US Car Hire - interesting options
Discussion
Heading to California/Oregon for 3 weeks or so later in the year to visit some family, have a tour around and need to hire something to get around.
Not particularly interested in a Dodge Charger or Camaro which seem to be the standard "interesting" options but would like to try something huge with a V8 if possible before they're all replaced with boring hybrids or EVs.
The most likely options seem to be Premium pickup (F150 or similar), full size (possibly end up with a Camry...) or Premium SUV (could be anything!).
There's only 2 of us so almost anything will do but the more ridiculous the better - any experience? Will I get any say in what I actually end up with besides trying to sweet talk the person on the desk.
Not particularly interested in a Dodge Charger or Camaro which seem to be the standard "interesting" options but would like to try something huge with a V8 if possible before they're all replaced with boring hybrids or EVs.
The most likely options seem to be Premium pickup (F150 or similar), full size (possibly end up with a Camry...) or Premium SUV (could be anything!).
There's only 2 of us so almost anything will do but the more ridiculous the better - any experience? Will I get any say in what I actually end up with besides trying to sweet talk the person on the desk.
Sammo123 said:
My daughter and I went to Florida a couple of years ago to do Disney etc. I decided a Dodge Ram with a Hemi was the most sensible transport for us 
That is a decent car. Did you have some problems on the way? I rented a car in the US only once, but unfortunately, it wasn't a very good experience. Next time, I would definitely consider going with another company. After reading CarRental8 reviews, it seems like they might be a better option. It's important to learn from past experiences and make informed decisions to ensure a smoother and more enjoyable rental experience in the future.Edited by jerryjerry44 on Saturday 23 March 21:06
Edited by jerryjerry44 on Saturday 23 March 21:07
As always you are somewhat at the mercy of what has been returned to the depot that day, so the example car might be nothing like you get.
If you rent from a big company at a large location (eg. airport) then you should have more luck getting something decent.
I had a Chrysler 300c as my last rental car (Avis 'luxury' category) with a big hemi (although it was too refined to actually hear it) which was amusing enough.
The big SUVs (Tahoe/Suburban or Ford Expedition etc) all have plenty of power by European standards.
Some companies (maybe National and/or Budget?) let you pick your own car from what's in the car park in the category you've booked.
I have an Alamo 'luxury' booked for Easter, the example is a Cadillac that's been out of production for several years, so looking forward to what I end up with. Part of the fun IMHO, don't get fixated on a particular car and have fun in whatever turns up.
If you rent from a big company at a large location (eg. airport) then you should have more luck getting something decent.
I had a Chrysler 300c as my last rental car (Avis 'luxury' category) with a big hemi (although it was too refined to actually hear it) which was amusing enough.
The big SUVs (Tahoe/Suburban or Ford Expedition etc) all have plenty of power by European standards.
Some companies (maybe National and/or Budget?) let you pick your own car from what's in the car park in the category you've booked.
I have an Alamo 'luxury' booked for Easter, the example is a Cadillac that's been out of production for several years, so looking forward to what I end up with. Part of the fun IMHO, don't get fixated on a particular car and have fun in whatever turns up.
Yep, not fixated at all with specific models, more just making sure I don't book say a "full size" and end up stuck with a hybrid Camry or something dull - decent as they are to own, it's not really what I had in mind.
I think Premium pickup is probably about as good as I'm going to get. Flying into San Francisco so hopefully there should be at least some choice!
I was last in the states in about 2012 and hired a van to seat 8 of us - ended up with a Ford E150 with a 5.4l V8. Was pretty basic but perfectly comfortable and endless fun roaring around with the tyres squealing at barely above walking speed.
I think Premium pickup is probably about as good as I'm going to get. Flying into San Francisco so hopefully there should be at least some choice!
I was last in the states in about 2012 and hired a van to seat 8 of us - ended up with a Ford E150 with a 5.4l V8. Was pretty basic but perfectly comfortable and endless fun roaring around with the tyres squealing at barely above walking speed.
We did something similar a few years ago for a trip across the Rockies. Wanted something a bit unusual, can't really get in UK, so specced a Chevy Suburban for the rental. Didn't quite work out cos, when we got the the pick-up place, we'd been allocated a Chevy Tahoe, Not quite Suburban size, but almost.
Anyway, it was fantastic. Just me and Mrs E and a couple of canvas bags winding our way from Vancouver to Calgary. Absolutely epic and loved the 'car' - would rent something like this again in a heartbeat.
Anyway, it was fantastic. Just me and Mrs E and a couple of canvas bags winding our way from Vancouver to Calgary. Absolutely epic and loved the 'car' - would rent something like this again in a heartbeat.
Snow and Rocks said:
Heading to California/Oregon for 3 weeks or so later in the year to visit some family, have a tour around and need to hire something to get around.
Not particularly interested in a Dodge Charger or Camaro which seem to be the standard "interesting" options but would like to try something huge with a V8 if possible before they're all replaced with boring hybrids or EVs.
The most likely options seem to be Premium pickup (F150 or similar), full size (possibly end up with a Camry...) or Premium SUV (could be anything!).
There's only 2 of us so almost anything will do but the more ridiculous the better - any experience? Will I get any say in what I actually end up with besides trying to sweet talk the person on the desk.
If you book an extra large SUV you’ll likely end up with a suburban or an expedition. Neither are particularly interesting cars nor all that fast, they’re just bloody massive and very comfortable. The suburban or its GMC equivalent the Yukon XL will have a V8 and if you’re lucky and get the 6.2 it has a nice purr but hardly going to be an engaging drive. I do love them though, especially for a long road trip. Last trip I had an Expedition XL and covered 3300 miles, didn’t miss a beat.Not particularly interested in a Dodge Charger or Camaro which seem to be the standard "interesting" options but would like to try something huge with a V8 if possible before they're all replaced with boring hybrids or EVs.
The most likely options seem to be Premium pickup (F150 or similar), full size (possibly end up with a Camry...) or Premium SUV (could be anything!).
There's only 2 of us so almost anything will do but the more ridiculous the better - any experience? Will I get any say in what I actually end up with besides trying to sweet talk the person on the desk.
Large pickup wise RAM, F150 or Silverado. The F150 will most likely be the same engine as the expedition (3.5L ecoboost), the others will probably have V8’s. Same basic setup as the SUV’s from their parent companies.
If your budget is strong Enterprise do an exotics range, Hertz have some interesting vehicles in their adrenaline collection as well. Only issue with those is one way rentals are tricky I believe.
A full size is likely to be something extremely mundane so probably best avoided.
If it were me I’d go extra large SUV and enjoy wafting around in a woefully inefficient and completely unnecessarily huge vehicle. It doesn’t matter which one they give you it’ll be nice.
Alternatively there is Turo. Just make sure you go in with your eyes open re insurances.
I'm just back from two weeks in Colorado / New Mexico. I initially booked via rentalcars.com back in October and prices were really high (£1800 for a Full Size SUV for 2 weeks). I checked back two weeks before we departed and although there was less choice, prices had dropped by 40%. So my advice would be to book something fully cancellable when you're ready and check a couple of weeks before you go to see if prices have shifted.
I always do it wrong...
Last time ended up with a Volvo S60, which was ok until my wife managed to get her Vaccination pass in such a state that she could fly out and join us. Then the cases did not fit the boot.
I ended up with a minivan, which was faster than the Volvo, better equipped, and had a happier daughter due to captain seats in the middle row...
Swapping these over became emotional when my daughter decided to continue to bleed her way through the US (from her nose). No one at the care hire centre at Orlando airport had any tissue. We ended up making a bloody and messy run for the terminal bathrooms, although one kind American lady produced a tissue on the way!
Last time ended up with a Volvo S60, which was ok until my wife managed to get her Vaccination pass in such a state that she could fly out and join us. Then the cases did not fit the boot.
I ended up with a minivan, which was faster than the Volvo, better equipped, and had a happier daughter due to captain seats in the middle row...
Swapping these over became emotional when my daughter decided to continue to bleed her way through the US (from her nose). No one at the care hire centre at Orlando airport had any tissue. We ended up making a bloody and messy run for the terminal bathrooms, although one kind American lady produced a tissue on the way!
Edited by surveyor on Monday 4th March 21:44
Snow and Rocks said:
Yep, not fixated at all with specific models, more just making sure I don't book say a "full size" and end up stuck with a hybrid Camry or something dull - decent as they are to own, it's not really what I had in mind.
I think Premium pickup is probably about as good as I'm going to get. Flying into San Francisco so hopefully there should be at least some choice!
Ach, you might be lucky. Last time I was in San Francisco, I had a 24 hour hire booked for a Fusion hybrid with a full tank of fuel from Alamo in the city centre. When I got there, the only thing they had that was fuelled was a Camaro V6! My day was suddenly a lot better.I think Premium pickup is probably about as good as I'm going to get. Flying into San Francisco so hopefully there should be at least some choice!
I was warned off of doing a pickup because they've all got open beds and anything that you leave on the back seats will be on show so you'll have your windows smashed if you pop into a store with your suitcases in there. We've got a Tahoe booked after realising that we can't get more than one and a bit cases in the back of a convertible Mustang 
s p a c e m a n said:
I was warned off of doing a pickup because they've all got open beds and anything that you leave on the back seats will be on show so you'll have your windows smashed if you pop into a store with your suitcases in there. We've got a Tahoe booked after realising that we can't get more than one and a bit cases in the back of a convertible Mustang
Tahoe won’t come with a parcel shelf in all likelihood so if you leave your suitcases….A few years ago I rented an F150 and that came with a tonneau cover and a 5L V8, lucky day!
s p a c e m a n said:
I was warned off of doing a pickup because they've all got open beds and anything that you leave on the back seats will be on show so you'll have your windows smashed if you pop into a store with your suitcases in there. We've got a Tahoe booked after realising that we can't get more than one and a bit cases in the back of a convertible Mustang
Yep, been caught out on that before. We were doing a road trip round Florida starting & ending in Miami Beach, got the car, started loading the luggage and realised it wouldn’t fit. Managed to persuade the hotel to let us leave one bag in their luggage room for nearly a fortnight while we put the clothes in carrier bags! When we went back the following year we took soft bags instead of cases.We're doing a road trip around Florida next month too, 4 Airbnb stops all because my wife bought tickets to cleetus freedom factory on a whim 
The theory was that a Tahoe comes with tinted windows and we can stop at Dollar tree or something and buy a bedsheet to throw over anything in the boot
The theory was that a Tahoe comes with tinted windows and we can stop at Dollar tree or something and buy a bedsheet to throw over anything in the boot
PlywoodPascal said:
I once booked a small hatchback to do Quebec to Montreal and all they had was a Chevy suburban. It was f
king massive. Like, bigger than a transit. Fun around the European sized streets of central Quebec. Fine everywhere else.
I drove one from Chicago to Toronto then into NYC.king massive. Like, bigger than a transit. Fun around the European sized streets of central Quebec. Fine everywhere else. A Suburban with mental taxi drivers whizzing around in Manhattan was truly unpleasant!
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