What rental car & company?
Discussion
Hey folks,
I'm hoping to get down south (Reading from Edinburgh) this weekend for a mate's 40th and, what with the ash shenanigans (and not really liking flying anyway) and the cost of a train ticket (£128 return), I was wondering if renting a diesel barge would be a viable choice. It's been over 3 years since I've driven in this country and I've never had a diesel so I'm rather clueless in terms of potential fuel economy & cost.
90% of it will be motorway and it looks like the average long weekend rate is about £15 a day (and it'll have to be 3 days due to the bank holiday).
Even if it comes out a bit more expensive than the train, it's worth going for, as we'll be out in the sticks and having the car will be helpful.
Thoughts?
I'm hoping to get down south (Reading from Edinburgh) this weekend for a mate's 40th and, what with the ash shenanigans (and not really liking flying anyway) and the cost of a train ticket (£128 return), I was wondering if renting a diesel barge would be a viable choice. It's been over 3 years since I've driven in this country and I've never had a diesel so I'm rather clueless in terms of potential fuel economy & cost.
90% of it will be motorway and it looks like the average long weekend rate is about £15 a day (and it'll have to be 3 days due to the bank holiday).
Even if it comes out a bit more expensive than the train, it's worth going for, as we'll be out in the sticks and having the car will be helpful.
Thoughts?
calibrax said:
Quite hard to get a diesel rental... most of the major rental firms tend to run mostly petrol cars.
Rubbish. The big rental companies have lots of diesels.ETA. I had a Cupra diesel this weekend. I'd tell you the company name, but I can't because it HURTS.
Took it quite easy. Mostly motorway driving. Keeping under 80 leptons easily saw over 50mpg.
Edited by Fartgalen on Tuesday 24th May 20:36
Fartgalen said:
calibrax said:
Quite hard to get a diesel rental... most of the major rental firms tend to run mostly petrol cars.
Rubbish. The big rental companies have lots of diesels.Most of the rental companies are doing petrol cars as far as I can tell - I might need to get a rental as a lead in to my next company car and they're advising it'll most likely have to be petrol.
Its a while since I've been regularly using rental cars (last time was 2009) but they were all petrols then too.
When you get into the people carrier type things they tend to do diesels.
ETA should've read the posts above - looks like things have changed
Its a while since I've been regularly using rental cars (last time was 2009) but they were all petrols then too.
When you get into the people carrier type things they tend to do diesels.
ETA should've read the posts above - looks like things have changed
Edited by Spitfire2 on Tuesday 24th May 20:55
Shaw Tarse said:
I'd agree,(it was a few years ago) I'd booked a cheapo rental Ka/or similar, when I turned up the rental co didn't have one available, they offered me a Mondeo estate diesel for the same price.
Well, back in February I tried Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Avis and Easycar. NONE of them had a diesel available. And that's with a week's notice. Maybe in the major cities it's different, but certainly not here in Rochester/Medway.calibrax said:
Quite hard to get a diesel rental... most of the major rental firms tend to run mostly petrol cars.
+1I've spent the last few months in hire cars while awaiting my new company car.
My employer requested a Ford Focus/Mondeo diesel, preferably an estate. They had no diesels so I was given a Focus petrol hatchback. When that broke down, I was given the choice of an Astra or another Focus which were both Petrol.
Last summer I had another spell in hire cars and again 2 out of the 3 were petrol. Seems impossible to get hold of a hire car that's diesel.
You could try http://www.whipcar.com/ there might be something interesting near you.
Bungleaio said:
You could try http://www.whipcar.com/ there might be something interesting near you.
Just, what on earth?!If you haven't paid for your ticket train yet, I'd suggest just popping into the rental counter at the airport and saying hi to the fella at the desk. They can tell you exactly what they've got. The centralised call centre people and the website don't offer anywhere near the same service.
I usually go for Avis. The last car they gave me when I flew to Belfast was a hideous diesel 307. I managed an average 71mpg on the 50 mile trip back to the airport!
I usually go for Avis. The last car they gave me when I flew to Belfast was a hideous diesel 307. I managed an average 71mpg on the 50 mile trip back to the airport!
swd said:
If you haven't paid for your ticket train yet, I'd suggest just popping into the rental counter at the airport and saying hi to the fella at the desk. They can tell you exactly what they've got. The centralised call centre people and the website don't offer anywhere near the same service.
I usually go for Avis. The last car they gave me when I flew to Belfast was a hideous diesel 307. I managed an average 71mpg on the 50 mile trip back to the airport!
Unfortunately, the airport's an hour away by bus. Can't be arsed I usually go for Avis. The last car they gave me when I flew to Belfast was a hideous diesel 307. I managed an average 71mpg on the 50 mile trip back to the airport!
Ta though.Hold your horses OP, my company regularly hire me rentals and I always specify, and get, diesels - in fact there's a diesel Focus Titanium sat outside as I type. That's through Avis.
When I hire one myself though I always use Enterprise as they're a lot cheaper and again I always get a diesel no problem at all.
In the last couple of months I must've had 6 or 7 hires and they've all been diesel.
When I hire one myself though I always use Enterprise as they're a lot cheaper and again I always get a diesel no problem at all.
In the last couple of months I must've had 6 or 7 hires and they've all been diesel.
Go to www.easyjet.com and click car rental. It's essentially Europcar but at a 20-25% discount on the standard rates. We find them more competitive than our rental contract!!
Bungleaio said:
You could try http://www.whipcar.com/ there might be something interesting near you.
Bu****ed if I would lend my car to this sort of programme !!!I managed to get an Astra VXR from Enterprise, that was petrol, and fun in the snow!
But so far whenever I return to the UK I get diesels, lots of them !
Thrifty - Golf GTDi (DSG), Enterprise Insignia SRi CDTi, Thrifty - BMW 320d, are a few examples.
You can also rent from Avis using the selectcar series, this guarantees the model and engine type. I think it has the VW Golf Bluemotion available.
But so far whenever I return to the UK I get diesels, lots of them !
Thrifty - Golf GTDi (DSG), Enterprise Insignia SRi CDTi, Thrifty - BMW 320d, are a few examples.
You can also rent from Avis using the selectcar series, this guarantees the model and engine type. I think it has the VW Golf Bluemotion available.
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