I was rear ended at a red light a few weeks ago while it was raining. My bumper cover was cracked, but overall, my car didn't look that bad. The other wasn't so lucky. So, last Wednesday, we dropped the Golf off at Craig's Collision Center for repairs, hoping to get it back by Friday. This was under the assumption that only the bumper cover was damaged.
Rental car #1: Black 2007 GMC Envoy
Definitely larger than my little Golf. I wasn't expecting anything this substantial. It rode like a large car, had a surprising turning radius, and was a nice height for me as far as ground to seat height. It was a little strange to not have to really sit down to get in the car. Two days later, a screw managed to find its way into one of the tires.
After finding out that the spare was the wrong size, Enterprise wanted to swap out the vehicles. Also that day, I called Craig's to check the status of my car, and found out that there was a little more damage than just the bumper cover. The shock absorbers were spent, reinforcement bar was damaged, and the rear body panel dented. Craig's quoted me either Monday or Tuesday before repairs were finished. Friday evening, we drove home from Grapevine with another rental...
Rental car #2: White 2006 Toyota 4Runner SR5
Now this is a rather fun ride, though it's much larger than the Envoy. Three rows of seating instead of two, as if I need that much room. The last row of seats folds apart from the center toward the side windows making enough space for at least three large ceramic pots and a number of potted plants. Hehehe... Mo went shopping this past weekend! Not as tight of a turning radius. It rides more like a truck, so nice and bouncy. I didn't like how loose the steering wheel felt as each little bump slightly tugged the wheel back and forth. With a rather responsive wheel, I felt like the vehicle was all over the lane at times. The gas and brake pedals were uber-sensitive, so the initial drive home from Grapevine was rather jerky. Ha! But it accelerates much faster than I thought it every would. This truck is fun!
So, on Tuesday, I call Craig's to again check the status of my Golf. They're in the process of reassembling the car, but it probably will not be ready by closing time. They estimate Wednesday. Wednesday before I leave work, I call again and it's ready. Will leaves work, scoops me up, and we're on our way to swap cars back. We get to Craig's, take a quick look at the new bumper cover and immediately notice that it's not seated properly on the left half and there are a couple small spots missing paint. So...we exchange keys once again and drove home in the 4Runner. They said they would make it right and I really hope they do. I don't think their average customer is as picky as we are. But if you're going to do the job and get paid for it, do it right the first time.
