Observations:
1) When I hire a car in France, using Europcar, and choosing the cheapest category, I always seem to get a Renault Clio. (When I use Budget, it is a lot more unpredictable.)
2) I recently hired a car at a UK airport - Europcar, cheapest category - and got a Peugeot 308 (an upgrade!). There seemed to be rather a lot of Peugeots at Europcar at that airport.
3) It often seems to me that in this country, each year one or two models will be particularly popular with rental firms, probably because the special deals from the manufacturers.
Questions:
1) Am I right in suspecting that there are rather a lot of rental Peugeots in the UK this year?
2) I'm going to be hiring a car at a German airport next month. If I choose the cheapest available car from a major rental firm like Europcar or Budget, what am I likely to get?
(C'mon everyone - let's have your predictions!)
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I rent cars in Italy reasonably often. Usually through Hertz. I normally just ask for the cheapest one they have. The last four occasions they have all been different. A Fiesta diesel, a Lancia Ypsilon petrol, a Peugeot 206 petrol and an Opel Corsa petrol.
Quite liked the wee Lancia as an aside. Bit kitsch but typically latin and willing.
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Hertz in Germany seem to have done a fleet deal with Opel and have a lot of Mervias which are sensible as they can take 4 passengers AND all their luggage - something a hatchback can't. I had a Kangoo in France too, cheap and cheerful and loads of carrying space
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I recently asked for the cheapest car they had at Hertz in Reykjavik and received an almost new (3000 km) 1.4 Polo. Was pleasantly surprised!
Edited by james86 on 10/09/2008 at 12:48
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The last two times I've rented in France I got a Peugeot 307 and a Polo, both diesel.
The (brand new) Peugeot had possibly the worst gear change I've ever encountered on any car; you needed to double declutch on practically every change. I assume this isn't a normal feature of the 307.
The Polo was Ok for a diesel, but I never get on with diesels, the power delivery just feels all wrong, and they sound like a bag of spanners when idling.
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I used to go to Dussledorf, Cologne and Munich often. The former because there were more flights there than Cologne at the time, Cologne (Koln) being the destination. I would always get a Corsa 1.2 or 1.4, it would happily cover the 30 to 40 miles or so at around around 130 - 150 kph and cost me less than a return taxi!
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I once booked a car with Hertz out of Dortmund Airport. Being stingy I had booked their cheapest option and expected a VW Lupo or similar. Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the desk and all they could offer me was a Merc C Class estate, which they of course had to let me have at the Lupo/Ka/Indesit Moon rate. Woo and very much Hoo.
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A colleague and I booked a basic car in Antwerp once and were given a 530i.
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That must be a record Cheddar! Well done! Years ago I booked a 'cheapest' car and got one - an old model Twingo!
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My all time best rental car upgrade was booking a Golf at Dusseldorf airport and getting a Mercedes S350L.
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Booking a bicycle and getting a Ferrari is all very well, but the petrol costs can be a bit of a shocker!
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On the upgrade theme, a Scandinavian based colleague (who is very slight in stature!) booked a Focus sized car at Heathrow and was given a Mercedes GL!! He looked ridiculous driving it - with the seat about as high up and forward as it would go.
The car had a nasty scuff/scrape/dent down most of one side, and we reckon the car hire people had probably done it and then given the car out to the next person who had all the insurance waivers in place.
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And for those of you who want to try to guess the answer to my second question, here are some pointers.
I've booked the cheapest available car from Hertz (through AutoEurope), and the airport is Munich.
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>>we reckon the car hire people had probably done it and then given the car out to the next person who had all the insurance waivers in place.
Probably the first FOREIGNER, as otherwise it might end up showing up on the insurance database.
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I booked a Hyundai Accent in Spain once (it was the cheapest 'family' car!). I picked it up in the dark and the following morning found it had two almost bald tyres on the rear.
Took it straight back and kicked up a stink and got a nearly new Mercedes A Class with a free tank of fuel.
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I always get an excited hopeful feeling as they hand over the keys... but sadly I have never got an upgrade.
We too had a Lancia Ypsilon in Italy this year - and after the initial disapointment that it wasn't an Alfa had worn off (and after we got used to the 'quirky' retro/modern styling) it really grew on us.
My scanning of the hire car area at Milan Malpensa suggest that Lancia and Fiat make up the bulk in Italy with significant numbers of Alfas and Ford Focus also present.
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And the answer to the question . . .
. . . which was - what am I likely to get from Hertz at Munich Airport if I book the cheapest car ('VW Fox or similar')?
Well, it wasn't anything that has been named in this thread.
In fact, rather to my surprise, I was offered a choice by the lady at the desk, as she produced two keys. I could have a Fiat Panda or a Peugeot 107.
Ah well, you get what you pay for. Maybe they are concerned about small car enthusiasts who get irate if given a Golf or something like that.
I took the Panda, by the way. I reckoned it might be a bit roomier.
What would others have taken?
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I've driven a Panda so I'd have taken the Peugeot. I'd have expected that to be a bit roomier in width judging from the outside.
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