4 ms·

I remember a 20-odd inches rainstorm in Lauderdale in the early 2000's. I accidentally drove a rental car into a "puddle" that swallowed the car up to the windo

I remember a 20-odd inches rainstorm in Lauderdale in the early 2000's. I accidentally drove a rental car into a "puddle" that swallowed the car up to the windows. Instantly cracked the engine block.

Arrath 3y ago
Lucky it was a rental!
- morkalork 3y ago
  When Uhaul asks if you want to take the extra $15 optional insurance, always say yes. The location I used to use had printed off photos of trashed vehicles posted behind the desk to emphasize why.
  - anonymouskimmer 3y ago
    As long as there are no waivers for driver stupidity.
  - avalys 3y ago
    The reason they printed off the photos is that damage like that happens so rarely, the insurance is a huge profit center for them. That’s why they push you to buy it.
    - morkalork 3y ago
      Sure, it absolutely is for them. But it's such a marginal increase in cost for the end-user vs a small probability of having to pay the whole amount in damages. They win because they're the ones handling thousands of rentals. Unfortunately as an end-user, you are unlikely to be in the position to say "well if I take 1,000 trips and skip the insurance, I'll still come out ahead even I'm unlucky and have an accident".
  - dwater 3y ago
    For car rentals you're better off having a credit card that provides free coverage, which is pretty common on Gold and Platinum level cards.
    - kipchak 3y ago
      At least on my Amex (looks to be the same for Platinum also) it provides coverage for car rentals but exempts cargo vans and the like, as well as some other categories such as commercial/hire vehicles, older vehicles, limos and recreational/off road vehicles.
  - dsfyu404ed 3y ago
    The uhaul insurance doesn't cover tire/rim/axle and other "overloading" damage nor does it cover can-opening a truck on a low structure. The best insurance is to pay with a prepaid visa gift card so they can't take all your money while the situation sorts itself out.
kerblang 3y ago
Now is a good time to remind folks that you can compress air but not water, so when water makes it into your internal combustion engine's air intake (usually hood level) there will be spectacular mechanical carnage & destruction in short order unless you immediately kill the engine. Also this guy does hugely entertaining engine teardown videos often featuring water suckage consequences https://www.youtube.com/@I_Do_Cars/videos https://www.youtube.com/@I_Do_Cars/videos

I remember a 20-odd inches rainstorm in Lauderdale in the early 2000's. I accidentally drove a rental car into a "puddle" that swallowed the car up to the windows. Instantly cracked the engine block.

Arrath 3y ago

Lucky it was a rental!

morkalork 3y ago
When Uhaul asks if you want to take the extra $15 optional insurance, always say yes. The location I used to use had printed off photos of trashed vehicles posted behind the desk to emphasize why.
- anonymouskimmer 3y ago
  As long as there are no waivers for driver stupidity.
- avalys 3y ago
  The reason they printed off the photos is that damage like that happens so rarely, the insurance is a huge profit center for them. That’s why they push you to buy it.
  - morkalork 3y ago
    Sure, it absolutely is for them. But it's such a marginal increase in cost for the end-user vs a small probability of having to pay the whole amount in damages. They win because they're the ones handling thousands of rentals. Unfortunately as an end-user, you are unlikely to be in the position to say "well if I take 1,000 trips and skip the insurance, I'll still come out ahead even I'm unlucky and have an accident".
- dwater 3y ago
  For car rentals you're better off having a credit card that provides free coverage, which is pretty common on Gold and Platinum level cards.
  - kipchak 3y ago
    At least on my Amex (looks to be the same for Platinum also) it provides coverage for car rentals but exempts cargo vans and the like, as well as some other categories such as commercial/hire vehicles, older vehicles, limos and recreational/off road vehicles.
- dsfyu404ed 3y ago
  The uhaul insurance doesn't cover tire/rim/axle and other "overloading" damage nor does it cover can-opening a truck on a low structure. The best insurance is to pay with a prepaid visa gift card so they can't take all your money while the situation sorts itself out.

kerblang 3y ago

Now is a good time to remind folks that you can compress air but not water, so when water makes it into your internal combustion engine's air intake (usually hood level) there will be spectacular mechanical carnage & destruction in short order unless you immediately kill the engine. Also this guy does hugely entertaining engine teardown videos often featuring water suckage consequences https://www.youtube.com/@I_Do_Cars/videos https://www.youtube.com/@I_Do_Cars/videos