Road rage

The insurance company finally cleared the repair from our accident almost 3 weeks ago, so I took my car to the dealership this morning. According to the preliminary estimate, the repairs are going to take two weeks. At least. The insurance company had set up a rental, so it's not like I'm homebound or anything...it's still sort of a pain, though, to have to learn a new car.

I'm also a bit of a car snob, I'll admit. Not in a luxury car sort of way...I don't care how much the car cost, but I do care what they look like and how they drive. I'm a T0yota girl, all the way. I've bought them exclusively since I was financially stable enough to be choosy, and I don't intend to buy any other brand, ever. Sure, they're not the flashiest cars in the world, but they're cute, and they'll run forever if you treat them right. The interior stuff is generally where I expect it to be, and if something isn't, I can usually intuit where it would be. They're logical, they're practical.

My rental, a Mercury S@ble, is not. I hate it. It took me a minute or two to find the windshield wipers, another 5 to find the effing cupholders. It's ugly and as big as a house. All the controls are opposite of where they would be on my car. It doesn't have running lights, which I'm so used to that I'll probably forget to turn the headlights on at least a dozen times in 2 weeks.

There are other reasons I'm pissed about this car. One, they booked it with my least favorite rental car company. Every car I have ever rented from them has been a super base model, and driven to death by 20,000 miles. This one seems to drive okay, but has the least options possible. No keyless entry is what really chaps me, but the lack of a CD player is disappointing, also.

Besides which, the insurance claim would only cover up to $23/day, and the rental company had no compacts available. I'm paying a $2/day flippin' upgrade charge for this car that I hate, plus the $10/day for comprehensive insurance I opted in for, at least until I get used to driving the bigger vehicle. So we're talking somewhere between $30 and $160 (depending on when I cancel the insurance coverage--which I may not do for reasons in the next paragraph) to drive this loathsome car for two weeks, because some distracted jackass ran a red.

Oh, and did I mention that I almost wrecked the damned thing this morning on the way to work? No? Well, I did.

It was raining, and I was slowing down for a red light. Right before I came to a complete stop, a Camar0 making a right onto my road took the corner too fast and skidded out of control, heading straight for me. I was able to swerve to the shoulder just enough for him to stop the skid before plowing into me, but my main thought was "shit, I guess it's a good thing I went for the insurance". I mean, it would have been his fault, but another accident would really have put the icing on my morning. At least I wouldn't have had to drive the Sable anymore.

I'm going to call the insurance company today and see about the possibility of returning this car and using T0yota Rent-a-Car from the dealership instead. It can't cost all that much more, and if I have to pay an upgrade charge for a car anyway, I'd rather it be one in which I can find the cupholders and climate controls in less than 30 seconds, without a a schematic and a flashlight.

(Did I mention that I really, really hate this rental?)

UPDATE: Aaaaand it's a billing thing. The insurance company has direct billing with the rental company, so that's why they go through them. If I wanted to go through the dealership, I would have to pay for the car and get reimbursed. Sigh. My snobbery only extends so far before it runs headlong into my impatience. I don't want to be out $300, and be at the mercy of the insurance company's timetable...particularly because it took them this long to even clear our claim this far. I'll deal with the Mercury, and see if the rental company can get me into a compact when one comes available.