US Rental Car Advice, upgrading

helimachoptor

Hey guys, i wanted to try this here as i'm hopeful some of you motor heads will have a fair bit of experience.

I'm heading to the states in October for a couple of weeks, I'm renting a car for one week and going San Fran -> Yosemite -> Seattle and leaving the car there.

I have one simple question, is it better to book an economy car and upgrade at the desk (Mustang) or book the Mustang in advance?

mloc123

helimachoptor wrote: »

Hey guys, i wanted to try this here as i'm hopeful some of you motor heads will have a fair bit of experience.

I'm heading to the states in October for a couple of weeks, I'm renting a car for one week and going San Fran -> Yosemite -> Seattle and leaving the car there.

I have one simple question, is it better to book an economy car and upgrade at the desk (Mustang) or book the Mustang in advance?

It depends. I drove San Fran - Yosemite - Vegas last year, booked an upper end car online with the intention of swapping to a mustang or a challenger.

On the day they had nothing. We rented from one of the large hertz in the city, you might have better luck in SFO.

Heading out in 6 weeks, plan to book a challenger now. Keep in mind they will not let you book a high end car as a pick up/return to another city... Afaik.

Eoin

Be careful - it often says "Mustang or similar" and you'll end up with a convertible Beetle or convertible PT Cruiser.

helimachoptor

Did you go in peak time last year?

helimachoptor

Yeah I have noticed that, which is why I'm hesitant to pony up cash for a mustang and get something that I don't want!

gerardk55

I've gotten two reasonable upgrades with hertz, both on one way rentals, had booked a mid size and then asked at the counter for other options. Got a Cadillac XLR on one occasion and Camaro last time round. Most of them are keen to move on the higher end guzzlers as they're not massively popular. You should be able to haggle with them. As mentioned depends on the stock on a given day, you could get jammy!

Best of luck!

mloc123

helimachoptor wrote: »

Did you go in peak time last year?

Last week of September.

Rent with Hertz, if you book a Mustang you will get a Mustang.

GavMan

Brother got in late to SFO (coz of the Air Asia crash).

He'd booked a 7 seater with Nav, but because he was late picking up, all of those in his class were gone. He insisted he needed Nav so in the heel of the hunt, he ended up with a pretty much brand new Merc GL450.

Generally speaking though, guys on the desk are keen to get the commish on so will get you something decent if you're willing to pay a small bit more on the day

donegal.

i always do the same thing with cars in the US. I book the smallest cheapest car, so far after 6 trips the rental places have never had these cars and i've gotten a free upgrade, often pick from whatever cars are there. Apparently americans never rent the tiny cars so they rarely stock them.

MrDerp

Stuff like mustangs are often not available when you get there. Better to book in advance

Also, while it's fun to drive are you sure it'll meet your needs for that amount of driving? Will you have the missus with you, and tons of suit cases and shopping bags.

I did LA - Vegas - Yosemite and back to LA last May. I booked a small SUV, they didn't have one when I arrived, and I got a free upgrade to a large SUV (ended up in a GMC Yukon XL which is like a cheaper Chevy Suburban). I am now a fan of big cars for these trips, great road position and actually grand to drive, I took it around some hairy mountain roads without any difficulty, even if the wife had a few minor heart attacks. Most importantly, since we were hotel-hopping it was great to have a big car with a big boot to just chuck the bags in. Economy wasn't great but gas is still relatively cheap compared to here, and it would certainly match a V6 mustang.

Lastly, enjoy yourself! Yosemite is fabulous and every bit worth the detour! If the Tioga pass hasn't closed by the time you get there (early snow), take that drive up! The scenery is amazing and you top out at just under 10,000ft. We drove from Vegas, via death valley and we were haunted that the Tioga pass opened the day before we drove through it. Otherwise it would have been no death valley and the boring way around.

This is another reason why I recommend a big vehicle, I did 9 hours of driving over 12 hours that day, and only had to stretch at the hotel in Yosemite before going down for dinner. If I did that drive in my own car I'd have been cranky stiff and sore.

MrDerp

GavMan wrote: »

Brother got in late to SFO (coz of the Air Asia crash).

He'd booked a 7 seater with Nav, but because he was late picking up, all of those in his class were gone. He insisted he needed Nav so in the heel of the hunt, he ended up with a pretty much brand new Merc GL450.

Generally speaking though, guys on the desk are keen to get the commish on so will get you something decent if you're willing to pay a small bit more on the day

This. I needed a sat nav and it forced the guy to upgrade me a couple of classes, looking for a car with the sat nav.

naughtysmurf

Doing an upgrade at the rental desk when you arrive is 99.9% of the time the more expensive way of doing things, they will also upgrade your insurance for the more expensive vehicle. Book the car & insurance you want before you travel would be my advice

helimachoptor

Cheers guys, as you can see from the thread, opninion is split very much down the middle on the best approach.

I will 100% need a sat nav, but i would be very annoyed if i land into the rental desk expecting a mustang(having booked it) and not getting one..

Eoin

Could be cheaper to buy an app for your phone, if you've got a smartphone.

ironclaw

Hertz Corvette for the win



The Hertz navigation is really good I have to say. Only downside of Hertz, especially in America, is they absolutely scream 'rental' so be very careful with your belongings and where you park. I owe Hertz SFO a car door and a reasonable amount of glass from a robbery.

donegal.

Eoin wrote: »

Could be cheaper to buy an app for your phone, if you've got a smartphone.

co pilot live is good , US for €9

ironclaw

donegal. wrote: »

co pilot live is good , US for €9

NavFree USA is also brilliant if you have data in the US (Just for getting the location from Google, not needed for actually navigation) Just install the States you need before you go. I did over 4000 miles on NavFree and never had a problem.

helimachoptor

Have used cartrawler and getting a mustang (car not guaranteed for about €600 with GPS)

Anyone have any experience with this site?

naughtysmurf

You are rarely / never guaranteed a specific model, just a car class hence the "or similar" if they don't have the class / group car you have booked then a free upgrade to the next class is yours

I'd imagine there may be some speciality car hire companies to guarantee a specific model out there but I'd say you would pay a premium

helimachoptor

yeah i know and this is what annoys me.
You can guarantee the mustang but it costs a lot!

listermint

MrDerp wrote: »

Stuff like mustangs are often not available when you get there. Better to book in advance

Also, while it's fun to drive are you sure it'll meet your needs for that amount of driving? Will you have the missus with you, and tons of suit cases and shopping bags.

I did LA - Vegas - Yosemite and back to LA last May. I booked a small SUV, they didn't have one when I arrived, and I got a free upgrade to a large SUV (ended up in a GMC Yukon XL which is like a cheaper Chevy Suburban). I am now a fan of big cars for these trips, great road position and actually grand to drive, I took it around some hairy mountain roads without any difficulty, even if the wife had a few minor heart attacks. Most importantly, since we were hotel-hopping it was great to have a big car with a big boot to just chuck the bags in. Economy wasn't great but gas is still relatively cheap compared to here, and it would certainly match a V6 mustang.

Lastly, enjoy yourself! Yosemite is fabulous and every bit worth the detour! If the Tioga pass hasn't closed by the time you get there (early snow), take that drive up! The scenery is amazing and you top out at just under 10,000ft. We drove from Vegas, via death valley and we were haunted that the Tioga pass opened the day before we drove through it. Otherwise it would have been no death valley and the boring way around.

This is another reason why I recommend a big vehicle, I did 9 hours of driving over 12 hours that day, and only had to stretch at the hotel in Yosemite before going down for dinner. If I did that drive in my own car I'd have been cranky stiff and sore.

plenty of cases of booking it and it isnt there either....

mloc123

Don't waste money on a satnav, go to the nearest staples and buy one for $90... it will work out cheaper than renting from Hertz and you have it for again.

The Tioga pass is a great drive alright, I would love to cycle it someday. I should be open until mid October usually.

I was getting a Dodge Challenger for 509e last night, that was for 8 days rental on Hertz.

mloc123

Rented this for 2 days in Vegas at the end of the trip last year also.

helimachoptor

cost of a one way drop off is pushing my price up pretty high. Very nice car mloc!

SmithySeller

helimachoptor wrote: »

Cheers guys, as you can see from the thread, opninion is split very much down the middle on the best approach.

I will 100% need a sat nav, but i would be very annoyed if i land into the rental desk expecting a mustang(having booked it) and not getting one..

I too tried to rent one in San Francisco and got something different. I used Budget. The guy told me they don't rent Mustangs at all :rolleyes:

PS. Did Yosemite also. One of the most beautiful places on Earth, stunning doesn't do it justice. Make sure you give it enough time. Take in Glacier Point and the Red Woods on the way up. I drove Tioga Pass also, the Missus found some of the roads downright scary!

mloc123

SmithySeller wrote: »

PS. Did Yosemite also. One of the most beautiful places on Earth, stunning doesn't do it justice. Make sure you give it enough time. Take in Glacier Point and the Red Woods on the way up. I drove Tioga Pass also, the Missus found some of the roads downright scary!

The scale of the place cannot be described.


Rental companies charge a lot between states, I know it was free between California and Nevada. You could look at 2 rentals, get the mustang and drop it back on route to seatle... pick up whatever they have for the rest of the journey.

helimachoptor

mloc123 wrote: »

The scale of the place cannot be described.


Rental companies charge a lot between states, I know it was free between California and Nevada. You could look at 2 rentals, get the mustang and drop it back on route to seatle... pick up whatever they have for the rest of the journey.

Have checked that but there's still a drop off charge with everyone for Nevada

goldenhoarde

+ 1 on buying an app for the phone or else buying a satnav that you can use back here as the cost of rental is pretty high on those. Well it was when we did our trip from LV -> SF -> LA via DV and Yoesmite so i got one in Best Buy over teher and still have it.

helimachoptor

just as an FYI, i spoke with hertz and Dollar today.

They will 100% reserve me a Mustang for $1000

I can get a 4x4 Ford Explorer for $650

Time to think

naughtysmurf

helimachoptor wrote: »

They will 100% reserve me a Mustang for $1000

Glad you got it sorted :P

Preset No.3

helimachoptor wrote: »

Hey guys, i wanted to try this here as i'm hopeful some of you motor heads will have a fair bit of experience.

I'm heading to the states in October for a couple of weeks, I'm renting a car for one week and going San Fran -> Yosemite -> Seattle and leaving the car there.

I have one simple question, is it better to book an economy car and upgrade at the desk (Mustang) or book the Mustang in advance?

carhire3000.ie, all insurance included. Mainly use dollar or Alamo so good selection of cara. Avoid hertz. Rip off bastards with this sense of snobbery.

9/10, I've booked basic and upgraded at desk for little money, but be prepared to haggle! All depends on the stock they have and what they want to shift.

Go to ebay, buy basic nuvi 200 and you'll always have it for the US. Sat nav rental isn't cheap.

Preset No.3

Incidentally, having driven 2 mustangs in the US, they are average cars at best. You pay for the name and they handle like a turd in a bowl custard in any type of rain.

Fuel economy is crap too.

woody33

A friend of mine rented a Mustang in the states a couple of years ago and was pretty disappointed. I don't know what engine was in it, and he is used to a Subaru WRX, but he was not impressed. He had a great time driving from the Boston to San Fran. all the same.

pred racer

donegal. wrote: »

i always do the same thing with cars in the US. I book the smallest cheapest car, so far after 6 trips the rental places have never had these cars and i've gotten a free upgrade, often pick from whatever cars are there. Apparently americans never rent the tiny cars so they rarely stock them.

This!
If you fly into san fran late on sun evening all the cheap shyte will be gone (alot of business travellers heading for santa clara san jose just like I was)and they will only have decent stuff left. Then you can normally do a cheap upgrade on your free upgrade:)

And I dont mean to be insulting, but if you need a sat nav to find your way around the western states of the usa you aren't the sharpest tool in the shed:pac:

donegal.

maybe you should look into getting one of these:

dudara

Join the Hertz Gold club as well, if you are already not a member. Adds a little seriousness.

I drive a lot in the States for work, and I would never get SatNav from the rental agency. Buy a sub-$100 sat nav in Best Buy or the like.

By the way, I got a Camaro a while back from Hertz, and I wouldn't bother again. It was fun, but it was the size of a boat. Much better to get a decent sized SUV. Back in November I got a Chevy Equinox with an all-leather interior. Very good for long drives.

helimachoptor

The equinox (or similar!) is working out around 480 euro including drop off charge. Also dudara we'll be doing around 1500 miles so comfort is key so very much leaning towards the SUV, have also joined the gold club so we'll see if that helps.

As a final piece to the jigsaw. The hotel were staying in in San Fran, has a hertz depot attached, so I may wait and talk to them when we arrive..

68 lost souls

My van broke down while in California and needed to rent a car for 2 days while the van was in the shop. Went to the dealers and a standard 4 door sedan was $50, they said I could take a mustang for $70 and when I said I needed a car for 5 people they offered me a ford taurus for the same price, amazing car. Lovely to drive and loads of helpful features. 0-100 in 7 seconds for a family saloon was amazing. I had a lot of fun driving around the countryside with no one else on the road. We drove it into San Francisco too and was nice around the city.

fiona-f

It might be obvious but useful to note that parking is eyewateringly expensive in San Francisco so try not to have a car on hire while you're spending time in the city, even if it means splitting your rental across two separate cars.

helimachoptor

Yeah we'll be picking the car up on the morning we leave San Fran so no additional costs there

Eoin

Here's a thread I started in the travel forum about my road trip in the States - may be of use.

rabbitinlights

Grow some balls...........



I rented this for 16 days and it was the best holiday I've ever had.

Make sure you read the fine print on the mileage limit per day though.

If you want a Mustang - Then book it and ring the place before you go to make sure it's there. They normally keep these type of cars in a central location so they can move them around when booked.

S.

ironclaw

rabbitinlights wrote: »

Make sure you read the fine print on the mileage limit per day though.

Out of curiosity, what is the limit?

helimachoptor

So far I havent seen one company say there limits.

All are unlimited mileage,howver its always good sensible to be sure!

helimachoptor

Eoin wrote: »

Here's a thread I started in the travel forum about my road trip in the States - may be of use.

Cheers Eoin, that hotel is yosemite looks pretty decent!

mloc123

helimachoptor wrote: »

So far I havent seen one company say there limits.

All are unlimited mileage,howver its always good sensible to be sure!

The corvette has a 100 mile/day limit on it iirc. The Mustangs etc.. do not

Keep in mind... the v6 Mustang is meant to be pretty crap. The GT is not, same with the Challenger RT and Camero SS.

Eoin

helimachoptor wrote: »

Cheers Eoin, that hotel is yosemite looks pretty decent!

Yeah, it's grand - pretty basic, but it'd be a crime to spend more time than you need to in a hotel with that sort of scenery on your doorstep.

By the way, will you be travelling light? You probably don't want your case(s) on display in the car, so check out how much you can fit in the boot of a convertible.

shotgun

Avoid BUDGET like the Plague!!!!

Was in Florida USA for a month - accepted an upgrade at the desk on a ebookers.ie pre-book ( the dangers of being tired on arrival) They double charged me !!! I'm still fighting for nearly two weeks with them to get nearly 1300euro off my card!!!!

Demand the car you booked - If they haven't got it they have to upgrade you anyway. Also I hear you can buy CDW policy's online for a fraction of the price the Car Rentals want to charge you - they are on commission!!! Watch out for the Toll thing on the window!! There's no mention of it at the desk - the small print is on the box itself. Can be VERY costly. Leave car back full or they charge you over 10USD/Gal.

BE WARNED - its a legal "scam"

C.D.

mloc123 wrote: »

The corvette has a 100 mile/day limit on it iirc. The Mustangs etc.. do not

Keep in mind... the v6 Mustang is meant to be pretty crap. The GT is not, same with the Challenger RT and Camero SS.

The bulk of the rental cars will be poorly specced. If you do get a Mustang make sure you don't get a <2010 V6... they are crap. The newer models have a new engine, aluminium block with an extra 100 HP (to bring it to 300), making it as fast as a <2010 GT. From a driving perspective, it is the beat drive out of the comparable chargers and camaros, though i do think the Camaro looks great. Source: I drove them all before buying a 2013 V6 last year.

mloc123

Booked my Challenger last night, 8 days for 517e... not bad.

jimmy2flutes

mloc123 wrote: »

Booked my Challenger last night, 8 days for 517e... not bad.

That seems expensive to me. Ive look at premium, luxury, even cabrio for a week in October and its coming back around the €260 mark!!!