Rental Cars

**UncleDavy** · 12-01-2018, 10:20 AM

I used to do a lot of air travel for my previous job and I often rented cars from the airport. The condition of these rental cars after they were "cleaned" were appalling. The exterior always was either wet or heavily water spotted. The interior glass always had some sort of haze. The cup holders usually have some sort of coffee crust on them. It seems that the only part of the car that was cleaned was carpeting and mats.
We took a long weekend trip to Dallas this weekend and I rented a car from National. The Chevy Equinox is all right but the windows are making me crazy. Fortunately I have water and a couple of microfiber towels to get me through. Does anyone else have this issue with rental cars?

**DETAILROOKIE** · 12-01-2018, 12:19 PM

I have the same issue. I always pick up the car and take it to a car wash or bring some cleaning products with me so I can wipe it down. I rented a car and it had rotten food under the seat. They are nasty!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Autogeekonline mobile app

**ScottH** · 12-01-2018, 12:21 PM

Absolutely! Rental cars are among the most abused vehicles around - eapecially the airport fleet which come in and go out within hours. The only thing more abused are delivery vehicles - they never get cleaned and they stop/start the engine hundreds of times per week.

ScottH

**ctdave** · 12-01-2018, 12:57 PM

I used to work for one of the rental places as a cleaner service tech. You would be surprise at how they come back and what is left in them, I always said I would like to see the houses they live in. As far as the oustside there just wasn't enough time to do a buff or even a wax on them.

**Desertnate** · 12-03-2018, 09:24 AM

I think it is site and company dependant. I've seen the quality all over the map from good to appaling.

I fly into Baltimore frequently and I noticed some companies like Thrifty always pretty bad. Some cars didn't even look like they'd been cleaned at all. Enterprise used to be really good, but after they merged their operations with National and Alamo at that location and outsourced their prep work, things went down hill fast.

Besides never being vacummed properly, the biggest problem's I've had is the windows. Many times they are so hazed up on the inside driving them into the sun is dangerous because you can't see anything!

**Vegas Transplant** · 12-23-2018, 02:23 PM

Seems that there's no pride or work ethic anymore nowadays. Not even going to mention the filth level on my rental this past Monday.
Even major dealerships seem to have cut back drastically on lot washing.

**crovello** · 12-23-2018, 03:59 PM

I would hate to be the person in charge of cleaning a rental fleet. People are terrible to rental cars. I rent cars down in Myrtle beach six or seven times a year and I can't believe how filthy a car can get with less then ten thousand miles on it. I can't remember the last time I rented a car that did not have stains on the seats.

Dave

**LSNAutoDetailing** · 12-23-2018, 04:38 PM

Just came back from a business trip from Birmingham AL last night. The rental smelled like smoke, the windows were hazed... They're rentals... I say no more. I think the best looking rental ever returned was my rental that we used at Autogeek as a "volunteer car" during Mike's class.

**RTexasF** · 12-24-2018, 08:37 AM

I had a loaner from a dealership that was so gross it was quite difficult to even see out of the windows. I cleaned it up nicely once I got home while taking before and after pictures. When I returned it I went to the GM and showed him the pics. I said that the before pictures screamed "We don't care" to customers. He thanked me and sent one of the porters to the gas station with my car to fill it up on them as part of his appreciation. All loaners I had after that were clean and presentable so he followed up with his crew.

**ct18** · 12-24-2018, 11:18 AM

I actually did some work on a rental truck i had for 2 weeks. The interior was so bad i put my work jacket down on the seat to drive it home. I work in construction for my real job so its not like i was wearing a suit when i picked it up. I had to wipe a spot in the window because the haze was so bad on it. I cleaned it up while i had it and did a one step with HD speed. The lady said something when i checked it in about how clean it looked. I told her what i did and they knocked off the 5 dollar a day up charge that my insurance didnt cover for me renting a truck, 70 dollars.