Hiring mustang, driving from LA to Vegas - Page 2

chevypower · 23-04-2014, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluovl

From memory it was Alamo.
I booked it through driveaway.com.au not knowing what company I would actually be getting the car through. I booked it about 4 months before my trip.
I thought it was a pretty good deal $600 aus) and that included the one way drop off.
When I picked the car at S.F airport the guy behind the counter offered to upgrade it to a convertible mustang for an extra $100 or $200 for the ten days.
I wasn't interested because I was shopping for parts and needed the extra room of the Jeep.

Awesome thanks, my mum is coming over so a Mustang wouldn't work for us (3 of us), and I'm not riding in the back of one...ever, and wouldn't want my wife or mum to, either. I think a Jeep GC would be a great way to travel, especially if it were the diesel, but I doubt they have those.

84dau · 23-04-2014, 07:29 AM

I did it in a Camaro v6 Because under 25 couldn't get a v8 unless I went to a luxury car hire mob who charge a fortune

I can say that getting handed the keys to it in the middle of peak hour LA driving wasn't the most relaxing experience lol but worth it

Hope you have a great trip

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bluovl · 23-04-2014, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

Awesome thanks, my mum is coming over so a Mustang wouldn't work for us (3 of us), and I'm not riding in the back of one...ever, and wouldn't want my wife or mum to, either. I think a Jeep GC would be a great way to travel, especially if it were the diesel, but I doubt they have those.

No problems. I actually checked my old emails last night and found their booking confirmation they sent me. Final price was $650 (for 10 days). It quoted an 'early bird special'. I'm guessing that explains the good rate. I'm also not sure what qualifies for early but I booked in late March for a late August trip. Hope this helps.

jimt3te50 · 24-04-2014, 12:47 AM

Double the price of what ever you get quoted. I've just done it. It was great but hiring cars in the US is expensive, very expensive. You get a relocation fee, state and federal taxes, rental taxes, insurance (and get the full insurance, trust me!), sun pass (for tolls), sat navs, toddler/child seats etc. I'd work on $1600-$1800 a week to hire and run a mid size rental car in the us. Fuel is about the same as Australia, but parking and valets is crazy- $150-$200 a week I'd reckon.

The GT500 ended up costing just under $2,500 for 3 days. That's for a car that was "$399 a day"

As an aside, this has been a WAY more expensive holiday then we'd expected.

Enjoy it though brother!

Bucket · 01-05-2014, 04:41 PM

Another option for Insurance... get Travel Insurance. 1Cover do a good one that covers your car too.

**kypez** · 01-05-2014, 04:55 PM

I used these guys http://www.midwayreservations.com/ when I did that drive. Careful with the HWP. They dont mind you giving it a little, but not too much. Pretty strict on that stretch of road between LA and Vegas.

**fordomatic** · 01-05-2014, 06:03 PM

Thanks heaps for the tips everyone, our route is set.

We will leave San Francisco on the first day for Eldorado Hills and stay there overnight. The next day we will head to South Lake Tahoe travelling along route 50 and stay there for two nights. From there along route, 88,89 and onto route 385 down to Mammoth mountain for the night. Then continuing down route 385 and onto route 190 into death valley for two nights. From there route 95 into Las Vegas for three nights. We will then head to NY via plane.

Our contingency plan if route 50 is closed due to weather (snow) is to go up to Reno and and get in via that way, i've done research and that highway (route 80) is open all year round as it is a major route.

I'm still yet to find a place that i can hire one for the week under $1000. I'm thinking of not doing the insurance they offer, as our personal insurance will cover us if something was to happen.

I'm thinking i might not be able to hire a mustang or similar now, still hunting around. I'm not sure what the rules are on driving through alpine areas either. I wont be fitting chains as i will drive around the bad weather if i can, but i might need winter tyres.

2011G6E · 01-05-2014, 06:35 PM

Yep, we used Alamo...it was great to deal with and a big tip is to book from here online and pre-pay which meant at the airport pickup area you skipped the sometimes-huge lines at the rental desks and just walked up to the garage and grabbed your car.

1Cover does great insurance deals as well and covers all sorts of stuff. I believe the car cover they have as part of the policy was on a "whatever it costs" level, as was the health and injury cover.

If you want a specific car, be prepared to pay more for specialist rentals. Most say some vehicle "or similar". Ours for instance said "Dodge Charger or similar" and when we got there the lineup was just all Chev Impalas. Great cars...but they're not Chargers...

"Only" a V6? Don't be disappointed...they put out V8 horsepower over there and because of different noise regs, they sound a hell of a lot better than our six cylinders here. The Impala we had produced a lovely exhaust note throb and induction roar under throttle.

GPS: if you have your own decent quality GPS here, look at renting a map pack for the USA, and take it with you. I have a Navman, and downloaded a USA map pack for a cheap price. It only "lasts" thirty or sixty days or something and then deactivates, but that's plenty for most people. All we did then was change the units to imperial from metric and we were away.

Bucket · 02-05-2014, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Thanks heaps for the tips everyone, our route is set.

We will leave San Francisco on the first day for Eldorado Hills and stay there overnight. The next day we will head to South Lake Tahoe travelling along route 50 and stay there for two nights. From there along route, 88,89 and onto route 385 down to Mammoth mountain for the night. Then continuing down route 385 and onto route 190 into death valley for two nights. From there route 95 into Las Vegas for three nights. We will then head to NY via plane.

Our contingency plan if route 50 is closed due to weather (snow) is to go up to Reno and and get in via that way, i've done research and that highway (route 80) is open all year round as it is a major route.

I'm still yet to find a place that i can hire one for the week under $1000. I'm thinking of not doing the insurance they offer, as our personal insurance will cover us if something was to happen.

I'm thinking i might not be able to hire a mustang or similar now, still hunting around. I'm not sure what the rules are on driving through alpine areas either. I wont be fitting chains as i will drive around the bad weather if i can, but i might need winter tyres.

Sounds great!! I have one recommendation out of that if you get the chance. From my experience driving through Death valley, it's very scenic but not worth staying two nights, or even a night in. I'd recommend swinging by Napa Valley which, if you love food is a must see place. Seriously good food and wine and a lovely town to walk through.

As for rules driving Alpine, I don't believe there are any. Just avoid getting caught in a bad snow fall ;) ... It started Snowing as we were driving through the Sierra on our way to El Dorado hills but thankfully was only light.

**kypez** · 02-05-2014, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

GPS: if you have your own decent quality GPS here, look at renting a map pack for the USA, and take it with you. I have a Navman, and downloaded a USA map pack for a cheap price. It only "lasts" thirty or sixty days or something and then deactivates, but that's plenty for most people. All we did then was change the units to imperial from metric and we were away.

I'd take a mobile phone holder that you can mount to the windscreen (away from the wiper sweep area) and use Google Maps! Thats what I did in Hawaii! Love the built in turn by turn and the maps are automatically updated so no surprised! Plus it can give you traffic warnings.

Bucket · 02-05-2014, 11:47 AM

If you're using your Mobile over there and for a decent period of time, use these guys. This made life much easier for me... I had Unlimited calls for the month and 2GB of data.

http://www.mobipassport.com.au/USA-SIM-p/usa-att.htm

castellan · 02-05-2014, 03:28 PM

A mate did just that only some months ago from LA to Vegas in a new V8 Mustang said it was cheap as, he could not believe it and said the company to go too, i can't remember what company but said only go with that mob As the others are rubbish he said. then he got a chevy cruse said the fuel econ was unreal and you take the car back empty he said not like hear full.
He said he is never going to Asia again, USA was the best place he said he won $600 at the Casino you get free grog and drink all you want and he flew to New York the next day and recons if you smoke in NY they have the strictest laws you can't find a place to smoke anywhere.

**fordomatic** · 30-10-2014, 06:44 PM

Bit of an update, so i went through driveaway.com and booked a mustang. Driveaway.com are a booking agent and Alamo is the company im hiring with. It was cheaper to go through them by about $200 rather than going through Alamo direct. Cost is $428 AUD for monday-friday with full insurance and unlimited kms. I've done my research and there are no hidden costs.

We are going from LA to Death Valley and then on to Vegas. We decided we will do Yosemite when we can spend a couple of weeks there. I am a photographer so a couple of days in that region would just be a tease.

Thanks for all the advice.

BPXR6T · 01-11-2014, 10:16 PM

So whats the story with a drivers licence? What happens if i get pulled over? I'm heading over to seattle next month, first time overseas.

**gregaust** · 01-11-2014, 10:55 PM

Just your normal Aussie licence is all that is required . I've used Alamo several times now and have been good .

zilo · 02-11-2014, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPXR6T

So whats the story with a drivers licence? What happens if i get pulled over? I'm heading over to seattle next month, first time overseas.

Be careful driving high powered cars in some states in the US.

Over 100mph in California is attempted manslaughter, not a fine

You'll be waiting in custody for the circuit judge to do his rounds, could be hours or it could be days.

Worth a thought, was warned by the nice man at Avis, LAX.

brismike · 03-11-2014, 01:29 AM

I use www.VroomVroomVroom.com .... Sort of a comparison site for all car rental companies. When using them I have found Dollar Car Rental on the West coast and Alamo on the East coast to be the best deals. But it depends on what type of vehicle you are after.

This year have driven LA to Vegas and then all the way to Niagara Falls via Grand Canyon, 4 State Corner, Million Dollar Highway, Rocky Mtns, across Kansas to St Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Niagara. Then back to Vegas via a different route, Cleveland, Chicago, Des Moine, Mt Rushmore, Devils Tower, Salt Lake, Vegas and on to LA. Did that in 4 weeks. Flew to Europe after that.

Was a blast, then on the way back from Europe did New York, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara again (The missus loves it), Pennsylvania, New York. That took 2 weeks

Petrol is cheap and the roads are great. Food is delicious and they give you big helpings lol. Scenery is awesome and the people love Aussies. Will be going back again. Enjoy your trip.

Cheers Mike