Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the light!

[Bret]

Ok the morning started out kind of rough – I forgot to set my alarm clock, likewise I neglected to set coffee pot and then my son tells me (as I’m scrambling out the door) that I need to go with him for school registration this afternoon – UGG! I tell him ok and head out of the house.

Next arriving at the ex girls to pick up one of the girls for school I find more crazyness as everybody’s upset. The kids fighting with eachother & cry’n and ex-GF is in a pi$$y mood and has some sort of bug up her bum because I’m running a few minutes late.

So after I dropped my daughter off and got back to the house - I wasn’t the least bit surprised to find that my reserved rental car wasn’t ready when they came over to pick me up (remember I’m running late). Thinking the worst – I said "just give me what ya got" – but no less than three upgraded vehicles they tried to give me had “issues” of their own - like a broken headlamp, missing parts and a bunch of other silly stuff than just annoyed me to no end.

Approching 11AM I told the guy that I'm willing to work with them and that all I wanted was a full sized sedan or an SUV – heck by this point I’d even take a truck just to get something done today. But I kept my cool as there where a half dozen other stressed out customers who where banging on the counter & being rude to the counter people trying to get their cars too.

Well that’s when everything took an upswing – the manager steps in, grabs my paperwork & says “why don’t you come with me sir?” Walking outside he points at a couple of cars and says "I’m terribly sorry for the trouble sir – why don’t you take your pick?” Sitting there are two brand new 2007 C-class Mercedes-Benz’s.

On the way home I must say it’s pretty impressive pretty nice performance and what has to be the nicest 7 speed auto I’ve ever driven.

What'a think?

What a nice "rental car" Sure bets those tired looking boxes that I normally get. I almost want to play hooky and go for a log drive.
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

 

[Steve]

Hmmmmmm, you could get too used to this /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif Nice car, you really lucked out.

 

[DrEntropy]

GREAT rental car. NOT so great to own after the warranty expires. Price a MAF sensor or a window motor R&R for a preview.

 

[AngliaGT]

Bret,

I usually end up with a cheap Chevy,or Taurus!
Life's not fair!

- Doug

 

[Bret]

Bout the only complaint I have is the color - it should Black! That said I'll never look at a rental car the same after this.

 

[ChrisS]

Re: Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the ligh

Mercedes had a test day at Weymouth NAS last year for various models and we used by girlfriend's parents invite to go. I got to flog one of those on the test course. They then proceeded to tell me "You need to take it down a few notches" when I got out of the car. Hey what can I say, I see cones and I get excited. No tire squeal though, and yes, I was impressed with the auto tranny as well.

 

[Bret]

Re: Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the ligh

There's a little switch next to the tranny that switches between "S & C" but I can't find the owners manual in the glove box to tell me exactly what it does.

I'm guessing that the S stands for "Sport mode" but I can't figure out what the C stands for. That said selecting the "S" seems to make for firmer shifts and it seems to hold on to the lower gear longer before up shifting. Likewise in S mode it seems to actually "down shift" when you apply the brakes, anticipating the driver getting back on the throttle.

The manual tiptronic shifter is really fun when you're getting on it, but it seems kind of sensitive if you’re just tooling around town and just happen to “tap” or “bump” it - it'll down shift out of D into 6th on you. Kind of an annoying feature as my normal driving position when cruising down the highway is with my left hand on the wheel and my right arm resting on the center console & my hand on the shifter. This “over” sensitivity almost forces me to keep my hand on the wheel or in my lap.

I guess I could get used to it with time so it's not such a big deal.

 

[Steve]

Re: Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the ligh

The manual tiptronic shifter is really fun when you're getting on it, but it seems kind of sensitive if you’re just tooling around town and just happen to “tap” or “bump” it - it'll down shift out of D into 6th on you. Kind of an annoying feature as my normal driving position when cruising down the highway is with my left hand on the wheel and my right arm resting on the center console & my hand on the shifter. This “over” sensitivity almost forces me to keep my hand on the wheel or in my lap.

I guess I could get used to it with time so it's not such a big deal.

Picky, picky, picky! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

 

[tony barnhill]

Re: Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the ligh

You should see the huge Cadillac sedan Avis gave me for this trip....sucker has more bells & whistles than I can figure out! & is every bit as comfortable as our personal Mercedes'.

You'll enjoy that sedan, Bret....Jerri loves her C-class.

 

[rulle7]

Re: Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the ligh

I'm guessing that the S stands for "Sport mode" but I can't figure out what the C stands for.

Comfort?

 

[tony barnhill]

Re: Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the ligh

On Jerri's C-Class, the 'S' does stand for 'Sport' & the 'C" is just for normal driving (as I recall..I'm not near the car right now)

 

[Brooklands]

Re: Rental Nirvana – I've finally “C’een” the ligh

Maybe "CRUISIN'"