Hello David here again. Today it was time to make a trip to the Bonn Airport and change out our rental car. We have been going back and forth from Avis to Hertz, choosing the best online deal at the time. Generally I have been amazed by how sporty and fun the cars have been. Only once have we gotten a complete turkey, a 1.6 liter Ford Focus, which was promptly exchanged for an Audi A3 the next day.
The Ford was fun too though as it gave some perspective of just how bad an American economy car could drive relative to its European counterpart. At 70mph the motor was buzzing so hard it sounded like it would explode. Even more alarming was the odd feeling that the wheels weren't actually connected to the rest of the car. It reminded me of the Ford Escorts I had driven in the eighties.
On the other hand, the European cars have all been cruisers that feel glued to the road. All have come with premium tires rated for very high speeds and 6-speed transmissions that leave the motor loafing, even when going quite fast. And fast they will go, something I never expect given that they have all been diesels.
Anyway, today it was time to switch back to Hertz and roll the dice on a new vehicle. Unfortunately I was handed the keys to another Ford, this time a bigger and nicer Mondeo. I only grumbled a little before accepting it and heading on my way. As luck would have it though, I arrived at the car to find the passenger seat covered in some sort of bright red, sticky liquid. After snapping a couple of pics I started on the long walk back to the rental desk to see about an alternative. The pics must have been effective as they promptly exchanged it for this, a BMW 118:
It's not as pretty as the Alfa, or as powerful as the Audi, but boy does it drive nice. I think it might be my favorite rental yet! I couldn't resist a quick photo shoot and blog post.
Here's hoping for some decent weather!
