So, we've got a fortnight in Florida booked for later in the year. Yours truly has been put in charge of sorting the hire car out so I thought I'd seek the recommendations of the forum.
Fancy something a bit special this time around, so here are the considerations:
Cost not really a problem, within reason
Fuel consumption not really an issue either; we'll probably be doing fewer than 500 miles in it.
Needs to have room for a family of four, (two adults and kids of 8 and 12) with luggage. We're not touring around, just be doing airport to hotel, hotel to villa, villa to theme parks and restaurants etc.
So, what do you think?
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Nice! Although you'd need bigger panniers than those to fit the kids in :)
Last edited by: Focus on Tue 21 Feb 12 at 15:38
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Do NOT even think of the paying the hirer's rates for the Super CDW! An item in one of my Sunday papers gave an example where the XS was more than the car hire. I have just booked an AVIS car in Austria and got the waiver insurance for £100 less than AVIS were charging. god for insurance4carhire - I don't want to post a direct link on the off-chance that it might be construed as advertising! I have used them a lot, had to claim once and settled with no problems.
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I haven't been to the US recently but I always book Avis in the UK ( with all the CDW etc.)for our Capetown trips.
A couple of years or so ago I managed to "significantly restyle" the bottom of the passenger door and cill, of a very nice Audi (, against a low concrete post) .
That restyle cost me a total of £30 admin charge so I can say the the CDW was well worth it and the process was simple.
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I use National for rental cars in the US. These days they have VWs, Volvos and Toyotas in the fleet which are much nicer than the alternatives from Chevrolet and Chrysler.
Hertz still tend to offer mainly Fords, the Fusion is probably the best of the domestic mid-size saloons currently sold in the US.
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As Bagpuss says, Hertz use mainly Fords, so when we want a Mustang we always use them. On trips to New England and twice when visiting friends near Tahoe we got almost showroom fresh Stangs. The boot is not huge, but if you can cope with luggage on knees in the back until you reach your accommodation that is the route I would go.
When booking you cannot request a Mustang, only a convertible, but we always got what we wanted. The only downside was that the 'fleet' only comprises the 4.0 V6, not the V8. Plastic interior aside, its a nice way to travel in our opinion.
In winter when requiring a 4wd for ski purposes, we always use Enterprise whose service has been exemplary.
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I wasn't suggesting for one moment that CDW isn't a good idea! Just check what you are paying for it! For me - AVIS £124 - the people I mentioned earlier £34.
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I'm not really worried about the various insurance costs. I'll get them arranged, but on what car? Don't really fancy anything european and whilst the Mustang sounds good, luggage on passengers' knees is not going to get past the approvals committee. What about one of the big SUVs?
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I don't suppose 'go somewhere other than Florida' is the kind of recommendation you're after.
};---)
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Most big SUV's are much of a muchness. Because of increasing gas costs you may get an upgrade to something with a larger engine.
My daily driver is a Toyota Tundra 4.7 V8 called Zeke. Not much different to drive than Dodge Ram Bighorns, GMC & Ford 5.7 V8 Hemis, only more economical. Fine, if like me you are skiing most days and need one to get to resort in a blizzard to ski powder (I live in hope). Otherwise I wouldn't bother and hire a European car instead.
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Holiday hire car recommendations sought - Dog
