US Opponauts

"Minardi Gras" (Northernsky)
11/23/2013 at 10:31 • Filed to: None

I find myself in LA for 4 days in January and obviously need to rent something with a V8. Hertz has the Mustang GT, Camaro SS and Challenger R/T available for the same price, and a Corvette convertible for 80USD/day extra. What would you go for? My wife didn't seem impressed when I suggested one day in each...
Any advice on what to drive and where to drive it is appreciated :)

DISCUSSION (25)

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:37

Personal opinion: Mustang GT. Also, I've only been to San Fransisco (NorCal) but I know there's Mulholland in LA. I'm sure LA Opponauts will be able to chime in more.

A3R0 > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:37

I would probably say challenger... but go with which one you want... A rental car is the fastest car in the world! (Top gear ftw) Remember, they will most likely not notice if you do a big smokey burnout and come back with less tread!

hike > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:43

If the weather forecast is good, I vote Corvette, for the removable roof. If not, I think the wife would be happiest with the Challenger, since it it biggest and most comfortable.

exizeo - still loving fourza > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:44

Mustang. It's the best looking, "freshest," and perhaps quickest of the bunch. The challenger is criminally slow :c

Is the vette a c6 or c7?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:44

Being in SoCal, go for the Corvette, I don't think that it gets cold down there.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:50

I like the one of each idea. I have a Camaro SS already and I like it, but I might try a Mustang for the sake of something different if I'm getting whipped into picking just one.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:53

Corvette. No room for your wife's luggage, but we all have to make sacrifices.

Minardi Gras > exizeo - still loving fourza
11/23/2013 at 10:53

Unfortunately I'm not sure. The picture shows a C6 but not sure that means too much. Might email them to find out :)

exizeo - still loving fourza > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 10:54

The pictures are often misleading. Good luck, have fun!

(if c7, go for it and get us a review. dying t0 drive one myself)

Minardi Gras > John Norris (AngryDrifter)
11/23/2013 at 10:58

Luggage is the issue with the Corvette. At least with the others I can shove a case on the back seat if there's no space in the boot/trunk.

Minardi Gras > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
11/23/2013 at 11:00

The only reason she said no to one each day was that it would be (potentially a lot of) wasted time travelling to/from LAX when we're only there for 4 days, and I had to concede that it's a fair point
That said, the Hertz at LAX is 24/7 so I could sneak out at 2am...

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 11:03

If you need to be paractical, go for the Challenger. It isn't the fastest, but it has the biggest trunk and interior. However, if the 'Vette is a C7, go for that!

$kaycog > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 11:06

Mustang because Mustang.

cbell04 > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 11:16

Do NOT get the Mustang!! I love the car but the "my ford" system they use allows rental company's to give you a key programmed teen driver limiting lots of features and top speed of 80mph. I had a convertible stang just months ago and couldn't even hear the radio because it was limited so low. Huge let down all around. I was on roads with 70 mph speed limits in a 400 horse power sports car and couldn't even safely pass people because the car would just sit at the governed speed and of course as soon as you go to pass the slower car would accelerate and match my speed while cars piled up behind me.. Most frustrating thing ever! Just look up the rants against My Ford and rental I'm not alone. Unfortunately this seems to be the way most manufacturers are going but seriously would have rather had anything else.

Minardi Gras > cbell04
11/23/2013 at 11:22

That's a real shame because my heart said Mustang. I'll do some more research into this, thanks for the heads up.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 11:43

Okay, if we are going to be practical, get the minivan. If we are going to live vicariously through your rental, you need to go get the Corvette and come back with some stories about grinding a guardrail on Mullholand drive or out running LAPD in a blaze of gunfire through south central. Get you priorities straight.

Burrito de EJ25 > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
11/23/2013 at 11:44

Mulholland is pretty overrated. The 2 in the Angeles National Forest is incredible, though.

Your boy, BJR > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 11:46

Challenger!

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 11:48

Full disclosure, I am going to Chicago next week. Impala or equivalent. Of course I didn't ask Oppo though.

GhostZ > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 11:48

Kinja'd!!!

Get the Challenger. And let me explain why:

1. You will never buy the Dodge Challenger. Its worse than the other two, and doesn't redeem its weight very much, but is still just as/more expensive. So if its the least likely of the three for you to buy, why not rent it?

2. You're going to be in LA. There will be a million Mustangs and Camaros, but only a few Challengers, due to the sheer size.

3. A Rental Camaro is not going to have the 1LE suspension. Which means you'll be stuck with the worst-handling if you go with it, so go with the Challenger instead.

4. The biggest car with the most space, if you're going to be travelling much at all out of the city, is totally worth it. Plus, think about the trunk space you'll have for stuff! You don't need to make considerations for size and MPG when you're renting short-term, which would normally be a bigger issue than space.

5. Size isn't so much of a problem with a rental car. If it gets dinged, damaged or parked badly, who gives a fuck? It's a muscle car. So that shouldn't matter as much as things like looks, space, and power.

6. For a short-term love affair, looks mean a whole lot more than long-term reliability or practicality. The Challenger has the looks.

And lastly, get it in white.

I rest my case.

Minardi Gras > GhostZ
11/23/2013 at 11:56

You make a convincing argument, and I am leaning towards Challenger now. I'm from the UK so all these cars are forbidden fruit (and with our petrol costs would be a difficult purchase to justify) but it seems like the Challenger is the most practical and definitely has the most presence. The unfortunate truth is I probably won't be able to hoon it at 10/10ths so the fact that it's technically the slowest/worst won't be too disappointing.

GhostZ > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 12:07

If you want more looks from people and more smiles from yourself, the Challenger is the way to go. It's designed to put down rubber and to be badass.

Also, the Challenger has the same suspension as the similar-year Mercedes E-Class, and it is a true Independent Rear Suspension (unlike the Corvette's semi-independent and Mustang's Live Axle). The Camaro has an independent suspension too, but unless you get the 1LE package, it is generally considered atrocious.

It's generally the worst handling, but only because the weight matters more than the suspension configuration (it's like, 700lbs more than the Mustang!) but despite handling bad, it rides very smooth because of that E-class rear. That's how I've read anyway. I haven't driven a Challenger since I was young and they had just come to the market, so I have no 'real' seat time, just knowledge about it from many reviews.

Bird > Minardi Gras
11/23/2013 at 16:24

Go for the Vette. It's LA, you need a convertible. I drive a Miata with the top down everywhere I go. I drove home from work last night at 8pm, top down, heater cranked, in a light mist. I was totally comfortable. There's not many places you can drive top down at night 12 months out of the year in reasonable comfort.

One night drive down Mullholland or up the coast on the PCH, and it will be worth the extra $80. If you're lucky and it's rained recently, it will be crystal clear and you'll be able to catch a few stars mixed in with the bright lights of the city down below.

My 2nd choice would be the Challenger for all the reasons GhostZ said.

If you think you might want to try out something really special for a day try Black and White Car Rental . I rent from them all the time for work. They've got everything from an SRT8 Chalenger @ $199/day to an Aventador @ $5500/day.

Bird > John Norris (AngryDrifter)
11/25/2013 at 16:13

I know this is a couple days old...but I have to say, I had a rental Impala in Manhattan last year. When mixing it up with the cabbies, there's nothing better than an Impala with blown shocks and more plastic than paint showing on the bumpers. Most fun I've ever had in a rental...I may be a masochist, but I loved driving in Manhattan.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Bird
11/25/2013 at 16:30

I've not driving in Manhattan, but I have driven in downtown Chicago, I love it too! I can only hope Manhattan is even better. I was driving my very-new-to-me '10 Taurus SHO. So I did care about my bumpers, haha.

I often thoroughly enjoy driving in heavy traffic as long as it's moving along at a steady pace.