Car Rental USA - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

cattlikewoah · 10-30-2007, 05:48 PM

Hey Guys,
I'm thinking of hiring a car for my Canada/USA trip next April.

I was thinking of either:
Hiring a car and driving from Toronto to Austin TX (stopping off everywhere in between).

Is there a way you could hire a car from Canada and drop it off in USA? (Any companies to recommend?)

Also thinking of hiring from Las Vegas and drop off point in San Francisco...

I've also read (last time I was there) that some cities do this thing where you can just pick up a car from a certain point and help "move it along" to its destination or something... I forget what it was, what the company was.. I think it was in New York or San Fran that I saw the adverts or read the article. My friend heard the same thing - any ideas on what that is?

Thanks!

Steph

**TheJake** · 10-30-2007, 05:57 PM

long distance car rentals can get expensive but any of the major ones let you do it. Alamo, Hertz, Budget, Enterprise.

Sometimes you can find people looking for someone to drive their car from one city to another on craigslist. They often pay gas plus a lil extra too.

**maracle** · 10-30-2007, 06:11 PM

Car rental is definitely an option. Local rentals can be quite cheap ($20 a day) but you'll probably pay a premium to drop it off in a different city.

I'm not sure it will be possible to do a rental that you drop off in a different country though. Its usually fine to cross the border between Canada and the US in a rental (but NOT into mexico if you're in the US), but I don't know if you can drop it off there. Still, most of the rental companys operate in both countries so you could contact them and ask. I'd just check what rental agencies exist at the airport in Toronto and then check the airport in Austin. Once you've got a common list start making calls.

If you can't do international, you could do 2 rentals and take a bus across the border. There's a bus operated by the company that owns the tunnel between Detroit and Windsor that should work out for this. You can drive from Toronto to Windsor, then rent another car in Detroit for the rest of your trip. Opening day for baseball should be in April, you might be able to catch a game in Detroit while you're there.

One thing to keep in mind on car rentals is that you generally need to be 21 to rent a car in the US (I don't know about canada). And if you're under 25 there will be a daily surcharge, usually $20 a day. That could definitely be a problem.

Just as an experiment I tried a rental from Hertz from Detroit to Austin, it was $1222 per month. At that price you might consider just buying an inexpensive car, depending on how long you plan to go for.

Quote:

I've also read (last time I was there) that some cities do this thing where you can just pick up a car from a certain point and help "move it along" to its destination or something...

I've heard of this as well, and I used to know a couple of sites but I can't find them anymore. I remember there not being a whole lot of activity. You might be able to work something out on craigslist but it would be unreliable.

**maracle** · 10-30-2007, 06:22 PM

I found a couple now:
www.rideboard.com
rideboard.digihitch.com

cattlikewoah · 10-31-2007, 12:51 AM

thanks!!!

i think what i saw was the car share - things like zipcar is what i was talking about. zipcar is the only one i can find that allows intl drivers use it.. but the are limited to where they are...

i'll try the other links! thanks guys! thats what i was looking for!!!

ALSO:

MONTREAL TO TORONTO TO WINNIPEG -
any suggestions for cheapest and most efficient way of getting there?
i dont mind spending money if its reasonable.
$361 from montreal to winnipeg does not interest me in the slightest considering i can get a one way from sydney to nagoya in japan with that sort of money!!!

jeoffdukes · 03-15-2011, 02:23 PM

Car rental is definitely an option. Local rentals can be quite cheap but you'll probably pay a premium to drop it off in a different city. One thing to keep in mind on car rentals is that you generally need to be 21 to rent a car in the US.

bravostrauss · 03-22-2011, 03:58 PM

There are so many U.S. car rental options open to you when on holiday in the United States to rent a car in the United States can easily be arranged. Visit to the United States from abroad, or even if you are a tourist resort in your country, distance involved is so large that driving rental vehicles is the better choice, and bring your own.

austinblak · 03-24-2011, 12:29 PM

USA car rental is very popular, and there are many advantages of hiring a car in the USA, particularly if you have a long distance to travel. This is not only a tourist country, car rental, but many U.S. residents to go camping holidays and other forms of leave in his car is too small.

samystrauss · 03-25-2011, 04:39 PM

There are so many USA car rental options open to you when on holiday in the United States to rent a car in the United States can easily be arranged. Visit to the United States from abroad, or even if your country you are traveling vacation, the distance involved is so great, driving rental cars is a better choice to own.

andyyblak · 03-26-2011, 02:06 PM

USA car rental is very popular, has many advantages, rent a car in the United States, especially if you have a long journey. This is not only a tourist country, car rental, but many U.S. residents to go camping holidays and other forms of leave in his car is too small, the whole family and all the baggage and other tools, they have to face them.

arronnbrown · 04-09-2011, 08:23 AM

The United States of America is a very large country, if you want to make the best of a visit, and then rent a car is a preferred way to do it. You can visit any city you want, whenever you need to stop.