Convertible cars

Hi all

We wil be visiting Florida in September and will be hiring a car for about 6 days. We are considering getting a Convertible (from uscarhire.co.uk) can anyone give advice as to advantages/disadvantages of this type of car?

Chris [8D]

We hired a Seabring about 3 years ago - beautiful car. Great feeling driving down the 192 in the early evening with the top down and the breeze in your hair. But in general we found that it was too hot in the daytime - better with the aircon and the roof up. And when you go on a motorway(interstate) - too windy.

Maybe I'm just getting old and boring.

One of our cars in UK is a convertable and we only get to use it with the top down for about 3 weeks of the year but its worth it just for the occasional times that you can drive with the roof down.

My husband was particularly sick when we rented the Seabring because the company has first offered us a Mustang and he was soooooo excited - but only to find that we could not fit our luggage in the boot(trunk)!!! Every Mustang we saw on that holiday he would comment on how we could be driving one of those if I didn't pack sooooo much luggage.

Check out this link to a discussion about convertibles from April.

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums...TOPIC_ID=10022

The main problem with them (all makes/models) is the luggage space. You can generally get one case in the boot and everything else on the back seat. This is fine for a couple, but not too good if there's more than two of you.

We had a Mustang. If you can manage with the limited luggage space, get one. Its the best car I've ever driven !!!

Just out of interest what rental company offered you a mustang?

Chris

Hi Chris

I think it was Dollar.

I know Roger has had a Mustang from Dollar in the past.

Hi Chris

We hired a Mustang from Dollar last year. I drive a Mustang convertable here in the UK, a white one with a black roof. Guess what i got in Florida? yes, a white one with a black roof! The year before we hired a Sebring from Dollar, so i think they must change their stock regularly. Probably depending on what deal they get from the suppliers.

The Sebring has more room in the back as well as a bigger boot.

Mark

wear a hat ,that should help

We have booked a converatble for August. I emailed the firm I hired through and asked if I could pre book a Mustang as I have always loved them.

I eventually rang them and they told me, and I have probably got the 2 firms wrong, both Dollar and Alamo operate a system where they do not allocate you a specific car. They tell you a bay number and you just help your self.

Paul

Very true - but you can make requests at the car rental desks and they will try their best to accommodate you. We've done this several times in the past and got exactly what we wanted [msnsmile2]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by wrpac00
We have booked a converatble for August. I emailed the firm I hired through and asked if I could pre book a Mustang as I have always loved them.

I eventually rang them and they told me, and I have probably got the 2 firms wrong, both Dollar and Alamo operate a system where they do not allocate you a specific car. They tell you a bay number and you just help your self.

Paul
[/quote]

Sebring's my choice - but then I'm biased as I have one over here.
If there's only two of you then it doesn't matter but if there are more of you then the Sebring is much better - more room in the back and definitely more room in the boot.
In September the heat shouldn't be overpowering so you'll get to have the top down more than if you were there in the summer...the advice to wear a hat is good, though!
I'd go for it anyway...the holiday pics will look great!!

Not True

You can order a car, I have rung Dollar a couple of days before I go, and order a Cadillac, they ask for the flight number etc, and every trip for the last 6 times I have got one, yet they do not show it on as a vehicle that they use.

Alan

I seem to remember we got the Mustang from Hertz.

They had a choice of two convertibles, but I wanted the Mustang. It was big, red, beautiful and very powerful.

I must be trying to compensate for something !!

[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]

Mike

I would just worry about them horrible black bugs coming into the car that seem to appear in September !!!:D

They're lovebugs and they're also around in May, ie now! There are loads of them all squashed onto our windscreen and they make a squidgy sound when they hit... :(

Thanks all for the replys

I think that we will go for a convertable, even with the bugs at that time of the year. Does anybody know the current price of petrol at the moment, is it significat?

Thanks Chris

Don't go for the Spyder if they offer you it. Very little luggage space, we only had 1 medium and 1 small suitcase and had to put the small 1 on the back seat:(

It was certainly significant for the Mustang. The 5 litre engine drank fuel like there was no tomorrow and we had to fill up at least three times more than we'd been used to.

Thankfully it was a few years ago when fuel was a lot cheaper over there.

Going in Oct 04 for 3weeks, booking well in advance via uscar hire.co.uk, (Great price might I add) I think we have booked the Sebring convertible. That's the 1 I booked @ time on the car hire picture's page. I was just wondering is it a problem for Dollar if they don't give us the Sebring convertible & give us Mustang instead as their are four of us 2x adults 2 small children so the Sebring is a must, what with the bigger boot and all. Also can you change your vehicle for say the 3rd week to some thing like 4x4 as it's all the same price's?
Thank's in advance to any1 whom can advise/help?
Alan

We hired a Mitsibushi spider to drive to Miami. Well, as we were cruising down the freeway, the heavens opened suddenly and without warning and we could not shut the roof without stopping and we had to pull over when safe. Other motorists had a good laugh at our expense.
Still it fitted right in down South Beach!
CDV[8D]

we just got back and our hire car was a sebring from dollar through this website link. we picked it up from sanford(cos thats where we flew in!)i paid the higher package for extra driver insurance and a full tank. over there apart from being carb crazy they were just complaining this week about about having to pay over the $2 mark for the fuel . in real terms whatever that means , if it had gone up in line with other stuff they should pay about$4 so that was the angle they were using. but at there prices its like buying spring water!!!
as for the use of the car we had one large solid case(boot) and one medium solid case(back seat) plus ruck sack and big plastic bag full of ,must buy, nike gear coming back.
ok for two at all times. if there are four of you then you could suffer it to the villa!! sitting on the case or pushed between. then you got an empty car. but if you're touring then no. - ours was silver with a black roof - go on you only live once
you know you want to !!

trev and karen

Thanks everyone for the information

Has anyone any recomendations for car rental companys that i can talk to? I need to ask questions about pickup/dropoff etc.

Chris

you can with the guys at uscarhire, i dont know if they have a direct number but if you dm john or roger i'm sure they'll let you know

they actually rang me last week before we went. i had donkeyed and given them my switch number instead of visa. we had a chat and he answered the questions i asked about pick up etc. friendly really helpful

trevlad [8D]

I own a 2001 convertible Mustang GT. It's a joy to drive. 4.6 V8 producing 260hp. Wear a hat though with the top down. You'll have a sore head!
Have a great vacation.