That's it! I give up... car hire?

[kayzee]

Hi there, a couple of months ago I wrote a topic about how I'm jinxed when it comes to cars. I'm currently on my seventh car, I've had one's just a few years old, full specialist service histories, one-ownered cars etc.

I spent out more than ever on my most recent car, and I thought I might make it one year without anything going wrong (never have yet!) but alas, it has just been towed away as something caught fire within the engine bay on the way to work today (will find out later when I pick it up after work) so basically, I give up!

Was looking at alternatives to carrying on the way I have been doing. Then I thought about hiring cars, as I saw some recent deals on HotUKDeals. Basically the main reason I want a car is for trips out, I am into my urbexing... I only usually do this say once a month, seems you can get a decent motor for £45 a day, plus I wouldn't be going alone so costs would be split!

Can borrow my mum's car for popping round mates houses in the week (I'm already second driver on it) and I can just about walk to work in the mornings (takes me around 45 minutes) and hopefully, I should be able to get lifts home every night.

Anyway the main point of this was to ask of people's experiences with hiring cars? Any particular companies you can recommened etc.? Only other thing I can think of atm is pushing a scooter to work lol, but I do fear getting laughed at.

[R0G]

Is cycling to work a viable option?

In the past I've hired cars in the same way that you intend to do without any problems at all

and was a named driver on a family members car for those other odd bits

[ambuletz]

a 45minute walk (depending on how slow you walk) could reduce down to about 10-15minutes. During my uni days, a walk to uni would take 30min. But by cycling, I could get there in 3-10minutes (the longer time being when I'm ill/hungover and really dont want to push myself)

[off_again]

I am a Hertz gold card holder and I havent had a problem them once, usually abroad though. For local rental though, I use Enterprise. Used them for Vans and cars and never had a problem with them either. I have found that get to know the people who work there and see if you can get a discount. I know that Enterprise have managed that before.

[Prof Prolapse]

£45 a day? You think that's reasonable?

If it is go an buy yourself a disposable car or scooter to cover you. It'll be paid for in 10 days. Afterwards you can almost certainly sell it to get back some (or all) of that cash.

[vit4]

I'd be inclined to say something sub-£1000 and Japanese, like this:

Autotrader Link

Not exciting by any stretch but it'll probably go on for a good while yet (loads for sale with 180,000 miles upwards without mention of service history etc) and if it doesn't, only got £500 to lose, minus £150 scrap and could get more back if you were inclined to strip the parts.

[darkyoung1000]

You can get a car for Friday pm to Monday am for a little under £50 nowadays. I tend to use whichever of close-ish hire firms has a good deal on at the time depending on what type of car I need.

As VED & Insurance were costing me £600 on the car before it even turned a wheel, and given that I cycle to work, for me it's worked out very well.

Cheers,
Tom

[johnpeat]

I'll assume you want this hirecar for weekends - most hire companies will only do a premium 3-day-hire for those so that's at least £135 (at your prices) for a car for the weekend (plus petrol and insurance extras etc.)

Couldn't you get a plane/train/bus/taxi quite a bit cheaper??

I'd say "moped" but they aren't cheap to buy/insure/run - walking is obviously brilliant, cycling that distance probably isn't worth the fking around with weathergear and all that jazz, really - unless you REALLY want the healthy kick...

Scooter isn't as daft as it sounds - neither would skateboarding/rollerskating be tbh - and those all permit lifts (which a cycle makes complicated).

[kayzee]

Prof Prolapse said:

£45 a day? You think that's reasonable?

Considering I would only be using one roughly one day per month, and splitting the costs with mate that comes with me... yes I think £270 per year is quite reasonable

I've heard a lot of good things about carhire3000 anyone used these? Thanks for the recommendations so far.