Car hire in the US

[alextiefling]

Three friends and I are visiting the US next month for a friend's wedding. As part of our visit, we're going to be driving from Minneapolis to Boston, with a stop in Chicago. We've got most of the details for the overall trip worked out, but we're just at the point of fixing up the car hire

Comments

[catyak]

We've used Hertz both for a Boston-San Franciso trip and a Seattle-Los Angeles trip.

If you use Hertz, sign up for their free #1 Club because you get a discount and you don't need to queue at the main desk to collect the car.

D

[alextiefling]

Thanks!

Singles = dollar bills, yes?

How much are the tolls, roughly?

[emmala]

you can skip I-90 in Ma--which stops being breath taking after springfield (the intersection with I-91) by taking either state rt 9 (southern part of the state) or rt 2 (nothern and the one i'm more partial too) they go a bit slower 60 mph not 80mph but are nicer and toll free. rt 2 will drop you off in cambridge, if your final destination in in the northern suburbs or cambridge, somerville, or boston proper it's worth it. if it's southern suburbs then take 9.

[apel]

In addition, young drivers (under 25) is even more expensive or simply not allowed. Think carefully about who will really drive.

[winterbadger]

estates (wagons) just aren't very popular over here. People who want a bigger car tend to go for an SUV or minivan (people carrier). This is true, and is one of the weirder cultural changes I have seen (I think) in the US in my lifetime. Once the minivan came along, station wagons (a staple of middle-class family life) almost disappeared overnight. Then SUVs came along and seem to have split the "family" market with minvans. The car companies did a really impressive job of advertising, since station wagons are immeasurably safer, more versatile, and more fuel efficient than either SUVs or minivans

[eastertheatre]

Be aware that whatever the price they quote you, it will end up costing you significantly more than that. There are taxes and various fees, and if you choose to get the insurance (I would) that adds to the cost, too. They don't include all of that in the initial quoted price, generally. It may be different if you're booking it online, but just be aware of that.

[candlelight1228]

I have most recently used Hertz and Budget and had good experiences with both. Hertz (because of the hour... 1 am) gave me a free upgrade when I used them and I got a Toyota Rav for the price of economy. That was pretty awesome.