Sep 25-26, 2024
* I reserved a subcompact Economy car (Vauxhall Corsa or similar). Instead, I was given a Nissan SUV with a transmission that hesitated, lunged, and lurched. This made it dangerous when pulling into oncoming traffic or avoiding pedestrians or bicyclists as they whisked by me.
* It rained heavily that day, but faulty windshield wipers smeared the window, creating a visual hazard, which caused me much anxiety, especially on the M11 motorway to Cambridge at highway speeds.
* The wide-body Nissan was challenging to navigate through central London in heavy traffic, and unbeknownst to me at the time, I inadvertently scraped a metal width-restriction bollard. This left a black paint streak along the lower-left passenger-side door panels, for which I was charged a 250-pound deductible.
* Back at the agency, I asked for a different car for the next day, but the only vehicle available was a manual transmission Kia. It had been years since I drove a stick shift, and as an American, never with my left hand, but I had no other choice. The transmission was touchy, and the car stalled about halfway up the parking garage exit ramp. With another car stuck behind me, I felt pressured as the Kia repeatedly stalled before I finally reached the top of the ramp.
* Feeling it wouldn't be prudent for me to drive any further in this vehicle, I circled the block and returned the car in front of the agency office. To my surprise, when I got the invoice, I was charged the full second day's fee (rental, insurance, taxes, etc.), although I didn't use the car and had to cancel my travel plans for the day. read more