Fox rented me a Prius! Cool!
Written: Sep 11 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very friendly staff, quick service, great cars.
Cons: No instructions on how to operate a hybrid vehicle.
The Bottom Line: I will certainly rent from Fox again. The staff was great, and the car was unique and competitively priced.
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| biztravel_jk's Full Review: Fox Rent a Car |
I recently travelled to Los Angeles for a week on business, and during my planning, I found a blurb online about this rental company that rented hybrid vehicles. I booked a Toyota Prius, and got a great rate of around $35 per day, which actually beat my normal rental company (Budget).
When I arrived at the airport, I waited for about 10 minutes before a shuttle arrived to take me to the lot. I was immediately scared, because the shuttle was emblazoned with both the Fox and Payless logos. I was afraid the two companies were related, but now I think they just consolidated because they are so close to each other.
The trip to the car lot took about 5 minutes, and the driver was friendly and drove well. When I arrived at the rental lot, I walked inside, and there were 3 clerks waiting for someone to assist. I walked to the first available one, and she checked me right in. She retrieved my reservation quickly, and was very pleasant. Because I was in LA and I was uncertain whether my Credit Card protection would extend to a hybrid, I elected to take the LDW coverage, which was $15 per day. After explaining a few policies to me (including forbidding me to travel to Mexico in the rental car), she handed me my key, and directed me to the pickup lot.
I walked into the lot, which was a cavernous garage. My car was sitting next to about 4 other hybrids, both Priuses and Civics. I walked up to my car, put my luggage in the back, and climbed in. Here is where my one and only complaint entered the stage. There were no instructions or manuals on how the unique controls on the Prius operate. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out how to turn the darn thing on! (Hint, press the brake BEFORE you press the on button.) The car was an '06 Prius with air, auto, and a keyless entry system. In fact the Prius had no key at all. the fob was part of what I later found out is Toyota's "Smart-Key" system. I spent the week with the fob in my pocket, since I did not have to insert it into the car to drive. The seats and floorboards were a little stained, but the overall appearance if the car was very satisfactory.
Fox also apparently takes the time to register all their vehicles with the California DMV to allow the vehicles to travel in HOV lanes with only one passenger. This came in handy as I had to drive down the 405 to Costa Mesa.
When I finally figured out how to start the car, I proceeded to the checkout window. The guard did a quick walk-around, handed me my paperwork, and thanked me for renting from Fox.
I didn't have any problems with the car during the week. On Friday, I returned to the lot, and pulled up to the indicated area to stop the car. I waited for about 2 minutes before someone came to check me in. He did another quick walk-around, and checked the mileage and gas level. Once he was finished, he handed me a slip of paper and asked me to proceed to the return counter. Once I was standing at the counter, I was finished within a minute. Again, the clerk thanked me for renting from Fox. I proceeded to the shuttle, which was waiting for me. The trip back to the airport took about 6 minutes, and the driver dropped me off right in front of the entryway.
I was very impressed with the genuine friendliness I received from the entire staff. Everyone was courteous and pleasant. My car was ready right away, and the whole rental process was smooth and trouble-free. I will definitely rent from Fox again. They have many locations on the west coast, and also in Dallas, TX.
My experience was very positive.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
biztravel_jk
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Member: Jeff Koon
Location: Marmora, NJ, USA
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
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