Conference terri::cars_uk

> ANYBODY KNOW THIS........

IF YOU USE capitals it tends to

a) annoy people
b) hurt their eyes.



Go on, hit that caps lock key :^)

Greg

Hi,

The only time I've ever hired a car:

- the clutch was knackered
- the steering was dodgy
- the brakes were defective
- the throttle felt "odd"
- the engine didn't pull smoothly
- it was handed over to me with incorrect tyre pressures.

and the car was about six months old.  These things are driven badly by people
who don't care about them, during the very period of their life when they need
extra care!  I wouldn't touch an ex-hire car with the proverbial barge-pole.

I hope I never have the misfortune to have to drive a hire car again!  The car
was hired through DEC for company business... I hate to think what sort of
wreck I'd have got if I'd just been Joe Public...

Scott

    
    Maybe i had the good fortune to get GOOD,WELL MAINTAINED cars from this
    branch,because the cars were well cared for!!
    Perhaps this is the exception.....
    
    I certainly would contemplate buying from this source if any of the
    cars I used were available.
    The Avis branch I used (through DEC) were most helpful,letting any
    prospective buyer look over the cars,and you can pick colour,trim,etc.!
    
    
    			re:: .1......I hope my grammer and spellings OK!!

	Rep .0

  When I was in living in France I bought a Ford Orion from Hertz and quite
 happily drove it for 100k km. The only major problem I had was a broken 
 timing belt which trashed the whole top end of the motor. The local Ford
 garage didn't change the belt at the 50k checkup like they were suppose to.
 I know alot of people who bought cars from Hertz while living in Valbonne
 and don't remember anyone who had any major problems. I too was very leary
 at first for all of the reasons mentioned but in the end I was quite happy.


	-mike

Ahhh Gi'day...�

		  Well, I wouldn't buy one that *I* hired.

    
    
    		Well, I wouldn't hire something *you* would buy.
    
      
    
    	Only kidding Den ;-)
    
                         

RE: back a couple.


"The only problem I had was a broken timing belt"


That's a pretty big problem, however.  It only takes one problem like that to
cost you more than 50 *small problems*.

-Al

	Rep .7


   Yes, it did cost me 2700. ff but like I said the problem was caused by the
  garage that did the 50km service who didn't change the belt as the 50km
  service schedule called for. In my mind the failure wasn't caused by abuse/
  neglect of it being an ex rent-a-wreck.


	-mike

    Whilst working in Newcastle I needed an Avis hire car. I went to Avis
    for a group "C" - they didn't have any so gave me a group "E" it was a
    Rover 216 EFI auto with 50 miles on the clock, walnut trim, sun roof
    electric windows etc.
    
    Because of troubles with the Fleet ordering system I had this car for
    nearly 4 months (I told them they could change it if they had to, but
    they said use it till we call you) Eventually I took it back with 7000
    miles on the clock, they even had serviced it at 5000!. When handing
    the keys in I asked waht happens to it now and was told it would be
    sold and I could put in an offer if I washed. I offered 6000 pounds for
    it, and my father has run it ever since.
    
    It now has 18000 on the clock and has only cost us 1 new tyre.
    
    Sometimes you can be lucky.
    
    Richard (now down-under)
    

    allright before you say anything,
    
    I had washed myself that morning, I had even washed the car before
    taking it back.
    
    I really meant wished!!!!
    
    R.
    

    I picked up a 1.8 GLX Sierra from VMF in Newbury last March.
    G registered, 12K on the clock , 2 years guarantee �6650.
    It was first registered in July 90. So far no problems.
    
    This was ex-lease rather than ex-rental , and most of their stock
    had 60K+ miles up. Worth keeping tabs on just what they do get in
    - particularly these days.
    
    Mike Day
     

    I tend to drive my own car with a little more respect than hire cars!.
    
    Dave.

    The Montego/Sierra/Cavalier Hire cars I've driven havent been too bad
    
    but the Maestro/escort cars have been diabolical.....
    
    Do the larger cars stand up to the abuse a bit better????
    
    Huw.

Avis in the US used to sell their cars, too, until recently.  All their cars
are now returned to the manufacturer within 6 months or 10,000 miles, who
refurbishes them and sells them on the open market through their dealers.
This is good for Avis - no selling problems - good for Ford - they can get 
higher prices for their cars on the lot than can AVis - but not good for Joe
Public who now has lost what was a source of good cheap cars.

Even if *you* trash hire cars, not everybody does.  And I for one wouldn't
object to purchasing a car that had been thoroughly checked over after every
rental (average less than 50 miles), and serviced better than most owned
cars.  You can always tell a trashed car if you're careful - caveat emptor.

    re .11
    
    Who is VMF... I live in Newbury. But I dont think I have heard of
    them..
    
     -->>

    VMF is Vehicle Management and funding (I think) is a leasing company on
    the Hambridge estate in Newbury. They advertise theri ex-lease direct
    to the public. Just look in virtually every Newbury Weekly news.
    
    Richard