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| - Rented from this place 'cause it was around the corner from home and though I've always rented from Avis/Budget, I was on a budget after being laid off from my job. You get what you pay for -- that is the best piece of advice I've ever heard. I try to be a smart shopper instead of cheap and in times where I've been cheap, it's not worked out and usually cost more in the end, or caused stress and consumed time I'll never get back.
When I arrived at the office, I sat for at least twenty minutes until staff returned to help me. That should have been a sign, but I had already booked online and didn't want my card charged or pre-authorized, preventing me from having enough free balance to rent at another place.
The car was filthy. One, or a few of previous renters of the car had smoked in it. The car smelled like a pile of dirty laundry, with an ashtray on top. The dash displayed an alert that it was time for an oil change/maintenance, but the guy said it was fine and to disregard it. I know this sounds stupid on my part, to not walk away then, but I felt an incredible amount of stress over money and the need to be frugal. This was much cheaper than other rentals and I was just driving two hours away to see family. I nearly went back within a couple hours to return it, but it would have meant cancelling the weekend's plans and missing my niece's birthday, due to the fact that my card didn't have enough balance free for Rent-A-Wreck's pre-authorization and one at another rental place.
The ride on the car was awful, a few roads where the top level was scraped and prepared for re-paving made the car bounce around as if it had no suspension whatsoever. Likely combination of bad shocks/struts and tires that needed replacing. At one point, on this bad stretch of road in the last half hour of my trip, I put on the hazard lights and pulled over to the shoulder to let cars pass. I was going 40km, which was all the car could handle without vibrating and shaking so much that I thought it would disintegrate beneath me and I'd be left sitting on the highway, steering wheel in hand.
I was nervous upon returning the car and made sure the gas tank had more than when I got it. It was definitely in better shape than when I got it, having cleaned the windows and adding an air freshener. I actually took pics of the car after I got it 'cause I was afraid of something being wrong with the car and being accused of causing the damage, but luckily nothing was wrong, I wasn't over billed and no one got hurt. I consider myself lucky and won't do it again.
I realize the name of the place has 'wreck' in it, but what is supposed to be a slightly older car than Budget would rent, wasn't what I got. There's no excuse for the car being that dirty. A Rent-A-Wreck shouldn't handle like a sports-car, but I think it's sloppy to rent a vehicle with warnings being displayed every time you put a key in the ignition. That suspension wasn't safe and how much could it cost them for new shocks on a Chevy Cobalt? Unacceptable when they are right next door to a garage and a place that details cars.
This was the last time I rented a car and a couple months later, I bought my own, cheap, used car that I can maintain myself and use knowing that when I need it, it has been maintained and it doesn't smell like a gym locker-room. I've never been happier and don't miss the stressful experience of returning a car and facing the possibility I'm going to be charged for a tiny bit of damage or road wear I didn't notice. If you're going to rent a car, don't be cheap and make sure your credit card provides insurance. If not, get the insurance and have them clearly explain the terms and the amount of the deductible you'd be required to pay should something happen.
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