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car hire....

mondmond Member Posts: 6,458
edited June 2008 in General Discussion
hi
i am looking into doing the usa trip next year, so im working on a 30 day road trip west to east.. here & there.

all the car hire companies i contact , say i can hire the car state to state, but i cannot find one that does 'company to company'(pick up here /leave there) without a massive charge, they say if i leave the car in another state, i pay a penalty..they further it is the bigger the cost..it works out at $2000 west to east [V]..any suggestions

thanks[:)]

Comments

  • slipgateslipgate Member Posts: 12,741
    edited November -1
    Drop off charges are often more than returning the car. I'm not sure what you could do. With the price of gas, it might be cheaper to fly to each major city on your route, rent a car and drive around, then fly to the next one.

    Or....Buy a car from Carmax, you have 30 days to return it, then return it on the east coast! [}:)]

    If you get to Washington DC - look me up! I'm about 5 miles outside the city.
  • mondmond Member Posts: 6,458
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by slipgate
    Drop off charges are often more than returning the car. I'm not sure what you could do. With the price of gas, it might be cheaper to fly to each major city on your route, rent a car and drive around, then fly to the next one.

    Or....Buy a car from Carmax, you have 30 days to return it, then return it on the east coast! [}:)]

    If you get to Washington DC - look me up! I'm about 5 miles outside the city.




    thanks ,i shall.., im open to all options, just need a reliable car to 'leave' at a reasonable cost [^]
  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Drop off charges ARE high. Not $2k, but high. Wih the price of gas, and America IS a very wide country, as suggested, you may want to look at cheaper air travel within the US- Air Tran, SouthWest Airlines, and Jet Blue are 3 cheepies that spring to mind- or look at a railpass on Amtrak.
  • mondmond Member Posts: 6,458
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 11b6r
    Drop off charges ARE high. Not $2k, but high. Wih the price of gas, and America IS a very wide country, as suggested, you may want to look at cheaper air travel within the US- Air Tran, SouthWest Airlines, and Jet Blue are 3 cheepies that spring to mind- or look at a railpass on Amtrak.


    gotta be with car/4x4/camper..i wanna see the landscapes, animals & strange lil' places around,& its folk.. all part of the adventure....dig deep , suggestions pls..[;)]
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:or look at a railpass on Amtrak.


    Heard of guys doing that to get to Sturgis with their Bikes. Ride there in style and then offload the Bikes. Time to leave load up the bikes again and head home. Don't see why it couldn't be done with an ATV.
  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mond- send me an email, will send you some tourist info. Brochures, maps, etc. Here in the states, good beer IS available- you just have to look for it, good tea is a rarity. If you make it to Washington DC, the National Rifle Assoc has its HQ and museum a few miles South in Fairfax VA. Traffic sux in the whole area, but worth a visit.
  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    I don't have any car hire suggestions, but you know the door is open should you want to see the international headquarters of Cabela's or do some prairie dog hunting.
  • elkoholicelkoholic Member Posts: 5,130
    edited November -1
    If you want a short backpack trip or just a scouting trip to find an elk you are more than welcome here in SW Colorado.
  • Da-TankDa-Tank Member Posts: 3,718 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Depends where your fling into. Most large airports rent BMW's or Harleys. A little searching will bring up all the KOAs with cabin rental. I biked the whole west for 16 mo.s KOA is good, showers,pools,and close resturants. Most close to attractions.
    Come through New Orleans go north to Natches and ge4t on the Trace.
    A two lane road with NO commercial traffic and a leasure 55mph speed limit. There is a break in Jackson then back on the road to Nashville,Tn. If you need more info give a howler.
  • iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Make sure you bring Binoculars so you can see the "lopes" out west.
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you have not been here before Mond you are not prepared for how large the US is. While you can drive from Cornwall to Hadrians Wall in a day, that trip will not get you from the top to the bottom of New Mexico. To get to any major City from where I live is a trip of 450 miles, Cornwall to Hadrians Wall right?

    I can drive to Los Angeles in a day. An ll hour day. I can drive to Dallas, Texas in a day. A 13 hour day. Los Angeles to St. Louis is 27 hours non-stop driving. Good thing you have 30 days! The Germans often come for 6 months.
  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,535 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Get a big gas guzzling SUV since gas is cheaper here than where you are...[:D]
  • mondmond Member Posts: 6,458
    edited November -1
    i drive to italy & back , thru switzerland, to see family ,a 3100 mile trip once ,twice a year, takes 3 days either way , nice & steady .. way i see it 'west to east' USA is approx 3500 miles, so 4/5 weeks chillin & drivin , wont be too hard..
    thing is which route & why ?? thanks

    greatnorthern.gif

    southermpasific.gif

    route666.gif

    oregontrail.gif

    lonleyrd.gif
  • OdawgpOdawgp Member Posts: 5,380 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mond
    quote:Originally posted by 11b6r
    Drop off charges ARE high. Not $2k, but high. Wih the price of gas, and America IS a very wide country, as suggested, you may want to look at cheaper air travel within the US- Air Tran, SouthWest Airlines, and Jet Blue are 3 cheepies that spring to mind- or look at a railpass on Amtrak.


    gotta be with car/4x4/camper..i wanna see the landscapes, animals & strange lil' places around,& its folk.. all part of the adventure....dig deep , suggestions pls..[;)]


    big and deep means the grand canyon, royal gorge, and the black canyon of the gunnison (world class fishing too)
  • River RatRiver Rat Member Posts: 9,022
    edited November -1
    Depends on what you want to see. But I'd eliminate the northernmost rout as wello as the southernmost. If I was to cross the country as a tourist, I'd take a middle route such as I-70 through Kansas and Colorado.

    Then again, personally, I prefer two-track highways to interstates. For the same reasons Da-tank mentioned.

    Pick your destinations, and the route will fall into place.
  • OdawgpOdawgp Member Posts: 5,380 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mond
    i drive to italy & back , thru switzerland, to see family ,a 3100 mile trip once ,twice a year, takes 3 days either way , nice & steady .. way i see it 'west to east' USA is approx 3500 miles, so 4/5 weeks chillin & drivin , wont be too hard..
    thing is which route & why ?? thanks

    greatnorthern.gif

    southermpasific.gif

    route666.gif

    oregontrail.gif

    lonleyrd.gif


    if you should choose the later I live in the middle of the rockies 20 miles from the continental divide, west of pueblo co 165 miles. you can hit the royal gorge (highest cable suspension bridge in north America) and the black canyon second deepest canyon in the states on your way though gunnison not to mention some of the most breath taking views from 12600 ft on up to 14,000 if you are a hiker
  • moonshinemoonshine Member Posts: 8,471
    edited November -1
    you might try the trains and rent car where you need to.
  • elkoholicelkoholic Member Posts: 5,130
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mond
    thing is which route & why ??






    lonleyrd2tw9.gif

    [:D]
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:thing is which route & why ??


    OK you are ahead of most. What do you want to see? That will determine your route. Probably a mix of interstate and two lane "blue" highways (marked on the maps in blue ink). Tell me what you want to see and I will map a route, unless the list is mostly blondes and brunettes. [}:)]
  • mondmond Member Posts: 6,458
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    quote:thing is which route & why ??


    OK you are ahead of most. What do you want to see? That will determine your route. Probably a mix of interstate and two lane "blue" highways (marked on the maps in blue ink). Tell me what you want to see and I will map a route, unless the list is mostly blondes and brunettes. [}:)]


    e mail on its way..cheer [:)]
  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998
    edited November -1
    The LA to Chicago route is the Storied Route 66, and is not on the sterile boring Interstate. It still leaves you more to explore on your way to the East Coast.

    I've lived in three places on the old road.

    You should then hook South to Panama City Florida (Or New Orleans), and then go to Cape Canaveral, and then go slowly North on Route 1.

    All of that together would be an EPIC trip.
  • zipperzapzipperzap Member Posts: 25,057
    edited November -1
    Drop me a line - I've been all over this country, starting in the 1950s, with my father. I can't tell you (because I've lost count) of the number of road trips I've/we've taken to every state in the Union - except for N. Dakota ... stood on it's southern border a couple of times but couldn't think of a single reason to drive up to Fargo.

    ... I'd spend the majority of my time ... limited to 30 days ... on the Eastern Seaboard and in the (far) Western states. There isn't much of interest in between.

    ... if you get down here, I'll take you for that tour I promised.
  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,242 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    mond, something to think about, I think it was Spurgemaster said some Germans who were traveling bought a car off him and just sold it when they were done.
  • pitjeeppitjeep Member Posts: 475 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
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