In reply to STM317 :
I rarely use the ICE in the Clarity.
In reply to STM317 :
I rarely use the ICE in the Clarity.
Rental car update: the Malibu has an issue where when I park it and try to turn it off, it says "SHIFT TO PARK!" and won't turn off, despite obviously already being in park. I had thought it was a fluke yesterday, but it happened again when I got to the office this morning.
So, uhhh, I'll be taking that back to the rental lot during my lunch break and exchanging it for whatever else they have. Based on the phone conversation I had with them about it, that may or may not end up being a minivan.
dean1484 said:Are they really micromanaging things to this level now?
I don't think they would have done it if we hadn't brought it up. Basically, from what I understand, they were supposed to try to provide me with a rental that was more or less equivalent to my daily driver. For most people, that just means another ICE car with the same configuration.
When we contacted them about the rental, we said "hey, I drive an EV and don't normally have to account for the cost and inconvenience of gas stops in my everyday life - is there any way we can get an EV or at least a hybrid?" and they said "not likely" so we pressed the issue and they agreed to compensate if we keep records of mileage and gas stops vs normal charging and driving habits.
Nicole Suddard said:
...may or may not end up being a minivan.
Minivans are cool and all, but unless it's a Sienna Hybrid, it's gonna get around 20 mpg.
Wishing you the very best as you spin the rental car roulette wheel! 
Yeah, I have zero shame about asking them for gas money. The money Nicole is spending on gas is no different than the money she's spending on a new fender--both are damages caused by Geico's insured sucking at driving.
Nicole Suddard said:In reply to ddavidv :
Yeah, supposedly they'll also reimburse me for fuel since they were unable to provide an electric rental car and gas was an expense that I didn't have a budget for prior to the accident. I don't normally like being a pain in the ass, but if it puts pressure on them to make sure my car gets repaired and back to me, I might as well shoot my shot and make that spreadsheet.
I've done exactly this with success.
Also check other locations for rental alternatives. I can't stand smoke smell, I get a migraine. I found a lovely alternate location who let me smell all of the cars. I ended up trading the Hyundai something for a Camry for the same price ($0 for me).
dean1484 said:Glad to hear you are ok!!
Reimbursed for fuel? I don't see the logic in that from an insurance company stand point. Reading David's article the other month I back calculated the cost per mile of the electricity his bmw electric car used against cost of fuel per mile my cls550 and they were within a percentage point or two of each other.
I don't understand the logic of them paying for your gas because your car is electric when the energy cost per mile is roughly the same.
I mean it is great for you and take it if they are handing you money but I don't understand it.
My Bolt costs around 1/7th the ICE cost and I've had fuel reimbursed because of that twice now.
We recently got my wife's car back after a ~3 month stay at the best and biggest body shop in town. Parts availability is horrific. So much so that the owner (friend of a friend) told me he had to take out a $250k loan to help with cash flow.
The issue they're having is they will place an order for parts. They will get 90% of what they need and have to pay for them. but they can't fix the car without the other 10%, which means they aren't getting paid. Not a good site for a small business owner. :(
Nicole Suddard said:Rental car update: the Malibu has an issue where when I park it and try to turn it off, it says "SHIFT TO PARK!" and won't turn off, despite obviously already being in park. I had thought it was a fluke yesterday, but it happened again when I got to the office this morning.
So, uhhh, I'll be taking that back to the rental lot during my lunch break and exchanging it for whatever else they have. Based on the phone conversation I had with them about it, that may or may not end up being a minivan.
BE VERY CAREFUL, it most likely thinks its still in drive. I would use the parking brake for sure until you get it returned in case there is a problem with it actually getting into the park gear.
Waiting at the Enterprise office for them to fill up the tank on my new rental, which is...
(drum roll please)
Another Malibu.
In reply to Nicole Suddard :
Is it at least a better-smelling Malibu?
Glad nobody was hurt, and hoping the Clarity can be fixed reasonably quickly, whatever the odds against that are.
I'm surprised the insurance is chipping in for gas, but considering that switching from plug-in to ICE could easily be adding hundreds a month to your costs, it makes some sense. I don't think it's reasonable to compare running costs using David's all-quick-charger usage; Tuna's experience mirrors my own (WRX->Leaf, fuel costs >$200 -> ~$25, averaging in the occasional quick charge which only happened on road trips).
Jesse Ransom said:In reply to Nicole Suddard :
Is it at least a better-smelling Malibu?
I wouldn't say "better," but it's at least different.
The only way a comparison could be equal is if you have comparable vehicles. This is why I did the cls550 versus the M car David driving. They are similar in weight, configuration and performance. I don't think comparing a WRX to a Leaf is equal either. It would be interesting to compare the ICE version to an EV version of the same car. Is there such a thing? There has to be. What about an all electric Prius versus either a Corolla or a Camry? (not sure which is more similar in weight and performance.)
dean1484 said:The only way a comparison could be equal is if you have comparable vehicles. This is why I did the cls550 versus the M car David driving. They are similar in weight, configuration and performance. I don't think comparing a WRX to a Leaf is equal either. It would be interesting to compare the ICE version to an EV version of the same car. Is there such a thing? There has to be. What about an all electric Prius versus either a Corolla or a Camry? (not sure which is more similar in weight and performance.)
It's just math, but it's littering the thread to go through it. The Bolt gets 4.2mi/khw, and I pay around $0.11 per khw. I don't know what she gets in the Clarity, but it's likely similar.
Nicole Suddard said:Waiting at the Enterprise office for them to fill up the tank on my new rental, which is...
(drum roll please)
Another Malibu.
Hey I guess GM sold them to someone.
I hope it works out. Be particular.
EDIT: I've been helping turn yet another perfectly good thread into an EV cost argument, and I'm shutting up now.
Appliance.
Comparable car in the insurance world means size/configuration (car, SUV, truck, van). There are virtually no electric cars in rental fleets, so don't expect to get one.
In reply to ddavidv :
I basically told Geico, "huh, that's too bad but really doesn't sound like it should be my problem. Aren't you supposed to make us whole?"
It would be one thing if it was Nicole's fault and our insurance. But she got hit so it's not my job to make things right--it's Geico's.
And FWIW, Hertz rents Tesla Model 3s here.
Good on you Tom. Dealing with them can be very frustrating at times. The last two accidents I have been in were not my fault (both times I was stopped at a light) and the other persons insurance company treated me like I was a criminal with no right to be made whole. The system infuriates me at times.
Tom Suddard said:And FWIW, Hertz rents Tesla Model 3s here.
I did not know that. I have never driven one of those. I may see about renting one as there is a Hertz local to me. I could get it for a weekend just to try it and see how I like it. It think it would be a very good commuter car for me.
dyintorace said:We recently got my wife's car back after a ~3 month stay at the best and biggest body shop in town. Parts availability is horrific.
My brother was in an accident in February with his Subaru Forester. He's still waiting for the body shop to get the parts to fix it. It's just crazy.
Not really an update, but currently a week out from the accident. Going to attempt a different route to and from the weekly dr's appointment I was coming back from when the crash happened. Annoying that it happened during such a routine thing that I now have to think about it again every week and get anxious about it all over again. Oh well.
The alternate rental Malibu is actually a little bit nicer than the first one. Slightly higher trim package, moon roof, bluetooth car play, heated seats with electric adjustments. Comfortable enough for indefinite use, which is good bc I still don't know how long repairs on the Clarity will take.
The catch: This thing REEKS of cigarette smoke. And I have a pretty high tolerance for that smell. You open the door and a wave of it just wafts out and smacks you in the face. Does anybody have tips on how to mitigate that particular odor? I'm worried it's starting to make me smell like an ashtray.
Nicole Suddard said:Not really an update, but currently a week out from the accident. Going to attempt a different route to and from the weekly dr's appointment I was coming back from when the crash happened. Annoying that it happened during such a routine thing that I now have to think about it again every week and get anxious about it all over again. Oh well.
The alternate rental Malibu is actually a little bit nicer than the first one. Slightly higher trim package, moon roof, bluetooth car play, heated seats with electric adjustments. Comfortable enough for indefinite use, which is good bc I still don't know how long repairs on the Clarity will take.
The catch: This thing REEKS of cigarette smoke. And I have a pretty high tolerance for that smell. You open the door and a wave of it just wafts out and smacks you in the face. Does anybody have tips on how to mitigate that particular odor? I'm worried it's starting to make me smell like an ashtray.
No. It's one of the worst smells to me in existence. I'd rather it be filled with vomit. I'd get another different rental if I were in your position.
If you can find this stuff, try it. Not sure how good it will do for cigarette smoke but it's great for removing rotten seafood odors, worth a try. IIRC Enterprise has a $250 fine for smoking in it's rentals so if it don't work you may want to let them know the car reeks so they don't blame you for it.
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