Kevin Mc

I'm looking to hire a car for a couple of weeks in Florida. I'm after recommendations for cars and rental companies.

I want either a SUV or a bigger car (V8 preferably ) I like the look of the Dodge Durango, though I don't need the seven seats. I'm hoping the back row will fold down. Suppose the Grand Cherokee is an option too, though I'd prefer something that wasn't available in the UK. As for cars, I like the look of the Dodge Magnum. I even like the Lincoln Town cars as they are proper american cars.

Has anyone had any experience of any of these cars, or recommend anything else? It's just two adults and two kids plus luggage.

I'd love a Mustang, but don't think I'd get the cases in the back

Also, any recommendations on rental companies? A lot of them say they can't guarantee a specific make/model, though you'd get a similar model if not available. Are there any rental companies where you can choose a specific car?

Eddie1980

If your flying into Orlando and I assume you probably are, I booked through National a few years back, basically you just book the class of car, and then when you get there they said "your class is in rows E, F and D the keys are in the ignition go pick something you like" and then you give the guy at the gate the paperwork! They might have changed that though. Not sure if other company's will allow you to select a specific car... would be nice if they did though.

Oh and enjoy the "WHERE is the ruddy boot release" hunt game you play with American cars.

PS a American V8 sounds nice, and goes like a micra full of bricks :-)

malc_gsi

I got 4 full cases into a Mustang soft top a few months ago in Florida

Kevin Mc

Hopefully it is still like this - it'd be good to have a choice when I get there.

Interesting comment about the Mustang too - was that 4 big cases? I remember the boot on the Town Cars being really deep - could get far more in than I thought.

Daryl

I find that USRentacar is pretty good. You choose which rental company to go for - Alamo (same company as National I think) are pretty good as, on arrival, you get to choose your car from whichever category you have selected.

I always go for the luxury category and have had a Cadillac DTS the last couple of times - it's not the best looking car, but comes fully loaded (satellite radio, air conditioned leather seats etc) and, most importantly, has a 4.6 litre V8. Sometimes Alamo also have Town Cars, which are quite nice.

Dollar tend to do Chryslers, but while the 300C looks great, it will only have a V6 and the interior is a bit low rent. Have also had a Durango, which was OK. Dollar also pre-allocate your car, so you don't get a choice.

I did get offered a 300 Hemi at the check-in desk last time, must admit I was quite tempted, but didn't think it was worth paying more than the Cadillac cost.

malc_gsi

Yep, four fairly large cases, one in the boot (its tiny) and 3 on the rear seat stood up.

No room for the roof to come up though, had to drive with the roof down.

Really nice car to drive, very roomy and comfortable, not very poky but you dont really find yourself gunning it, much more of a laid back drive.

Jer

I was in Florida a few weeks ago and got this:



it had a 5.7 Hemi in it

Daryl

Looks half decent, what company was that with Jer?

billythekid

I have used Yes Car Hire before. Always been good.

billythekid

Forgot to say - watch your flight times, if you arrive quite late on then you might find a rather empty car park. We had a delay on our connection last time we went and by the time we got into Orlando it was getting on and there was not much in stock.

Nigel H

I looked at the Mustang, but decided that it wouldn't be fair on my 8 year old boy; there's hardly any room in the back

Pretty much the same experience as all the others about choosing a car - you just get what ytu're given. But they're all much of a muchness really in the class.

I've found Budget to be as good as anybody else.

Kevin Mc

Jer - Quite like the look of the Chysler Aspen. The Cadillac DTS looks interesting too.

We've got a direct flight, so hopefully less chance of the plane being late. We're due into MCO at 1540hrs, so hopefully there will be a choice of cars when we get in.

FlightMan

Who are you flying with? Be warned that around that time you can get 2/3 jumbo's pitching up, that's approx 1300 pax looking for cars. You can imagine the queues at the rental desks!

Kevin Mc

We're flying with Virgin.

I've gone for the Cadillac DTS (or similar) with National, so will be queing with everyone else!

Would it be worth one person staying at baggage reclaim whilst the other goes to sort out the car? Is baggage reclaim before or after customs - can't remember!!

malc_gsi

If you booked the car through Virgin, theres a seperate desk for you to use away from the main ones, gets you through a lot quicker.

A few companies have a loyalty card express line system, I have one for Dollar and it gets me seen to pretty sharpish

Daryl

How much did you pay, if you don't mind me asking? With USRentacar, a DTS would cost about £340 all inclusive for 2 weeks, much cheaper than booking direct.

It is worth going to the rental desk while the other waits for the bags - there is a double bag drop system at MCO, one before and one after customs. However, you don't have to do the second drop, you can take your bags on the monorail, which saves quite a bit of time.

It can be the case that there isn't much choice left at that time of the day - don't let them fob you off with something you don't want. Once, I found the only choices were a Cadillac CTS, a Chrysler Pacifica and a Buick Lucerne, so I just asked if they could bring over a recently returned DTS, which they were happy to do. I had to fill it with fuel myself, but that was okay.

Tobisausage

We rented an Escalade that had a 6.2 litre V8 in it. The car was enormous, it made the Range Rover sport we parked next to look minature. It was badly built inside, slow and horrible to drive. The only good thing on it was the automatic tailgate and the noise it made when you started it up.