What's the best holiday hire car you've had?
Discussion
Drove around the canyon on our honeymoon in a HEMI challenger, that was pretty sweet.
sometimes It's as much the "right" car for the place that makes it special... was looking at car rental options in the south of france a while back and saw one ofthose small (peugeot?) Folding roof things that while I'd never dream of considering just seemed kind of "right" for a few days cruising with the mrs in southern france/ riviera. But then I looked closer and saw the alternative possible cars included a convertible beetle. Sorry just no you've ruined it now.
sometimes It's as much the "right" car for the place that makes it special... was looking at car rental options in the south of france a while back and saw one ofthose small (peugeot?) Folding roof things that while I'd never dream of considering just seemed kind of "right" for a few days cruising with the mrs in southern france/ riviera. But then I looked closer and saw the alternative possible cars included a convertible beetle. Sorry just no you've ruined it now.
It probably wasnt the BEST as such, but it was a lot of fun. I took this Camaro on The Apache Trail just outside Phoenix. Once there was just dirt rather than tarmac it was possible to steer it using the accelerator rather than the steering wheel. It never felt like it made it's quoted bhp though
I think probably the best hire car I've had was a Crown Vic, because it was as bad as I thought, so bad it was great. The dash lit up like a Christmas tree after driving it in the rain a bit quick, and Avis had to come and pick it up. When it worked it felt like I was in a cop car chase scene, maybe I had too vivid an imagination. The guy at the rental desk asked if I was serious when I specifically asked if they had one and tried to offer me a Hyundai or Kia at least 3 times
I think probably the best hire car I've had was a Crown Vic, because it was as bad as I thought, so bad it was great. The dash lit up like a Christmas tree after driving it in the rain a bit quick, and Avis had to come and pick it up. When it worked it felt like I was in a cop car chase scene, maybe I had too vivid an imagination. The guy at the rental desk asked if I was serious when I specifically asked if they had one and tried to offer me a Hyundai or Kia at least 3 times
RizzoTheRat said:
Another vote for the mighty Jimny. Hired one in Iceland and proved to be more capable than I expected on tarmac, and no trouble at all on steep icy gravel roads. Wouldn't want to do a long motorway journey in one but that wasn't a problem in a country with no long motorways 
And another resounding +1 for the awesomeness that is a Suzuki Jimny. Had one a couple of years ago for a week pottering about on a Greek island and it was 100% fit for purpose (and great fun!). I expect on fast mainland European roads it might be a different story.Saying that, last year at London City airport I got a free upgrade from a boggo Fiat 500 to a Mercedes E Class. Made my day after some nightmare flight delays.
generationx said:
Saying that, last year at London City airport I got a free upgrade from a boggo Fiat 500 to a Mercedes E Class. Made my day after some nightmare flight delays.
Not a holiday but when I broke a Vectra hired on work (engine management light and limp home mode enabled), Avis swapped it for a 156. Much better car for a fortnight roaming around Scotland generationx said:
Saying that, last year at London City airport I got a free upgrade from a boggo Fiat 500 to a Mercedes E Class. Made my day after some nightmare flight delays.
Colleague had similar but was given a Mercedes GL. He said they were very insistent he took the accidental damage waiver.When he showed it to us the whole near-side was lightly scuffed - they'd obviously done it themselves (or taken it back without noticing) and were going to pass the damage on to him.
Just come back from Sicily where me and the missus hired our first hire car.
A beaut of a Lancia Ypsilon in black, she loved it, and she had to do all the driving too with me being a young'un at only 24.
(That's two people behind her, not some kind of Spice Girls look!)
We picked it up spotless, and returned it spotless too, a few hairy moments in Palermo with the locals driving and up the tight mountain switchbacks.
Would have loved to have been the one driving up towards Etna in something with a bit more oomph.
A beaut of a Lancia Ypsilon in black, she loved it, and she had to do all the driving too with me being a young'un at only 24.
(That's two people behind her, not some kind of Spice Girls look!)
We picked it up spotless, and returned it spotless too, a few hairy moments in Palermo with the locals driving and up the tight mountain switchbacks.
Would have loved to have been the one driving up towards Etna in something with a bit more oomph.
te. The "Golf or equivalent" thing they say is just a wheeze to get you to book with them. Leveraging a premium brand to make you buy and then sticking you in a hyundai i30 or an astra. How about a Jaguar F-type.
This was rented through Hertz. We had it for 5 days, picking it up in Munich and driving down into the Alps. It was actually holiday with me and my 10-year-old son in 2014.
I went back with a friend of mine later in the year and hired another one. I came back from that trip so impressed with the Jaguar that I spent the last couple of years putting some pennies together and waiting to used values to drop, finally bought one for myself just a couple of weeks ago and so far the holiday romance is just as good at home ( although could do with better roads and nicer weather).
This was rented through Hertz. We had it for 5 days, picking it up in Munich and driving down into the Alps. It was actually holiday with me and my 10-year-old son in 2014.
I went back with a friend of mine later in the year and hired another one. I came back from that trip so impressed with the Jaguar that I spent the last couple of years putting some pennies together and waiting to used values to drop, finally bought one for myself just a couple of weeks ago and so far the holiday romance is just as good at home ( although could do with better roads and nicer weather).
coppice said:
Poverty spec hire Mustang V6 ; did 3000 miles across Carolinas, Georgia , Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama in 2 weeks. Thought it would have a gutless wheezy 180bhp or something - instead it had a lovely sounding and creamy 305bhp and effortless go. Nice to dawdle in too - loved it, even though I know I should say it was rubbish and that real men drive V8s etc. Super auto too. Not a sports car per se but a real mile muncher and for lad from a Yorkshire pit village who fell in love with the blues in '68 , driving a bloody Mustang! down Highway 61! through cotton fields! at Clarksdale ! was more than special .
By way of contrast a maximum attack across Raticosa pass in a Panda on 155/80s was fun....
Had similar.... rental spec stang in rental white. Drove it from San Fran through Yosemite and then down through to Death Valley and onto Vegas. Yes its not the fastest thing in the world and its a bit wallowy in the corners, but it matters not when the sun is shining and you can pop the roof down. Comfy cruiser and it returned 26 MPG (US).By way of contrast a maximum attack across Raticosa pass in a Panda on 155/80s was fun....
I love driving in the US. I love California and they have some simply amazing places across the whole country but I am never sure I could actually bring myself to live there.
blearyeyedboy said:
Not necessarily the best, but the most curious:
I once hired a Mazda 6 in Ireland with damage to every panel... including the roof(!). Not sure how you managed that one, previous driver, but well-played.
It's enormously liberating, not giving a stuff about the state you return a hire car in.
I hired a Mondeo sized car from Kerry Airport. Signed the documentation at the desk and got keys to a Toyota Avensis. Walked to the empty parking area to see a sorry Toyota Avensis that had every panel scratched to buggery. It must have gone through a hedge backwards several times. I looked at the damage report and it showed no faults. Walked back to the desk to point it out.I once hired a Mazda 6 in Ireland with damage to every panel... including the roof(!). Not sure how you managed that one, previous driver, but well-played.
It's enormously liberating, not giving a stuff about the state you return a hire car in.
"Ah yes, you've got the bosses car because we've rented everything out!" With that she proceeded to colour in the car shape entirely with her biro!
When returning to the UK from living abroad for a week I ordered a Golf hire car as I have done loads of times before at Heathrow. Got to the depot, sorry no Golf's available but we have an Audi S8 if that will be OK. Lovely thing although the geartronic was a little bit nackered and would rev without actually doing much, but fully loaded with satnav and decent sound system.
Needed a hire car for work for 6 months as was doing a lot of travelling at the time.
Filled in the form at work and requested 1.6 (or similar) diesel and ended up with a fully loaded £40k 520 M Sport with Proffesional Nav, 8 Speed, Camera pack ec... Put 10k miles it during that time including a trip to LeMans with my Dad!
Filled in the form at work and requested 1.6 (or similar) diesel and ended up with a fully loaded £40k 520 M Sport with Proffesional Nav, 8 Speed, Camera pack ec... Put 10k miles it during that time including a trip to LeMans with my Dad!
Edited by greggy50 on Monday 27th June 16:26
Audi lent me an R8 Spyder when my first RS3 engine lunched itself which we took to the lake district 
But cars i have actually hired it would be the holden commodore SV6 Estate (i couldn't find a v8 for hire), a great wafty torquey 280bhp barge, which we did 3000 km in 10 days
But cars i have actually hired it would be the holden commodore SV6 Estate (i couldn't find a v8 for hire), a great wafty torquey 280bhp barge, which we did 3000 km in 10 days
Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Monday 27th June 16:31
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff