<p>It seems I spent another of my good deed token. I will have to earn it back.</p>
<p>Yesterday on a business trip I rented a car from Avis. A 10,000 mile Ford Torus. After driving about 20-30 mile, the car stopped running (I was on an Interstate). Fortunately, I had just entered the expressway and was on the right most lane. I was able to get off the road rather easily. I was lucky too. About half an hr later and right after I sat in the tow truck it poured cats and dogs for almost two hrs.</p>
<p>I can just imagine what would have happened if I was in the middle or left most lane (It was also evening rush hour).</p>
<p>Ford Taurus is also very stupidly designed. In most cars I have driven the emergency blinker button is easily accessible and visible. On taurus it is stuck and not very visible on the steering column.</p>
<p>Lesson learned: Always check the emergency blinker button. You won’t know when you will need it. (I usually check all other buttons and knobs like vipers, lights).</p>
<p>The Tow truck driver told me that he had towed the same car the day before.</p>
<p>Oh, simba!!! Sorry to hear about your misadventure with the rental Taurus!!! So glad that you are OK and that you were able to get onto the side of the road before you were stuck right in the middle! I can’t BELIEVE that the same car was towed the DAY BEFORE!! :eek: That doesn’t seem like enough time to have it fixed properly, and apparently it WASN’T! Thanks for the heads up about the hazard button…I’ll make it a point to find it before driving the next rental car! And…I’ll also make it a point not to rent a Taurus! :eek:</p>
<p>
Well, I’m sure I can think of <em>something</em>… ;)</p>
<p>Sorry about your trouble, simba–We have a Taurus w/30,000 miles and it has been very reliable. As is the Sable (same car, different nameplate) that is 15 years old & umpteen miles that we keep around for the teenagers to drive. Too bad they’ve stopped making them; they’re perfect for fuddy duddies like us.</p>
<p>Good advice on the hazard light, however–never know when you’ll need it! :eek:</p>
<p>Renix–to be perfectly honest, it’s my DH’s car. Good for driving to work, taking clients out to lunch in, and comfy for drives to nearby cities (again for work.) And since the Sable had worked well for us, we didn’t waste much time or brainpower in looking before we got the Taurus. But MY car is the sporty red Honda Fit. ;)</p>
<p>We rented a Taurus to drive to FL during senior year. Actually, we rented a smaller car and they gave us a free upgrade and we graciously accepted since it meant more luggage room. No problems with it, but I still don’t trust Ford. Or GM. Or Chrysler. </p>
<p>I’m so sorry you had such a bad experience At least you are okay!</p>
<p>My mother upgraded and gave us her Taurus, which I used for a 3-week college visit road trip. It made the trip just fine, but it’s not my favorite car. My son now drives it (although it really does look like an old lady car).</p>
<p>Ford isn’t the only one to have issues. Two weeks ago my daughter and I were returning to the Philly airport for our flight home after her incoming freshman advising session that day. I had rented a Toyota Highlander from Alamo. The traffic was stop and go on the interstate in Friday rush hour traffic; I had stopped due to stopped traffic in front of me. I looked in my rearview mirror, only to see a semi barreling down on me (thankfully we later discovered he was NOT hauling a trailer). He hit me, which propelled me into the car in front of me (which was also stopped). There was enough of an impact on the front end that radiator fluid was leaking from underneath the car. As my daughter and I recovered from the initial shock (we had just attended my nephew’s funeral three days earlier, who had died in a car wreck, so we were quite emotionally shaken, too), my daughter asked, “Why didn’t the airbags go off?” </p>
<p>Thankfully we are non-negotiable when it comes to seatbelt adherence, so our physical injuries were mostly due to being shaken around. However, when I rent a vehicle, I want to know the safety features offered really work. Interestingly, the guy driving the car in front of me shared with me that he is a trial lawyer, working for a major Philly firm who only handles personal injury cases, so I’m set for representation. But it certainly made me think twice about the maintenance and safety of rental cars. However, I don’t know how one can be assured that an air bag will be deployed when needed… it’s not like you can test it and put it back.</p>
<p>Go Avis! Many years ago I was in a trial in Tom’s River, NJ (from out of state) during a horrific winter rainy season. This was back when women still wore skirts and hose to court. The driver’s side door on my rent car stuck and would not open. I had rented the car at the Newark airport- several hours away. Also, I had a running injury at the time and had limited mobility. When I called Avis they told me to just get in the passenger side and climb over the console! Also, the windshield wiper blades were so worn that they were ineffective and I had to buy new ones myself so I could even see to drive.
I still rent from Avis- this was an unfortunate incident- but NOT fun.</p>
<p>Thank God you’re OK, Simba! These are the “good” stories to tell - the ones that end safely!</p>
<p>I once rented a car on business (I don’t remember from whom) in Portland, ME, to drive up to a small town near the Canadian border to visit a client. It was January. No snow, but the roads were slushy/messy. Car worked fine, until I was about 20 miles away and tried to use the windshield washer fluid. Nothing. Turns out the car had come up from Florida and didn’t have antifreeze in the fluid, so it froze! I had to buy a gallon of fluid, and stop every five miles or so (or after a truck passed and sprayed slush onto my windshield) to splash the fluid on manually, so I could see!</p>
<p>It’s good to find the headlight switch before the sun goes down as well. Most of the new cars do it automatically but it can be turned off.</p>
<p>Oh, and the windshield wipers too. Some of the new model designers think it’s funny to put the switch in odd places. It’s not so funny when the downpour starts while you are driving on unfamiliar roads.</p>
<p>Could some of you please hold back just a little on bashing Taurus?? For many working class families, a full size Taurus is top line car to have. </p>
<p>I drove my 03 Taurus everyday. With over 53000 miles on it, the only thing I have to do is to change tires.</p>
<p>I owned three of them in succession, before I bought the Mustang :)</p>
<p>My daughter still drives the second Taurus I purchased - it has 150,000 miles on it. I never had any problems with any of them. </p>
<p>But - when I traded in my first one for the middle one, the very first day I had it, I drove to the grocery store. I spent some time in the store, buying all sorts of stuff - anyway, came out of the store, could not find my car, it wasn’t anywhere in the parking lot. So, I called the police, to report it stolen. On the phone, the police were very responsive and sympathetic, and the call went well, until we got to make, model and color. The problem turned out to be that I was looking for the Taurus I’d just traded, which was white. My new Taurus was dark green. I was looking for the car I just traded, which of course was not there. My new car was sitting in the grocery store parking lot right where I’d left it. I somehow spaced out and forgot I bought it, whoops. The police laughed and laughed. </p>
<p>So, I guess, Taurus is not very memorable - rather boring. Mustangs are better. :)</p>
<p>Actually, Simba, come to think of it - I had the same problem with a rental car - forgot what it was, and couldn’t find it anywhere, until I realized I also did not have the keys, so, it was just a matter of locating the car with the keys hanging in the ignition and all four doors safely locked - so just a matter of waiting for the laughing locksmith or whoever they sent. I am glad you were rescued though and not stranded in the middle of the interstate…</p>
<p>Back in the days before beeping remotes, my uncle bought a new car and, standing in the parking lot at work, couldn’t remember what color they had finally chosen. He had to go back inside and call his wife (it was before cell phones too ).</p>
<p>My Dad’s Taurus lived up to the Fix-or-Repair-Daily acronym. However, the Probe he had was worse…after his experience, I know exactly what kind of probe it was. </p>
<p>Another thing to find before you set out: the inside release for the gas cap. Rented a Mitsubishi Somethingornother once and finally found out, not easily, by consulting the owner’s manual (make sure that is there, too). </p>
<p>When we were on the East coast for a couple of weeks last year, we rented a Toyota Sienna. Most disappointing vehicle I’ve rented in a long time. It carried the three of us and all our luggage, so mission accomplished. But it had the acceleration of a dying cow and steered about the same. I generally like Toyota products but that one was not fun.</p>
<p>We bought a Ford Taurus station wagon the very first year they came out. Our families laughed their heads off at our new weird looking car. It never gave us any trouble but we traded after 4 years for a mini-van for more kid room. </p>
<p>Our funniest rental experience was a trip to Florida where the rental was included in the vacation package. When we got there to pick it up, our ecomony car turned out to be a Ford Metro and there was nothing else available that day so we had to take it. We looked like the clowns in the circus trying to squeeze all 4 of us plus luggage for a week in that tiny car. </p>
<p>Also everyone should know that no one under 21 is supposed to drive a rental. Once I was out of town and our other car was in the shop. H needed a rental and made the transaction over the phone from work thinking S1, then 18 could pick it up for him…NO…turned into a big headache just to get the thing home.</p>
<p>Glad to hear that you are OK simba. Teriwtt - you too, what a terrifying experience and right after the tragic loss of your nephew - I’m so very sorry to hear about your loss. </p>
<p>Many years ago we had a similar experience with a rental car in FL, although not a Ford. It was an extremely hot day and the tire exploded all of a sudden - just blew out. I was driving in the left lane of the highway at the time with the kids in the back seat. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to repeat that experience any time soon!</p>
<p>Teriwtt, I somehow missed your post, and just now circled back to catch it - seriously, how terrifying, I cannot even imagine that. Especially being stopped, and seeing the truck approach in the rearview - that’s one of my biggest fears with stopped traffic on interstates. And to have the airbags not work…you were very, very lucky. I am also sorry to hear about your nephew - cars are such a necessary modern convenience but so unexpectedly dangerous, too. </p>
<p>Roshke, I did have a tire explode once - it was later explained to me that because I had loaded the car down significantly (hauling stuff to the dorm) and driven at high speeds over very hot pavement for a few hundred miles - the stress on the tire caused it to develop a weakness somewhere, and explode. Ever since then I’ve become obsessive with checking allowable weight, etc., though thankfully no more dorm moving to be done. But it was a scary experience, going 70, I almost lost control of the car. Fortunately I was alone in the car…</p>
At least you are okay!</p>
).</p>