[miniskirt]

I will fly into Seattle for 2 weeks in September.
Does anyone know where to rent a MINI.
I would like to drive it during my visit and then on the Run to the Gorge.
thanks

[plugot]

MINIskirt - try Budget Rental Cars. I'm renting an S this weekend from their West Hollywood location. Perhaps they have either an outlet or an affiliate in Seattle. You can also try a Google search...

[SugarBelly]

plugot, -
I sure hope this is something only the Hollywood location is offering, or like-exotic, specialty rental shops!

Seeing MCSs in the general population, rental-car pools, means our residual values are going to start dropping like power in the Big Apple. [Bless those poor, hot & stranded folks.]

Anytime there's enough for a Budget/Avis/Hertz rental agency to get their hands on fleets of a certain model/make, means don't buy that car (new).

-.s.b

[OctaneGuy]

Actually Budget of Beverly Hills, which is really located in Marina Del Rey, California rents them too. I rented one back in Feb. of this year. Being able to rent them isn't going to affect the value. Heck these are going for between $90- $150/ day with 50 miles included. It's very easy to rack up mileage to pay $250-$300 a day, and that my friend will keep every joe from renting one! Not to mention they are next to impossible to find one available.

Just be sure if you reserve it online that you double, triple check by phone the day before and on the day. I reserved mine almost 3 weeks in advance. I called the day before to confirm, and they said it was here. I went to pick it up at 9am Saturday, and it was not there. They said the customer who took it out, decided to keep it for the whole week, thus meaning I no longer had a car to rent. Those liars!!!

They had no policy against this because its' more money for them, and they say they can't control what happens when the car is off their lot.

This royally ****ed me off since I rented it to celebrate Valentines Day with my wife and we were going up the coast for the day.

I eventually got my peace---took a dozen phone calls, and some letters, and finally they asked what they could do to make me happy. I said I still wanted to rent the car, but I wanted it for 1 week, and I would pay for 1 day. They agreed!

It was the best week I've had in a looong time! And now of course, my own MINI is on it's way to the VPC, and I doubt I'll ever do business with Budget of Beverly Hills ever again.

Richard

[plugot]

I'm getting mine from the West Hollywood location. They advertise both S (@$125/day) and Cooper ($95). This is most definitely not an Avis/Hertz/Enterprise airport rental. However, there may an equivalent luxury rental in Seatlle. That was the intent of my post, not to alarm MINI owners that the car has gone mainstream along with Buicks and Cavaliers.