Just for Fun First Hire Cars Hopefully with Pictures

w513mfs · 2 Aug 19, 11:23 AM

Was inspired to start this thread by a picture i saw mick upload.

So for a bit of fun what was your first Florida hire car and what sticks out about it?

For me and my wife it was (First hire car as adults) The fabulous Chevrolet Cavalier economy size.

It was a dog of a car, was pretty old as they were starting to be replaced by the Cobalt. It had the four speed auto which was dog.

But looking back we thought it was the dogs. We seriously hammered some miles on it as well. Orlando to Miami and back also Daytona and cocoa beach. I remember the guy in the parking lot at Alamo Sanford (Roderick) offering us a cobalt as it was newer but it had three doors and this was the time you could take 2x 23kg per person so we needed 4 doors for the suitcases.

The thing that sticks out the most was my wife had to do all the driving as i hadn't had my licence for a year when we went (I did have a cheeky drive on last day). She did amazing being this was her first time to the states. We had no sat nav, no smart phone just the free rental map. We also had printed out AA directions from airport to first hotel. We made a wrong turning out of the airport and they were useless after that.

The thing which stood out about the car was the awful transmission and how many cup holders it had.

Mr Tom Morrow · 2 Aug 19, 04:05 PM

Mmm. I didn't take pictures of my rentals until I joined the Dibb and spotted the Sticky for pictures.

However this is my 1976 rental. Hope this is ok.

Followed by the 1977 rental.

Quite small doors as we can see.

Oh, and back then you did have to have an International Driving Permit.
To get a reservation you would ring Avis USA from the UK and they would book the car for you and send a Telex to the depot you were collecting from.

voicon · 2 Aug 19, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Mmm. I didn't take pictures of my rentals until I joined the Dibb and spotted the Sticky for pictures.

However this is my 1976 rental. Hope this is ok.

Followed by the 1977 rental.

Quite small doors as we can see.

Oh, and back then you did have to have an International Driving Permit.
To get a reservation you would ring Avis USA from the UK and they would book the car for you and send a Telex to the depot you were collecting from.

Arent they photos from starsky and hutch just made to look old?

DanLees · 2 Aug 19, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Mmm. I didn't take pictures of my rentals until I joined the Dibb and spotted the Sticky for pictures.

However this is my 1976 rental. Hope this is ok.

Followed by the 1977 rental.

Quite small doors as we can see.

Oh, and back then you did have to have an International Driving Permit.
To get a reservation you would ring Avis USA from the UK and they would book the car for you and send a Telex to the depot you were collecting from.

Proper cars!

**mick** · 2 Aug 19, 04:38 PM

I'm truly honoured after 15 years on here for inspiring a new thread.

Can't go back as far as Mr Morrow but this was our white Buick Skylark parked at Fantasy World villas on our first trip in 1990.

Only stayed a week then drove over to Indian Shores for a week

I did mention on the earlier post that the OP refers to about the strange safety belts that were attached to the car door and closed over you as you shut the door.

Mick

w513mfs · 2 Aug 19, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Mmm. I didn't take pictures of my rentals until I joined the Dibb and spotted the Sticky for pictures.

However this is my 1976 rental. Hope this is ok.

Followed by the 1977 rental.

Quite small doors as we can see.

Oh, and back then you did have to have an International Driving Permit.
To get a reservation you would ring Avis USA from the UK and they would book the car for you and send a Telex to the depot you were collecting from.

That is truly awesome could you get any more of an american car.

w513mfs · 2 Aug 19, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by mick

I'm truly honoured after 15 years on here for inspiring a new thread.

Can't go back as far as Mr Morrow but this was our white Buick Skylark parked at Fantasy World villas on our first trip in 1990.

Only stayed a week then drove over to Indian Shores for a week

I did mention on the earlier post that the OP refers to about the strange safety belts that were attached to the car door and closed over you as you shut the door.

Mick

We had something like this when i was a kid with the seat belt that moved when you turned of the ignition.

Mr Tom Morrow · 2 Aug 19, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by w513mfs

That is truly awesome could you get any more of an american car.

I drove over 3000 Miles in the white Monte Carlo. Nice V8 and drunk fuel like there was no tomorrow!

Nobody knew where I was for 4 weeks either. Jump on a plane, grab a car in NY and head out. Bliss.

I paid more for a BA flight then than people pay for a BA Econ flight to Orlando now.

Sneezy · 3 Aug 19, 10:17 AM

Its not a great picture and I was really disappointed to get a Jap car in 1986, but still had a great time and made me want to keep going back

had quite a few bigger American motors since then

Its the brown one with the door open

Lisbon · 3 Aug 19, 05:00 PM

I would have to hunt for a photo but we actually done a video tour of our 1st car 27 years ago, especially because it had air-con which we hadn't seen in the UK then, strange I still seem to think that was the best air-con I have ever had
Also remember at the Virgin meeting the next day to buy tickets etc they asked the room who had got lost from the airport and we were the only couple who hadn't got lost
Rob

2 Aug 19, 04:05 PM	#2
	2 Aug 19, 04:05 PM Mr Tom Morrow Imagineer
Mr Tom Morrow Imagineer Join Date: Jul 14 Location: The Tiki Room. theDIBB Guidebook Pages Created: 3	Mmm. I didn't take pictures of my rentals until I joined the Dibb and spotted the Sticky for pictures. However this is my 1976 rental. Hope this is ok. Followed by the 1977 rental. Quite small doors as we can see. Oh, and back then you did have to have an International Driving Permit. To get a reservation you would ring Avis USA from the UK and they would book the car for you and send a Telex to the depot you were collecting from. __________________ "PAGING MR MORROW, MR TOM MORROW..." ''I drink Wine and know things'' DVC Owners at SSR since 2003. Multiple annual visits to America since 1976

2 Aug 19, 04:38 PM	#5
	2 Aug 19, 04:38 PM mick VIP Dibber ✓Premium Member
mick VIP Dibber Join Date: Apr 04 Location: Rugby mick's Reviews Hotel Reviews: 1	I'm truly honoured after 15 years on here for inspiring a new thread. Can't go back as far as Mr Morrow but this was our white Buick Skylark parked at Fantasy World villas on our first trip in 1990. Only stayed a week then drove over to Indian Shores for a week I did mention on the earlier post that the OP refers to about the strange safety belts that were attached to the car door and closed over you as you shut the door. Mick __________________ Edited at 05:11 PM.

3 Aug 19, 05:00 PM	#10
	3 Aug 19, 05:00 PM Lisbon Imagineer
Lisbon Imagineer Join Date: Jul 10 theDIBB Guidebook Pages Created: 1	I would have to hunt for a photo but we actually done a video tour of our 1st car 27 years ago, especially because it had air-con which we hadn't seen in the UK then, strange I still seem to think that was the best air-con I have ever had Also remember at the Virgin meeting the next day to buy tickets etc they asked the room who had got lost from the airport and we were the only couple who hadn't got lost Rob