Best Rates For Hiring A Car To Drive Across America?

[Polarbert]

I'm going to America soon and want to drive across it in a hire car to take in the sights and what not. I've just looked at prices and it seems quite high. I thought I'd found a good deal with Avis, as it 480 pounds for two weeks hire, but then on the next page they had added a 1,000 dollar one-way charge.

Are there any companies out there that wouldn't charge this sort of fee? Or would it be worth buying a stter for 500 bucks or so and just ditching it when I got to the West Coast?


Cheers.

[sawman]

Polarbert said:

Or would it be worth buying a stter for 500 bucks or so and just ditching it when I got to the West Coast?


Cheers.

I was watching that american episode of top gear from a few years ago - they had a hell of a job to get a working car for $1000.

one way rentals are pretty expensive - I guess the distances involved cause this.

[Whatty]

Try Rent-a-Wreck.

http://www.rentawreck.com/

They advertise cars from $8 a day. Ten years ago I used them for long term rentals and had a great time smoking around in V6 and V8 barges,If they break down you get recovered to the nearest branch and off you go in the next banger. Not sure on the coast-to-coast bit but you stand a good chance of crossing the country in umpteen different motors.

[Polarbert]

Cheers for that mate that sounds interesting.

Cheapest I've found so far is a Dodge Charger for £1,000, 500 a week doesn't sound too bad. Thats with carhire 3,000.

[Whatty]

Polarbert said:

Cheers for that mate that sounds interesting.

Cheapest I've found so far is a Dodge Charger for £1,000, 500 a week doesn't sound too bad. Thats with carhire 3,000.

$500 per week seems OK. I just reread your original post re buying and would say that you'd find it difficult to register a car without a drivers license from a US State. You need a US Social Security card to get one and to get that you need a ......well you get the idea.

Funny that Sawman mentions the TG episode I watched a re-run of it last night on BBC America - very amusing, tho' I'm sure the redneck gas station sequence was staged in the interest of good televison. Ive seen more outrageous things over here that have gone un-noticed.....

[v15ben]

I can get you some prices from our suppliers if you want mate, but you'll be paying that one way fee pretty much everywhere. That is without mentioning that you'll probably have a daily fee for being under 25! It ain't a cheap business this car hire, especially in the States

[agent006]

I rented via Expedia as an add-on when i booked some hotels. Not a huge choice (small one or medium one or big one basically) but was around £250 for 12 days with no charge for one way (but that was only Seattle to Portland). Equivalent direct wa saround £650.