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Show Your... Rental?

54K views 183 replies 39 participants last post by  Charles 
#1 ·
The Escape's back in the shop for the steering column repair (finally, since I was able to have it replicate on command for chance). I missed the black Crown Victoria LX rental by about ten minutes and ended up with this baby:



For starters: remote start, leather, butt warmers, rear-viewing camera, remote/power sliding doors, DVD player with screens for the rear passengers, Sirius radio with what appears to be an upgraded sound system... and a full tank of gas all to myself. I don't need to replenish any of the gas and the guy who wrote up my (paid) rental happens to live in an adjacent building in my apartment complex.

:D

Show what you got... whether it's a warranty repair or road trip rental! Feel free to dig some memories from past rentals too... I might, and probably will. I know of a few that will get people laughing.
 
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#153 ·
Oh the Impala…still in service until 2016! :bill:
I took my '09 in for a scheduled service today and ended up with a loaner. They normally have 20-30 loaners on site (ranging from Fiesta to F-350) but today was cleaned out. They ended up giving me a 2013 Focus SFE with the ugly hub caps. Found it online in the pre-owned department with an rear-ender totalling $2200 :roll: . Drives ok, Focii's aren't really for me though…too low to the ground and small feeling. Still take it over an Impala or mini-van anyway!

Here's the window sticker to it. Tack on at least a grand for decent rims…
http://www.inventory.ford.com/services/inventory/WindowSticker.pdf?vin=1FADP3F26DL215142
 
#154 ·
^^ except the rims are intentional for the SFE model.

FWIW the 2013 Focus has almost an identical wheelbase, width and length to the 2009 Escape. That blew my mind when I found out. Rear passengers taller than 5' 8" are pretty cramped in the Focus.
 
#155 ·
So, I'm in a 2014 Focus for the next couple of days.

I give this car about a 7.5/10. Impressive for a glorified econobox.

Arbitrary categories worth rating:

Guts, Pep, and Driving Dynamics: 7.0/10

Car has power. No question. This does not feel like an Escort from the 90s. The transmission makes great use of the Focus's engine, merging never felt labored. But the transmission itself is odd: coming off the line, the car hesitates before rolling. It's an odd aspect of the powertrain, but you nearly forget it's there after an hour or so of driving. First gear is also exceptionally short, but again, you learn to deal with this. Although the ride leaves much to be desired--although I blame part of this on the cheap Cooper rubber on the car--it is passable for the class. But just that--passable. The seat itself, however, is hard as a rock. And I still can't find the blasted lumbar support, if it even exists. :cry: But on the upside... this thing does take a corner remarkably well. With good enough tires, I could probably be downright abusive with this thing without the car so much as batting a plastic eyelash appended by a 16 year old teenager.

Styling: 7.0/10

I have a sedan, so it looks attractive, slightly flashy, even. Bonus points here for having the smoked aluminum wheels. They work on this car. Well.

Audio: 5.0/10

It has a stereo. It functions, and it has Sync. Moving on.

Goodies: 6.0/10.

No MFT or advanced gauge cluster, but I did have heated seats, leather, and heated mirrors. Nice for the winter we just left behind. But where the heck is the factory remote start?

Fuel Economy: 10/10.

Driving with a heavy foot, I still managed a superb 40.0 MPG today. Well done, little Focus.

Other ungraded notes: I'm still not sold on the "euroness" of this car. For example, the center radio stack is just awkward looking. I'd rather have the last gen Focus's layout back, or the one before that, even. But the center cluster radio looks cheap and out of place in an otherwise nicely designed car. But remarkably, Ford also didn't go with turn signal stalk that doesn't stay down. This one is more traditional with a mechanical re-engagement to reset the stalk. Although you hear the loud "click" when the wheel turns enough, this is less annoying than the stalk that is a mere trigger switch that doesn't stay in position by mechanical means, as seen on Edge, Taurus, etc.

Overall, however, it is extremely enjoyable to drive. But what would I like a little more? A clutch and a turbo. Anyone want to lend me a Focus ST?
 
#156 ·
I agree with most of your Focus review. As for the dash, we get a really strange setup. Get a look at the European Focii interior and you will understand. I think I prefer their layout. Otherwise it sounds like your rental is spec-ed out like my lease.

The Coopers might be cheap on the 17" wheel set but they look more four-season friendly than the Continentals they pair with the 16" wheels... at least when you look at the treads. I love the gunmetal finish of the wheels... try it on a white hatchback and 50% tint on the windows. The only better color with the gunmetal wheels is black. Too bad we can't go legally darker here in MN for window tint.

edit:
saved time, here's an interior
 
#157 ·
Now... that works. Wonderfully.
 
#158 ·
Nothing new and exciting regarding this rental as you've all seeing these in and out. Though this pic will highlight the snow that hit Denver last weekend. We were in Highlands Ranch with family. We got this after they did not have what we reserved, free upgrade.

I will say this, after driving this for 5 days I would get this over the MKC I recently drove. It was just as comfortable, had great acceleration, and a great list of goodies. Got 22.6 MPG over the 5 days. With the 2.0 EcoBoost AWD with mostly in town driving I guess that's about right.

The sticker for those that are interested. http://services.forddirect.fordvehicles.com/inventory/WindowSticker.pdf?vin=1FMCU9H90DUD02861



(BTW... 36F in Denver when we flew out, 82F in San Diego upon arrival.)
 
#159 ·
tang said:
edit:
saved time, here's an interior
That is one "busy" interior. I feel like I'm looking at a spaceship.
 
#160 ·
If you feel like you're looking at a spaceship, you might be, That IS the ST interior after all! :taz:
 
#161 ·
Today I landed in another 2014 Focus. A fine car, but this one had an extra feature enabled:

MyKey.

After observing the 80 MPH speed limiter (notified on start, not tested personally), and figuring they probably also left enabled the speed warning chimes, I asked for the adult key. :hyst:
 
#162 ·
Meatloafmountain said:
tang said:
edit:
saved time, here's an interior
That is one "busy" interior. I feel like I'm looking at a spaceship.
I thought this was the non-US interior :? I thought the US ones had MFT and a different setup.
 
#163 ·
Brought the Escape in yesterday. Walked across the street to Hertz and was put in a Red Volkswagon Jetta. Sat there for a minute or two because a warning light (low tire pressure) wouldn't go out on the dashboard. Went back in and notified the attendant. A few minutes later they discovered a staple in the rear passenger tire. So, they put me in a 2013 Chevy Spark. Nothing good to say about it. It's small, it's tiny, I can put it in my pocket. It's odd though, for a 2013, it only has 8800 miles on it. Hey, at least it's Silver.
 
#166 ·
Loaner while the Focus gets some warranty work done.

2014 MKZ 2.0H... Interesting that the instrument display and interface is almost identical to the C-Max. There are white flowers along with the leaves on the right display. Still has the CVT windup when you get on it. Though I think the C-Max might be quicker. Obviously the rest of the car is VERY different. Fantastic looking, roomy, comfy seats, quiet when not giving it the beans. The button shift is interesting, and the touch sliders for the volume and fan control are a little odd. But over all very nice ride.



 
#167 ·
Sigh... Focus is in again...

This time they gave me a rental. A "Write me a ticket now" Red '14 Mustang.



 
#171 ·
Oh man I wish! Sure missed that girl while we were gone.

Can you tell who's driving? He looks ALOT like me. ;)
 
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