US car hire

Ab$olutely $tack$ for the V8, because I looked for one. Almost everywhere would only rent the V6, insisting that for the V8 one needs to go for specialist hire. In the end I gave up because with the mileage we were planning it was going to be very expensive and you know, $140 for the three days and one way hire in the standard full size (3.9 V6, Chevrolet Impala, leather) wasn't bad, $900ish for the same in the Mustang, not worth it.

Specialist hire is just silly.

Now I can write this because SteveH claims to have killfiled me, but do you mean "nice to drive" as in, has electric seat adjustment, cup holders and a soft touch dashboard? If so, they all have it, meh. :)

If you mean nice as in the V6 rocks the car, then a full size or larger should have it too (very few full sizes if any have a four cylinder engine).

If you mean nice as in they'll handle with aplomb, do you know the area? Such that you can find somewhere to drive it so as to enjoy it? If so, you really need specialist hire... If not, really, don't worry about it. Unless you're heading up into mountains you're probably not going to find anywhere available for enjoying the car.

Oh and if you're stopped don't do as I did, get out and go over for a chat, because they pull out sidearms very quickly. :-)

A mate of mine has just gone out to LA and is driving to San Diego (or summat like that). They've hired a Focus equivalent for the first week which cost around £150, then for the second week (or maybe 5 days) they've hired a convertable mustang v6 for about £180. I dont think the rental company did the v8 so he had to settle for the v6. Oh, and he is only 24.

However he told me all of this New Years Eve..... so whether I'm remembering it 100% accurately is another matter! :)

Renting "specialist" cars in the US is usually a mug's game as the big agencies *never* have enough of them so you end up with - well, depends how much of a fuss you're making.

Usually ranges from whatever downgrade mugs you for most cash to a grudging upgrade if you're not moving from the counter.

I've pretty much given up on trying to rent "nice" cars over there as I've never ever got what I wanted - the last attempt at getting me a Chrysler 300C got me a Nissan Almera. Mind you, the Almera's likely to be the better car.

No, but a word of advice - Internet bookings using the *UK* site of the multi-nationals tend to give you the best package. If you book via the American sites you'll suddenly find that all the insurances are extra and once you add all of those up, the cheaper rate almost doubles.

They're rental cars. Shirely you jest?

Oh, so, you won then? Well done :-)

cheers peeps pretty much what i thought. might try and get a V6 mustang maybe if not then bollocks. only needs to get us about so thinking maybe hire something in the middle range and just take whats given! can't be worse than a dog shit MK3 astra i had when my BM's engine got done can it! i just wanted something with a bit of a growl really as florida is flat and straight so it doesn't matter about cornering ability. a pimp mobile like the 300c would be cool mind!

although i'm going with a female friend so no doubt 'sensible' and 'cheap' will be the order of the day and more spending money might be better! can't moan as where i'm staying costs £0 and the flight when we plan to go is only £320 return each!

*nods*. They get all jumpy and shouty and start pointing things at you. And then it turns out that you have a mutual friend in Rochdale and everything is cool again.