Theboybell Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Looking to hire a car for this Route 66 trip im on in June. Looked on hertz its about 300 dollars from one airport to the next. Never driven abroad or an automatic. Any recommendations of companys or which car i should go for? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyldesley_white Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Have a look through KAYAK, should be able to get car prices all in one place. Driving over here is a piece of piss, except when you come to major city's and then it can get scary, that's why an auto is the best way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Zico Posted May 14, 2018 Moderators Share Posted May 14, 2018 my advice is when dropping off, check what time the place shuts and what time they offer as a drop off we put our drop off time as 1pm on a Sunday in New Orleans turns out 1pm was also the time the office shut we got there at 12.58pm and the staff did their best not to allow us to return the car there and then because they were locking up and didn't want to do the paper work managed to get them to back down by pointing out if they have 1pm as a drop off time they should really be ready for folk to arrive at 1pm, another 5 minutes and we'd have been stuck with a car for another 24 hours and probably been spanked with a charge (plus overnight parking) anyway, point being, check the drop off times in relation to opening hours and give yourself plenty of time to get it back in time automatics are fine once you get the hang of it, likewise driving on the right - we picked up in nashville and were instantly thrown into rush hour cross city traffic and onto a busy highway - so a bit hairy to begin with I'd also go with a convertible, we had a chevy camaro paid about £280 for a week I think - make sure you get a sat nav included Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birch-chorley Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Driving is a piece of piss over there Only thing to remember is that you can go through a red light if nothings coming and your turning right, other than that the same Think I’ve used Dollar before and they were fine, can’t recall the other. We’ve had a mustang and a Jeep SUV jobby, prefer the SUV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Egg Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 (edited) Driving there really is easy. Bit nervy the first time you drive out of the airport and turning right at red traffic lights took some getting used to. Hertz and dollar have both been great for me. Watch for the sales bloke trying to get you to do an upgrade when you pick it up. Chances are, they've already set aside a larger vehicle for you. Lots of great journeys around and off route 66 if you've time for a good explore Edited May 14, 2018 by Duck Egg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyldesley_white Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Yes you can turn right on red, but you have to stop first, other wise its called a rolling red and if caught is a fine. Also if you come to flashing red lights ( this is a fail safe when the lights fail) you stop (this can be a 3 way or a 4 way stop depending on the number of roads) and you basically take it turns to go. Also on the roads, the even numbers run east/west ( i.e route 66 ) the odd numbers run north/south Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Once turned down the wrong side of the road. Good job I’d had a drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Egg Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Yes you can turn right on red, but you have to stop first, other wise its called a rolling red and if caught is a fine. First time I drove over there I did the beep test when turning right at a red light. If the bloke behind me beeped I knew I should be turning. If he didn't I knew that either I shouldn't, or he was a numb tourist too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjayoghani Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 paid about £280 for a week I think - make sure you get a sat nav included If it's cheap fair enough, but can't you just use your phone? Cheap US SIM permitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter White on Tyne Posted May 15, 2018 Site Supporter Share Posted May 15, 2018 hired a mustang in Florida as the boot was bigger that a Camaro so could fit two cases in. Camaro boot was tiny. US car hire firms charge a bomb for sat nav so we just downloaded the relevant sections on iphone and stored them offline and navigated that way. Then delete each section before uploading the next on the route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birch-chorley Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 I used Vodaphone world traveller Something like £4 or £5 a day and you can crack on regardless, it comes out of your usual data and call allowance Doesn’t work in Death Valley mind, or up in Yosemite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter MickyD Posted May 15, 2018 Site Supporter Share Posted May 15, 2018 When driving an automatic, don't go using a different foot for each pedal. Get your left foot out of the way; it won't be needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Zico Posted May 15, 2018 Moderators Share Posted May 15, 2018 If it's cheap fair enough, but can't you just use your phone? Cheap US SIM permitting. I did think about it but found it far easier to have a sat nav stuck to the windscreen in easy view plus it meant the phone could be used for music and stuff it didn't cost that much more iirc, because if it had, I'd have used my phone think we used avis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_spencer Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 The Chrysler PT Cruiser we had hated doing 70. The gearbox would change up a gear and struggle so drop down a gear and over rev. It did manage Newport beach to Vegas and back on a tank and a bit of petrol. My British politeness cost me a soft top yellow mustang. As the couple I let in front got the pick of the lot. I had to pick from the bobbins cars in lot c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter Winchester White Posted May 17, 2018 Site Supporter Share Posted May 17, 2018 The PT is one of the shittiest cars ever made (discounting our own BL efforts in the 70's and 80's) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Casino Posted May 17, 2018 Moderators Share Posted May 17, 2018 The PT is one of the shittiest cars ever made (discounting our own BL efforts in the 70's and 80's) there's a feature on the web i was reading last night pretty much agrees allegro being top of the list think an fso and the riva might beat it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_spencer Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 The PT is one of the shittiest cars ever made (discounting our own BL efforts in the 70's and 80's)It was alright for the 10 days we had it. It was the only American car in the lot the rest were Japanese or Korean. So the missus wanted that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyldesley_white Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 On the subject of cars, get a soft top ... how if they are just 2 of you, the Mustang or Camaro will do ( but I would take the Mustang) , if you have 3 people go with the Mustang, unless the person in the back is 5'5 then they will have no head height in the Camaro on days or time you have the roof up , if you have more then 3 people get an SUV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birch-chorley Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 Your going to struggle with three decent sized cases in a mustang I’d say two tops in one of them for a holiday / road trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyldesley_white Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 You will get two in a Mustang, one in a Camaro ( the boot is a pain because of the flared rear end which also gives you a fucking massive blind spot, if you need more space then If will have to be an SUV, Mid size and above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter Winchester White Posted May 17, 2018 Site Supporter Share Posted May 17, 2018 (edited) You can't beat a big Buick with wood effect side panelling Edited May 17, 2018 by Winchester White Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theboybell Posted May 18, 2018 Author Share Posted May 18, 2018 On the subject of cars, get a soft top ... how if they are just 2 of you, the Mustang or Camaro will do ( but I would take the Mustang) , if you have 3 people go with the Mustang, unless the person in the back is 5'5 then they will have no head height in the Camaro on days or time you have the roof up , if you have more then 3 people get an SUV. I pick up from LA airport and no soft tops are available from that location Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjayoghani Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 (edited) It's not ideal but if you do want a soft top consider getting an Uber from the airport to a car rental place. LAX is slap bang in the middle of LA. Edited May 19, 2018 by jayjayoghani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Egg Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 It's not ideal but if you do want a soft top consider getting an Uber from the airport to a car rental place. LAX is slap bang in the middle of LA. That's a good shout. Last time in Vegas we had 2 nights there before moving on. Financially, it made sense to pick up the car from a rental place in the city and have 2 days less car hire cost. As an aside - much as I love the States, Vegas and LA were OK to visit once but I'd be in no hurry to go back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theboybell Posted May 19, 2018 Author Share Posted May 19, 2018 That's a good shout. Last time in Vegas we had 2 nights there before moving on. Financially, it made sense to pick up the car from a rental place in the city and have 2 days less car hire cost. As an aside - much as I love the States, Vegas and LA were OK to visit once but I'd be in no hurry to go back Only one night in LA and two in Vegas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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