Modern hire car horrors

[Hanuman]

Originally Posted by F6RTY

That looks similar to the one I had a play with in Texas. Mine came with a salesman in the right seat, though.



(And he was a bit of a nag)

[leggy]

Originally Posted by F6RTY

Hired this out of LAX on Friday. Today, just outside of Las Vegas after driving through Red Rock Canyon it packed up. Got recovered to McCarran Airport where thankfully they keep Hertz 'Adrenaline Collection' cars and they issued me with another. The truck took an hour and a half to arrive and he got lost finding the rentals place but Hertz were on the ball and I was away in no time. I'd spotted a few Penske Racing Mustangs just in case they were out of Challengers!

These cars do go quite well! 5.7 litre Hemi and 375hp.

Alan

Credit to you for the photography skills in that first piccy F6RTY, backdrop goes well with the R/T. Sorry to hear of the inconveniences caused though, hopefully the exchange will be little kinder to you during the rest of your stay.

Originally Posted by John.

Didn't you want an Avensis?!

[F6RTY]

^^^^ So far it's been okay and seemingly better on fuel but then again we've spent more time on Interstates and big Highway type roads. The first one was used in Los Angeles and Las Vegas quite a bit.

If anything happens to this one I'm stuffed as only a select few Hertz places keep them.

Alan

[leggy]

Stuffed???
Personally, I’d much rather be given the choice of a car lot full of corvettes, mustangs, cheviz, dodges, buicks, or anything else for that matter commonly associated with the states (providing that the seats were comfy of course!) than anything that my UK hire car company has been able to offer me.
I seriously hope that you don’t find yourself in the same situation again, but if you do, well, you could always hire an Avensis from the company that I used, they have branches over there too you know!
In any case, please keep us updated on your trip, I for one would love to see some more photo’s from you.

[F6RTY]

Originally Posted by leggy

In any case, please keep us updated on your trip, I for one would love to see some more photo’s from you.

Off topic I know but in some form of nutshell here's what we've done:

A380 to LAX, stayed in Santa Monica for 3 nights doing the pier each night as my daughter Emily really likes it. Went to a viewpoint very close to the Hollywood sign so she could do selfies and then into Hollywood itself to do the Walk of Fame. Piece of advise to anyone wanting to go there: don't bother, it's very tacky!
Next day something for me. Visited the USS Iowa battleship museum near Long Beach, then back to Santa Monica for shopping in the amazing pedestrianised area.
Then it was up to Barstow doing some old sections of Route 66. Next day on to Las Vegas for two nights visiting the Shelby American Museum and Auto Collection in the Linq Hotel. As a Mustang owner, the Shelby Museum caused some drooling!
Then after the farce with the R/T it was on to Lake Havasu City. Loads of old motors there just driving around. Camaro SS's, '50's Corvettes, later Stingrays, early Mustangs and some Hot Rods.
Today we left for Williams and took in a section of old '66 at Seligman to eat at the Snow Cap Diner, one of more famous places on the old road. We will be doing this road again on our return to LA at the end of next week.
Tomorrow it's the train to Grand Canyon!

Photos:

























Alan

[Hanuman]

Just gotta love those Iowa class battleships. If I ever get down to Hawaii, I'll take a look at Missouri.

[leggy]

Originally Posted by F6RTY

Off topic I know but in some form of nutshell here's what we've done:

A380 to LAX, stayed in Santa Monica for 3 nights doing the pier each night as my daughter Emily really likes it. Went to a viewpoint very close to the Hollywood sign so she could do selfies and then into Hollywood itself to do the Walk of Fame. Piece of advise to anyone wanting to go there: don't bother, it's very tacky!
Next day something for me. Visited the USS Iowa battleship museum near Long Beach, then back to Santa Monica for shopping in the amazing pedestrianised area.
Then it was up to Barstow doing some old sections of Route 66. Next day on to Las Vegas for two nights visiting the Shelby American Museum and Auto Collection in the Linq Hotel. As a Mustang owner, the Shelby Museum caused some drooling!
Then after the farce with the R/T it was on to Lake Havasu City. Loads of old motors there just driving around. Camaro SS's, '50's Corvettes, later Stingrays, early Mustangs and some Hot Rods.
Today we left for Williams and took in a section of old '66 at Seligman to eat at the Snow Cap Diner, one of more famous places on the old road. We will be doing this road again on our return to LA at the end of next week.
Tomorrow it's the train to Grand Canyon!
Alan

Not off topic at all F6RTY, you're doing all of this in a hire car, right?
Certainly sounds like one hell of a well planned and packed out adventure, plenty of miles covered that's for sure! Loving the photo's too, the battleship one has made me want to watch the film (with the same name) again now. Just one further request though please, can we have some 50's Corvette and Hot Rod photo's with your next installment please?

[F6RTY]

No hot rods today, just hot trains! Went to Grand Canyon on an eco-friendly steam loco. Runs on bio-diesel I think. Here's a couple of piccys:





Monument Valley tomorrow!

Alan

[leggy]

Thanks F6RTY

[vorsprung durch technik]

This thread is getting exciting now leggy.