Rental Car Hell
09-25-2006, 12:13 PM
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-15-2006
Location: So Cali
Posts: 746
Originally Posted by AMHobby
Why is everyone so down on the PT Cruiser here? I have driven a few of them and thought they drove fine. Also I doubt our HHR's would have ever been built if it were not for the PT selling the retro look. I do like my HHR better but I still don't think the PT is a bad car, especially the turbo version. It seems obvious that the comparable car, to the rental car company (if a HHR was not offered) would be the PT Cruiser.
Last year I was actually looking into buying one. I test drove it and was thoroughly underwhelmed. I was going to a second dealership (one that didn't suck nearly as bad!) and accidently ended up on a Chevy lot. Not wanting to look like an ass -- and if you've seen me, you know that's not an easy task
-- I looked a bit and told them I was interested in a PT. They showed me the HHR and I was stunned. It looked so much better and drove so much finer. SOLD!
10-07-2006, 12:46 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-29-2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 220
At Budget, it's a Standard rental, but the one I went to, didn't have any PT's... only HHR's and Pontiac G6's in the standard class.
A rental trip is actually what sold us on the HHR.
On the 15th of September (few weeks back), my wife had to be in Dallas for some training for her job. We decided to make a weekend out of it and visit some friends while we were there.
We had the piece of trash Dodge Ram at the time still and knew it'd kill us on gas to get there and back, not to mention being unreliable. So we decided to rent a car.
We rented a metalic Orange (HOOK'EM HORNS!) HHR for the weekend, and left for Dallas Thursday night. We absolutely fell in love with the HHR by the time we hit Hilsboro. Told the wife, "I love this thing. When we're ready for a new car, we should get one of these".
God was listening.
The next weekend... the truck decided to shred its torque converter and destroy its tranny (for the second time in two years).
We again rented an HHR from our local Budget.
After working out a discounted repair bill with Aamco, Dee and decided that $7000 in brakes and trannies in 4 years was way beyond acceptable and a trade in was in order...
Sometimes we just need a swift kick in the pants...
I went to the Chevy dealer on my lunch hour, and we talked numbers... I came back with my wife after work and talked numbers some more... the next day we picked up the truck from Aamco and drove it to the dealer... and left it there. Drove away in our new beauty.
We love our HHR.
A rental trip is actually what sold us on the HHR.
On the 15th of September (few weeks back), my wife had to be in Dallas for some training for her job. We decided to make a weekend out of it and visit some friends while we were there.
We had the piece of trash Dodge Ram at the time still and knew it'd kill us on gas to get there and back, not to mention being unreliable. So we decided to rent a car.
We rented a metalic Orange (HOOK'EM HORNS!) HHR for the weekend, and left for Dallas Thursday night. We absolutely fell in love with the HHR by the time we hit Hilsboro. Told the wife, "I love this thing. When we're ready for a new car, we should get one of these".
God was listening.
The next weekend... the truck decided to shred its torque converter and destroy its tranny (for the second time in two years).
We again rented an HHR from our local Budget.
After working out a discounted repair bill with Aamco, Dee and decided that $7000 in brakes and trannies in 4 years was way beyond acceptable and a trade in was in order...
Sometimes we just need a swift kick in the pants...
I went to the Chevy dealer on my lunch hour, and we talked numbers... I came back with my wife after work and talked numbers some more... the next day we picked up the truck from Aamco and drove it to the dealer... and left it there. Drove away in our new beauty.
We love our HHR.
Last edited by Ronzo; 10-07-2006 at 07:20 AM.
07-04-2009, 12:00 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-20-2009
Location: Howell Michigan
Posts: 1,392
Just be thrilled that it wasn't a Chevy Uplander Minivan.. Mind you I am a 20yr old kid. That ruined my look. What sucks the most is I would have had a 08 chevy pickup but they could not find the keys to it... 
07-04-2009, 12:40 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-09-2006
Location: Fresno, California (formerly of Modesto, Ca. -- hometown of George Lucas, formerly of Winnipeg, Mb.)
Posts: 930
With Enterprise, the HHR is a 'full-size car' The PT Cruiser is a 'mid-size', like the Mazda6 we got when ours went in for body work. I specifically requested a Cobalt but got the Mazda6 instead.
So some ditz in her Land Rover decides to plogh into the back of my HHR claiming that "the lane next to us was moving forward". I can take that. But when I take my beast into the shop, Enterprise comes to pick me up and shuttle me to their shop for a rental. I told them I wanted a comparable car. What do they bring me? A PT Cruiser! 
They didn't seem to understand my revulsion.
But get this: they told me I was only cleared by the ditz's insurance company for a "standard" rental, so that is what they offered me, a stadard car replacement....but that the HHR is listed as a "premium" car. One call to ditz insurance and I was cleared out out PT hell.
So they brought me a station wagon thing...forgot the name but growing up in nothing but station wagons, I was horrified. I pointed at the F-150 and they said it was even more money, but a bit of schmoozin' and they gave me a free upgrade. Needless to say my kids are getting a kick out of the pick up...maybe too much.
So, for those of you keeping score at home:
PT Cruiser = standard ride.............................................. ..HHR = PREMIUM RIDE
Yeah, I know --------> "Like that's news to us!", but its now confirmed by corporate America!
They didn't seem to understand my revulsion.But get this: they told me I was only cleared by the ditz's insurance company for a "standard" rental, so that is what they offered me, a stadard car replacement....but that the HHR is listed as a "premium" car. One call to ditz insurance and I was cleared out out PT hell.
So they brought me a station wagon thing...forgot the name but growing up in nothing but station wagons, I was horrified. I pointed at the F-150 and they said it was even more money, but a bit of schmoozin' and they gave me a free upgrade. Needless to say my kids are getting a kick out of the pick up...maybe too much.
So, for those of you keeping score at home:
PT Cruiser = standard ride.............................................. ..HHR = PREMIUM RIDE
Yeah, I know --------> "Like that's news to us!", but its now confirmed by corporate America!
07-04-2009, 12:56 PM
#17
Member
Join Date: 06-22-2008
Location: BC Canada
Posts: 87
[QUOTE=So they brought me a station wagon thing...forgot the name but growing up in nothing but station wagons, I was horrified. I pointed at the F-150 and they said it was even more money, but a bit of schmoozin' and they gave me a free upgrade. Needless to say my kids are getting a kick out of the pick up...maybe too much. QUOTE]
A pick up ?? ... yikkes
A pick up ?? ... yikkes
07-04-2009, 02:59 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-09-2008
Location: Elko Nevada
Posts: 725
guess that depends where you go regionally. I work at an Avis rent a car and HHRs are a midsize along with the PT, however no one really likes the PTs so we normally go down to a compact rate to get them moving. The other to rental places here(Hertz and Enterprise) also run the HHRs as a midsize. Thats what made me want the HHR over the PT, since I cleaned them on a regular basis the HHR just drove all around better and was bigger and just better looking.
09-23-2009, 05:09 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-15-2009
Location: Waterbury CT
Posts: 2,070
It's funny, coming from the Mopar side of things I've owned a Neon until June when I got my SS. I loved the PT's when they 1st came out. Seeing that they were based off the Neon platform, they were very familiar to me. After the 3rd year though, the look just waned. The PTGT only received a Stage 1 kit from the factory while the SRT4's got the Stage 1,2, and 3. When I saw the HHR's I really liked them and REALLY wanted one when I saw that the SS came out. Once I had my accident in May (thanks Mr Drunk driver!) I took it as a sign to 'move on' and let my Neon go. I went to the Chevy dealer, pulled my SS from the showroom floor and have been happy ever since.
Later
Allex
Later
Allex
