Route 66 questions

scuderia

Hi guys, just booked tickets to the US to do Route 66 with 3 other friends. We're travelling to NYC and hope to buy/rent a car there and drive all the way to San Francisco in the space of 3 weeks.

I have a couple of questions. We are all below 25 years of age apart from 1 person. Is it better to buy a car there and drive across or to rent? I am aware of the 25 year old age limit for renting cars. What are the pros and cons of either?

We are considering buying a car for 2-3k $ and doing a full service and then beginning our trip. Renting a car is probably the safer option but you have to be 25 to rent a car I believe?

Any help and advice is appreciated. Thanks

knockoutned

You could look at Auto Driveway. I believe you only need to be over 23.

There was an article in the guardian about them, if you google it, it should pop up. Unfortunately I can't post links.

ProudDUB

Does the person who buys the car (and therefore responsible for taxing and insuring it) have a U.S. drivers license, or an Irish one?

Yamanoto

scuderia wrote: »

I am aware of the 25 year old age limit for renting cars.

That's not a blanket restriction.

Car rental is certainly possible well below that age, with the premium levied and t&c's differing from company to company.

scuderia

ProudDUB wrote: »

Does the person who buys the car (and therefore responsible for taxing and insuring it) have a U.S. drivers license, or an Irish one?

Irish driving licence. We're now aware that the person buying the car must have an address in the state. So that idea is almost out of the question. Looks like renting it is.

What would happen in this scenario for example:

One of the lads is 25 so he can rent the car in his name and not pay the under 25 fee. What happens if the police stop us with lets say me driving? I am 23. Do you have to tell the rental company who else will be driving the car?

Thanks

BuffyBot

scuderia wrote: »

Irish driving licence. We're now aware that the person buying the car must have an address in the state. So that idea is almost out of the question. Looks like renting it is.

What would happen in this scenario for example:

One of the lads is 25 so he can rent the car in his name and not pay the under 25 fee. What happens if the police stop us with lets say me driving? I am 23. Do you have to tell the rental company who else will be driving the car?

Thanks

Most, if not all, will require any other drivers to be added to the booking at pick up (and check their licence/ID's etc)

scuderia

BuffyBot wrote: »

Most, if not all, will require any other drivers to be added to the booking at pick up (and check their licence/ID's etc)

Will an additional fee be charged because the non-primary drivers are below 25 do you know?

scuderia

scuderia wrote: »

Hi guys, just booked tickets to the US to do Route 66 with 3 other friends. We're travelling to NYC and hope to buy/rent a car there and drive all the way to San Francisco in the space of 3 weeks.

I have a couple of questions. We are all below 25 years of age apart from 1 person. Is it better to buy a car there and drive across or to rent? I am aware of the 25 year old age limit for renting cars. What are the pros and cons of either?

We are considering buying a car for 2-3k $ and doing a full service and then beginning our trip. Renting a car is probably the safer option but you have to be 25 to rent a car I believe?

Any help and advice is appreciated. Thanks

Route 66 goes from Chicago to Los Angeles?

scuderia

bubblypop wrote: »

Route 66 goes from Chicago to Los Angeles?

Yes, I'm aware of that. Land in NYC, get a car, drive to Chicago and from there Route 66 to LA.

teddykrueger

bubblypop wrote: »

Route 66 goes from Chicago to Los Angeles?

Just what if they drive to Chicago from NYC and reach San Francisco via LA?!

Did it a few years ago - NYC - SF. Amazing. So many cool and quirky things and places to see.

We drove San Francisco down the coast to LA, then over to Vegas.
There was one driver for the rental car, we then paid extra for extra drivers, I wasn't asked for my licence at all ( being one of the extra drivers)

CaliforniaDream

Legally you need to let the rental company know who will be driving. There's usually an additional fee per person per day and then another fee pppd for under 25. You might be able to call the company and have some of these waived as it's a long booking and they might reduce it to get the business.

Just be aware of the fact that Route 66 isn't a great road to drive on anymore for parts of it. It's not maintained and is in quite bad condition in areas. I think there's entire sections that you have to drive on the Interstate instead. I'm not sure if you meant a general East to West road trip or very specifically Route 66.

scuderia

CaliforniaDream wrote: »

Legally you need to let the rental company know who will be driving. There's usually an additional fee per person per day and then another fee pppd for under 25. You might be able to call the company and have some of these waived as it's a long booking and they might reduce it to get the business.

Just be aware of the fact that Route 66 isn't a great road to drive on anymore for parts of it. It's not maintained and is in quite bad condition in areas. I think there's entire sections that you have to drive on the Interstate instead. I'm not sure if you meant a general East to West road trip or very specifically Route 66.

East to West via Route 66 to be more accurate. Renting a car is turning out a lot more expensive than we thought.

CaliforniaDream

scuderia wrote: »

East to West via Route 66 to be more accurate. Renting a car is turning out a lot more expensive than we thought.

It definitely adds up when you factor in under 25's, additional drivers and then a one way drop off fee.
Have you guys looked into RV rental? I've no idea of the cost involved but it might save on hotel fees compared to car and hotel together.

scuderia

CaliforniaDream wrote: »

It definitely adds up when you factor in under 25's, additional drivers and then a one way drop off fee.
Have you guys looked into RV rental? I've no idea of the cost involved but it might save on hotel fees compared to car and hotel together.

RV's turn out to be around 5k when you include everything. It's definitely gonna be expensive but feck it, once in a lifetime kind of trip.

InTheTrees

The RV sounds like fun. You'll have a great time.

$5k for three weeks? And that includes picking it up in NY and dropping off in SF? When you think how much you can save in hotels thats not bad. You'll save on food too not having to eat out all the time.

Plus it opens up some amazing camping opportunities when you get out west, take advantage of that.

jme2010

NYC - Chicago will be a boring drive compared to route 66. Why not spend a day or two in NYC then fly to chicago and pick up the car there?

Also if you picking the car up in JFK it will at least €500 more expensive than at a smaller city/airport.

3 weeks is cutting it way too close for sightseeing also.

ProudDUB

jme2010 wrote: »

NYC - Chicago will be a boring drive compared to route 66. Why not spend a day or two in NYC then fly to chicago and pick up the car there?

Also if you picking the car up in JFK it will at least €500 more expensive than at a smaller city/airport.

3 weeks is cutting it way too close for sightseeing also.

Agree with all this. NY to Chicago is pretty boring. Think of the expense too. RV's consume A LOT of petrol. If you shop around, you could find cheap airfare from NY to Chicago, on one of those budget airlines like Jet Blue, for half what you'd spend on gas to drive the 1300 miles from NY to Chicago. As you only have three weeks, I wouldn't do a cross country trip in an RV. You won't have much time to sigh see along on the way.

InTheTrees

I agree with the comments about flying to Chicago.

Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and texas are dull enough without having to add the drive from NY as well.

InTheTrees

ProudDUB wrote: »

As you only have three weeks, I wouldn't do a cross country trip in an RV. You won't have much time to sigh see along on the way.

I was thinking about this. I think out west with an RV you can take advantage of all the national parks and the amazing scenery. The western US is more about the landscape. The East is a different story though.

It'd be a good plan to start off with a car and swap it for an RV when you get west of texas.

jme2010

Some great tips here, I hope the OP takes them on board.

A nice alternative idea is spend 2 days in NYC, fly to Chicago like 1hr 30 min flight and as cheap as €50!

Spend 2 days in Chicago and fly to Oklahoma, short flight and cheap as hell.

Advantages:
- 4 days in to your trip and are now in the mid-west, beautiful cowboy country. - You've seen 2 major cities.
- Cut about 1000 miles off your drive and literly lost NOTHING in terms of views etc
- Cut days of the amount of time renting the vehicle.
- Rental price in Oklahoma airport is dirt cheap.
- You can drive to a canyon on your first day driving (palo duro canyon)

ProudDUB

jme2010 wrote: »

Some great tips here, I hope the OP takes them on board.

A nice alternative idea is spend 2 days in NYC, fly to Chicago like 1hr 30 min flight and as cheap as €50!

Spend 2 days in Chicago and fly to Oklahoma, short flight and cheap as hell.

Advantages:
- 4 days in to your trip and are now in the mid-west, beautiful cowboy country. - You've seen 2 major cities.
- Cut about 1000 miles off your drive and literly lost NOTHING in terms of views etc
- Cut days of the amount of time renting the vehicle.
- Rental price in Oklahoma airport is dirt cheap.
- You can drive to a canyon on your first day driving (palo duro canyon)

I think that's a great idea. Part of the problem of doing Route 66 is that people get caught up in the glamour and the history of it all. But the first part of it, is very boring. Its not like doing the Ring of Kerry, where a gorgeous view is around every corner, and the nearest town/pub/touristy thing to do/shop is only ever 15 minutes away. Driving through rural Illinois & Kansas, is some of the flattest, dullest, longest, most boring driving you'll ever do in your life, regardless of how how famous the road you are on is.