala had the plain government-issue wrapper, but the new 304hp 3.6L direct inject V6. Sure, it's not modern looking, but it's comfy, FAST, and gets 30mpg. Best rental car ever.

I find w bodies inoffensive enough. I just didnt know they still made them.

Been rocking a Chevy Spark for the past 2 weeks. What a vile turd. The CVT is possessed, and groans like it's passing a kidney stone. The traction control is more likely to get you stuck in snow. The California spec Summer tires don't help. I could see it actually being fun with a manual and tires matching the season.

But, God damn, does this car suck.

Chevy Sonic sedan with 38k miles on it for the past 5 days in Florida. Hard start every time, maybe the battery was on its way out. Was also out of washer fluid. Engine was surprisingly strong, would chirp the tires on dry pavement when pulling out of a parking lot, although that may be due to the poverty-spec Kumho Solus tires. Trans was actually pretty well behaved and did what I expected of it. I thought the gauge cluster was pretty attractive. SWMBO, who drives a Mazda2, through the Sonic felt "really big" by comparison.

Long weekend update on the Impala: The fuel mileage is aweful, right around 21 MPG, mostly highway. Turning the traction control off does nothing. The trunk opening is deceptively small.

This engine needs to be in a Miata. The gallop from 4500-6500 is fantastic!

AFAIK if your Impala has the 3.6 it also has a six-speed auto. Sounds like you have one that's led a hard life. How many miles on it?

I've gotten to sample a number of cars in the compact or sub-compact class over the past 18 months, as that's what I typically rent, being the cheapskate I am. The Versa is fine basic point A to point B transportation. The Mazda2 was exactly what I expected a 4 door FWD NA Miata to feel like...fun, sparse and raw. The Sentra wouldn't be a bad car if it weren't for that putrid CVT. The one car I found myself liking and renting repeatedly was the Focus hatch. Yeah, I noticed the weird lurching from the auto trans when pulling from a stop, but it didn't bother me as much as others seem to be annoyed by it. Other than that, I found it to be comfortable, decently quick and a really fun chassis. It's one of the reasons I just bought a FoST as a new DD for myself.

Drove a rental Morgan +4 for a day recently. Whatever you guys had, this rode more harshly, handled worse, leaked more, was slower and smaller. But it was definitely more awesome.

Surprisingly good mileage though. My math says I got 66mpg? Whoa!

Best wedding present ever?