Don't despair!!
Try zipcar.com
They rent MINIs by the hour -- so it can be pricey for a weekender -- but before I placed my order, I rented a Cooper here in New York through Zipcar and took it for a nice long spin. Needless to say, about 5 minutes into my ride I was ready to buy, but it was nice to have the extra time without a salesperson around.
There is, however, a catch with Zipcar. You have to sign up with them. Go for the two-month trial membership -- you essentially pay $60 and you get $60 worth of driving credit. And they charge you a $300 deposit. I canceled my membership after I used all my driving credit on that first drive, and Zipcar is refunding my deposit.
The rates in DC are about $10/hour.
-Court |