Enterprise: could you maybe pick... us up?

[cletus8269]

Enterprise Rent-A-Car delivered a Saturn Outlook to the dealership shop after the check-engine light appeared and the engine quit running. The problem? Enterprise records showed zero oil changes after 30,000 miles. Brutal results below.

As you might expect, going 30,000 miles without an oil change is not a recommended break-in procedure, and as a result the engine oil completely broke down turning into a thick greasy sludge. After finding this mess, technicians contacted Enterprise to see if their records showed any oil changes, which they did not, though it's suspected at some point at least one change was done as the factory oil filter has been replaced. Of course, that might have just been the factory oil filter being replaced. Nonetheless, the engine is completely ruined. It also goes to show just how serious a game of Russian Roulette you're playing if you buy a used rental car.

http://jalopnik.com/5235675/saturn-rental-...ter-30000-miles

[Justin Bimmer]

Buying any used car is a gamble. A lot of the "Certified Used Vehicles" I bet come from rental agencies, because at least they have some records of how they serviced their vehicles.

[caddycruiser]

Buying any used car is a gamble. A lot of the "Certified Used Vehicles" I bet come from rental agencies, because at least they have some records of how they serviced their vehicles.

Absolutely. Certified has nothing to do with where it came from, just that it's used, has under the mileage limit, etc. and the dealer who picks it up does the Certifying.

There were a lot of rental '08 G8's in the system, all of which seemed to get turned back in at the year or less mark with anywhere from 8-20k generally, and a lot are still for sale now. I tested an '08 GT with 10k that was an ex rental from Michigan locally here in Delaware around New Year's at a Chevy dealer who got it at auction, certified it, etc. and it was great, just not the best kept as far as detailing and such. Some were actual rental fleets and some corporate rentals, but either way, common with a lot of cars.

It's just always scary as to what they've been through...stories like above or even just video's idiots post on YouTube doing long smokey burnouts in their G6's, DTS's, etc., go to show it. But, at the same time, quite a lot of rentals are simply just driven, maintained properly, etc. and no different than any other used car. All depends.

The oil thing is scarily more common than people think...some people just really don't get it. My main co-worker has a loaded '07 Mountaineer with 31k on it, and from the time I first rode in it at 29k to now with nearing 32k, her "Oil Change Required" light has been on. She has it serviced at the dealer, etc., but just "hasn't had time to make it there"...still freaks me out. But, oh well.

[ocnblu]

I thought this would be a Star Trek thread.

[griff7774]

As a former employee of Enterprise is does not suprise me one bit. Some vehicles are requested more than other.It is the practice of some branches in order to please customers that demand certain vehicles is to go ahead and rent out vehicles that is low on fuel or put off the required maintenace until the vehicle is returned.

[daves87rs]

Wow...

[caddycruiser]

As a former employee of Enterprise is does not suprise me one bit. Some vehicles are requested more than other.It is the practice of some branches in order to please customers that demand certain vehicles is to go ahead and rent out vehicles that is low on fuel or put off the required maintenace until the vehicle is returned.

Yeah, in this case it clearly just kept happening again and again and again...for 2 years.

I was wondering how that thing must have drove/performed, even a while ago, with it in such a state. Obviously the CEL and non-running engine signaled something, but to all the other full throttle, etc. renters..."it doesn't run well"? Usually there's some notice.

[ShadowDog]

As a former employee of Enterprise is does not suprise me one bit. Some vehicles are requested more than other.It is the practice of some branches in order to please customers that demand certain vehicles is to go ahead and rent out vehicles that is low on fuel or put off the required maintenace until the vehicle is returned.

It must just be up to the rental agency then, or just how poorly one is managed. My wife handled invoicing and warranties at a GM dealership that regularly had Enterprise rentals come in. You see, they had an agreement with the agency that all courtesy vehicles the shop needed would come from Enterprise. If they didn't have a GM handy, the courtesy vehicle would be free of charge. The service shops always got a detail on the mileage of the cars on their invoice. Since all of these GM vehicles came from this particular dealership, they would have an updated list of the mileage and servicing. I was told that the same system was in place with the Dodge dealership as well, but I don't know if they monitored their vehicles the same way.