I am thinking about trying to get a GTI or something. Any of you guys have some tips for me? I can't find anyone renting a manual. Sad. A Mustang would be fun, but it is a little expensive.
I am thinking about trying to get a GTI or something. Any of you guys have some tips for me? I can't find anyone renting a manual. Sad. A Mustang would be fun, but it is a little expensive.
Never encountered any of the non-exotic car rental places renting anything with a manual.
Been on the PCH with a Shelby Mustang when Hertz was renting them in the mid-2000s, that was a lot of fun.
There are a number of places near downtown that rent exotics (search google for "los angeles exotic car rental"). Maybe call them and see if they know who rents something a bit less "exotic". Of spend the big bucks with them! Some of them rent classics also.
Why don't they rent miatas!
We did a C6 convertible last summer. Was perfectly acceptable. Fun, fast, and drop top. Only 2 days however. Cost more than the Kia Forte did over the previous 8! Would do it again. From Carmel to Sonoma, in and around San Francisco and Oakland.
I attempted to rent something fun last year for the same purpose, but the cost is really high due to mileage limits. A few of the big players have exotic rentals out of LAX, and Hertz had an "upscale" location in Malibu.
I've had good success reserving the cheapest car offered and then paying the upgrade to get a Mustang when I arrive at the rental agency. Seems much cheaper than paying for a Mustang in advance. I've done this several times through Budget. Not that the rental car V6 Mustangs are really anything special, but much better than 95% of rentals.
I don't think anybody rents manuals.
Do a Top Gear and fly in, buy a beater Miata, do the drive and sell it at the end.
And traveling north the coast highway just gets good above Big Sur. If you're doing it that far might as well keep going up to San Francisco.
Really, the only way you will guarantee anything fun is to reserve it. Occasionally if you travel enough, you can get an upgrade to something special but its really rare. It's only happened to me twice. Once with Hertz at SFO. I rented the mustang GT. Got there and there was a not a mustang in my stall. I bitched because I specifically wanted a mustang for the trip and got one of those special Penske Hertz editions they had.
The second time would be flying into Vegas. I was bumped from my flight and got in late. They gave me a corvette convertible for the weekend. Mind you, it was my 75th rental that year and it was only August.
KyAllroad wrote: Do a Top Gear and fly in, buy a beater Miata, do the drive and sell it at the end. And traveling north the coast highway just gets good above Big Sur. If you're doing it that far might as well keep going up to San Francisco.
I imagine any rental for the trip up the PCH is probably going to be expensive enough to make this feasible. I'd be willing to help sell the vehicle if you were planning on making it as far north as Tacoma. No charge!
edit: just looked at prices of cars in LA. They're kind of expensive (figure 2-grand for a 1990 Miata, or an RX-7 that'll make it. Both have salvage titles)
Still, the offer's on the table
It was on the big island of Hawaii that I was looking to rent a first gen Corvette ZR1 ($400/day). Apparently I answered one of their questions wrong because it suddenly went from "yes we have one" to "sorry, not available." Oh well, went and built myself something faster 
Just make sure you have good insurance. I was going to take the rental car I had down the PCH till I got rear ended by some jack hole with state minimum insurance, which is a ridiculous $5000 in Cali. Needless to say I didn't make it to the PCH and had a terrible headache for the rest of the trip, then ended up having to pay loss of use on the car thanks to his $5000 not covering the car he pushed me into along with my rental. berkeley Cali.
No affiliation, I have never tried this yet. But I have to sell my second car someday I plan on picking an choosing from the cars here:
https://relayrides.com/
It appears to be mostly people who rent out their cars when not using them. Lots of fun choices w/manuals at decent prices in NorCal - GTIs to Boxters - to big $$$,
If it's someplace where a convertible would be nice I generally rent a Mustang/Camaro 'vert from Alamo. They've only got those for 'verts; no Chrysler, no Mitsubishi. The Camaro has paddle shifters, a manual mode and the TC can be turned off. Mustangs turn better.
Where are you going to from? How much stuff do you need to carry? Whats your tolerance level for noise/etc. yeah in Cali we have mandatory uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. So I never considered what happens to someone who comes here, rents a car and uses "their" insurance
Sf hertz has p cars: 911's, boxsters, other fun stuff... Monterey airport had a bunch of vettes.
Back in 06 I did the PCH in a rented Miata (NB) with an honest-to-goodness manual transmission from City Rent a Car out of San Francisco.
http://cityrentacar.com/fleet-convertibles-fun-cars.html
That shows that they still have one. I can't help you coming from LA.
GTwannaB wrote: No affiliation, I have never tried this yet. But I have to sell my second car someday I plan on picking an choosing from the cars here: https://relayrides.com/ It appears to be mostly people who rent out their cars when not using them. Lots of fun choices w/manuals at decent prices in NorCal - GTIs to Boxters - to big $$$,
I just looked at this as I'd never heard of it before. What a scary idea!! Seriously, I've rented cars before and puting my own ride out there for people to flog for a few bucks a day!!! Madness.
You may try Silvercar. At least there you get an Audi A4 which is a lot better than most of the rental sludge that you can get.
It was said on here a couple months ago that Enterprise i think, has a few Fiesta STs in their fleet.
I JUST did PCH through Big Sur. Brand new '15 Mustang convertibles were the single most common car in Big Sur, about 1 in 5.
I vote you try to get something more interesting than that. Mustangs got really boring, really fast. Also, in Big Sur, at least, there's nowhere for you to use that much car.
Mini Cooper?
JohnInKansas wrote: I JUST did PCH through Big Sur. Brand new '15 Mustang convertibles were the single most common car in Big Sur, about 1 in 5. I vote you try to get something more interesting than that. Mustangs got really boring, really fast. Also, in Big Sur, at least, there's nowhere for you to use that much car. Mini Cooper?
Yes I was looking at the Mini. It seems the most fun along with Mustang. But I hate looking like every 5th car. I am stuck in LA for 3 days I may just rent the cheapest crap for the 3 days and swap cars for the drive to San Francisco. All you guys had some great ideas. Thanks
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