Road Tripping in the USA!

Fr0dders said:
Luxury for 2 weeks is 500 pounds. Full size is 300.

Can't see how its worth nearly twice the price.
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500 isn't twice 300.

I think it's well worth it (though not for a Volvo though they are not actually classified luxury anyway) as you get something actually decent for not a huge amount more. A full size reservation could get you an old model Impala for example, it's still sold to rental fleets and the new model is a Premium not a full size. Dire cars.

The ATS I have is fast, frugal, very refined, well equipped, comfortable and great to drive. As good if not better than a 3 Series.

It's a pleasure to do several thousand mile road trip in.
 
Fairly good, it's the least good Cadillac so pretty good, I have now had one twice in a row.

If you don't see one, ask. They can make them appear from the National lot or the return area.
 
I went out to only find 1 convertible left (Chevrolet Camaro), went back into moan and about 2 minutes later the GF came in to say a Mustang had just come back and she'd grabbed it.

When I was dropping back there must have been 50 other cars being dropped back at the same time, I reckon if you get given something you don't like you could either hang round for 20 minutes or come back a few hours later after some dinner or something.
 
Are you insane? You turned down a Camaro for a Mustang!?

Firstly the Camaro is cooler and secondly you can drive your own mustang here, I wouldn't have picked a 5 Series for example :-P
 
[TW]Fox;26860046 said:
Are you insane? You turned down a Camaro for a Mustang!?

Firstly the Camaro is cooler and secondly you can drive your own mustang here, I wouldn't have picked a 5 Series for example :-P
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You know me, the whole trip was about being in a Mustang. If I was doing the trip again, I wouldn't be quite as bothered - but I had to do it in a Mustang.

I don't actually know anything about the Camaro, nor am I interested in the car at all (where I am massively about the Mustang). The 2014 Mustang is a lot different to mine, so it would be like hiring an F10 when you still had your e39.

I guess the Camaro is quicker and better?
 
Simon said:
Ignorance is bliss :D
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To be honest they could have offered me a Ferrari or something crazy like that and I would have preferred the Mustang, it's always been the dream to do that sort of driving holiday in a convertible Mustang. Now that I've done it I wouldn't be anywhere near as bothered and might enjoy trying a different muscle car.

Plus our bags didn't fit in the Camero boot, where as they fitted fine in the Mustang boot :D
 
I had completely the opposite experience when I booked a mustang.

Got given a choice of a car park full of sebrings. Said I wasn't happy as I wanted a mustang and was told that was all they got.

Went and tried another one a few days later to ask if I could swap. Nope, point blank refused.

The only choice of cars I had were the ones parked up in the car park, the return section was in another part of the airport so no chance of picking stuff up as they came in.

I never get any luck with rental cars :(
 
Peerzy said:
You know me, the whole trip was about being in a Mustang. If I was doing the trip again, I wouldn't be quite as bothered - but I had to do it in a Mustang.

I don't actually know anything about the Camaro, nor am I interested in the car at all (where I am massively about the Mustang). The 2014 Mustang is a lot different to mine, so it would be like hiring an F10 when you still had your e39.

I guess the Camaro is quicker and better?
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It's nothing like that at all. It would have been like hiring a face lift version because that's all it is, it's the same car as yours really despite cosmetic tinkering.

E39 to F10 was a change of two generations of car!
 
[TW]Fox;26860099 said:
It's nothing like that at all. It would have been like hiring a face lift version because that's all it is, it's the same car as yours really despite cosmetic tinkering.

E39 to F10 was a change of two generations of car!
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I might be wrong but the S197 has had a few facelifts, a 2014 is a fair few versions newer than my car.

It certainly felt like a completely different car.

Either way, any car bar a Mustang would have been a disappointment to me. If I do a similar trip next year and get given something else I won't be as bothered.
 
It's still the same platform though, wonder what the lot attendant thought when you turned the Camaro down :p

In another note despite being very good in most other ways is ATS has a terrible engine note. It's probably best described as... Some noise. I know a 4 cylinder engine is never going to sound great but I honestly think my 530d sounds more pleasing..
 
Peerzy said:
For anyone thinking of doing the CA road trip, do it.


I've got tons more better photos that I've still got to sort through.
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Great pics.. Thing is, pics never do the amazing scenery ever any justice ! No matter how many amazing scenery pics i take, they never capture the 'real' awe you get when you look out at a place like where you've just been.
 
Leaving on Thurs. Getting a little apprehensive that we might not go the most scenic routes. I guess TomTom will let me choose Scenic :)
 
Not sure if it's been mentioned but if you're going from Laguna Beach down to SD I'd try and get off the 5 at some point - it's a pretty dull freeway but about 200yds west on PCH there are absolutely stunning beaches and cool little surf towns that you'd otherwise drive straight by.

If I was in no rush I'd come off the 5 at Encinitas (one of my fave small surf towns) and then take PCH the rest of the way to SD, you get to drive through Torrey Pines as well which again is much more scenic that way.

I fly back on Wednesday \o/
 
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We were going to take the PCH 1 all the way down to Laguna Beach, then the 5 to SD as it's only an hour or so. Thanks for the heads though, we'll look at it.
 
Django x2 said:
Leaving on Thurs. Getting a little apprehensive that we might not go the most scenic routes. I guess TomTom will let me choose Scenic :)
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I had to constantly fight with Google Maps for it to navigate me the way I wanted to go, I would plan your route before flying out and know the main turnings so you can ignore the sat nav and let it just recalculate for you.
 
Hello!

I am planning a 3 month trip with friends, very early stages and I will be reading this thread at length.

Quick question, does anybody have any advice or suggestions for renting a car from New York area and finishing on the other side in San Francisco? I checked out AVIS as a guide and a premium SUV was £11,000 including taxes and one way charges (which were half the cost...). Are we better doing smaller 1 month stints from say New York to Miami, then getting another car for the middle, then another for the west coast to avoid the one way charges or am I going about this all wrong?

Cheers!
 
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