Uninspiring rental car choices
Discussion
We'll be going to SA on our honeymoon next year. For part of this we'll be driving ourselves quite a bit. The choice isn't great and the prices jump up quite a bit for anything remotely interesting. With it being SA we want to make sure everything can fit in the boot and not be on display.
The cheapest car is a Chevrolet Spark Works out about £16 a day.
Toyota Corolla £26
Hyundai I20 £30
Focus £44
Nissan X-Trail £57
Beemer 3 series £68
There's allot in the way of super minis inbetween like Yaris' etc but they're more than the Spark. We're going to have a car in various location for a total of 15 days so it will all add up depending on what we go for.
Apart from the Focus I've not driven any, but from what I remember the Focus has a big boot. I'm not too bothered about performance I've lived with hairdryers on wheels while on holiday before and enjoyed some interesting V8's on driving holidays in the US but in reality the driving distances are much shorter for this trip so not a huge concern. Main thing is to get two large cases in the boot without needing to remove the parcel shelf.
ETA All these are 'or similar' so I could get something entirely different to what I choose but in the same class.
The cheapest car is a Chevrolet Spark Works out about £16 a day.
Toyota Corolla £26
Hyundai I20 £30
Focus £44
Nissan X-Trail £57
Beemer 3 series £68
There's allot in the way of super minis inbetween like Yaris' etc but they're more than the Spark. We're going to have a car in various location for a total of 15 days so it will all add up depending on what we go for.
Apart from the Focus I've not driven any, but from what I remember the Focus has a big boot. I'm not too bothered about performance I've lived with hairdryers on wheels while on holiday before and enjoyed some interesting V8's on driving holidays in the US but in reality the driving distances are much shorter for this trip so not a huge concern. Main thing is to get two large cases in the boot without needing to remove the parcel shelf.
ETA All these are 'or similar' so I could get something entirely different to what I choose but in the same class.
Edited by andrew311 on Tuesday 2nd August 13:44
kambites said:
The Corolla is Focus sized and will do the job. At those prices, that'd probably be my choice.
From what I remember about the last Corolla I had in SA (that'll be not a lot then 
) it's the booted verison, not the hatchback we used to have in Europe.something like that
although it seems the Corolla 'Sedan' also exists in Europe. Can't say I ever noticed it though. Wonder why
Anyway, plenty of boot space
Cheers, had a look on Parkers to get some basic info but it seems like they stopped making the Corrolla hatch in 06 for the UK market, according to Parkers anyhow. The pic shows a hatch back but I wouldn't be fussed is I got a sedan type thing. Anyother country I'd have been happy chucking stuff on the back seat while driving but hearing some of the stories of thieves at traffic lights etc I'd rather not chance it!
theap that isn't any of the cars listed. Rental companies seem to think a Daewoo Matiz is the same as a Ford Fiesta.Tyson1980 said:
I had access to a Chrysler Sebring..
What a woeful POS that was. Terrible...truly terrible..
Trim falling off, the fuel cap came off in my hand after i worked out how to take it off.
How it was even considered safe to drive defies belief...
Terrible
Once in America I wanted a Mustang Convertible but there were only a couple of companies that it was certain that's what you'd get instead of sying or similar. It was also much more expensive but took my chances knowing the alternative would be the dreaded Sebring.... I'm glad the gamble paid off as I got a ridiculously good deal on a Mustang for 3 week in the end. It wasn't what you'd call quick but I loved it....What a woeful POS that was. Terrible...truly terrible..
Trim falling off, the fuel cap came off in my hand after i worked out how to take it off.
How it was even considered safe to drive defies belief...
Terrible
I have to say that a 318d rental left me a bit underwhelmed. Sure it does motorway speeds with ease and has enough power for overtaking, it's a nice place to be but IMHO it's not worth the premium. I'm not picky or ungrateful but the modern car experience is a bit too safe and sanitized to call it fun. I honestly believe series 1 focus would have been a better steer around Col de Turini (please don't stone me).
EDIT: a guess what I'm trying to say is I'd go for the cheapest car in your list and just enjoy the scenery, sometimes the 'crappier' cars are surprisingly better. I think on the overall balance I enjoyed the completely oddjob Nissan Note rental no less than the 3 series
EDIT: a guess what I'm trying to say is I'd go for the cheapest car in your list and just enjoy the scenery, sometimes the 'crappier' cars are surprisingly better. I think on the overall balance I enjoyed the completely oddjob Nissan Note rental no less than the 3 series
Edited by cpl_payne on Tuesday 2nd August 16:07
cpl_payne said:
I have to say that a 318d rental left me a bit underwhelmed. Sure it does motorway speeds with ease and has enough power for overtaking, it's a nice place to be but IMHO it's not worth the premium. I'm not picky or ungrateful but the modern car experience is a bit too safe and sanitized to call it fun. I honestly believe series 1 focus would have been a better steer around Col de Turini (please don't stone me).
On holiday if it's just get you from A to B I'd agree there's very little point in paying the premium as it can take allot of your budget up. However some holidays I've been on have been as much about the journey as anything else and particulary in America my chance to try cars that I couldn't readily drive back home.andrew311 said:
On holiday if it's just get you from A to B I'd agree there's very little point in paying the premium as it can take allot of your budget up. However some holidays I've been on have been as much about the journey as anything else and particulary in America my chance to try cars that I couldn't readily drive back home.
Sure, the BMW was a 50 EUR upgrade over a Vauxhall Corsa (thats total for a 5 day rental) so I jumped on the chance like a fat kid on a pie conveyor. I'm not saying it was bad, just that it wasn't all that special. I guess it would be a different experience with American metal. My instinct with SA would be to go for a 4x4, preferably a banged up Landcruiser J B L said:
I've driven the Sedan in Canada, it's really not that bad, they're not as flimsy as the UK ones.cpl_payne said:
Sure, the BMW was a 50 EUR upgrade over a Vauxhall Corsa (thats total for a 5 day rental) so I jumped on the chance like a fat kid on a pie conveyor. I'm not saying it was bad, just that it wasn't all that special. I guess it would be a different experience with American metal. My instinct with SA would be to go for a 4x4, preferably a banged up Landcruiser
10 days of the trip we'll be in Cape Town and then onto the western/eastern cape areas, but after that we'll head to Kruger so something higher would be benefical for wildlife spotting. Tbh for 50 euro/quid I'd have had the Beemer too but for our trip we're talking over £300 and it will probably still be a smaller engine with lower spec so don't see the point even more.pacman06 said:
Do most people plan so much about a car whilst on a honey moon?? Car didn't even figure on mine!
Yes, well maybe not all the time. In SA you have the added worry of crime more so than most holiday locations, so it's important to me that I get something that will fit all our luggage in the boot out of sight. Anywhere else I've been I'd be happy chucking a case on the back seat.The Crack Fox said:
Are you with Hertz ? Join their gold club online, it's free, and you often get a free upgrade on arrival. Don't think you will get the specific cars you list though, they often substitute your choice with something similar, they're under no obligation to give you an exact make/model, only something in that group.
Good luck
No I'm not but TBH I've always found companies like Carhire3000 are massively cheaper than going direct with the rental company so never bothered.Good luck
I had an Auris hire car and it made everyone who rode in it vomit 
The ride was appaling, it felt like it was going to tip over, and there was a smell of cheap glue in it. The air con had a mind of its own and would blow a force 10 gale when I switched the ignition on. Then it set off of its own volition up the road where I live, though the logical side of me wants to believe the floor mat that wasn't buttoned down had got cought on the accelorator. I've never know a car that's tried to kill me in so many different ways.
I'm suprised a Golf isn't an option in SA seeing as they're built there.
The ride was appaling, it felt like it was going to tip over, and there was a smell of cheap glue in it. The air con had a mind of its own and would blow a force 10 gale when I switched the ignition on. Then it set off of its own volition up the road where I live, though the logical side of me wants to believe the floor mat that wasn't buttoned down had got cought on the accelorator. I've never know a car that's tried to kill me in so many different ways.I'm suprised a Golf isn't an option in SA seeing as they're built there.
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