I’m potentially unique and unlike any other Toro owner or rental car company in the United States. I can provide you with a choice of three different rental cars at Denver International Airport. I have a great sedan for the value priced renter that is the generally the busiest, I bought this car brand new from winnings from the World Series of Poker. I also have two vehicles and specialize in all wheel drive vehicles that seat seven people. I have an MDX for the luxury and awesome handling and driving vehicle and a minivan for families who want to go to the mountains.
All of my vehicles are equipped with a brain. My working title for them is “Robot Cars” This means a few great things for you as a renter. As of the date of this blog post I have done 72 successful rental this year on the Toro platform. Not one time has the car not been waiting at the airport on time for the renter when they landed. This is certainly a risk. I’ve used Toro one time as a customer for my sister in laws wedding in Chicago and my car did not show up. Ninety percent of the time I have the car parked for you in the Pikes Peak parking lot. This is the long term parking lot at Denver International Airport. There is a free shuttle that goes from the terminal to the Pikes Peak lot. This shuttle leaves every 15 minutes 24 hours a day. Parking here costs $2 and hour with a maximum fee of $8 a day. Some customers prefer short term parking. You can actually walk from where you get the luggage and walk directly to the car. It is also covered so it won’t be snowy, your time in the elements is limited, and it is the fastest way. This must be arranged beforehand and it is costlier. The fee for short term garage is $3 and hour and is a maximum fee of $24 a day. This must be arranged in advance
HOW EXACTLY DOES THIS WORK FOR THE RENTER
When your flight is in the air I will send you a text as well as a message through the Toro system. It will read your car is located in D4 or KK1 in the Pikes Peak lot. These are two examples. When you land please send a text to me or a message through the Toro system that you have landed. This simply gives me a heads up. I generally recommend using the Toro system for all communication, except for maybe this pickup. I will rarely talk on the phone, there are some exceptions, but it is best to have a record of our conversations for both of us. This is the only time I recommend direct text messaging is during the car pickup. We know how fast text messaging works, sometimes there is a delay in the Toro system.
Step 2 – After you take the shuttle to Pikes Peak lot and find the car send me a text. I’m looking for at least 3 pictures. The first one is a copy of your license in front of the car. I don’t care or need to see any identifying information like birthday, address, etc. I just want to be able to read the name and see it in front of my car. The second picture is of your face. I’ll accept a selfie if you are by yourself or have another member of your party take it. The third picture comes after I’ve unlocked the car for you.
Step 3 – At this point I will unlock the car for you, I also disable the security features. If security is not disable once you leave one mile from the lot it alerts me and the police, I don’t want to ruin your vacation The keys should be left in the center console along with the parking ticket to exit the garage. This is where I want to get picture 3 of the odometer. I simply need to prove that the car hasn’t been renter since the last renter. This is for both security and insurance purpose. Also at this point this is where you need to point out anything that is wrong with the car. Any damage, gas tank low, car smells like smoke etc. This is the point where you are accepting responsibility for the car. If the car has a dent if you don’t report it at this point you can be held responsible.
Step 4 – Get out there and drive and have fun. You came to Colorado for business or pleasure make the most of it! You got a great car at a great price. The process is simple. No paperwork, no lines at the rental car, you don’t even have to talk to a person. When you return the car make sure the gas tank is full. Make sure you return it on time. Make sure you send me a message of where the car is located, exact row and letter. The car is not considered returned until it is parked and you tell me where it is. Make sure you tell me the odometer reading as well. Take as many pictures as necessary to make you feel comfortable that you returned the car in great condition.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF RENTING ROBOTCARS
- Your car is always guaranteed to be waiting for you at the airport
- This way is faster and easier than any other method from Toro or any national or local car rental place.
- This way is cheaper than any national rental place. For giggles compare my AWD minivan against any national rental company, if they even have one. Compare my MDX luxury SUV versus there luxury SUV’s. Frequently you can save up to 50%.
- You don’t have to pay any airport or car rental taxes.
- Car comes with free unlimited car washes. (The Sienna starts Jan. 2016) it is still on gift certificates. The car wash is Waterways, five location throughout the metro area. It is registered through the license plate. All you have to do is pull up and get out of the car. The will do a full service wash inside and out. Even if the car is sparkling clean one snowfall or rain shower will turn it spotty. Feel free to clean as many times as you want.
- Lots of times plans change and people need to extend the trip. I never so no. The car is available for your use as long as no other renter has it after you.
DISADVANTAGES
- You have to pay for parking. To ensure that your cars is there I need to have it parked there. If I personally have the car, my wife and I do drive all of these cars periodically to check there condition. I get it parked as close as possible in time to your scheduled rental. We also get all the cars maintained in tip top condition. Oil is changed regularly, once a year all wheel alignment, as well as all other services required. Lots of times during busy seasons; summer, winter, and holiday periods we won’t see the car as it goes directly from one renter to the other. This is the closest thing to a hidden charge. Parking costs $8 a day in Pikes Peak. I don’t always know how much many days the car will be waiting there anything that is over $24 I will pay. You just need to send me a copy of your parking ticket and I will immediately credit the additional cost against your rental fee.
- I don’t always see the car between rentals. This can result in the car having some issues sometimes. The most common is the previous renter did not fill up the gas. If this happens there is a gas station at the airport in the cell phone lot. Please take picture of the gas tank and the receipt after you fill up the gas. You will be immediately reimbursed. Out of 72 rentals this has happened twice. One time somebody smoked in the car. Major Toro violation and I need to know about it. One renter scratched the mirrors on the MDX, thank godness the next renter sent me pictures before the rental started, they are not responsible or liable. Another renter smoked in the car. These issue are still being worked out with Toro.
BOTTOM LINE IS YOU ARE GETTING AND AWESOME VEHICLE, LOW COST, AND EASE OF RENTAL
If you are can find a better vehicle, better price, or a better method you should rent it. Please let me know about it. Using this method makes me able to keep the cost as low as possible for you. Sometimes I have a delivery fee based on what you are getting sometimes I don’t, I wish I could offer promotional offers, or coupons, but the current Toro system does not allow it. I see other people hey give me a ride home from the airport or they’ll charge $50 if you can’t give them a ride. I’ve actually done six Toro ride dropoffs or pickups with my two year old baby in the car. I invested in technology to make this process easier.
The delivery fee covers 1) guarantee the car is there on time for your trip 2) unlimited car washes 3) a remote starter for the car on your keychain which is actually really nice in the winter.
TORO CUSTOMER SERVICE
Please realize and understand that this is how my customers rent my cars. Whenever something goes wrong the standard answer is well notify us in 24 hours. As you can see most of the time I don’t even see the car between rentals. I will not know about issues like smoking, you can’t see smoke in the pictures, but you can smell it when you get in the car. If the previous renter didn’t send me trip photos, I DON’T HAVE THEM.
Out of 72 rental I have never not had the car there on time for the renter. I imagine this is one of the most common complaints and issues you have. I know I had a lot of problems when I rented a car in Chicago and my car wasn’t there when I landed. You can also imagine that Tuesday December 15, 2015 was a horrible day. It was virtually impossible to drive and a lot of people probably didn’t have their cars at the airport. I’m an uber black car limo driver and I saw all sorts of issues. When you and the other people are scrambling to get a car please look to see if my cars are available. They are sitting there at the airport and if they are available and not rented this is the easiest way to help the renters out. I know the first priority for all of us is to take care of the renters.
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