Author Topic: Car hire in USA (Read 8623 times)

1966stang · « **on:** February 24, 2014, 09:17:38 pm »

Hi, I am contemplating a trip to the US later this year to visit a friend in Salt Lake City.

I am considering hiring a car to drive from there to Los Angeles.

Can anyone recommend a hire company or offer any advice.

Thanks

66 Stang · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2014, 09:28:51 pm »

Greg,

Last time I was there, I hired through Hertz, booked the car via inter web whilst here in Oz, got over there car was waiting for me, they had one way hire, which was fantastic, showed I.d, paid some money and off we went.

We had the car for a week drove from L.A to Vegas, down to Grand Canyon and then dropped the car back to Vegas and flew home from there.

Hertz were Very easy to deal with and well organised, also managed a free upgrade, so ended up with a Lincoln Navigator.

Would recommend them hands down,

Cheers
Keith

Wobbly · « **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:11:26 pm »

Whatever you do, stay away from Fox car rentals. Took over 1hr in Denver waiting in a line to pick up the car and they didn't even bother checking for scratches and dents as there was way too many to count. It drove more like a boat than a car. On a positive, got one from Hertz in St Louis and experienced the same level of service as Keith. Free upgrade as well. Moral to the story is stick with the reputable companies.

prlanger · « **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:25:17 pm »

I would also highly recommend Hertz.
Word of advice. If you go in winter choose an SUV.

Pete.

GLENN 70 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:28:19 pm »

Which ever rental co you use make sure they under stand you want a one way rental and most want around 250 usd for that .Another thing make sure you get full insurance ,and you have to ask for it other wise they will quote you on the min and you will get a big shock later .Try looking on the net for brokers ,much cheaper than going direct .They will get you places like hertz ,dollar etc at better rates .

GLENN 70 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:44:31 pm »

Get on the net and get the number for Europcar ,they dont have cars in the USA ,but work with all the different rental companies and will find you the best deal .I used them last oct ,and rented a car from Dallas TX to LA ,and they were the cheapest by far and only charged 50 dollars for the one way rental .

1966stang · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:47:59 pm »

Thanks for the advice, looks like Hertz may be the go.

As I will be going in June/July a car will do but has to have A/C. Was there in 1990 and it was HOT! but didn't hire a car then, had use of my friends car and did a tour to LA.

This time I'd like to drive and show my daughter a few places and be able to take my time, hence the hire car.

GLENN 70 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2014, 11:09:43 pm »

Hertz is fine .I meant to say most companies wanted 750 dollars for the one way rental and wanted to charge me around 2500 aussi dollars for 30 days all up for a dodge people mover ,europcar worked out at 1000 aust dollars ,very good deal .

Pedro · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2014, 11:27:38 pm »

And as Glenn said, GET FULL INSURANCE.
American drivers are out of Mad Max. If I hadn't taken violent avoiding action I would have been in three different smashes in one week in CA and actually was smashed in the back in MN by a drunk woman at 4.00 am in the morning when there was only her and me on a ten lane highway!

GLENN 70 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2014, 11:40:31 pm »

Peter/Pedro i have driven around 40,000 miles not klm in the USA since 1988 and never had a problem ,but you never know ,and those people from over the boarder dont have insurance and they get away with it but we wont .

skev · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2014, 08:26:41 am »

A friend who lives in memphis is telling me 500USD for the one-way from Memphis to DC, that's what he paid recently and he's a local. I'm planning on going to New Orleans in late May, train to Memphis then car to Nashville, Great Smokey Mountains, Virginia Beach, Tysons Corner Virginia (Arlington is there) Philidelphia, Boston and NY. Was going to go to Niagra Falls buts it's an 8 hour drive each way from my current closest point, and I've been to Vic falls so I might flag it.

ScottW · « **Reply #11 on:** February 25, 2014, 08:52:56 am »

I'm going to disagree with a few items here. I booked a few different cars around the US last trip using a broker (Argus car hire). I mostly got Dollar and Allamo rentals (ie the cheap ones) No issues, all cars were new.

First car I drive from LA to Denver, mainly over mountain passes and B roads whilst a big snow storm was hiting. An SUV is the last thing you want if it's winter. We caught the courtesy bus to the car rental mob, filled in the paperwork, and they told us to go pick what ever car we wanted from the mid-sized section, so we grabbed a VW Jetta over the US cars. FWD, ABS, TC, all that stuff that you need in the snow. Best choice ever. It was a much better drive than the 2 US cars we got later in the trip.

It's also much cheaper to buy travel insurance that covers rental car excess, than to buy out the excess through the hire mob. As long as you have a credit card that can take the 2 grand hit in the meantime until the travel insurance pays you out.

Also with the one-way fee, it's usually cheaper to start at LA and drive east, so you are already good on that one.

GLENN 70 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 25, 2014, 10:03:57 am »

The 750 dollars i was talking about was aussi dollars and from Dallas to LA and i would think it would be different prices from different states .He is also going from salt lake city to LA north east to west .I like hiring a taller car so you can see whats going on around you .The one way cost may come down to what type of car you hire also .Checking cars through Argus is a good way to check rental costs but i still got a better deal with europcar .

StephenSLR · « **Reply #13 on:** February 25, 2014, 12:40:21 pm »

Some opinions here:

http://www.mustang.org.au/forum/index.php/topic,21510.0.html

and here:

http://www.mustang.org.au/forum/index.php/topic,23016.0.html

I hired this for 10 days from Denver to Los Angeles.

http://www.economycarrentals.com/

s

66 Stang · « **Reply #14 on:** February 25, 2014, 05:13:40 pm »

Guys,

That's interesting about the cost, I had the SUV (free upgrade) from hertz, for 5 days, car hire was $800, this included the one way drop off as well, it worked out cheaper to hire the car, than fly us all from LA to Vegas and take a paid tour to Grand Canyon.

Maybe we were just lucky, but like I said, we booked from here in Oz before we went.

Cheers
Keith

1966stang · « **Reply #15 on:** February 25, 2014, 05:46:47 pm »

StepenSLR did you hire from economycarrentals and if so was the car and service ok. Their rates seem reasonable and may suit my needs.

Thanks

GLENN 70 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:40:24 pm »

66stang 800 dollars for only 5 days

as i said i hired a dodge caravan they call it which are dear to hire ,from dallas to LA ,and it was 32 days for 1000 australian dollars and at the time it was 94 cents .

1966stang · « **Reply #17 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:48:01 pm »

Thanks Glenn, only my daughter and I so a car or small SUV would do, need it in Salt Lake City for a week while she does a class then a few days to get to LA and cost is a factor as she is paying

GLENN 70 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:55:12 pm »

Never been to salt lake city ,was going to there a couple of years ago but got side tracked .On that trip we went from LA to San fran to Reno for the car the show hot august nights then just back to LA .

StephenSLR · « **Reply #19 on:** February 26, 2014, 10:47:28 am »

Quote from: 1966stang on February 25, 2014, 05:46:47 pm

StepenSLR did you hire from economycarrentals and if so was the car and service ok. Their rates seem reasonable and may suit my needs.

Believe me I checked around, I couldn't go with Driveaway because it was only a day or two before I wanted to hire, most have a 3 day minimum to book ahead.

I booked through Economy and after I got confirmation the car was actually hired from National in Denver. I initially booked a Dodge Charger, when I turned up there were no Chargers left so I could've got some Asian equivalent. I asked about something more sporty and could choose between a Mustang, Camaro or Challenger, the Challenger had the most room so I went with it. I did have to pay an extra $15 per day or something to upgrade. I think I also paid a bit extra for road service (it wasn't too much) but apart from that it was just as described in the initial website quote, no drastic hidden charges.

Car was great, service was great, when I told the salesmen at National I wanted a sports and a bit of my story he went out of his way to help, he was a car nut too.

s

SXTY8 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 26, 2014, 05:47:59 pm »

Quote from: 1966stang on February 25, 2014, 05:46:47 pm

StepenSLR did you hire from economycarrentals and if so was the car and service ok. Their rates seem reasonable and may suit my needs.

I used Economy from LA a couple of years ago and have no complaints about the car or service. We got a puncture in Arizona on a weekend and had to buy a new tyre. Economy not only reimbursed us for the tyre, but also paid us an extra 50 bucks for the inconvenience. They also took care of the parking ticket we got in San Diego because someone swiped the registration tag from the rear number plate.

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Author Topic: Car hire in USA (Read 8623 times)