Walk into a video rental store, and you're sure to encounter a large number of titles you've never seen gracing the marquee of your local cineplex. Similarly, rental companies hunting for the best deals buy-up huge numbers of the slowest-selling vehicles at cut-rate prices. And nobody makes more straight-to-rental releases than Chrysler. So it should come as no surprise that rental firms like Dollar Thrifty Auto Group have fleets that are up to 85 percent Chrysler. And that shouldn't be the end of the world, because most of the rental car market doesn't mind rocking a Sebring for a weekend if it saves them some cash. But, for Dollar Thrifty, the now-legendary Chrysler depreciation is munching a giant hole in their bottom line– at a time when rentals are slowing anyway. The LA Times reports that Dollar Thrifty (DT) has posted a 30 percent decline in Q2 earnings compared to last year, spurred by epic depreciation among the Chryslers that make up the bulk of DT's fleet. Costs associated with depreciation are up 28 percent. The only thing falling faster than the value of DT's fleet is their stock price, down 89 percent in the last year.
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Watch for these rental companies to go for Mitsubishi vehicles next. (They’re slow learners).
Enterprise “surprised” me with a Sebring for my last drive from PA to Wisconsin.
Once I was out of traffic (about 60 miles out); I found the cruise control to be inoperative.
Just north of Chicago, the steering (which until then felt like screwing a wooden push-broom handle into its socket) suddenly started clunking, as if a ball-joint or a tie rod had started working loose.
It was a rather “constipated” 40-mile trek to the Enterprise at the Gen. Mitchell Airport, where I turned the car in (after their dusty-looking mechanic had judged the car “shaky”) for a replacement – a silver PT Criuser.
After moving all my stuff to the “Cruiser”, and starting north towards Waukesha, I found out that the vehicle was just a “PT”, as the cruise control didn’t work in that one, either.
(I traded the Cruiser-sans-Cruise for a Kia Rondo for the return trip, and it was a better vehicle than the previous two.)
The next time I rent from E’prise, I’m going to request that I receive something other than a ChryCo product…
menno :
Watch for these rental companies to go for Mitsubishi vehicles next. (They’re slow learners).
Or Hyundai/Kias
Hyundai/Kia vehicles would be a solid step in the right direction. At least you could count on basic features like steering and cruise control working properly.
As for the Mitsubishi angle they could probably buy up Mitsu’s entire US operations to satisfy rental fleet needs since they’re currently circling the bowl as it is.
Bancho :
August 12th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Hyundai/Kia vehicles would be a solid step in the right direction. At least you could count on basic features like steering and cruise control working properly.
Assuming it has any of those features. My two rental korean cars had a great stereo and an MP3 jack, but no CC.
Sonata’s are going to fleets in larger numbers, along with other Hyundai and Kia models.
Even though Hyundai’s have improved I still don’t see them as a model of reliability yet.
“Similarly, rental companies hunting for the best deals buy-up huge numbers of the slowest-selling vehicles at cut-rate prices…So it should come as no surprise that rental firms like Dollar Thrifty Auto Group have fleets that are up to 85 percent Chrysler.”
Actually yes, it is a surprise, because that is NOT why Thrifty has so many Chrysler vehicles.
From Wikipedia:
Dollar-Thrifty Automotive Group NYSE: DTG is a holding company for Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent A Car, formed in 1990 by Chrysler and spun off in 1997.
The company primarily rents Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles within the United States, though some locations feature other popular brands, such as Mazda, Nissan, or Toyota.
I’ve gotten Mitsubishi’s & Mustangs from Avis, Impala’s from Hertz, and nothing but headaches from Dollar (or specifically, a Grand Cherokee that was fine going into 4-Lo during a snow storm, but adamently REFUSED to go back into 2-HI).
Even with higher upfront costs, wouldn’t it be better for these guys to buy a car that might actually last 40,000-50,000 miles (I’m looking at you Galant, Taurus, Six, and Altima), rather then the horrendous crapmobiles The Pentastar produces.
You get what you pay for!
Thank you windswords. You learn something every day.
That’s like being surprised Avis rents GM or Hertz rents Ford…. they’re all spinoffs back from when-it-seemed-like-a-good-idea.
That said, I sure see a ton of Sebrings and Avengers on the road, and they’re legit (aka not rentals.)
I gotta tell ya, rented a Charger from Dollar in El Paso last week, did 1400 miles in 8 days. Total charge was $149. Got almost 30 mpg, and the car was actually pretty nice. Family of 5 fit just fine. The only issue was the tranny – the hills really confused it! But for that price, it was unbeatable. Must have been an 08, had a Nov in service date and 22k on it.
On the rare occasions where I’ve had to rent a car, I never really had a choice of a Chrysler product.
Disclaimer – I never rent convertibles. Sebring ‘verts have been on the list in most places, but outside of that, haven’t seen many mopars at rentals.
You can’t judge a car maker by one experience from an abused rental car or heresay. Personally, the worst “crapmobile” I’ve ever owned was a Toyota. That car was a total garage whore.
Give Chrysler a chance. I did about 20 years ago, and have never been disappointed. It’s amazing the nonsense being said out there about American cars. It’s all part of that “cool image” of all-things-foreign; so bogus. (And no, I don’t work for Chrysler. I just love their cars and trucks!)
Chrysler = quality cars/trucks!