General Car Conversation 2025 - Part 2
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,422
Likes: 200
From: US
The discount absolutely does save you money, I have priced it with the AMEX code and without and with other discounts. Mainly I use it for the service not the price savings though, not having to go to the counter etc. I don't rent enough in a year to qualify for those clubs just in the number of rentals I do.
i was about to post that with the cards they likely raise the offered ‘price’ and give the discount, netting zero or less. 
i LOATHE car rental companies.
but ‘dynamic pricing’ is the case for most everything now… do a lot of google searches for something? you’ll likely pay a higher price! best to do incognito although that’s not guaranteed (that they won’t know) either.
we live in a shake down world.
i LOATHE car rental companies.
but ‘dynamic pricing’ is the case for most everything now… do a lot of google searches for something? you’ll likely pay a higher price! best to do incognito although that’s not guaranteed (that they won’t know) either.
we live in a shake down world.
At one rental, the rep gave us their direct number. She said if we call them directly, they can give better prices than online. I've done with hotels but not car rentals. Not sure how true this is.
These days I really only rent from Avis. I have their Preferred status through work, so it's super nice to just walk out at the airport, read my name on the screen that tells me what stall to pick my car up in, then get it in and drive away. They have some pretty nice cars available too. In fact I'm heading down to San Jose this weekend and renting from them. "Genesis G70 or similar" so I can't wait to see what we end up with!
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,624
Likes: 4,044
From: Maryland
I was going to post an update after I logged in under my AMEX but got carried away. This case is insane. It went from 99/day to 205/day with AMEX. Lol. I understand they give you points but this is crazy. The equivalent points needed for this rental is crazy too. From my experience, points only make sense when used for travelling.
At one rental, the rep gave us their direct number. She said if we call them directly, they can give better prices than online. I've done with hotels but not car rentals. Not sure how true this is.
At one rental, the rep gave us their direct number. She said if we call them directly, they can give better prices than online. I've done with hotels but not car rentals. Not sure how true this is.
Yeah I only use points for airfare. Sometimes hotels will be the same return.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,378
Likes: 353
From: Las Vegas
Dropped the truck off this morning at an indie shop to get the trans fluid & filter replaced. Also having them chase a rough idle issue. I suspect it's the VCT solenoid(s). Might run about $1k to fix that issue, but other than a starter failure in 2019, this will be the only real issue I've had with the truck in 8 years. Truck is almost 11 years old now with 114k miles on it.
The 5.0 Coyote and 6R80 combo is hard to beat for reliability.
The 5.0 Coyote and 6R80 combo is hard to beat for reliability.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
Dropped the truck off this morning at an indie shop to get the trans fluid & filter replaced. Also having them chase a rough idle issue. I suspect it's the VCT solenoid(s). Might run about $1k to fix that issue, but other than a starter failure in 2019, this will be the only real issue I've had with the truck in 8 years. Truck is almost 11 years old now with 114k miles on it.
The 5.0 Coyote and 6R80 combo is hard to beat for reliability.
The 5.0 Coyote and 6R80 combo is hard to beat for reliability.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,378
Likes: 353
From: Las Vegas
It's wild how many transmissions are just ZF's with a different name. The GM 6L80 was also based on the ZF6, and apparently the 8L90 is just a sh*tty version of the ZF8.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
Porsche also has their DSG obviously but that's in a different class of trans, they also don't share with anyone else except Bentley.
Last edited by Striker223; Oct 21, 2025 at 12:46 PM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 13,260
Likes: 1,883
From: WA
CL is making me spend my money again.
Just ordered the recommended rechargeable air compressor. As the weather is getting cooler, all 16 tires(!) I am responsible for will need to be topped up. I even have a TPS light on in the GS right now so I'm not driving it until I drag my big air compressor out and top up all of the tires in my household. This will make it much, much easier to maintain.
Just ordered the recommended rechargeable air compressor. As the weather is getting cooler, all 16 tires(!) I am responsible for will need to be topped up. I even have a TPS light on in the GS right now so I'm not driving it until I drag my big air compressor out and top up all of the tires in my household. This will make it much, much easier to maintain.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,246
Likes: 472
From: Long Island
(5:10 if the timestamp doesn't work)
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
CL is making me spend my money again.
Just ordered the recommended rechargeable air compressor. As the weather is getting cooler, all 16 tires(!) I am responsible for will need to be topped up. I even have a TPS light on in the GS right now so I'm not driving it until I drag my big air compressor out and top up all of the tires in my household. This will make it much, much easier to maintain.
Just ordered the recommended rechargeable air compressor. As the weather is getting cooler, all 16 tires(!) I am responsible for will need to be topped up. I even have a TPS light on in the GS right now so I'm not driving it until I drag my big air compressor out and top up all of the tires in my household. This will make it much, much easier to maintain.
CL is making me spend my money again.
Just ordered the recommended rechargeable air compressor. As the weather is getting cooler, all 16 tires(!) I am responsible for will need to be topped up. I even have a TPS light on in the GS right now so I'm not driving it until I drag my big air compressor out and top up all of the tires in my household. This will make it much, much easier to maintain.
Just ordered the recommended rechargeable air compressor. As the weather is getting cooler, all 16 tires(!) I am responsible for will need to be topped up. I even have a TPS light on in the GS right now so I'm not driving it until I drag my big air compressor out and top up all of the tires in my household. This will make it much, much easier to maintain.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 13,260
Likes: 1,883
From: WA
I got the one Steve recommended from Amazon. It wasn't very expensive so I will give it a go and see how it does.
Last edited by bitkahuna; Oct 21, 2025 at 07:08 PM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
"Touch controls don't make a luxury experience. Tipping tapping on a $200k screen doesn't make it a $200k experience, a civic can do that"
Personally I am not enthused about all the extra crap the hybrid system requires and will demand for long term ownership vs just slapping a tune on the real engine. It's already hard enough keeping one of these alive without dealing with the tacked on compliance systems. The brake system would/is a hard deal breaker for me personally as I have yet to feel a system like that that feels correct/good.
Last edited by Striker223; Oct 21, 2025 at 03:04 PM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 13,260
Likes: 1,883
From: WA
It said it has 40 minutes of operating time on a charge, which would be enough to top them all off, but regardless, it's not likely that I would be doing them all at the same like I would be when I take the big compressor out. This should be more convenient so I'm hoping I won't feel like I need to do them all at once.