Y U NO GIVE CHEVY Y'ALL

[hairnet]

Least it wasn't a spark like last time

Although bigger group selected to avoid that

[eddyramrod]

When we did our New England RV trip in 2015, we had rental cars wherever we stopped  for long enough, and despite my best efforts, one of them was a Kia Forte, the first and only time I've had a non-American car over there.  It was ok, if somewhat bland, but I'm used to having the biggest thing I can book on those trips, and the Kia definitely wasn't that.  It was about Mondeo-size, tiny by US standards.

[Schaefft]

Use Turo next time, that's what I usually do in the states. Can't miss those opportunities to drive something you wouldn't otherwise. Although both my rentals were VAG products...

[Cheezey]

I’m going to Florida next year. I’ve been having a look on Truro. Is it essentially Air BNB for cars? I’ve seen some good deals on Dodge Chargers. On previous US trips I haven’t driven one of those. 

[hairnet]

Usually it's the smallest thing they have or whatever they've got left

Asked for focus in Germany - got 2.5 galaxy

This was forte or similar but most of the hire fleets it'll be corolla or an Elantra they're everywhere

 

 

[Schaefft]

10 minutes ago, Cheezey said:

I’m going to Florida next year. I’ve been having a look on Truro. Is it essentially Air BNB for cars? I’ve seen some good deals on Dodge Chargers. On previous US trips I haven’t driven one of those. 

That's pretty much it, although many rentals are offered by people making it their main source of income. It's just an interesting mix of cars you can find on there. And since not all of them are brand new you can get a good deal on something much more interesting than the usual rental car fodder. I had a Panamera and supercharged V6 A6 quattro.

[danthecapriman]

I think when I go to the states I’ll just buy something. It’s the only way to be sure!😁

Id be so pissed off to go there and get stuck with a shitty Kia or something.

[eddyramrod]

32 minutes ago, hairnet said:

Usually it's the smallest thing they have or whatever they've got left

WTF are you doing on that continent then?  You want small?  Stay home!  Or go anywhere south or east.  In the US or Canada there's exactly no reason to drive the same kind of rubbish we get foisted on us.  It's your chance to live a little!  And tell yourself you deserve it, you're on a hard-earned holiday after all.

[hairnet]

Lend us your wallet then

 

 

[EspenO]

May be adding insult to injury, sorry. I’m pootling about in this one down in the pointy-at-Cuba bit. Haven’t been so happy to see a rental car in my life 😅
 

(the last one was the world’s slowest Hyundai i30, if that helps)

[kfsgo]

Turo is a great idea up until the point where something goes wrong, at which point you will be cast into the ninth circle of insurance hell. Don't touch them with a ten foot pole, and really in general principle just do never any kind of gig economy bullshit.

 

If you want the good rentals (for not truly stupid money) the ideal is to go for one of the companies that lets you pick anything off the lot. Still no guarantees, but odds aren't bad - there's no guarantee you will get an Good car, but you can almost always avoid the really grim ones. National are traditionally the big one, I think Hertz do it at some airports these days also. Usually some ferreting will produce a code of some sort to turn a new account into a super duper platinum balls account in which case they will usually dig something at least slightly interesting out if the lot is looking sad.

(Proof provided from back in July that National at Pearson do give these out...though puttering around Mississauga for a couple of days wasn't exactly the best environment for it)

[eddyramrod]

6 hours ago, hairnet said:

Lend us your wallet then

 

 

That's no excuse.  If you can afford the flight you can afford the car.  If you can't afford both, stay home and save up some more.  That's what we're doing (although we did just have our big Euro trip, and I'm typing this in a four-star hotel in Shropshire....).