One way Camaro/Mustang rental - San Francisco to Las Vegas

One way Camaro/Mustang rental - San Francisco to Las Vegas

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HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Hi all
Long time lurker first time poster...PH I need your help!

I've spent the last few weeks trying to sort out a decent hard top muscle car (i.e. Camaro, Mustang) for my honeymoon - a one way trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas. And it's been an absolute nightmare - nowhere seems to do it.

I've tried all the usual suspects - Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National - and either they don't have that type of car or they won't let you take it across state lines unless you return it, something I can't do.

I'm not looking for a hypercar or anything, just something a bit more sporty than the current Chrysler 200 Or Similar I'm down for. I'm also not really after a convertible - been there, got the burnt neck. I will also have a few cases so a ragtop and its minimal boot wouldn't really be for me.

I know I'm not the first to go through this trauma but in my forum search I didn't manage to come across anyone actually succeeding in this quest. Anyone got any ideas or thoughts at all please?

scottri

950 posts

181 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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I had good results by phoning up Trail finders and asking if they could arrange something for me. We ended up booking a 4x4 with them and upgrading to a Dodge Challenger when we went to pick it up. The rates they arranged was comparable to most of my own searching and took the hassle out of finding somewhere with something in stock.

My trip was on way from Chicago to LA.

HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
scottri said:
I had good results by phoning up Trail finders and asking if they could arrange something for me. We ended up booking a 4x4 with them and upgrading to a Dodge Challenger when we went to pick it up.
Trailfinders are actually booking my trip - swear by them and am a long term customer/fan. The best they could tell me was to reserve a car and upgrade on the day - advice that has worked before, admittedly, but I was hoping to get something a bit more guaranteed instead. I contacted Alamo and they can't do anything and reckon it's unlikely to happen, meaning I'm all up for a plan B...

krunchkin

2,209 posts

140 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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It can be done. I took a Challenger from Hertz from Las Vegas to LAX last month. It wont let you book it like that on the website but it can be done on the ground when you speak to them. It will cost you a fee to do a one way drop off though. It cost me an addiional $300 to be allowed to do it like this.

PS - get a challenger rather than a mustang - so much more distinctive and fun

krunchkin

2,209 posts

140 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
It can be done. I took a Challenger from Hertz from Las Vegas to LAX last month. It wont let you book it like that on the website but it can be done on the ground when you speak to them. It will cost you a fee to do a one way drop off though. It cost me an addiional $300 to be allowed to do it like this.

PS - get a challenger rather than a mustang - so much more distinctive and fun

ETA = have you spoken directly to the Hertz rental desk in SF - ideally the largest one (presumbaly the airport). If not - do that - email or call them directly and tell them what you want. I emailed the Hertz desk at Caesars Palace and told them I wanted to switch the challenger from round trip to one way to LAX and they were fine.

HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
krunchkin said:
It can be done. I took a Challenger from Hertz from Las Vegas to LAX last month. It wont let you book it like that on the website but it can be done on the ground when you speak to them. It will cost you a fee to do a one way drop off though. It cost me an addiional $300 to be allowed to do it like this.

PS - get a challenger rather than a mustang - so much more distinctive and fun

ETA = have you spoken directly to the Hertz rental desk in SF - ideally the largest one (presumbaly the airport). If not - do that - email or call them directly and tell them what you want. I emailed the Hertz desk at Caesars Palace and told them I wanted to switch the challenger from round trip to one way to LAX and they were fine.
Cheers Krunchkin. I might try calling the Alamo desk directly and see if it's something they can help with - I'd rather try my best with them as I've already paid for a standard rental so I'd rather not lose that if I can.

Were you able to book this in advance, or could you not confirm it till you got there?

krunchkin

2,209 posts

140 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Do Alamo specifically hire Muscle Cars? Not sure they do. Hertz Adrenaline Collection guarantees you will get the car you book.

HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
krunchkin said:
Do Alamo specifically hire Muscle Cars? Not sure they do.
I've had a Camaro and a Mustang from them before - I'd be happy with any of them to be honest!

[quote]Hertz Adrenaline Collection guarantees you will get the car you book.
So can I book directly with Hertz Adrenaline from the local desk? Sorry for all the questions...

krunchkin

2,209 posts

140 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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here

https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/productservice/inde...

I booked a Challenger for 2 weeks from here - and then spoke to the desk in Caesars Palace directly (my pickup point) and asked to drop it off at LAX instead

krunchkin

2,209 posts

140 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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you need to book in advance obv. They dont have bad ass V8 muscle cars just sitting around.

Sargeant Orange

2,687 posts

146 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Booked mine for July with Dollar via auto-europe, pick up in San Francisco, drop in Vegas. Don't guarantee a mustang but the majority of reviews for my pick up point (o'farrell st) suggest it won't be a problem.

HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
Well, it was worth a go!

I booked the car through the website with pickup and collection at the airport but since then have spent the entire day trying to get someone to answer the phone there, phoning constantly from 10am (San Fran time) till now, half two their time. Nobody ever answers, apart from the couple of times people dialled a number on me and hung up frown

I tried choosing the 'make changes' option too but that seemed to put me through to head office who said it wouldn't let them change the location to Vegas - apparently not allowed, despite my English pleas smile

Thank you for the idea - I think I'm going to need to chance my luck with Alamo on the day - hopefully they'll have something mean and powerful I can upgrade to when I'm there!

Matt..

3,586 posts

188 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Flyertalk have very active and helpful forums for renting in the US. Try asking there.

HotJambalaya

2,023 posts

179 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Try looking at holiday autos. Sometimes when I've needed to do one way rentals they come up trumps sine they don't charge the one way fee.

HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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HotJambalaya said:
Try looking at holiday autos. Sometimes when I've needed to do one way rentals they come up trumps sine they don't charge the one way fee.
Cheers - just had a look. They don't do the type of car either frown I don't mind paying a fee but annoyingly the type of car I want to rent basically isn't allowed to be dropped off somewhere other than you collect - it's that particular rule I can't seem to get around!

HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
quotequote all
Matt.. said:
Flyertalk have very active and helpful forums for renting in the US. Try asking there.
Have posted on there - thanks smile

megaphone

10,694 posts

250 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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I was lucky enough to get a free upgrade from a base car to a Mustang for my trip from Vegas to LA. It was a California car that needed to get back from Vegas. This was with Avis. They offered me a couple of upgraded cars all were out of state, so it's not uncommon.

Sargeant Orange

2,687 posts

146 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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HelloJP said:
Cheers - just had a look. They don't do the type of car either frown I don't mind paying a fee but annoyingly the type of car I want to rent basically isn't allowed to be dropped off somewhere other than you collect - it's that particular rule I can't seem to get around!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=209&t=1386597&nmt=Best+way+to+rent+a+convertible+Mustang+in+California%3F

pushthebutton

1,096 posts

181 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Maybe obvious, but I've often had more success with the Adrenaline collection by calling Hertz UK than I've had with the website. They've managed to secure a car that was showing as unavailable online and given me better rates as well.

HelloJP

Original Poster:

9 posts

119 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Sargeant Orange said:
Cheers - basically seems to be a case of ask when you get there. Might be the best option...