Why do rental car companies do this?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why do rental car companies do this?

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:07:16 AM EDT

Every time I rent a car they give me both key fobs locked together. What is the point in this?

If they want to give the customer two fobs, it completely defeats the point when they are locked together. Can't give keep one and give one to the wife, if one gets lost, locked in the trunk, etc. they're both gone. I understand they want the keys with the car in case someone picks it up in Tucson and drops it off in Tallahassee but why in the hell do they lock them together.

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Posted: 6/23/2017 9:11:44 AM EDT

[#1]

So they don't have to keep track of the other one and can charge you twice as much?

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:12:05 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:I understand they want the keys with the car in case someone picks it up in Tucson and drops it off in Tallahassee but why in the hell do they lock them together.

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That way they both make it to Talahassee, and you don't end up paying for a lost fob if you return your car in Tucson.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:15:12 AM EDT

[#3]

Can you imagine the cluster fuck when one fob goes home with a customer and only one got turned in?

Most people are fucking idiots. Don't assume everyone is as smart as you. It's just safer that way.

Repeat after me: The world is FULL of ass holes and fools. Now say that 10 times every morning before you walk out the front door and you will see the world as it truly is.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:16:51 AM EDT

[#4]

Dude could you imagine trying to keep up with thousands of key fobs going all over the place.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:20:01 AM EDT

[#5]

Will a car/truck door even lock with keys inside anymore?

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:21:36 AM EDT

[#6]

They were that way when I rented a car for vacation last summer.

I cut the cable.

Fuck that shit of having that big cluster fuck to deal with.

I did cable them back together before turning them in. No big deal.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:22:18 AM EDT

[#7]

Avis only gives me one.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:25:44 AM EDT

[#8]

Enterprise has around 1.4m cars and trucks among its brands. You want to pay to keep track of them all?

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:28:03 AM EDT

[#9]

Yeah, there is pretty much no other way to do it.... I work with Enterprise daily.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:31:58 AM EDT

[#10]

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Quoted:
Avis only gives me one.

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I haven't rented with Avis since United switched their partner agreements to Hertz. When did they start doing that?

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:33:35 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/146014/images--4--237012.jpg

Will a car/truck door even lock with keys inside anymore?

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A 2016 Uhaul whatever it was moving van sure as shit will auto lock with the keys inside. Ask me how I know.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:33:57 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Yeah, there is pretty much no other way to do it.... I work with Enterprise daily.

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Why can't they cable lock one set somewhere in the trunk or something?

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:34:35 AM EDT

[#13]

Every time they do that, I cut the cable then ziptie them together when I turn them back in. Never been an issue

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:37:35 AM EDT

[#14]

I don't get it either.

I figured they could sell the extra fob and make some return on it, or keep the extra fob incase they need to re-flash it for another car.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:39:00 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
Why can't they cable lock one set somewhere in the trunk or something?

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Yeah, there is pretty much no other way to do it.... I work with Enterprise daily.

Why can't they cable lock one set somewhere in the trunk or something?

Then someone has to go look and see if the key is still there all the time.

It just convenient for them to issue "1" key, and track it as 1.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:39:21 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Why can't they cable lock one set somewhere in the trunk or something?

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Yeah, there is pretty much no other way to do it.... I work with Enterprise daily.

Why can't they cable lock one set somewhere in the trunk or something?

Criminals are good at criminalinginging so that would be a major reason.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:41:03 AM EDT

[#17]

I cut them.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:41:52 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Avis only gives me one.

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The other one is in the trunk under the spare.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:42:12 AM EDT

[#19]

Two is one, and one is none.

Posted: 6/23/2017 9:42:29 AM EDT

[#20]

I kew this was going to be your post.

It's stupid plus they crimp the "quick disconnect" so you can't do anything with it...barring using a pari of dykes...hey, wait a minute...

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:10:59 AM EDT

[#21]

Yeah, I cut them, too. No way will that big ol wad of fobs go in your pocket. I think they're used to getting them back cut.

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:45:56 AM EDT

[#22]

I work for a rental car company and we don't do that.

We have a storage room with nothing but folders containing vehicle info, pertinent documents, and the spare key fob in case one gets lost we can overnight it to the customer or location.

It is very, very rare that customers lose keys but common for them to check a vehicle back in and just leave with them by accident.

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:50:28 AM EDT

[#23]

Last time we had a rental vehicle the guy said we were free to cut the tie and my wife and I could each have a key, just make sure to return both of them.

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:54:04 AM EDT

[#24]

I just assume part of the reason was that they want to make sure that when you're in the middle of buttfuck nowhere, you have two functional key fobs, especially in cars that can't be opened or started with a key.

If I need to use both, I just cut the cable and tell them it fell apart.

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:54:26 AM EDT

[#25]

I always cut the cable, can't fit two of those monstrosities in my skinny jeans

Posted: 6/23/2017 10:55:41 AM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
They were that way when I rented a car for vacation last summer.

I cut the cable.

Fuck that shit of having that big cluster fuck to deal with.

I did cable them back together before turning them in. No big deal.

View Quote

This. Mine have all used a big zip tie with enough slack to cut up against the locking end and still have a long enough tag end to re-lock it when I was done. Didn't even need to bring my own giant zip tie.

Posted: 6/23/2017 11:05:35 AM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
I kew this was going to be your post.

It's stupid plus they crimp the "quick disconnect" so you can't do anything with it...barring using a pari of dykes...hey, wait a minute...

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Now now ... lets leave the LGBTQ-whatever iteration it has now... out of this... (dykes vs dikes - for diagonal cutters)

Posted: 6/23/2017 11:13:54 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
A 2016 Uhaul whatever it was moving van sure as shit will auto lock with the keys inside. Ask me how I know.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/146014/images--4--237012.jpg

Will a car/truck door even lock with keys inside anymore?

A 2016 Uhaul whatever it was moving van sure as shit will auto lock with the keys inside. Ask me how I know.

He's talking about new cars which nearly all have smart keys. Not a bare bones E-350 chassis truck.

Posted: 6/23/2017 11:41:31 AM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:
I work for a rental car company and we don't do that.

We have a storage room with nothing but folders containing vehicle info, pertinent documents, and the spare key fob in case one gets lost we can overnight it to the customer or location.

It is very, very rare that customers lose keys but common for them to check a vehicle back in and just leave with them by accident.

View Quote

How do you handle a customer who drops at a different location?

Posted: 6/23/2017 11:47:04 AM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:

How do you handle a customer who drops at a different location?

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They hand the keys to the person checking in the vehicle if they drop during business hours, or they throw them in the night drop box.

If for some reason they run of with the keys we call them immediately to try and get them. If we cant reach them then we have to overnight the keys to the location.

Again though, it is very very rare that a customer doesn't return the keys with the vehicle.

Posted: 6/23/2017 12:07:00 PM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
They hand the keys to the person checking in the vehicle if they drop during business hours, or they throw them in the night drop box.

If for some reason they run of with the keys we call them immediately to try and get them. If we cant reach them then we have to overnight the keys to the location.

Again though, it is very very rare that a customer doesn't return the keys with the vehicle.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

How do you handle a customer who drops at a different location?

They hand the keys to the person checking in the vehicle if they drop during business hours, or they throw them in the night drop box.

If for some reason they run of with the keys we call them immediately to try and get them. If we cant reach them then we have to overnight the keys to the location.

Again though, it is very very rare that a customer doesn't return the keys with the vehicle.

I'm talking about picking up at your location and dropping or even exchanging it 200+ miles away.

Posted: 6/23/2017 12:07:35 PM EDT

[#32]

That way they stay together when they sell it at 30k miles

Posted: 6/23/2017 12:11:04 PM EDT

[#33]

Rented a dodge minivan for vacation last year. 2 gigantic key fobs and tag cabled together. Cut that thing, made a new cable for returning. They never noticed the difference.

It makes sense on their end, but for the consumer? Better off if you're handy enough to make a new cable.