OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

He also wanted to sell her a full tank of gas so that she didn't have
to fill the tank at a gas station before she returned the car. She
took that to mean a FULL tank of gas even if she was only half empty.
They were charging 3.05 a gallon and she filled up near the air port
for 2.93, I think, or 12 cents a gallon difference, so if they were
only going to charge her for half a tank that would have only been
maybe $1.20, which she would have gladly paid. But he called it a
FULL tank of gas. Also, do they ever lie about how much they put in?
Since the customer doesn't see the pump.

On May 1, 12:09 pm, mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

That means that if she wrecks the car, or it's stolen, the rental
company is entitled
to compensation for the "loss of use", while the car is gone or being
repaired.
They can't rent out and earn money for what they don't have.




He also wanted to sell her a full tank of gas so that she didn't have
to fill the tank at a gas station before she returned the car. She
took that to mean a FULL tank of gas even if she was only half empty.
They were charging 3.05 a gallon and she filled up near the air port
for 2.93, I think, or 12 cents a gallon difference, so if they were
only going to charge her for half a tank that would have only been
maybe $1.20, which she would have gladly paid. But he called it a
FULL tank of gas. Also, do they ever lie about how much they put in?
Since the customer doesn't see the pump.



This is nothing new. Major rental car companies have offered this for
at
least a decade. Usually, their price for gas is a little less than
you can
get it for locally. So, if you think you're gonna drive enough to be
able to
wind up with a tank that is near empty, it's a good choice. You get
the
gas at a favorable price and don't have to worry about where to fill
up on
the way to the airport. If you're only gonna use a 1/2 tank, it's a
bad deal.

mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

He also wanted to sell her a full tank of gas so that she didn't have
to fill the tank at a gas station before she returned the car. She
took that to mean a FULL tank of gas even if she was only half empty.
They were charging 3.05 a gallon and she filled up near the air port
for 2.93, I think, or 12 cents a gallon difference, so if they were
only going to charge her for half a tank that would have only been
maybe $1.20, which she would have gladly paid. But he called it a
FULL tank of gas. Also, do they ever lie about how much they put in?
Since the customer doesn't see the pump.


Did she happen to mention whether she was renting from one of the "big"
companies?

Some major credit cards give you theft and collision damage insurance
for car rentals paid for with their card. Here's the description of the
plan on my AMEX card:

http://tinyurl.com/389e82

I think letting the rental company charge you for the gas they put in if
you return with the fuel gage below the "F" mark isn't a bad deal even
at a significant premium price per gallon if it saves you having to look
for a gas station near the return lot in what quite possibly be
unfamiliar territory to you. And especially so if you're worried about
making a flight on time.

Speaking of fuel gauges, here's what's going to be in some 2008 SUVs.

http://home.comcast.net/~jwisnia18/temp/fuel_gauge.jpg

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Did she happen to mention whether she was renting from one of the "big"
companies?

Some major credit cards give you theft and collision damage insurance for
car rentals paid for with their card. Here's the description of the plan
on my AMEX card:

http://tinyurl.com/389e82

I think letting the rental company charge you for the gas they put in if
you return with the fuel gage below the "F" mark isn't a bad deal even at
a significant premium price per gallon if it saves you having to look for
a gas station near the return lot in what quite possibly be unfamiliar
territory to you. And especially so if you're worried about making a
flight on time.



even if you think you bring it back completely full, you can be charged
$6.00 for every gallon that they can fit into that tank. They hold a meter
device up to it & it reads the volume. I have done this both ways. It cost
more to try & take the cheaper way out. It is definitely not worth the BS.

longshot wrote:

even if you think you bring it back completely full, you can be
charged $6.00 for every gallon that they can fit into that tank. They
hold a meter device up to it & it reads the volume. I have done this
both ways. It cost more to try & take the cheaper way out. It is
definitely not worth the BS.



Never had any problems like that. I always use a national company.
When I receive the car I take note where the filling stations are
nearby. Then when the time comes to return the car I fill up nearby.
Only once was I asked if the tank was full and I said yes, filled up at
the "xxx" gas station, and that I had the receipt if they desired a look.

On 1 May 2007 10:47:23 -0700, wrote:

On May 1, 12:09 pm, mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

That means that if she wrecks the car, or it's stolen, the rental
company is entitled
to compensation for the "loss of use", while the car is gone or being
repaired.
They can't rent out and earn money for what they don't have.

That makes sense, but I've never heard of it before. So if they
normally get 25 dollars a day for the car, is that what they bill
someone for loss of use? Even though the 25 dollars is accompanied by
costs they don't incur when they don't rent the car?

Do they bill for just the time it takes to fix the car, one day for a
dented fender, or do companies try to pad that?

And the customer owes this only if the accident is his fault?

It seems like this would be a bad deal for someone who has his own
insurance that will pay for most of the costs anyhow. Rather than pay
full insurance price, he should be a self-insurer forthe loss of use
charge and pay it out of his poeket.

Is this some charge they came up with recently when too many people
used their own insurance when renting?

A little more below.

He also wanted to sell her a full tank of gas so that she didn't have
to fill the tank at a gas station before she returned the car. She
took that to mean a FULL tank of gas even if she was only half empty.
They were charging 3.05 a gallon and she filled up near the air port
for 2.93, I think, or 12 cents a gallon difference, so if they were
only going to charge her for half a tank that would have only been
maybe $1.20, which she would have gladly paid. But he called it a
FULL tank of gas. Also, do they ever lie about how much they put in?
Since the customer doesn't see the pump.

This is nothing new. Major rental car companies have offered this for
at least a decade. Usually, their price for gas is a little less than
you can get it for locally. So, if you think you're gonna drive enough to be
able to wind up with a tank that is near empty, it's a good choice. You get
the gas at a favorable price and don't have to worry about where to fill
up on the way to the airport. If you're only gonna use a 1/2 tank, it's a
bad deal.

I never have any idea how much will be left in the tank after a week
of driving. Once I go past one tankfull I could use 1/8 of the next
tank or 7/8ths. But the odds are almost 100% I won't be empty and
need a full tank when I bring it back. If they are going to charge
for a the full volume of the tank, it sounds like it is almost always
a bad deal.

BTW, Alamo didn't charge 6.00 dollars, only 3.05, but some companies
used to charge an enormous price, maybe some still do?

On Tue, 01 May 2007 19:38:49 GMT, "longshot" wrote:


Did she happen to mention whether she was renting from one of the "big"
companies?

It's Alamo. She used to compare prices before every trip, but they
were always the best, so she just calls them now.

Her brother used to work in Palm Beach or West Palm Beach, so that is
the airport. Now she visits a highschool friend in DelRay.

No one at Alamo has ever pressured her before to get these extras.

He tried to rent her the next bigger car, saying it was on sale for
half off, but was somehow still 80 dollars more a week than the
compact she had reserved.

And he said, "Everyone buys the gas." as if she'd be a wierdo if she
didn't buy it. These tactics don't work on her.

Some major credit cards give you theft and collision damage insurance for
car rentals paid for with their card. Here's the description of the plan
on my AMEX card:

http://tinyurl.com/389e82

I think letting the rental company charge you for the gas they put in if
you return with the fuel gage below the "F" mark isn't a bad deal even at
a significant premium price per gallon if it saves you having to look for
a gas station near the return lot in what quite possibly be unfamiliar
territory to you.

Well, she goes every year, so she knows where the gas station is. She
usually gets a very cheap airfare. Usually she takes the 7AM flight
but this time it was 9PM.

And especially so if you're worried about making a
flight on time.

even if you think you bring it back completely full, you can be charged
$6.00 for every gallon that they can fit into that tank. They hold a meter
device up to it & it reads the volume. I have done this both ways. It cost
more to try & take the cheaper way out.

I'm confused. Which is the cheaper way out? I woudl think that would
be buying gas at a gas station, where they don't charge 6 dollars a
gallon. So why do you say it costs more to go to a gas station?

Or is that, in the final analysis, the cheaper way?

It is definitely not worth the BS.

mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

It means that, if she has an accident or a mechanical breakdown, she will be
charged for the time that the car is being repaired or replaced. Most credit
cards cover this as part of their insurance when used to rent a car.

He also wanted to sell her a full tank of gas so that she didn't have
to fill the tank at a gas station before she returned the car. She
took that to mean a FULL tank of gas even if she was only half empty.
They were charging 3.05 a gallon and she filled up near the air port
for 2.93, I think, or 12 cents a gallon difference, so if they were
only going to charge her for half a tank that would have only been
maybe $1.20, which she would have gladly paid. But he called it a
FULL tank of gas. Also, do they ever lie about how much they put in?
Since the customer doesn't see the pump.

It refers to a topped-off tank. The difference between the half-tank and a
full tank. I just fill it up at a gas station near the return point. If you
let them fill it, they will charge what *their* gas rate is at the time of
return.

--
"So long, so long, and thanks for all the fish!"
Dave
www.davebbq.com

mm wrote:
On 1 May 2007 10:47:23 -0700, wrote:

On May 1, 12:09 pm, mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

That means that if she wrecks the car, or it's stolen, the rental
company is entitled
to compensation for the "loss of use", while the car is gone or being
repaired.
They can't rent out and earn money for what they don't have.

That makes sense, but I've never heard of it before.

It's been the case for ages.

So if they
normally get 25 dollars a day for the car, is that what they bill
someone for loss of use?

No. It will likely be at a much higher rate.

Even though the 25 dollars is accompanied by
costs they don't incur when they don't rent the car?

I don't get your meaning. But if you are trying to look for a loophole,
forget it.

Do they bill for just the time it takes to fix the car, one day for a
dented fender, or do companies try to pad that?

They bill it for the actual time it takes to get it back into use. They
don't do their own body work, so it can take awhile. The question about
padding is too conspiratorial and there is no way to answer that.

And the customer owes this only if the accident is his fault?

No; he owes it if the car is taken out of service regardless of fault.

It seems like this would be a bad deal for someone who has his own
insurance that will pay for most of the costs anyhow. Rather than pay
full insurance price, he should be a self-insurer forthe loss of use
charge and pay it out of his poeket.

Again, this is not something that has a specific answer. It is speculative.

Is this some charge they came up with recently when too many people
used their own insurance when renting?

No. People using the insurance provided by credit cards came after.

A little more below.

He also wanted to sell her a full tank of gas so that she didn't
have
to fill the tank at a gas station before she returned the car. She
took that to mean a FULL tank of gas even if she was only half
empty.
They were charging 3.05 a gallon and she filled up near the air port
for 2.93, I think, or 12 cents a gallon difference, so if they were
only going to charge her for half a tank that would have only been
maybe $1.20, which she would have gladly paid. But he called it a
FULL tank of gas. Also, do they ever lie about how much they put
in? Since the customer doesn't see the pump.

This is nothing new. Major rental car companies have offered this
for
at least a decade. Usually, their price for gas is a little less
than
you can get it for locally. So, if you think you're gonna drive
enough to be able to wind up with a tank that is near empty, it's a
good choice. You get the gas at a favorable price and don't have
to worry about where to fill
up on the way to the airport. If you're only gonna use a 1/2 tank,
it's a bad deal.

I never have any idea how much will be left in the tank after a week
of driving. Once I go past one tankfull I could use 1/8 of the next
tank or 7/8ths. But the odds are almost 100% I won't be empty and
need a full tank when I bring it back. If they are going to charge
for a the full volume of the tank, it sounds like it is almost always
a bad deal.

BTW, Alamo didn't charge 6.00 dollars, only 3.05, but some companies
used to charge an enormous price, maybe some still do?

They do whatever is allowed.

--
"So long, so long, and thanks for all the fish!"
Dave
www.davebbq.com

longshot wrote:
Did she happen to mention whether she was renting from one of the
"big" companies?

Some major credit cards give you theft and collision damage
insurance for car rentals paid for with their card. Here's the
description of the plan on my AMEX card:

http://tinyurl.com/389e82

I think letting the rental company charge you for the gas they put
in if you return with the fuel gage below the "F" mark isn't a bad
deal even at a significant premium price per gallon if it saves you
having to look for a gas station near the return lot in what quite
possibly be unfamiliar territory to you. And especially so if you're
worried about making a flight on time.



even if you think you bring it back completely full, you can be
charged $6.00 for every gallon that they can fit into that tank.

I rent a lot during any given year, and that's never happened to me.

--
"So long, so long, and thanks for all the fish!"
Dave
www.davebbq.com

wrote:
On May 1, 12:09 pm, mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

That means that if she wrecks the car, or it's stolen, the rental
company is entitled
to compensation for the "loss of use", while the car is gone or being
repaired.
They can't rent out and earn money for what they don't have.



They can make a case for loss of use IF, AND ONLY IF, they rented EVERY
OTHER car on the lot.

In article , NOPSAMmm2005
@bigfoot.com says...
On 1 May 2007 10:47:23 -0700, wrote:

On May 1, 12:09 pm, mm wrote:

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

That means that if she wrecks the car, or it's stolen, the rental
company is entitled
to compensation for the "loss of use", while the car is gone or being
repaired.
They can't rent out and earn money for what they don't have.

That makes sense, but I've never heard of it before. So if they
normally get 25 dollars a day for the car, is that what they bill
someone for loss of use? Even though the 25 dollars is accompanied by
costs they don't incur when they don't rent the car?

They will typically bill loss of use at their standard published rate
for the car, which is sort of like the standard published price for an
airline ticket -- what you pay if you can't qualify for any discounts
and you need it right now. Wouldn't be surprised if it's double the
rate your friend actually paid for using the car.

Do they bill for just the time it takes to fix the car, one day for a
dented fender, or do companies try to pad that?

They bill for the time that it's not available to rent out, which could
include delays while waiting to get it into the shop, waiting for parts,
time for paint to cure, etc. (With no effort to pad the claim, my
wife's car was off the road for eleven days to replace an outside mirror
that got knocked off on vacation.)

And the customer owes this only if the accident is his fault?

No, the customer owes it if the car isn't returned in rentable condition
at the time it is supposed to be returned. Such as being stranded in a
rain forest on the Olympic Peninsula after a flood took out a road.
(Google that one for an extreme case, the car was out of service for
*months*!)

There may be other responsible parties to collect from depending on the
circumstances, but the *customer* agrees to the loss-of-use charge in
the rental contract.

It seems like this would be a bad deal for someone who has his own
insurance that will pay for most of the costs anyhow. Rather than pay
full insurance price, he should be a self-insurer forthe loss of use
charge and pay it out of his poeket.

Is this some charge they came up with recently when too many people
used their own insurance when renting?

No, it's been around for a long time, as an alternative to going to
collections with customers who put a rental car in the shop for six
weeks only to discover their insurance doesn't cover $2000+ in loss-of-
use charges.

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Infrared Photography Gallery:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html

In article ,
says...

They can make a case for loss of use IF, AND ONLY IF, they rented EVERY
OTHER car on the lot.

If that were true, it would certainly cut down on loss-of-use insurance
claims.

Unfortunately, it isn't, and it doesn't.

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Infrared Photography Gallery:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html

Actually, my (an insurance agent-though not currently selling THAT
particular line of business) understaning of loss of use does mean the
car has to be in demand. If they have others that are sitting idle, then
loss of use is not collectable.

One can't MAKE money on a loss. At least that is the idea.

CP

"mm" wrote in message
No one at Alamo has ever pressured her before to get these extras.

He tried to rent her the next bigger car, saying it was on sale for
half off, but was somehow still 80 dollars more a week than the
compact she had reserved.

And he said, "Everyone buys the gas." as if she'd be a wierdo if she
didn't buy it. These tactics don't work on her.

Must be more pressure to make more money. Most of the "extras" are pure
profit and the gas is expensive. Only time I buy the insurance is out of
the country. I don't want to be sitting is some foreign jail because of a
$100 dent.

mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

He also wanted to sell her a full tank of gas so that she didn't have
to fill the tank at a gas station before she returned the car. She
took that to mean a FULL tank of gas even if she was only half empty.
They were charging 3.05 a gallon and she filled up near the air port
for 2.93, I think, or 12 cents a gallon difference, so if they were
only going to charge her for half a tank that would have only been
maybe $1.20, which she would have gladly paid. But he called it a
FULL tank of gas. Also, do they ever lie about how much they put in?
Since the customer doesn't see the pump.


My car rental tale goes like this:

SWMBO and I rented a car in Orlando and as we drove off she pulled her
cell phone charger out of her purse and plugged it into the lighter socket.

The little red LED on the charger didn't come on as it always does so I
figured some previous renter had blown out the lighter fuse and the
rental place had little reason to check for that.

So, since we were going to be there for a week and didn't have a line
voltage charger with us I "whipped a youey" and went back to the place
to tell them about the problem.

I was shocked, shocked, to hear the girl behind the counter say, "Oh,
the boss had all the lighter sockets disabledd because our cars are all
"non-smoking". (Oh yeah, that's going to stop some pig from lighting up
with a match or a Bic lighter.)

I told her that wouldn't do and after some more pressure from me she got
one of the techs to crawl under the dash and stick a fuse in the empty
slot to power up the lighter socket.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.98*1014 fathoms per fortnight.

On Tue, 1 May 2007 22:52:10 -0400, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
No one at Alamo has ever pressured her before to get these extras.

He tried to rent her the next bigger car, saying it was on sale for
half off, but was somehow still 80 dollars more a week than the
compact she had reserved.

And he said, "Everyone buys the gas." as if she'd be a wierdo if she
didn't buy it. These tactics don't work on her.

Must be more pressure to make more money. Most of the "extras" are pure
profit and the gas is expensive. Only time I buy the insurance is out of
the country. I don't want to be sitting is some foreign jail because of a
$100 dent.

Just email me, and I'll post it to this group, and we'll get you out.

Q. What is the best method to spread prison bars using only things
that can be taken on airplanes?

On Tue, 01 May 2007 23:23:42 -0400, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:

My car rental tale goes like this:

SWMBO and I rented a car in Orlando and as we drove off she pulled her
cell phone charger out of her purse and plugged it into the lighter socket.

The little red LED on the charger didn't come on as it always does so I
figured some previous renter had blown out the lighter fuse and the
rental place had little reason to check for that.

So, since we were going to be there for a week and didn't have a line
voltage charger with us I "whipped a youey" and went back to the place
to tell them about the problem.

I was shocked, shocked, to hear the girl behind the counter say, "Oh,
the boss had all the lighter sockets disabledd because our cars are all
"non-smoking". (Oh yeah, that's going to stop some pig from lighting up
with a match or a Bic lighter.)

I told her that wouldn't do and after some more pressure from me she got
one of the techs to crawl under the dash and stick a fuse in the empty
slot to power up the lighter socket.

Very funny. I don't smoke, never have, but I didn't like it when I
heard they were taking the lighters out of some new cars. Like they
won't even sell a car to a smoker. Big Brother telling people what to
do.

And when I thought I was driving a truck from Texas, I made sure they
had a socket so I could plug in the compass, or the tv. They all did.

But now that there are so many cellphones, I would think cigarette
lighters would be back on the carmakers required list. Even if they
don't put an actual lighter in the hole, one could still buy one.

Jeff

"mm" wrote

Very funny. I don't smoke, never have, but I didn't like it when I
heard they were taking the lighters out of some new cars. Like they
won't even sell a car to a smoker. Big Brother telling people what to
do.

Nothing to do with Big Brother. If you've ever rented a car after
a heavy smoker, you know it's all about people ruining cars. The
car rental company has a right to protect its investment.

nancy

"Jim" wrote in message
...
longshot wrote:

even if you think you bring it back completely full, you can be
charged $6.00 for every gallon that they can fit into that tank. They
hold a meter device up to it & it reads the volume. I have done this
both ways. It cost more to try & take the cheaper way out. It is
definitely not worth the BS.



Never had any problems like that. I always use a national company.
When I receive the car I take note where the filling stations are
nearby. Then when the time comes to return the car I fill up nearby.
Only once was I asked if the tank was full and I said yes, filled up at
the "xxx" gas station, and that I had the receipt if they desired a look.

I believe it's Dollar, I have used them in Tampa several times. The full
gauge is somehow checked electronically & they charge you.

In article , "HeyBub" wrote:

They can make a case for loss of use IF, AND ONLY IF, they rented EVERY
OTHER car on the lot.

Whether they can "make a case" for it or not, is irrelevant. I'll bet that the
rental contract has language binding the customer to those terms, and, once
the customer agrees to that by signing the contract, the only case that the
rental company needs to make is that the customer agreed to pay in the event
of loss of use, they have a signed contract to prove it, and therefore they
are due the money.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Just to clarify one thing. All the rental companies that offer
buying a full tank of gas
upfront that I have dealt with offer this at a price that is either
average or sometimes
better than you can get at gas stations near the airport. If you
choose not to take
the offer and return the car partly empty, then they charge a much
higher rate for
gas.

I always take the tank of gas upfront option if I'm pretty sure I'll
be driving enough to use up
close to a tank or more of gas. Then, you just bring it back close
to empty, don't have
to refuel at the end, and got a good price for the gas. If I'm only
going to drive less, then
I refuel before the airport.

On Tue, 1 May 2007 16:38:08 -0700, "Dave Bugg"
wrote:

mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

It means that, if she has an accident or a mechanical breakdown, she will be
charged for the time that the car is being repaired or replaced. Most credit
cards cover this as part of their insurance when used to rent a car.

Hah... If I have a mechanical breakdown, I'm thinking that the rental
company should be compensating me, not the other way around.

"mm" wrote in message
But now that there are so many cellphones, I would think cigarette
lighters would be back on the carmakers required list. Even if they
don't put an actual lighter in the hole, one could still buy one.

Lots of car not only have the lighter socket, but an additional one for
accessories. That is becoming standard. The lighters were taken out more
as a cost savings. I recall one car listing a "smokers option".

On May 1, 6:46 pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
wrote:
On May 1, 12:09 pm, mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

That means that if she wrecks the car, or it's stolen, the rental
company is entitled
to compensation for the "loss of use", while the car is gone or being
repaired.
They can't rent out and earn money for what they don't have.

They can make a case for loss of use IF, AND ONLY IF, they rented EVERY
OTHER car on the lot.

Not true. If customer demands a car of that type, and they don't have
it they can/do lose money for loss of business. Not everyone wants a
compact car or an suv.

In article V82_h.7683$f17.2180@trndny05, says...

"mm" wrote in message
But now that there are so many cellphones, I would think cigarette
lighters would be back on the carmakers required list. Even if they
don't put an actual lighter in the hole, one could still buy one.

Lots of car not only have the lighter socket, but an additional one for
accessories. That is becoming standard. The lighters were taken out more
as a cost savings. I recall one car listing a "smokers option".

Even when they do add "accessory sockets," they can still be a cost
savings vs real lighter sockets. Even when I use the big inverter that
runs my laptop, TV, and camera charger, it draws a fraction of the power
of an electrical-resistance lighter, and it doesn't need the thermal
protection around the socket.

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Infrared Photography Gallery:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html

On May 2, 9:23 am, Goedjn wrote:
On Tue, 1 May 2007 16:38:08 -0700, "Dave Bugg"
wrote:

mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

It means that, if she has an accident or a mechanical breakdown, she will be
charged for the time that the car is being repaired or replaced. Most credit
cards cover this as part of their insurance when used to rent a car.

Hah... If I have a mechanical breakdown, I'm thinking that the rental
company should be compensating me, not the other way around.

Unfortunately they don't see it that way. They see it as you broke
it.

Here's the deal. Take the insurance. You walk up to the counter, and turn
in the keys. You walk away. It makes it all a simple transaction for a few
bucks more. Anyone who is so cheap should have to endure all the bull****
that their cheapness brings down on their head.

Steve

On 2 May 2007 06:27:52 -0700, wrote:

Just to clarify one thing. All the rental companies that offer
buying a full tank of gas
upfront that I have dealt with offer this at a price that is either
average or sometimes
better than you can get at gas stations near the airport.

OK, but I think you said that if you will only need a half tank at the
end of your rental, it's not a good idea to buy a full tank in
advance.

If you choose not to take
the offer and return the car partly empty, then they charge a much
higher rate for gas.

Aha! I didn't realize there were two prices from the same place.
Thanks for clarifying that.

I always take the tank of gas upfront option if I'm pretty sure I'll
be driving enough to use up
close to a tank or more of gas.

But what if you use 20 and 1/8 tankfuls. Don't they charge you for a
whole tankful even though you only need 1/8th? If not, I'm still
confused. If yes, it seems like a very bad deal, even if they do
charge an average or low rate per gallon.

Then, you just bring it back close
to empty, don't have
to refuel at the end, and got a good price for the gas. If I'm only
going to drive less, then I refuel before the airport.

On Wed, 2 May 2007 07:20:27 -0400, "Nancy Young"
wrote:


"mm" wrote

Very funny. I don't smoke, never have, but I didn't like it when I
heard they were taking the lighters out of some new cars. Like they
won't even sell a car to a smoker. Big Brother telling people what to
do.

Nothing to do with Big Brother. If you've ever rented a car after
a heavy smoker, you know it's all about people ruining cars. The
car rental company has a right to protect its investment.

That makes sense. But I would think Jeff is right, that they'll use
the same lighter they use when they're walking down the street and
don't have a car with a cigarette lighter under them.

Surely only the most disorganized smoker goes out without a lighter,
and if he does, he can buy one or get matches at a 7-11.

Do the car companies try to penalize someone who smokes in their cars?
What if I rent a car and have to give my boss a ride and he smokes?
Would I have to stop him or pay for it afterwards?

nancy

On Wed, 2 May 2007 09:39:27 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

Here's the deal. Take the insurance. You walk up to the counter, and turn
in the keys. You walk away. It makes it all a simple transaction for a few
bucks more. Anyone who is so cheap should have to endure all the bull****
that their cheapness brings down on their head.

Steve

It's not your place to spend other people's money.

There is a constant theme here, including regarding home repair, about
doing things right, as if the people who don't want to do that are
cheap. Maybe they need their money to support their kids, or their
parents, or to give charity, or for when they are out of work, sick or
old, for a nursing home if it gets that bad.

Not everyone expects their children to support them in their old age,
and a lot of people don't like the instructions they are given, that
they should spend down all their money until they are poor enough that
medicaid will pay for their nurses. Some people want to pay their own
bills with their own money, and not sponge off of all the other
taxpayers. It's one thing if they worked hard and didn't waste their
money when they had it, and still can't afford medical expenses, but
it's sponging if they spent more than they needed and then depend on
others later.

When they drive they have liability insurance, because they can do a
lot of damage if they hit a person and it will take all their savings
or more to pay for that. Plus in most places it's the law.

But even if the car is out of use for a month, plenty of these people
have enough money to pay for that. When they don't buy this loss of
use insurance, they act as self-insurers. On average it's a lot
cheaper to be a self-insurer becausae one doesn't have to pay for all
the paperwork and the profits and waste of the insurance company.

Of course it is more convenient to take the insurance, then turn in
the keys and walk away. Some people give up convenience because they
are short of money. You'd probably also look down your nose also at
those who buy homes they can't afford who lose them when interest
rates go up. You have an upper limit and a lower limit for other
people's spending.

I suspect you want people, even those with less money than you, to
live your standard of living, and claim they're cheap when they won't
buy things you'll buy, and profligate when they buy things you can't
afford.

Doh't insult people you don't know by calling them cheap. (Don't
insult people you do know either, for that matter.)

"mm" wrote

On Wed, 2 May 2007 07:20:27 -0400, "Nancy Young"
wrote:

Nothing to do with Big Brother. If you've ever rented a car after
a heavy smoker, you know it's all about people ruining cars. The
car rental company has a right to protect its investment.

That makes sense. But I would think Jeff is right, that they'll use
the same lighter they use when they're walking down the street and
don't have a car with a cigarette lighter under them.

Surely only the most disorganized smoker goes out without a lighter,
and if he does, he can buy one or get matches at a 7-11.

Do the car companies try to penalize someone who smokes in their cars?
What if I rent a car and have to give my boss a ride and he smokes?
Would I have to stop him or pay for it afterwards?

I think that would be true. If they say don't smoke in the car, I bet
they have provisions for you to pay up if you stink the car up. Last
time I stayed in a hotel, I saw that the fine for smoking in the room was
no joke ... $250 I think.

I rented a car once that had reasonably low mileage, but you couldn't
drive it with the windows closed, it stunk of cigarette smoke that bad.
I am not one of those, ooo I detect a whiff of smoke, I mean it *reeked*
that much. Man.

I could see where someone might rent a supposedly non-smoking
car, get in and there's a little smoke stench and they say Give me a
different
car. I can't really blame the car rental people for taking out the lighter.
Still, to take out the fuse, that does seem to be going a little far.

nancy

On 2 May 2007 08:49:59 -0700, runsrealfast
wrote:

On May 2, 9:23 am, Goedjn wrote:
On Tue, 1 May 2007 16:38:08 -0700, "Dave Bugg"
wrote:

mm wrote:
OT renting a car.

A friend just came back from Florida where she rented a car but took
none of the extras offerred.

The rental guy tried to sell her INSURANCE but she said she was
covered by her own insurance, but he said not for LOSS OF USE. What
does that mean, she can't use the rental car! Don't they just give
you another one if you break the first one?

It means that, if she has an accident or a mechanical breakdown, she will be
charged for the time that the car is being repaired or replaced. Most credit
cards cover this as part of their insurance when used to rent a car.

Hah... If I have a mechanical breakdown, I'm thinking that the rental
company should be compensating me, not the other way around.

Unfortunately they don't see it that way. They see it as you broke
it.

What! Seriously? If true, I know that is new.

On May 2, 11:53 am, mm wrote:
On 2 May 2007 06:27:52 -0700, wrote:

Just to clarify one thing. All the rental companies that offer
buying a full tank of gas
upfront that I have dealt with offer this at a price that is either
average or sometimes
better than you can get at gas stations near the airport.

OK, but I think you said that if you will only need a half tank at the
end of your rental, it's not a good idea to buy a full tank in
advance.

If you choose not to take
the offer and return the car partly empty, then they charge a much
higher rate for gas.

Aha! I didn't realize there were two prices from the same place.
Thanks for clarifying that.

I always take the tank of gas upfront option if I'm pretty sure I'll
be driving enough to use up
close to a tank or more of gas.

But what if you use 20 and 1/8 tankfuls. Don't they charge you for a
whole tankful even though you only need 1/8th? If not, I'm still
confused. If yes, it seems like a very bad deal, even if they do
charge an average or low rate per gallon.



Yes, they would. But you don't have to always fill the tank. On the
last fill, if you figure
you're only gonna drive another 100 miles, you just put in whatever
amount you
figure will result in the car going back with not much left, like 6
gallons.








Then, you just bring it back close
to empty, don't have
to refuel at the end, and got a good price for the gas. If I'm only
going to drive less, then I refuel before the airport.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On Wed, 2 May 2007 13:57:34 -0400, "Nancy Young"
wrote:


I could see where someone might rent a supposedly non-smoking
car, get in and there's a little smoke stench and they say Give me a
different
car. I can't really blame the car rental people for taking out the lighter.
Still, to take out the fuse, that does seem to be going a little far.

I wouldn't be surprised if smokers carry the removeable part of a
cigarette lighter. Heck they may start carrying the fuse too.

I don't travel that much, and I also stay whereever I find a motel
along the road. I keep a list or look for a nice one. The most
important thing is that the windows should open. So I've gotten to
taking with me a little clock-radio, and I'm thinking I should take a
universal remote for the tv. And a copy of the tv-section from my
local paper, which will have all the network programs if not the local
ones. Easiest would be the Sunday tv schedule for the week.




I carry an enormous variety of things in my own car, including plates,
flatware, and especially salt and pepper.

One time, about 6PM in the summer, my car stalled and woulnd't start
between 6th and 7th on 47th street in NYC, and I didn't want to wear
good shoes while I crawled under the car, so I went barefoot for an
hour while I worked on the car. The street was nice and I didn't even
scratch my feet. But since then I carry a really old pair of sneakers.


nancy

On 2 May 2007 11:38:47 -0700, wrote:


But what if you use 20 and 1/8 tankfuls. Don't they charge you for a
whole tankful even though you only need 1/8th? If not, I'm still
confused. If yes, it seems like a very bad deal, even if they do
charge an average or low rate per gallon.



Yes, they would. But you don't have to always fill the tank. On the
last fill, if you figure
you're only gonna drive another 100 miles, you just put in whatever
amount you
figure will result in the car going back with not much left, like 6
gallons.

I couldn't risk it.

I've run out of gas 16 times iirc. I almost won a weekend for two in
Las Vegas to appear at some convention or something to illustrate
running out of gas. But the last time was at least 11 years ago. I
try real heard not to do that anymore.

Strangely, most of the times I ran out of gas it didn't cost me more
than 5 minutes, and never more than a half hour. I know that can't
last forever.

Twice!!, I ran out on the Brooklyn Bridge, heading to Brooklyn, and
each time I coasted down the bridge across Tillary and into the
SAEEWAY gas station. Once on the BQE heading towards Queens just past
Washington AVe. and I coastee along the xway, down the next ramp and
right into a gas station. Once in western Illinois, where I didn't
want to get off the interstate and I got to my destination town,
Chadwick, and ran out of gas just as I crossed the sidewalk while
going into the gas station. Coasted to the pump.

I remember some more, but I've forgotten some too, or I might have won
the contest.

I don't want to get anywhere close to empty anymore, because I have
100 reasons not to stop for gas.

"mm" wrote in message
...
On 2 May 2007 11:38:47 -0700, wrote:


But what if you use 20 and 1/8 tankfuls. Don't they charge you for a
whole tankful even though you only need 1/8th? If not, I'm still
confused. If yes, it seems like a very bad deal, even if they do
charge an average or low rate per gallon.



Yes, they would. But you don't have to always fill the tank. On the
last fill, if you figure
you're only gonna drive another 100 miles, you just put in whatever
amount you
figure will result in the car going back with not much left, like 6
gallons.

I couldn't risk it.

I've run out of gas 16 times iirc. I almost won a weekend for two in
Las Vegas to appear at some convention or something to illustrate
running out of gas. But the last time was at least 11 years ago. I
try real heard not to do that anymore.

try not to now too. in most cars now, the fuel pump is cooled by the gas
flowing through it. no gas, no cooling. you could find yourself needing to
replace the fuel pump.

Strangely, most of the times I ran out of gas it didn't cost me more
than 5 minutes, and never more than a half hour. I know that can't
last forever.

Twice!!, I ran out on the Brooklyn Bridge, heading to Brooklyn, and
each time I coasted down the bridge across Tillary and into the
SAEEWAY gas station. Once on the BQE heading towards Queens just past
Washington AVe. and I coastee along the xway, down the next ramp and
right into a gas station. Once in western Illinois, where I didn't
want to get off the interstate and I got to my destination town,
Chadwick, and ran out of gas just as I crossed the sidewalk while
going into the gas station. Coasted to the pump.

I remember some more, but I've forgotten some too, or I might have won
the contest.

I don't want to get anywhere close to empty anymore, because I have
100 reasons not to stop for gas.

mm wrote:

What! Seriously? If true, I know that is new.

It is true and has been for years. The rental company's position is that they
could have rented that car while it's in the shop being repaired, thus you cost
them revenue.

--
"Tell me what I should do, Annie."
"Stay. Here. Forever." - Life On Mars

mm wrote:
On Tue, 01 May 2007 19:38:49 GMT, "longshot" wrote:


Did she happen to mention whether she was renting from one of the "big"
companies?


It's Alamo. She used to compare prices before every trip, but they
were always the best, so she just calls them now.

Her brother used to work in Palm Beach or West Palm Beach, so that is
the airport. Now she visits a highschool friend in DelRay.

No one at Alamo has ever pressured her before to get these extras.

He tried to rent her the next bigger car, saying it was on sale for
half off, but was somehow still 80 dollars more a week than the
compact she had reserved.

And he said, "Everyone buys the gas." as if she'd be a wierdo if she
didn't buy it. These tactics don't work on her.



You ubderstand that the counter clerks get commissions on the upsells,
right?

Thats why the hard sell push/


Some major credit cards give you theft and collision damage insurance for
car rentals paid for with their card. Here's the description of the plan
on my AMEX card:

http://tinyurl.com/389e82

I think letting the rental company charge you for the gas they put in if
you return with the fuel gage below the "F" mark isn't a bad deal even at
a significant premium price per gallon if it saves you having to look for
a gas station near the return lot in what quite possibly be unfamiliar
territory to you.


Well, she goes every year, so she knows where the gas station is. She
usually gets a very cheap airfare. Usually she takes the 7AM flight
but this time it was 9PM.


And especially so if you're worried about making a

flight on time.


even if you think you bring it back completely full, you can be charged
$6.00 for every gallon that they can fit into that tank. They hold a meter
device up to it & it reads the volume. I have done this both ways. It cost
more to try & take the cheaper way out.


I'm confused. Which is the cheaper way out? I woudl think that would
be buying gas at a gas station, where they don't charge 6 dollars a
gallon. So why do you say it costs more to go to a gas station?

Or is that, in the final analysis, the cheaper way?


It is definitely not worth the BS.

mm wrote:

On Tue, 1 May 2007 22:52:10 -0400, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"mm" wrote in message

No one at Alamo has ever pressured her before to get these extras.

He tried to rent her the next bigger car, saying it was on sale for
half off, but was somehow still 80 dollars more a week than the
compact she had reserved.

And he said, "Everyone buys the gas." as if she'd be a wierdo if she
didn't buy it. These tactics don't work on her.

Must be more pressure to make more money. Most of the "extras" are pure
profit and the gas is expensive. Only time I buy the insurance is out of
the country. I don't want to be sitting is some foreign jail because of a
$100 dent.


Just email me, and I'll post it to this group, and we'll get you out.

Q. What is the best method to spread prison bars using only things
that can be taken on airplanes?


Jet fuel. JP whatever.