Hiring a car in the US and General tourist info

[Fin]

If I hire a car in the US, do I need to have a valid UK car insurance policy? Someone said this to me a few days ago and it didn't sound right.

Surely all I need is a UK driving license, and I can purchase insurance cover in the US? I ask as I will be away from the UK for a while and I don't want a policy running here that I'm not using.

[Goonery]

As long as you are over 21, have a full UK licence and have no really bad convictions you can hire a car in the US without any problems. You'll need your UK photo card and the paper copy to pick it up at the hire office but thats basically it.

Might I suggest

Car Hire with discount rates from Car Hire 3000

used them 6 times now and never a problem despite what some reviews say.

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Goonery (original)

As long as you are over 21, have a full UK licence and have no really bad convictions you can hire a car in the US without any problems. You'll need your UK photo card and the paper copy to pick it up at the hire office but thats basically it.

Might I suggest

Car Hire with discount rates from Car Hire 3000

used them 6 times now and never a problem despite what some reviews say.

That's good news. I'm going to be out of the UK for about 5 months, so I didn't want a fully comp policy running here, especially with what an annual insurance policy costs me! Looking to SORN my car and just keep fire/theft insurance running.

[AprilWhine]

What part of the US will you be visiting?

[BRG/Blk Cooper S]

Quote: Originally Posted by AprilWhine (original)

What part of the US will you be visiting?

Good point - do the laws vary from state to state?

I've hired cars more times than I can remember in LA and have only ever needed to show my UK photo licence - insurance was always part of the hire cost.

Very competitive market there, you can get pretty much any vehicle you want delivered to your hotel within an hour - much fun

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by AprilWhine (original)

What part of the US will you be visiting?

Quote: Originally Posted by BRG/Blk Cooper S (original)

Good point - do the laws vary from state to state?

I've hired cars more times than I can remember in LA and have only ever needed to show my UK photo licence - insurance was always part of the hire cost.

Very competitive market there, you can get pretty much any vehicle you want delivered to your hotel within an hour - much fun

I will be flying into LA. Going to hire a car to pootle around there. Also wouldn't mind popping over to Mexico for some tequila, fajitas and maybe a sombrero. Oh and up to San Fransisco, and over to Vegas. Not sure if I'll be flying back from Vegas or LA yet.

[AprilWhine]

The laws on renting cars do not vary between states, I just wanted to know because I'm currently driving along the northern interstate and wondered if our paths would cross. But you will be in my home territory while I'm away.

[BRG/Blk Cooper S]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

I will be flying into LA. Going to hire a car to pootle around there. Also wouldn't mind popping over to Mexico for some tequila, fajitas and maybe a sombrero. Oh and up to San Fransisco, and over to Vegas. Not sure if I'll be flying back from Vegas or LA yet.

Get yourself a current gen Mustang Cabriolet if it tickles your fancy - not much more to hire than a Nissan etc (and most rental places have them). Brilliant fun cruising down the coast/ through the desert etc with the top down and lovely soundtrack of a V8 bubbling away - true American Road-Trip.

Pleasantly cheap to run with US gas prices too..

Just watch the sun!! Very easy to get burnt..

This one from a couple of years ago is still my fave, we had it for a while, was brilliant (didn't handle like the S tho ), worked out to be aprox £70 per day all in and cost me aprox $40.00 to fill up if I remember correctly

Let us know how it all goes..

Ps.. If you go to San Fran, Alcatraz is a must-see (the view back to San Fran is incredible) but buy your tickets on-line and avoid the queue - also brilliant to spent a couple of hours joy-riding on the cable-cars, such a crazy design, ski-lift built into the road basically..

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by AprilWhine (original)

The laws on renting cars do not vary between states, I just wanted to know because I'm currently driving along the northern interstate and wondered if our paths would cross. But you will be in my home territory while I'm away.

I won't be in LA until around May/June 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by BRG/Blk Cooper S (original)

Get yourself a current gen Mustang Cabriolet if it tickles your fancy - not much more to hire than a Nissan etc (and most rental places have them). Brilliant fun cruising down the coast/ through the desert etc with the top down and lovely soundtrack of a V8 bubbling away - true American Road-Trip.

Pleasantly cheap to run with US gas prices too..

Just watch the sun!! Very easy to get burnt..

This one from a couple of years ago is still my fave, we had it for a while, was brilliant (didn't handle like the S tho ), worked out to be aprox £70 per day all in and cost me aprox $40.00 to fill up if I remember correctly

Let us know how it all goes..

Ps.. If you go to San Fran, Alcatraz is a must-see (the view back to San Fran is incredible) but buy your tickets on-line and avoid the queue - also brilliant to spent a couple of hours joy-riding on the cable-cars, such a crazy design, ski-lift built into the road basically..

That Mustang looks awesome.

[BRG/Blk Cooper S]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

I won't be in LA until around May/June 2009
That Mustang looks awesome.

You've got a bit of a wait!
Nothing like good advance planning though..

Yeah, the Mustang was great fun, but LA is a haven for beautiful cars, you'll see lots of 20 year old Mercs, BMW's, Porsche's etc that are daily drivers and look like they are 2 years old - lots of chrome factory wheels too.
Also.........more and more MINI's every time I go, especially in Cali.

I'm pretty sure that the Mustang just came from Budget Rent a Car (it's easy to get them) - the service industry is such that you ask the concierge to sort it for you (which he'll be happy to do), give him $20 for his trouble and it's delivered and picked up from your hotel.
That particular time I'd asked for a Red or Black one so I actually got a discount due to them not having the colour I wanted in stock - never in the UK!!

If you're going to do an American Road Trip half the fun is the journey itself and the car definitely added massively to the enjoyment on that particular trip - treat yourself, you won't regret it!

Here's another pic while I'm reminiscing......it really was such a fun car...

[Goonery]

Here is ours from the Route 66 trip a few years back.

This one came from Hertz, and funnily enough when we had to call them due to a problem when we gave them the ViN number it was'nt on their database. I think they scrapped it after we got it back to Chicago after 7000 ish miles

[dakini]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

If I hire a car in the US, do I need to have a valid UK car insurance policy? Someone said this to me a few days ago and it didn't sound right.

Surely all I need is a UK driving license, and I can purchase insurance cover in the US? I ask as I will be away from the UK for a while and I don't want a policy running here that I'm not using.

like has already been said, you can pick up insurance cover from the rental agency ... you might also check, if you're planning on using a platinum credit card, if it's not included ... american platinum cards include rental car insurance coverage for free if you charge the rental to your card. don't know if cards from other countries include that, but it' worth contacting your credit card company.

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by BRG/Blk Cooper S (original)

You've got a bit of a wait!
Nothing like good advance planning though..

Yeah, the Mustang was great fun, but LA is a haven for beautiful cars, you'll see lots of 20 year old Mercs, BMW's, Porsche's etc that are daily drivers and look like they are 2 years old - lots of chrome factory wheels too.
Also.........more and more MINI's every time I go, especially in Cali.

I'm pretty sure that the Mustang just came from Budget Rent a Car (it's easy to get them) - the service industry is such that you ask the concierge to sort it for you (which he'll be happy to do), give him $20 for his trouble and it's delivered and picked up from your hotel.
That particular time I'd asked for a Red or Black one so I actually got a discount due to them not having the colour I wanted in stock - never in the UK!!

If you're going to do an American Road Trip half the fun is the journey itself and the car definitely added massively to the enjoyment on that particular trip - treat yourself, you won't regret it!

Here's another pic while I'm reminiscing......it really was such a fun car...

LA/the West Coast will be the final leg of my g/f and I's journey, if all goes to plan. All the other countries I'm not bothering with a car, but for the States I feel we must have one.

Quote: Originally Posted by dakini (original)

like has already been said, you can pick up insurance cover from the rental agency ... you might also check, if you're planning on using a platinum credit card, if it's not included ... american platinum cards include rental car insurance coverage for free if you charge the rental to your card. don't know if cards from other countries include that, but it' worth contacting your credit card company.

I have an Amex Blue card, and was offered the Platinum recently but didn't bother as it was £300 a year for stuff I didn't think I'd be using! Typical. Anyhoo, I may give them a ring see if they can do me a deal as a loyal customer.

[BRG/Blk Cooper S]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

LA/the West Coast will be the final leg of my g/f and I's journey, if all goes to plan. All the other countries I'm not bothering with a car, but for the States I feel we must have one.
I have an Amex Blue card, and was offered the Platinum recently but didn't bother as it was £300 a year for stuff I didn't think I'd be using! Typical. Anyhoo, I may give them a ring see if they can do me a deal as a loyal customer.

You cannot experience the US without a car - it's totally built around the automobile!!
Drive thru everything.........Banks, Starbucks, Dry Cleaners, Valet Parking everywhere.......has to be seen to be believed - and the distances are incredible..

Some cities are ok for public transport............but, actually no..........even in NY when I lived there for a year not having a car would have meant I was totally screwed anywhere outside of Manhattan..

LA.....no car..............absolutely forget it!
Although people are actually walking in LA now - 10 years ago anything other than the strip was just deserted and people in cars looked at you like you were an alien (which technically I was)..

Be careful on the insurance front, make sure you are totally covered both on the car front and personally with a good travel policy - medical treatment in the USA is EXPENSIVE - imagine your worst case scenario $-wise and then triple it.........you might then be getting close to what it would cost you if caught short..

[MiniMatelot]

I went on a Top-Gear inspired road trip across the States this time last year with one of my friends from work. We flew to Miami and drove to New Orleans, Houston, Austin, Phoenix, San Diego, LA then finally Vegas all in the space of 2 weeks. We hired a red Mustang convertible and it was the best idea ever. To be fair, we found it a bit too hot driving through the desert with the roof down, but in Miami & Vegas, I don't think we kept the roof up!! Fantastic car which never let us down once. Petrol was dirt cheap too. Definitely recommend one.