West Coast USA Car Hire

[vanilla8]

We would like some advice.
We have booked our flights going to SFO and returning from LAX.

We are planning on spending the first 4 nights in San Francisco, then move on.
What do people recommend for car hire, shall we pick one up when we land, or wait untill we leave San Francisco?

[Pedro]

We did same trip in August. My advice is pick up car the day you leave San Francisco. You don't need one to get around the city or surrounding areas and will also have to pay for parking on top of rental costs.

Peter

[Heather1957]

We did same trip in August. My advice is pick up car the day you leave San Francisco. You don't need one to get around the city or surrounding areas and will also have to pay for parking on top of rental costs.

Peter

Totally agree - the sightseeing and shopping in San Fran can be done without a car so I wouldn't bother renting one until you leave - oh and I'd also recommend getting a GPS, we found it invaluable when driving the West Coast last year. :)

[vanilla8]

Thanks, shall we pick one up from the offices in the city or go back to the airport? We are dreaming of a mustang or similar convertable so may be limited by the rental locations downtown?

[nix75uk]

If you pre book the car brfore you go, you can specify that you want to pick it up from a down town location and what type of car you want. That way, if they ain't got what you want when you arrive its THEIR problem and they can sort out.

Last time I was in SF, me & a friend hired a car on-spec to go to Napa Valley for the day and there was a couple waiting for a specific car type to be delivered from the airport. It was with Dollar on 'O Farrell street, who weren't being totally inefficient , the couple were just very early! :grin:

[vanilla8]

Thanks! Had a quick scan and Hertz seem to come out cheapest. Will decide which hotel and then book a hertz car from the nearest town loaction to our hotel

[BUD62]

Try using www.airline-network.co.uk I have booked a car from them for September and they are working out the cheapest. The car is a Sebring Convertable from Dollar who give you a free one way option.