Tips on starting a relationship with car rental company?

[mspecperformance]

I have never offered car rentals for my customers however we do run into situations where we need the car past the allotted time and many times the vehicle is not in a drivable condition (we have all been there!).

 

What do you guys do to provide rental car service for customers?

[mspecperformance]

Better question is how do you offer a rental car to a customer? Do you try to reserve one for them? Have them reserve it themselves? reimburse them once the repair is done?

[Tires Too]

When we do not have a loaner available, we do use Enterprise Rental. We sometimes will pay for the rental or sometimes just coordinate getting the rental set up and dropped off for the customer.

[Mario]

What kind of rates do shops get for daily and weekly rentals?

 

I am thinking of just buying a couple of mid 2000 Toyotas here soon to have as loaner cars.

[FROGFINDER]

I would call and reserve car in customers name. Make sure they had proof of insurance and credit card. I help get customer to and from rental car but they often get there own ride. Customer pays rental car at "Shop Repair Rate" and I give them rental car rebate off the repair invoice.

[mspecperformance]

I dont think a loaner car in NYC is viable. Insurance is way too high... but the honest truth is I haven't looked into it all that much.

[xrac]

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[mspecperformance]

does anyone know how the insurance and liability is handled with loaner cars? Worst nightmare is a customer getting into a major accident with your vehicle.

[FROGFINDER]

  On 11/21/2014 at 2:37 PM, mspecperformance said:

does anyone know how the insurance and liability is handled with loaner cars? Worst nightmare is a customer getting into a major accident with your vehicle.

With todays blame game climate, develop an eye to eye,on a first name relationship with a rental car companies personnel. Set things up for customer to pay and have them picked up or dropped off as needed.

I want to service, repair and worry about Customer Pay cars not My Fleet Of Loaners.

 

 

Now if I Sold cars I would have a different answer.

Edited November 21, 2014 by FROGFINDER

[mmotley]

http://www.ratchetandwrench.com/RatchetWrench/August-2014/Managing-a-Fleet-of-Loaner-Vehicles/

[mspecperformance]

Thanks mmotley

[carolinahigear]

We have a policy that if a repair bill, not counting tires, is $300 or more, then the client is entitled to a rental car free of charge for one day (only if necessary.) We have a deal with the local rental company (Enterprise) where we get cars for $30 per day. We will take our client to Enterprise for the car with the understanding that if they don't return it on time, then they pay the difference. We have a charge account with Enterprise, but we take a $30 check to them for the first day. That way my client sees us pay for it, and sees the benefit to them.

 

I had a lady to come in this past Monday A.M. She had a bad radiator in her 2008 Mini-van. Being on her way on an out-of town business trip, she had no other way but her van. When I told her about my courtesy car policy, she had her problem solved. I sent the $30 check and when she returned Friday she paid the other days. Her bill with me for repairs turned out to be a $788 invoice. The shop supplies charge was $22.88 so the rental car only cost me $7.12 since I charged for anti-freeze on the R-O. Her husband came in with her to personally thank me for providing transportaion to his wife.

 

I thought about having 2 or 3 loaner cars, but with Enterprise the client gets a new car with a full gas tank, and I have no, zero, zilch, liability because it is rented in the client's name. I just pay for it.

 

Sometimes a car comes in at say....2 to 3 in the afternoon, and needs work that will make a pretty good invoice. If we cannot service it the same day, I will offer a free car til the next day. This assures I get the job, and the client knows we care.

 

I have had as many as 6 cars at a time rented. It had proven to be very profitable, popular, and client-retaining!!

 

 

[Richard Ehler]

  On 11/21/2014 at 2:21 PM, xrac said:

Loaner cars are great to have when you have a problem child vehicle because it can buy you time. We do not have a fleet of loaners but we do have two vehicles that we use.

I just purchased a Toyota as a loaner car. This seems like a good idea to have for problem child cars. But, "nobody" is answering the questions about how to "reduce liability" when we do loan them out. Yes, Enterprise is great in many cases. They come to our store and pickup the customer for us also.

[mmotley]

  On 11/25/2014 at 2:47 PM, Richard Ehler said:

I just purchased a Toyota as a loaner car. This seems like a good idea to have for problem child cars. But, "nobody" is answering the questions about how to "reduce liability" when we do loan them out. Yes, Enterprise is great in many cases. They come to our store and pickup the customer for us also.

Again, http://www.ratchetandwrench.com/RatchetWrench/August-2014/Managing-a-Fleet-of-Loaner-Vehicles/

[derektinder]

We have used a few loaner cars for years. I have to be careful with what insurance companies give us quotes. Yes cars cost about $600 a year for insurance but as a transmission shop paying for rentals become costly. We always use the "borrowed vehicle agreement" from Reynolds & Reynolds. This transfers the liability to the borrower first and my shop second. Without this we would have been on the hook for the one incident we have had lately.

[ScottSpec]

I called my insurance company several months ago to get a quote for insurance for a loaner car. I was told that they could not find anyone who would write a policy. My question to those that have loaner cars is this. When you got insurance, did you tell them exactly what the car was being used for?

 

Scott

[mmotley]

  On 11/30/2014 at 2:29 AM, ScottSpec said:

I called my insurance company several months ago to get a quote for insurance for a loaner car. I was told that they could not find anyone who would write a policy. My question to those that have loaner cars is this. When you got insurance, did you tell them exactly what the car was being used for?

 

Scott

Yes. It was a headache as most insurance agents have no experience in this area. You'll have to exercise some patience in handling this. Your best bet is to call around and see if you can find out if anyone local has any experience with this insurance situation. Obviously, laws will be different state to state so it's difficult to give advice.

[CarER]

I advertise free rental cars if the vehicle is scheduled for that morning and it doesn't get finished by 5. I call enterprise, they come pick up the customer. The customer gives them their credit card for incidentals, and the customer is responsible for the gasoline but I pay for the actual car rental. Enterprise just sends me the bill.

[mspecperformance]

Thanks Car ER, funny you mentioned that today I just had the same conversation with an enterprise representative today.

[Mario]

I talked with my insurance rep the other day, and brought up this topic again. He told me it is insured as a business opened vehicle, and can be driven by customers as a LOANER, but not a RENTED vehicle. My business insurance is the PRIMARY insurance on the vehicle at all times but there are agreements that can be signed to attempt to have the customers insurance cover it before mine does. However, if anybody calls my insurance to make a claim, it trumps any agreement I may have with the customer.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Mario

[mspecperformance]

Shielding from liability is the major concern for loaner cars. I would love to have loaner cars with some nice decals or vinyl for advertising purposes however liability is such a huge concern especially where I am at.