Decent USA Car Hire
Discussion
Any help on this would be much appreciated.
It seems like we may be taking a holiday in the USA this summer and doing a bit of a road trip. I'll be honest I'd rather lay on a beach somewhere! I have tentatively agreed to do this but the one condition is I rent something good to cruise around in.
We had considered the Winnebego thing but more likely it's going to be a car/motel type trip - so the question is, anyone with any experience of hiring something good. I'm thinking perhaps a muscle car type thing rather that some crap Nissan/Chevrolet US'd up Eurobox!
It seems like we may be taking a holiday in the USA this summer and doing a bit of a road trip. I'll be honest I'd rather lay on a beach somewhere! I have tentatively agreed to do this but the one condition is I rent something good to cruise around in.
We had considered the Winnebego thing but more likely it's going to be a car/motel type trip - so the question is, anyone with any experience of hiring something good. I'm thinking perhaps a muscle car type thing rather that some crap Nissan/Chevrolet US'd up Eurobox!
Did a three month tour at the end of 2007.
Chevvie Impalas featured quite a lot.
Stuck with Alamo all the way through, having pre-booked (small and compacts, cheap and cheerful) and made a habit of turning up at the desk with a big smile and my best english accent.
In Raleigh Durham, the guy took one look at the two of us with three bags and "..you'll be wanting a bigger car" - upgrade two slots for the price of one.
In San Francisco this tired oriental type chappie had just had to drag himself back from lunch. Now I know they're going to give you/sell you an upgrade anyway, but "Hello, we had such great service in Raleigh, blah, blah, yes touring for 42 days blah, blah. Upgrade three slots for the price of two. Next six weeks were cruising round in a Chrysler 300 - comfy mile eater!
In Miami, I hadn't booked, but dropped in and started chatting to the lady "Gosh we've been treated so nicely by your firm, blah, blah, here's my previous bookings - anything a bit sporty around?"
She let me out with a 3-mile-on-the-clock Impala SS. Well needless to say it'd didn't have the kindest of running in periods. But it was OK for the job.
So tip: book cheap with a big firm and take all the extras you can get on the day.
(Or alternatively, buy something big and old and cheap and cheerful like Robbie Coltraine did on some telly-show donkeys years back and run it into the ground!
)
Chevvie Impalas featured quite a lot.
Stuck with Alamo all the way through, having pre-booked (small and compacts, cheap and cheerful) and made a habit of turning up at the desk with a big smile and my best english accent.
In Raleigh Durham, the guy took one look at the two of us with three bags and "..you'll be wanting a bigger car" - upgrade two slots for the price of one.
In San Francisco this tired oriental type chappie had just had to drag himself back from lunch. Now I know they're going to give you/sell you an upgrade anyway, but "Hello, we had such great service in Raleigh, blah, blah, yes touring for 42 days blah, blah. Upgrade three slots for the price of two. Next six weeks were cruising round in a Chrysler 300 - comfy mile eater!
In Miami, I hadn't booked, but dropped in and started chatting to the lady "Gosh we've been treated so nicely by your firm, blah, blah, here's my previous bookings - anything a bit sporty around?"
She let me out with a 3-mile-on-the-clock Impala SS. Well needless to say it'd didn't have the kindest of running in periods. But it was OK for the job.
So tip: book cheap with a big firm and take all the extras you can get on the day.
(Or alternatively, buy something big and old and cheap and cheerful like Robbie Coltraine did on some telly-show donkeys years back and run it into the ground!
)i hired a mustang coupe in LA through hertz, they are reasonably cheap cars generally so hire cost is not too bad. i wouldn't get one if you expect to take passengers. it looked good but other than that it was a POS, had an auto box and engine was gutless.
look at corvettes but they all come in bright yellow and i think there is a mileage limit
look at corvettes but they all come in bright yellow and i think there is a mileage limit
beano500 said:
Did a three month tour at the end of 2007.
Chevvie Impalas featured quite a lot.
Stuck with Alamo all the way through, having pre-booked (small and compacts, cheap and cheerful) and made a habit of turning up at the desk with a big smile and my best english accent.
In Raleigh Durham, the guy took one look at the two of us with three bags and "..you'll be wanting a bigger car" - upgrade two slots for the price of one.
In San Francisco this tired oriental type chappie had just had to drag himself back from lunch. Now I know they're going to give you/sell you an upgrade anyway, but "Hello, we had such great service in Raleigh, blah, blah, yes touring for 42 days blah, blah. Upgrade three slots for the price of two. Next six weeks were cruising round in a Chrysler 300 - comfy mile eater!
In Miami, I hadn't booked, but dropped in and started chatting to the lady "Gosh we've been treated so nicely by your firm, blah, blah, here's my previous bookings - anything a bit sporty around?"
She let me out with a 3-mile-on-the-clock Impala SS. Well needless to say it'd didn't have the kindest of running in periods. But it was OK for the job.
So tip: book cheap with a big firm and take all the extras you can get on the day.
Good advice - thanks Chevvie Impalas featured quite a lot.
Stuck with Alamo all the way through, having pre-booked (small and compacts, cheap and cheerful) and made a habit of turning up at the desk with a big smile and my best english accent.
In Raleigh Durham, the guy took one look at the two of us with three bags and "..you'll be wanting a bigger car" - upgrade two slots for the price of one.
In San Francisco this tired oriental type chappie had just had to drag himself back from lunch. Now I know they're going to give you/sell you an upgrade anyway, but "Hello, we had such great service in Raleigh, blah, blah, yes touring for 42 days blah, blah. Upgrade three slots for the price of two. Next six weeks were cruising round in a Chrysler 300 - comfy mile eater!
In Miami, I hadn't booked, but dropped in and started chatting to the lady "Gosh we've been treated so nicely by your firm, blah, blah, here's my previous bookings - anything a bit sporty around?"
She let me out with a 3-mile-on-the-clock Impala SS. Well needless to say it'd didn't have the kindest of running in periods. But it was OK for the job.
So tip: book cheap with a big firm and take all the extras you can get on the day.
beano500 said:
(Or alternatively, buy something big and old and cheap and cheerful like Robbie Coltraine did on some telly-show donkeys years back and run it into the ground! )
That would never work. I am like the Hamster in Africa and I'd end up bringing the )
thing back! Plus my daughter (22) who passed her test last summer is already bugging me for a '57 Chevy Belair or similar! 
.Mark said:
... I'd end up bringing the thing back! ....
So!??? it's only money! thing back! ....Whatever you end up doing, have a great time. I so enjoyed my last trip. But the hankering to go back again, including at some stage some two-wheeled touring, is staying strong!
Edited by beano500 on Friday 22 January 13:32
Gassing Station | Events & Meetings | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff