While the Big Three groan, here's what's hurting the rental-car industry this week besides the humiliating PT Cruiser:
The economy, stupid. Dollar-Thrifty announced it lost $72.2 million in its fourth quarter last year, more than double its losses from the same time frame in 2007. CEO Scott Thompson blamed a slowdown in leisure travel and -- curiously -- a lack of credit preventing people from buying their retired cars at auctions.
Human frailty. Enterprise hasn't announced their quarterly results yet, but they're down at least one vehicle: A Long Island man rented a car while drunk to avoid the anti-DWI device installed in his own car, then -- duh -- crashed the car. Turns out that GPS can't steer you around everything, like your own stupidity.
A good deal! Now that you're saddened by the state of humanity, here's a deal for this weekend for Hertz: Use code 127595 to get a free day! Use it again in March (limit one redemption per month). We can't figure out if you can redeem it for just one day and no others, but we suspect not.
Related Stories:
· Dollar Thrifty Q4 loss wider than expected [Reuters]
· Enterprise Adding 5000 Hybrids, But Would You Rent One? [Jaunted]
· Cops: New York Man With Anti-DWI Device Crashes Rental Car While Intoxicated [Fox News]
· Free Hertz Weekend Day Car Rental [Walletpop]
· Hertz Offers Hourly Displeasure in Manhattan [Jaunted]
[Photo of humiliating rental cars in Hawaii: kanuck] ]]>