Story Time: Bad times with rental cars

If you travel at all, renting a car is one of those things that is pretty much unavoidable. It is possible to have great experiences, especially when by the luck of the draw you end up with a free upgrade or the rental agency makes an error in your favor. But today, we are not going to talk about those fleeting good times. Instead, we are going to share some of our rental car horror stories. I, in particular, have had some seriously back rental car experiences, ranging from terrible service to horrible cars to unplanned incidents that resulted in hours of delays. After the jump, I am going to share a few of my own worst experiences and would love to hear in the comments about some of yours.

Consumer Advice: Which car sharing service is right for you?

Can you believe this MB is available through car sharing?

As we discussed in our latest editorial about shifting American attitudes towards driving, car sharing service are becoming increasingly popular among those who live in urban areas, especially those in the younger generations who either do not want the hassle of owning a car in the city or have made the conscious decision to utilize alternative methods of transportation for most of their day-to-day needs. The result has been a renaissance of late with car sharing services popping up all over the country, and even the world, taking on a variety of different implementations of the same concept. Some rely on a fleet of company owned vehicles while others rely on the members to be willing to share their personal vehicles. Some provide a great deal of variety and allow members to find a vehicle to fit their needs while others have no variety whatsoever and give you only a single option to pick from. All have mobile apps to allow you to locate cars in your area and make or change reservations on the go.

With all of these potential choices, let's take a moment to dive in and take a look at the various car sharing options and what the perfect match member would look like to each of these services.