Argh!...just got the good news that I get to enjoy this lovely Ford Escort until atleast Tuesday of next week. Why? Because parts are not available to fix my A4 at this time. Apparently this is a big issue. My Audi Tech, who I visited again today, said that frequently they get the wrong parts delivered to them, or cannot get the part very timely from their suppliers. For example, they were working on some BMW transmission issue, and he cannot finish the job due to incorrect parts being delivered....another example...on an A4 he was replacing the cv boot and the wrong part was delivered...so he had to put the car back together to wheel it out of the garage and roll it into a parking space behind the dealership. So...I wait....and wait....and wait...emmensely enjoying this lovely Ford Escort....NOT!<p>BTW, this is not even related to the subframe issue...this is in addition to that. Apparently I have some type of oil leak that necessitates the removal of the transmission to fix. Sounds like fun to me. Good thing we got that warranty. The fact that my side mirrors stopped heating is actually one of the main reasons I went to the dealer in the first place.<p>Oh well, that's life.<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM (at dealer)<br>98 Ford Escort (Enterprise Rent-a-Car dream car)<p>P.S. Happened to pick up a mini-brochure on the TT while at the dealer...looks pretty good.

Lucky you! Did you pay extra to get an upgrade? Once, when my car was in for service, I thought I was going to die a horrible death driving a dealership- paid/Enterprise Rent-a-Crap Geo Metro (a.k.a. as the Spec for those who've seen the McDonald's commercial). I was driving 70mph on the e-way (if you don't, you'll get run over for sure) and I thought it was going to fall apart. Then, when the whole rush-hour comes to the inevitable brake-for-your-life, I look in the mirror to see this huge Ford Expedition changing lanes at the last minute and hitting the brakes simultaneously. Let me tell you, I think I got a few gray hairs. <br>Now, I occasionally see these Specs driving on the freeway and they're doing max (one passed me at 90mph) and I think, "God, they're suicidal!" or incredibly dumb!<br>I can't believe those things can even pass a crash test!<br>-Cathleen.....Glad to be alive & never going to get in a Spec again!

Cathleen, I don't know if you read my other post...but this is my second car with Enterprise...the first one WAS a Geo Metro...the alignment was so off ! I let go of the steering wheel and the car made an immediate right turn...very scary. I felt so damn unsafe in that car. So, I ended up trading UP to the Escort...WoW...what a priveledge! I don't get it...we bring in our $28-$36K Audi A4s and get a POS Geo Metro as a rental....how much do they cost new? It couldn't be more than about $8K.<br>TELL ME its not MORE than $8K. We should at least get a Jetta, Neon, or at worst, a Toyota Corolla.<p>{heavy sigh}<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM

The last time I got a rental from them, I did get a Neon. I didn't like it but it was free. Seeing as it was only for one day, I figured I could tolerate it again. Then they brought this TURD around and I was already pushing it to get to work on time, so I just took it.<br>Back when I had a Honda, the dealer used to give us current model-year Accords. When I bought my fancy-pants Audi at the Porsche/Audi/Land Rover dealer, I figured that with the clientele, you would at least get an older model Audi loaner. Cheap B@$!@?DS.<br>It makes you appreciate how great our cars are when you have to drive those rentals. All my nitpickin', moanin' about stuff. It could be sooooo much worse.<br>OOPS! Wrong category to post this under. Please forgive ;)<br>-C.

Well, it would be a nice dream, right????

Hey people,<p>When I wasin Maui with my family years ago, We rented a 4-door Geo Metro (first generation) for the day. We decided to take the car around the island via the scenic costal route, which just happens to be a 4x4 trail. The looks we got from all the Jeeps was hilarious. with those 13" wheels, the floor scraped a couple of times. The car made it all the way around. The next morning, we took the car into the rental place, returned the keys, and got out of there before they can check for damages. No extra charges on the credit card, so I guess the Metro held up allright. <p>Don't get any ideas with that Escrot Steve<p>=Þ<p>James Wu<br>A4 Club of Vancouver<br>1998 Black/Onyx 1.8tqa<ul><li><a href="http://avant.extreme.com/va4">A4 Club of Vancouver</a></li></ul>

Origin unknown, I got this post off a BMW mail list.<br>><br>>I borrowed my wife's Geo Metro last night. One liter of raw power, 3<br>>cylinders of asphalt-tearing terror on thirteen-inch rims. It's stock,<br>>alright, nothing done to it, but it pushes the barely 2000 pounds of Metro<br>>around with AUTHORITY. I'm always catching mopeds and 18-wheelers by<br>>surprise...<br>><br>>I was headed back from Baskin Robbins with my manly triple-latte cappuccino<br>>blast ("No Cinnamon, ma'am, I take it BLACK"), when I stopped at a<br>>streetlight. As the Metro throbbed its throaty idle around me, I sipped my<br>>bold beverage and wiped the white froth my stiff upper lip. I was minding<br>>my own business, but then I heard a rev from the next lane. <br>>I turned, made eye contact, then let my eyes trace over the competition.<br>>Ford Festiva -- a late model, could be trouble. Low profile tires, curb<br>>feelers, and schoolbus-yellow paint. Yep, a hot rod, for sure.<br>><br>>The howl of his motor snapped my reverie, and I looked back into the<br>>driver's eyes, nodded, then blipped my own throttle. As I tugged on my<br>>driving gloves and slipped on my sunglasses (gotta look cool to be fast,<br>>and I am *damn* cool, hence...), the night was split with the sound of<br>>seven screaming cylinders... <br>>Then the light turned... I almost had him out of the hole, my three<br>>pounding cylinders thrusting me at least a millimeter back into my seat, as<br>>smoke pouring from my front right tire... my unlimited slip differential<br>>was letting me down! I saw in the corner of my eyes, a yellow snout<br>>gaining, and I heard the roar of his four cylinders. He slung by me, right<br>>front wheel juddering against the pavement, and he flashed me a smile as<br>>his .7 extra liters of motor stretched its legs. I kept my foot gamely in<br>>it, though, waiting for the CHECK ENGINE light to blink on in the one-gauge<br>>(no tachometer here!) instrument panel. I saw a glimpse of chrome under his<br>>bumper, and knew the ugly truth...<br>><br>>He was running a custom exhaust -- probably a 2-into-1 dual exhaust...<br>>maybe even cutouts! Damn his hot-rod soul! The old lady passing us on the<br>>crosswalk cast a dirty look in our boy-racer direction... <br>>Yet still I persisted, with my three pumping pistons singing a heady<br>>high-pitched song, wound fully out. Though only a few handfuls of seconds<br>>had passed, we were nearing the crosswalk at the other side of the<br>>intersection, and I heard the note of his engine change as he made his<br>>shift to second, and I saw his grin in his rearview mirror fade as he<br>>missed the shift! I rocketed by, shifting, and nursed the clutch gently in<br>>to keep from bogging, keeping my motor spinning hot and pulling me ahead,<br>>now trailing a cloud of stinking clutch smoke. Not ready to give up so<br>>easily, he left his foot in it, revving, and I heard one wheel *almost*<br>>chirp as he finally found second and dropped the clutch. We careened over<br>>the crosswalk, now going at least 15 miles per hour. A bicyclist passed us,<br>>but intent on the race as we were, neither of us batted an eye.<br>><br>>He pulled slowly abreast of me, and neck and neck, we made the shift to<br>>third, the scream of motors deafening all pedestrians within a five foot<br>>circle. He nosed ahead as we passed 30 miles an hour, then eased in front<br>>of me, taunting, as we shifted into fourth. I was staring up the dual 6"<br>>chrome tips of his exhaust, snarling, my cappuccino forgotten, as he lifted<br>>a little to take the next corner. <br> >I saw my opportunity, and counting on the innate agility of my trusty<br>>steed, I pulled wide into the number two lane and kept my foot buried in<br>>carpet. Slowly, I inched around him, feeling my Metro roll slowly to the<br>>left as I came abreast in the midst of this gradual sweeping turn. I felt<br>>the Geo ease onto its suspension stops, and felt the right rear wheel<br>>slowly leave the ground - no matter, though, because my drive wheels, up<br>>front, were pulling me through the corner, and around the Festiva ...<br>><br>>The Ford driver beat his wheel in rage as my wife's car eased past him on<br>>the outside, my P165/54R13's screaming in protest, as we raced to the next<br>>light. We coasted down, neck-and neck, to the red light. I tightened my<br>>driving gloves, ready for another round, when this WIMP in the next car<br>>meekly flipped his turn signal and made a right. Chevy (Suzuki) superiority<br>>reigns!!!<br>><br>>I drove off sipping my masculine drink, awash in my sheer virility, looking<br>>for other unwitting targets.... Perhaps a Yugo, or maybe even a Volkswagen<br>>Van!

<br>

The thing that stuns and amazes me is when you see one of these things being driven by its private citizen owner. What in the name of all that's holy could these people be thinking? I know, I know, a few of them probably needed transport to work and just grabbed the first thing out of the junkyard that could roll forward, but still. They need to frequent a better class of 'yard.<p>Should probably have posted this under Non-Automotive Discussion, where most rentals belong.