Car Rentals

 For my trip to Tucson I needed a rental car. I couldn't imagine getting on a public bus, besides the time it would take to bus across the city over and over again during my stay. I wanted to traverse freely. However, there is a huge risk in renting a car.

Cars can stink in a variety of ways. Previous renters stink. They aren't allowed to smoke in the rental car, but some do. They wear perfumes, colognes, lotions, deodorants, shampoos, and sometimes have their dogs with them.

The rental companies then clean the cars. If the car stinks badly, they use ozone which I have found from past experience is deadly for me. Would they also use smelly cleaners or spray air fresheners? I called and was told they normally don't use scented cleaners, but if the car is returned exceptionally smelly, they do everything possible to rid it of stink and that may involve using chemicals of some kind. I was also told I would get a choice of cars so if it was too smelly, I could request another.

I reserved a small, compact, economy car, but at the counter the customer service agent thought it wise and helpful to upgrade it to a mid-sized SUV. Ah...no thanks. I also didn't realize the SUV was a 2024 so brand new and offgassing formaldehyde in that familiar "new car smell." Definitely not. I also drive a tiny car so I wasn't comfortable driving in an unknown, unfamiliar city in a huge car. I requested the smallest and oldest car they had.

I ended up with a 2022 Toyota Camry. It still had a slight "new car smell", but I turned on the air conditioning AND rolled down all the windows. It aired out perfectly. Note to self: old and small is best. It was an awesome car and made me want to buy a new car!

I survived my first rental car experience in thirty years! Hooray!!

Little Zippy (or, The IQ Review)

I've now had Little Zippy for seven months just long enough to figure out the weird controls and quirks, and long enough to give a qualified opinion on what it is like to own a sub-compact car. For those of you who missed my post on Zippy's purchase, she is a 2012 Toyota/Scion IQ. I have driven her about 6,000 miles to date.

Updates:

The toxic cleaning products they used to detail Zippy stunk for about two months during which time I wore a mask to avoid having a bad reaction. I wore very warm layers and kept the windows down alternating with hot heat to expedite the offgassing through the winter. At night I placed bowls of fresh grounded coffee and baking soda on the floors. Six months later I can sometimes still smell it very slightly if Zippy is closed up for a long period of time, but it isn't strong enough to bother me anymore. Most people probably wouldn't even notice the smell.

The Toyota dealership didn't clean the rugs at my request. They were dirty. I considered renting a carpet cleaner and using my non-toxic carpet shampoo, but the manual says not to use water. I checked with the local auto supply shop and the sales associated suggested a foam product he used with much success called Tuff Stuff. I asked if it had a smell and he said he'd never noticed one. He asked a few other guys at the counter and they agreed. I wasn't convinced. One guy took the can and offered to test it. Whew! Yeah, it stunk strong of fake lemon. They assured me it goes away fast. Yeah, right. It only costs $4,99 which is much cheaper than renting a carpet cleaner so I figured I'd test it on the removable carpets first and if it was too toxic then I'd use a carpet cleaner or store the carpets as long as needed until the smell wore off. Well, they were right. I used a mask to clean the carpets then let them dry. Then I took a damp rag and tried to wipe any excess off. Once dried, it didn't smell at all! So now I have clean carpets. Hooray!

The Scion IQ was discontinued in 2015. I was told by the Toyota sales people they weren't selling. I've had numerous people stop and ask me what kind of car I'm driving, exclaim how cute it is (of course!) and question why they've never seen such a car. When I tell them Scion IQs are no longer made, they invariably ponder, "I wonder why?" I tell them because Toyota didn't market them effectively. No one has ever heard of them! I'd never heard of them. I have only seen two other IQs in my whole corner of the USA and never any advertisements. I'm pretty sure I am the only person who owns an IQ in my town or county.

The Scion division of Toyota has been discontinued as well. I don't know why. Does that make Little Zippy a collector car?

Reasons to Buy a Cute Car Like Little Zippy:

Outstanding gas mileage. The first time I did the mileage test I got 38 miles per gallon. The second time 42 miles per gallon. At first I thought I did the math wrong so I asked. My mechanic guy said they are equipped with a "smart engine" and it will register your driving style and make adjustments for the best gas mileage. Love it!

It takes five minutes to wash the whole thing.

Incredibly fun to drive. I love the handling. Very touchy steering and brakes. I love the tight turning radius, however, since I'm constantly tempted to make a U-turn in the middle of a two lane street, this makes me a law-breaker and could end up a negative. I haven't been caught yet.

Really easy to park, especially parallel park, because it fits anywhere.

Negatives:

I will admit here this is less of a review on the car itself and more of a comparison to my van. That's probably not fair, but oh well!

It doesn't have a butt. No back end. Why is this a problem? Because when you drive in rain the tires kick up mud and the whole back is caked with dirt. This doesn't happen with a regular sized car, or it never did with any other car I've owned. It is equipped with a window washer for the back window, but I hesitate to use it with all that mud in case it scratches.

This is from one drive on a semi-dry day.

Needless to say, I wash Zippy nearly every time I drive her. I've never in my life washed a car so much! I even dry her off with towels and use toxic tire cleaner to shine up the rubber. I have become a fanatic.

Little Zippy lives in the garage which is another reason why I wash and dry her before parking her in the garage. If I don't, the garage gets dirty really fast. This has made the garage fairly useless because I'm afraid of getting dust on Zippy if I use the circular saw to cut wood or sweep. I'm afraid of getting paint on her if I paint. I'm afraid I'll drop nails or tire-puncturing sharp things if I construct or repair anything. If I do need to do any projects, I back her out onto the driveway and after finishing the project, I sweep the garage, air it out, and then drive her back in. I've also spent the last six months getting rid of garage-stored items so Little Zippy will have lots of room. It's a lot of work babying a baby car.

No cruise control. Going from a van to a mini-car judging speed was a difficult adjustment. I've only been pulled over by the police once. Although it was more like a declaration he asked me, "Do you know the speed limit is 55 and you were going 65?" I confessed, I knew the speed limit, "But isn't this car the cutest thing you've ever seen? I just bought it and it doesn't have cruise control like my other vehicle, the speedometer readings are in the wrong place unlike my other vehicle, and it's totally different than my gas-guzzling other vehicle. I am getting better at getting used to it, but isn't it the cutest car you've ever seen?" After asking me about the gas mileage and agreeing it was the cutest car he'd ever seen, he just told me to work on getting used to it. No ticket! I think he just wanted me to stop talking. I still creep over the speed limit, but I haven't been pulled over again. I don't think I'll be able to talk my way out of my next felony.

The sound system is foreign and very elaborate. I have to constantly use the manual to figure out basics. I have no idea how to work the fancy technology either, but since I don't use any, it doesn't matter.

I drive with the lights on. Why? Because I'm afraid Zippy is so small other cars won't see her. She makes me a little paranoid.

Visibility is difficult. This was the same for the Mini-Cooper so I think it's a problem for any small car. I'm used to my big van with the panoramic windows.

For some bizarre reason it takes a "special" oil that costs more. Of course. Damn Toyota.

Insurance costs four times more than the van. The van is OLD.

I won't eat in it and I only drink water. A little inconvenient, but I don't want to drop food all over her and mess up the clean carpets.

The heating and air conditioning are not comfortable. Everything is working, it just gets too hot too fast and the air conditioning doesn't seem effective. It takes forever to get going. Roll down the windows and it's too noisy. Again, my van has a huge interior and I think air space is just different.

I finally figured out how to use the locking system, but I hate if I were to lose the fancy key it would cost me nearly $250 to replace. Something wrong with that.

No interior lights. I'm spoiled. My van's interior lights come on if I open the door, automatically turn off when I start the van, have various light controls when needed, headlights that automatically come on if it gets dark or even cloudy with automatic dashboard lights, and if I get out of the van when the headlights are still on the obnoxious ding, ding, ding warning wouldn't ever let me forget to turn them off. Nothing like that in the Little Zippy. There is an overhead light that is so faint it's useless.

In my van if I leave the turn signal on, it starts beeping obnoxiously. If I leave Zippy's turn signal on, it just stays on.

No sleeping in Zippy so I'm less likely to go camping with her, besides...

Potholes, bumps or uneven roads are a nightmare. It feels like the whole car is banging apart. It's because of those tiny tires. Initially I thought those tiny tires would be cheap. Nope. They cost about four times more than new tires for my van.

I made the mistake of driving down a driveway that was overgrown with tall weeds. Little Zippy is NOT a country car. The next day something started clanging loudly. I thought the engine was falling out. I panicked and drove it to the nearest Toyota service center. They showed me the piece that had come loose. It was thin two feet by one foot rectangular piece of metal that looked like a piece of tin foil that I was told keeps the exhaust from overheating the bottom of the car. OK. He said I must have hit a rock or something. I hadn't connected the tall weed driving to the situation yet. He told me I shouldn't drive on gravel with this car. WHAT??? I asked him why it doesn't say that in the manual and why didn't the Toyota salesman tell me this? No comment. He directed me to parts and there I was told I could not replace just the 2 x 1 piece of tin foil, but I would need to buy the WHOLE BOTTOM OF THE CAR!! Whoa! The mechanic said he couldn't get me in for the repair for six weeks (!) so instead they will do what they can to re-attach the piece of tin foil so it wouldn't clang until then. Great. I went back to the parts guy to ask more questions about this expensive part. He looked at me quizzically and said on the sly, "Didn't they just fix it? So you don't need a brand new part." I think he is the only honest car dealership employee I have ever encountered. It's been four months and no need to replace anything. I also had my own mechanic look at it and they say it was repaired and stable. Still, Little Zippy is a tender, touchy thing unlike the van that can be used for back roads driving and remote camping with no problem.

Conclusion:

Now, to look at my list of pros and cons you'd think I didn't like Little Zippy. Heck no! I love this car! No, it's not a high-quality car, and yes, it is definitely cheap, but I love driving it, I love looking at it. I wanted a fun, impractical car with good gas mileage and after years of shopping I found one. It's great. For now.

Car Shopping for the Chemically Sensitive

Chemical sensitivity makes car shopping hazardous! New cars smell of off-gassing plastics. Used cars smell of cleaning agents, air fresheners, cigarette smoke, stale perfume, or dogs. Salespeople or owners wear perfume or cologne. Dealerships smell of chemicals. The whole experience can be stressful, traumatizing and life threatening.

My last experience buying a car was ten years ago. I went from dealership to dealership and faced a number of perfumed salesmen and air freshened cars. Finally found my "farm van" sold to me by a rare fragrance-free salesperson, drove it home with all the windows down wearing a mask, and over the course of two weeks did everything possible to clean, sanitize, and de-fragrance it. Although they didn't use scented cleaners on the inside, they did clean the engine with incredibly toxic chemicals that infiltrated into the interior. I used vinegar, baking soda, and bowls of freshly ground coffee as natural air cleaners while I vacuumed it repeatedly. heated it, aired it out, and steam cleaned it with fragrance-free shampoo. It worked! I love my van. It provides a place to sleep should my house become contaminated, I use it for camping, and it hauls everything from rabbit manure to gravel to cedar wood chips to yard sale finds. It even moved me to my current residence. Unfortunately, it's getting old with 240,000 miles on it. I had no idea engines could last that long! I needed a backup vehicle.

Five years ago I started car shopping. I knew it was going to take a long time. Limited to three toxic exposures per day, it was a slow process, but I started smelling the interiors of cars. Most of the cheaper, economical cars like Toyota, Honda, Saturn, Kia, Hyundai, Fords, Chevys, and Nissans use cheap plastic for their interiors. One whiff and the migraines and nausea would start. I discovered only two cars I could tolerate well: Mini Cooper and the Smart Car. They still had a smell, especially new, but if used, the smell was hardly noticeable. The Mini Cooper dealership stopped using toxic cleaners and I found out they do not accept trade-ins with cigarette smoke or dog smell as the smells are impossible to eradicate. This gave me hope.

I test drove a Smart Car and although it was small and economical, both important requirements, the transmission shifting was noisy. It was whiny. It didn't seem to want to go very quickly and I hated the steering wheel shifting options. At eight feet long it was cute, but too small. A logging truck or semi would destabilize it by just passing by!

For years I test drove Mini Coopers. I think they are adorable and they handle well with touchy steering wheels and brakes. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure I would like the excessive shaking over bumpy roads and what seemed like a lack of visibility with some of the models. I was told I'd get used to it, but these cars are twice as expensive than others. I shouldn't have to get used to it. The last test drive I noticed the dashboard was rattling. The salesperson told me that's normal with all Minis. Hmmm... Maintenance is 20-30% more than regular cars and insurance way more expensive, too. Several salespeople offered to scout used ones for me, but no one came through. I think they prefer selling the high priced brand new ones to rich people. Of course.

When I gave up on the Mini Cooper, I felt at a loss for what to do. My mechanic suggested a Scion. I'd never heard of a Scion. They are made by Toyota. I happened to drive by a Toyota dealership early on a Sunday morning and thought I'd just go look. I just wanted to see what they looked like although I was still worried about the smell of cleaning solutions and new cars are out of the question. The manager was there and he suggested shopping for the newly-traded-in-but-not-detailed-yet cars. Brilliant! I found one car that had no smell, but it was a larger size sedan. I want a small car. This plan of action, however, was motivating.

The next day I drove to the city for some car shopping. I asked five different dealerships if I could shop their newly-traded-in-but-not-detailed cars yet. All but one said NO as it was against their policy. OK, I guess I won't be buying their cars!

Then I visited the Toyota dealership, asked the very eager, newly-hired salesboys if they were wearing cologne. One of them immediately looked disappointed so I knew he was definitely smelly. Live and learn young salesboy! But the other one said quickly and cheerfully, "I'm not!!" He grinned from ear to ear. So adorable. I asked about the newly-traded-in-but-not-yet detailed cars and he said, Sure! Whatever you need! My new, young, adorable salesboy took me to the secret lot where they hid the newly-traded-in-by-not-detailed-yet cars. Unfortunately nearly all of them were white and had way more than 100,000 miles on them. Nope. I don't do white, black, red or silver. Please! I need a pleasing color!

The next day in my little town I saw a purple car. I knew it wasn't a Smart Car since they don't come in purple. It was a Scion IQ! A Smart Car made by Toyota! Wasn't that the make my mechanic suggested? I'd never even heard or seen this model before. So cute! I did some online research. They are about 2 feet longer and sturdier than a Smart Car, better engines, with great gas mileage (35 to 40 mpg). And, of course, made by Toyota. However, Toyota discontinued the IQ last year due to disinterest. I picked my favorite color (blue), found a photo, and placed it on my desktop. I figured this was good karma.

My next trip into the city I decided to stop at the Toyota dealership, sneak into the back secret lot to see the newly-traded cars...and there it sat: the exact car that was my desktop photo! A blue 2012 Scion IQ with only 37,000 miles! It was just returned as a lease that day, but the dealership hadn't decided if they would buy it for re-sale. I knew it was my car! Unfortunately, they knew I felt this way, too, along with my special needs that I made plainly clear. I paid more than I think I should have, but as I've said time and time again, chemical sensitivity is expensive.

Although it wasn't detailed with the smelly carpet shampoo, they did clean it and I think that involved using some kind of toxic cleaner. After driving it home without a mask (I forgot it!), I was very sick all night. Not a good way to feel after buying a car.

Currently I have baking soda and freshly ground coffee in it soaking up the stink, but I can drive it wearing a mask. I am also heating it up and airing it out repeatedly, as well as using an air purifier. It's always a risk but I have confidence it'll be chemical-free with patience and effort.

I am still keeping my van for local transportation, hauling, and camping, but now by using the new car for long distance grocery runs, the van may last a little longer.

NEW BABY PHOTOS:

 

HOORAY!!
I have to admit I want to re-paint my house to match and buy a whole new BLUE wardrobe.

LOL!



Vehicles and Transportation

Only once in my life did I exist without my own transportation. I was living in a city, walked everywhere, used public transportation for distances, and if I needed to travel long distance I'd rent a car. It was heavenly not to have to pay for gas, maintenance, parking and insurance, not to mention feeling like I was doing my part toward a cleaner environment.

Alternative transportation for the chemically sensitive is more of a challenge. Riding a bike or walking long distances is only an option if you have the energy and health, however, both are constantly compromised and not dependable on a daily basis. Public transportation is risky. Enclosed in a bus wondering if the next rider will stink and knowing you may have to get off in the middle of nowhere is painfully stressful.  When does the next bus come? Who knows. Although most rental car companies strive to provide clean, scent-free cars, renting a car on a full-time basis would be incredibly expensive. And there is never a guarantee when dealing with the unstable variable: previous renters...people!

Living outside a city without your own transportation is difficult; living in the country without transportation is nearly impossible if you want to get anywhere unless you own a horse. Even a simple errand like getting groceries is a major event if you live miles from the nearest store. In search of organic food? Those miles may turn into hours of driving. Depending on another person for transportation is frustrating, especially someone who does not live with you. MCSers need their own reliable transportation for safety and peace of mind.

Shopping and Buying  Eight years ago I was forced to shop for a new vehicle after a crazy man high on Coca Cola and sleeping pills plowed into me at a stop light going forty-five miles an hour. Never mind my injuries, the thought of having to shop for a car was more worrisome. Automobile salesmen are notorious for cologne and used cars are guaranteed to be perfumed with air fresheners. Ditto on private sellers. After a long search, I did find a fragrance-free salesperson who seemed to understand my restrictions. He found a van that wasn't air freshened by snatching it up before it was detailed and asked the detailers not to put stink in the car when they prepared it for purchase.

Detoxifying When I was finally granted custody, it smelled. They did avoid any smelly preparations on the inside, but who would have predicted a freshly cleaned engine would stink so badly inside and out?  I drove home with all the windows down and my head hanging out like a dog.

Once I got it home it took about a week of vacuuming, carpet cleaning with non-toxic carpet shampoos, vinegar bowls to suck up the stink, baking soda all over the carpet followed by more vacuuming, and finally freshly ground coffee beans in bowls sealed up inside over night. I don't know if all this did any good, or if the week of sitting with the windows down was enough time to offgas, but eventually it was clean enough to enter and drive.

Practicality I chose to buy a van even with its less than stellar fuel efficiency as I needed something as a backup should my living area become contaminated. It was definitely a change from my tiny, energy efficient Toyota. It felt like I was driving around with my living room attached behind the driver's seat, but so much potential and well worth the sacrifice. In addition to serving as a emergency shelter, it has moved all my furniture to my current location, carried all manner of construction materials, transported garage sale treasures and freebies, and last fall hauled sixteen loads of rabbit manure, two yards of beauty bark and one yard of river rock. I don't recommend hauling river rock - it nearly flattened the back tires and I drove home with the tail pipe about an inch above the roadway. As mentioned in the previous post, I've often used it for accommodations and camping, too. I love my van.

Maintenance For the chemically sensitive, keeping the vehicle in good running condition is extremely important. Proper maintenance prevents problems such as leaks, ventilation issues, etc. that would contaminate the interior air space.  I also have a fear of breaking down somewhere. Who would I call? If the tow truck driver wore cologne or had air fresheners in his truck, would I be forced to walk home? From miles away? Most mechanics who offer me a ride home from their shops have air fresheners in their car so no matter where I go for maintenance, it must be within walking or cycling distance. Be sure when you take your vehicle into the shop that you state very clearly no one wearing cologne should get in it and no one should be tempted to add an air freshener or anything that stinks.

Interior cleanliness is also very important. The driver is sealed in a tiny compartment with limited air space. Dirt, animal hair, dust, food particles, dead insects, and trash can make this environment intolerable. Opening a window for fresh air will make these contaminants airborne. I vacuum the carpets and upholstery all the time, wash surfaces with vinegar, and occasionally shampoo the carpets with non-toxic shampoo. I also don't leave items in the car as I value the limited amount of air space available.

Mold is a concern in my area of the country and the HVAC system can be easily contaminated affecting ventilation and air quality. Turn on the vehicle, turn up the air conditioning and pour vinegar down the air vents on the OUTSIDE of the vehicle, located above the hood near the window. This simple precaution kills any mold spores, mildew or bacteria. Avoid eating and drinking in your vehicle as dropped liquids or food particles promote mold and bacteria growth as well. (Yeah, easier said than done, I know.)

Driving City or freeway driving especially during high traffic times is enough to kill someone who is chemically sensitive. When I still lived in a suburban area, one short jaunt on the freeway during a traffic jam and I'd have to exit for home, curl up in my bed for a few hours and sleep off the nausea and headache. One way to alleviate the asphyxiating smell of car exhaust is to keep your windows rolled up and turn the air conditioning on full blast making sure the air is re-circulated from the inside rather than using air pumped in from the outside. This is a situation where it is imperative to have a clean interior or the dust, dirt and mold will become airborne creating more breathing problems.

Passengers In the small interior of my van, I become ultra chemically sensitive! Passengers must be truly fragrance-free with no residue on their bodies or clothing. Anytime transportation is necessary, I always volunteer to drive. It's a requirement. If my prospective passenger shows up with even a hint of smell on them, we drive separately. I warn them in advance of my rules.

Shopping and Buying: Ten Years Later Lately, I've been considering buying a more fuel efficient car. My technique is going to a dealership and waiting for the first eager salesperson to approach. As you watch them rush to your side with that I-can't-wait-to-screw-you-over smile, ten to twenty feet away I loudly ask, "Are you wearing any cologne or scented products?" If he says he is I respond loud enough so he can hear it clearly, "I am deathly sensitive to stink, don't come near me." I turn and leave. Sometimes they try to talk me into staying or offer to find another salesperson, but I keep walking hollering over my shoulder, "No thanks!" It sends a clear message.  My belief is if one salesperson is ignorant, there obviously isn't some kind of fragrance-free policy. Sales personnel really should more knowledgeable about health issues of potential customers. If not, they aren't that interested in selling anything. If he says he isn't wearing anything smelly, I exclaim also loudly, "You are my guy! Thank you so much for not poisoning me!" Out of twenty encounters last summer, only ONE wore stink. Another said he normally wears cologne, but the dealership manager was fragrance sensitive and he's not allowed. That is a HUGE improvement! Eight years ago it was one out of every twenty wasn't perfumed!

I've stuck my nose into some of the new economy cars: Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, Dodge and the interiors are made with such cheap plastics the chemical offgassing is deadly. I can't even get in them. In fact, I have to select and limit the number of cars I smell with each shopping trip. One bad smell can make me stagger home and crawl into bed.


I have found only two cars I can enter because they don't have cheap, smelly interiors: the Smart Car and Mini-Cooper. They use leather which could be problematic for many but for some reason, I had no issues with it which leads me to believe they must be using a safer treatment. I'm not looking at the more expensive Mercedes or BMWs although I'm sure their interiors are made from quality materials as well. Unfortunately luxury cars are not anywhere near my budget so I have to settle for their economical counterparts. I've considered buying a convertible. I can't imagine being in traffic surrounded by car exhaust with not only the windows down but the roof down, too! These are the factors one must consider when chemically sensitive.

Currently my plan is to save my money and wait for an electric car of quality. Can you imagine driving around without the stink of car exhaust? Mini-Cooper is on the top of my list, but they are in the testing stage. Buying an electric car may involve moving closer to a city in order to use electrical facilities. We'll see. I'm not in a hurry. Until then, I love my van and plan to keep it as a second car anyway. I won't be hauling rabbit manure in a new Mini-Cooper!