After a recent post where I succeeded in offending someone with a comment on a rental car, I thought it might be an interesting topic for a thread.

What has been you best, most surprising, interesting car as a rental?? Make up other categories if you like. Mine are fairly pedestrian, but here are a few start up offerings.

Best utilitarian vehicle : A PT Cruiser. Gutless but comfortable and plenty of room for luggage

Most fun : A BMW Z3 I got for a weekend free after an overseas debacle with Hertz. Took it on one of our classic drives here in Oz, along the Great Ocean Road.

Most surprising : A Skoda Octavia wagon. Got to the airport and thought WTF, a Skoda! It was a totally competent car in every way. Frugal, strong performance, handled well. Would happily have one as a holiday rental.

Also recently pleasantly surprised by a Hyundai I45. Everything was a bit light and touchy for me (brakes, steering) but it did most things well , had a cavernous boot and was light years ahead of a terrifying Hyundai I experienced many years ago. The Koreans have come a long way.

Had any rentals that where more than you expected?

 

The best rental I have ever had is BMW 7 SERIES 730 LD (Bangle Butt version's facelift version ) . The car drove like dream and I would not expect that from a bimmer at all

The most surprising :
Ford Fiesta Eco Box thingy , surprisingly tiny engine yet delivers an engine of bigger one

The best utilitarian :
Ranger Rover Sport , a poshed up LR Discovery LR4 if you like but it was and as it's class suggest it's a SUV

 

A 7 series to a Fiesta , a man of contrast !

 

Last year I was driving an HSV rental in melbourne, pulled out to pass some one reversing into a parking space and it was the biggest wack I have heard from inside a car.
Any way,lucky it was one of the modern trams with plastic skirts all the way around and not the older ones with exposed under carriage. That would have destroyed the Brand new HSV.
Hopped out with my heart in my mouth assuming I would see the right side of the destroyed. Anyhow the mirror was folded back,a tiny graze on the top of the wheel arch and a bit of kerb rash on the rim.
So parked it at the airport and dropped the keys in the drop box and never heard any more about it.
Lesson:If you are in Melbourne and hear a bicycle bell like sound it is a tram,ding,ding!!!

those things should have air horns like a train,not a tiny brass bell.

 

An interesting topic. I'm not the type who switches cars very often, but I do travel enough for my job that I get to try out plenty of rental cars.

Once again, all the caveats (& apologies) to anyone who owns any of these vehicles, it's just my untrained opinion!

2010 Chevy Malibu: car was ok, but seats were horribly uncomfortable.
2009? Dodge Charger: ok ride, but I couldn't help feeling like I was riding in a 1976 Newport.
2011 Chrysler Sebring convertible: No. Couldn't see anything behind me (even with top down), road/wind noise was horrible (even with top up).
2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible: Pretty fun, good visibility, road noise was acceptable, power was adequate-luggage space was not.
2011 Ford Mustang convertible: Same as Eclipse, but better luggage space.
2013 Chevy Camaro: turn off the traction control and it is a whale of a good time. Had fun with my 88 year old boss who insisted on calling it the "Belchfire". "Belchfire go!!"

Don't think I'd ever own any one of the aforementioned cars. There are many others that I did not mention because they were largely forgettable. The convertibles were all rented when I was working near Vegas...spent way too much time there. I'm probably the only person who has ever been stopped by the police after crossing the street (on foot) in Vegas and almost been charged with jaywalking.

Fortunately, I've never been in any accidents [knocks on wood].

 

Yes the trams in Melbourne can be tricky for visitors. The ding ding bells are really just for slow speed to get people off the tracks when they arent in their lane properly or are doing a right turn where they shouldnt.....and for pedestrians in the mall :-)

They really dont stop very well. Nose to rails between trams happen from time to time and occasionaly a tram/car that doesnt end as well as yours.

You did well at the rental car return , they are usually pretty tough on damage these days.

 

1. It was more like a bounce off the side(lucky it was a plastic coated tram ay)

2. Red eye flight back to Brisbane,no one at rental car counter,and I wisely paid the extra $20 per day for no insurance excess.

 

I find that almost all rental cars are fun the first day or first hour, even the lousy ones.

 

In Florida on honeymoon, went into rental agency with my wife to collect a run-of-the-mill sedan and was asked if I'd like to upgrade to a Thunderbird coupe. I replied 'No, thanks', to which the **** behind the counter, said ' Don't you think your wife's worth it?'

I'm not fond of being pressured or insulted.
Did appreciate the apology and enjoy the free Tbird upgrade though. As for the car - comfortable, but my boat corners better..

 

I would have walked out without a word (no matter what husband did) as I've finally learned I don't have to take that sort of stuff.
(';')

 

Good grief! The mods have replaced the traditional English term for ones posterior with asterisks.
I had no idea what a delicate audience you are. As it has been in common use for over half a millennium, the shock value was unexpected.
My profound apologies for any readers who are traumatised.

 

RobB, your "****" is still there on my screen. Maybe some type of filter is activated on your browser.

We are no where near delicate, and not easily traumatised.

 

I'm getting asterisks with Chrome and Internet Explorer on my phone.
Does this mean that I can't find my a-r-s-e with both hands?..

 

I can see your **** too Rob.

 

Yep, sorry about that.. seems that it's my phone afflicted with political correctness, not you mods.

《Goes and stands in the corner》

 

I'm not a big fan of American cars, none have impressed me. In the late 80's, my family rented a BMW 325ix. My Dad was impressed enough to go out and buy one. Best rental car was a Ferrari 308 rented in Hawaii. I'm a big Magnum PI fan, so the rental was epic in my mind. Although as a sports car the 308 was a big disappointment. Despite this because of Magnum PI, I want one still.


In user CP it asks you to enter your country so the forum can obey the countries laws. The censorship might be your country and not the forum.