Budget Car Rental (USA) Help Please

[Chris24]

Hi,
I have a question sort of related to a racing. I am going over to Florida for the 12 hours of Sebring next month, but have yet to book my car hire.
Since receiving an unexpected windfall at work today, I have decided to spash out a little and rent a convertible whilst in Miami for 3 days rather than the usual basic rental car.

I can book a Chrysler Sebring for £103 all in, (Fuel and insurance and taxes etc, no hidden costs).

But I really fancy driving a Mustang convertible and so far the best quote I have found is from Budget.com at approx $197.78 US.
This breaks down to Base rate $159.57, Surcharge 23.40, Taxes 12.81.

Does anyone have any knowledge about booking a car with Budget. Is this price quoted include everything or will I get hit for extras like insurance or fuel when I pick the car up.

Thanks

[jpchenet]

I think Smokie is going too and was advised to change his original Mustang booking to the Chrysler Sebring by some of our friends "across the pond"

Can't remember where that thread was though. You may want to check with him!!

[Canada Phil]

HI Chris24, May I suggest you ask"Our Man in Miami"
to look into it for you.  Why not get a Corvette and scare your self to death
Canada Phil

[Chris24]

Thanks Phil,

But not had any replies to e mails from Pidge this week, perhaps he is away. I have already thought about the Corvette idea but I am looking at around $250 a day to get one of them, so thats not going to happen !

Regards
Chris

[Steve Pyro]

Chris, have a look at this thread

http://www.clubarnage.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=1391;start=30

[Matt Harper]

Hello Chris
Firstly Budget (and all of the others) will try to stiff you for all manner of additional and perhaps unfamiliar insurance products, none of which you are legally obliged to carry and all of which pay the rental rep hefty commission.
So - collision damage waiver, personal injury protection, third party liability cap protection, uninsured driver and plague and famine protection will hurt your wallet if you let the bugger bamboozle you into signing for them.

I stand by my earlier comments re Mustang vs Sebring.
If you have any luggage the Mustang is a pain in the arse (nil trunk space with roof down). Unless you can rent a GT (4.6 ohc V8) you may be rather disappointed by the Fords performance. The Chrysler Sebring LX drophead has a bigger interior, a much bigger boot and is less brick-like, so it's quieter - particularly with the roof off and faster.

Perhaps the Sebring is not as quintessentially American as the Muzzie - but it's a nicer car.

See you next month!  

[Matt Harper]

The Chrysler Sebring LX drophead has a bigger interior,

Sorry, that should read JX

[Dave H]

Having rented hundreds of cars in Florida over the last 10-15 years, I couldn't agree more with Matt - the Stang is a turd.  I was given one as a renter a few weeks back and was once again reminded how uninspiring a wheezing six banger can be with absolutely no space in the interior.  The Sebring is a much better choice of the two.

As for price - you can definitely get good deals if you find the right special etc.  I just rented a Jeep Cherokee in Tampa last week for a great price.  My travel agent in Tampa is a magician on occasion, so if you'd like I can ask her if there are any better rates on nicer motors.  Just let me know what your pick-up and drop-off cities are and the respective dates.

Matt: All this talk of driving to Sebring makes me think about doing it myself.  Fax is definitely driving from Cinci as he plans to visit relatives on his way back through Georgia.  Perhaps I could attempt a Cannonball Run from Indy - though on second thought, I'll stick with ATA.  I'll leave our inevitable stupidity match-up for the Petite.  I don't have to head to the UK on the Monday after Sebring, so we can stay on plan.  Are you inviting Chris, Smokie, Phil, Pidge et al to your pad in O Town for a post race celebration on Sunday??

[smokie]

I fly home Sunday evening...

Have PMd you Chris with info about rental. However, everyone I have spoken to says you MUST GET supplemental liability insurance just in case...

I spent time trying to fake websites into giving me dollar prices instead of directing me to their UK sites for US hire. I also got some "conference codes" and agent codes for some of the sites. Despite this, the UK sites actually provided much MUCH cheaper quotes, especially when you put insurance on top.

[smokie]

Try www.hertz.co.uk - 3 days of a Mustang is £94.36 for 13 - 16 March. Includes all insurance

[powermite]

Why dont you push the boat out and go for an AMC Pacer
Plenty of room to wear a chef's hat too
PM

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[Steve Pyro]

Why dont you push the boat out and go for an AMC Pacer
Plenty of room to wear a chef's hat too
PM

Is that the car with different sized doors ?

[Matt Harper]

Why dont you push the boat out and go for an AMC Pacer
Plenty of room to wear a chef's hat too
PM

Party on, Garth.

[Matt Harper]

 Are you inviting Chris, Smokie, Phil, Pidge et al to your pad in O Town for a post race celebration on Sunday??

I'd be delighted to have you guys round to Chez Harper. The pool will be warm by mid-March and I'm only 10 mins from Orlando Int.
We'll be hitting the bricks back to O'town after the race - and I had intended spending Sunday ripping Large Mouth Bass out of Lake Tibet - but another day of sustained heavy drinking wouldn't do any harm, now would it?

On a more serious note, additional liability insurance is a bit of a scam and it's sold with a real 'scare close' - "Our third party is the absolute bare minimum (even though we've kicked you right in the knackers for it). Just think, if someone's hat blows off and you run over it, you could be sued for millions".

Uninsured driver is more important than additional liability - given that nearly 50% of cars in this state have no insurance cover whatsoever. Live dangerously - decline the f**k*ng lot and spend the money you'll save on strippers.

[powermite]

Excellent!!!!!

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