Honeymoon Rental: To Mustang, or not to Mustang?

"Sprinty" (1985sprinty) 03/15/2015 at 00:06 • Filed to: None

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Dear fellow Jalopponauts,

My fiancee and I are going to Banff, Canada for our honeymoon this June, and we are renting a car for the trip. This has proven to be one of the most difficult parts of planning the honeymoon as I am prone to pickiness regarding the vehicle we would drive around for a week. To honeymoon in a Chrysler 200 or a Chevy Cruze just seems like a travesty when we want this to be a special trip. We don't want to look back on our pictures and be disappointed each time we are reminded of the rental 200. A Mustang GT would be ideal in my opinion, but it is certainly not a must-have.

So, that's why I'm coming here. I need you're help. We are flying into Calgary International Airport (YYC) in June and are traveling for a week throughout Banff. If anyone has suggestions on reasonably priced rentals, or even just suggestions like if we should get collision insurance or not, I'd love to get some feed back as this will be my first car rental experience.

-Sparky

lone_liberal > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 00:16

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Trust me, the car you drive will not make a difference. I drove a Sebring convertible around Maui on my honeymoon and it never enters my mind when I think of that trip and those cars where huge piles of shit. I was happy it was a convertible, though Banff in June might be a tad brisk for dropping the top. Check if the credit card you plan on using has rental car insurance and also check your own policy. Odds are you won't need any from the rental company. Personally, I'd go with the regular V6 Mustang rental, if it has enough luggage room for your bags, and put the money saved toward meals or excursions. Also, if you have a Costco membership try pricing the rental through them. You can save a nice amount of cash.

Sprinty > lone_liberal 03/15/2015 at 00:27

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Thanks!

Yeah, I know no matter what vehicle we end up with doesn't actually matter, but it'd still be fun. Thanks for the credit card tip!

Fred von Halem > lone_liberal 03/15/2015 at 00:41

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A Sebring convertible rental in Maui is dope.

TopSirloin > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 00:46

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Sounds like your wife understands your irrational fixation with cars. Good start. It will, in my opinion at least, come down to the difference in price to rent for your trip.. You'll have to decide at what point you can't justify paying x amount more for the Mustang, considering what you may be sacrificing for its sake once you reach your destination.

If money isn't something you're worried about here, then might as well go for it.. Or find and angle to work for the premium-plus-whatever is nicer/faster than a Mustang that you can rent. If you enjoy driving the way you probably do, I think paying more is totally reasonable up to a certain point.. You can map out some back roads and scenic spots along the way.. Mmm..

Conan > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 00:53

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My Mom and Dad honeymooned in Banff and Jasper and had a fantastic time. I believe they were in an International Travelall. They still have great associations with Internationals. Go with something that will be enjoyable and will do what you want.

dr861 > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 01:03

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Honestly, most rental car companies have a hard time honoring the actual car choice you book regardless, so I'd say just make your decision when you get there. If the goal is getting to drive a v8 pony car at some point, just rent one in your home town and take it out for the day; it'll be less money for the briefer amount of time, and you'll probably have more fun because you'll be on roads you know.

lone_liberal > Fred von Halem 03/15/2015 at 01:17

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ANY car in Maui is dope because you're in Maui.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 01:44

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*hooneymoon

Fixed. Also, http://banffgrizzlyhouse.com .

MysticStick > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 02:53

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Huh, that is interesting. I checked out Avis which has a discount here (from this page ). When I enter in different ages it offers different cars. For 25+ it suggests a BMW 528I X Drive or BMW 328I. If you enter less than that those options disappear!

You can get a 'Convertible - Ford Mustang GT Conv or similar', costing about double the 'Standard - Hyundai Sonata GL or similar'. Since you probably won't leave the hotel, get the cheap car. Or, if you are really going to be out sightseeing some maybe go for the 'stang.

One tip: always do a quick walk around when you pick up the car noting any problems, scratches, etc. I usually still get the insurance, but I feel like a sucker every time.

Sprinty > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 03/15/2015 at 03:24

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Holy smokes. That place sounds amazing. Thanks.

parkrndl is enjoying his midlife crisis > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 07:46

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We rented a Cutlass Ciera (derp) on our honeymoon in 1994. It got the job done, and we still laugh about the way I used to lean in and start it and let it run with the A/C blasting for five minutes before getting in. Florida in July, nuff said. I would have loved something more fun, but I don't feel any burning regret or anything.

That said, a couple years ago i had to rent a car to drive from PA to NY to be there for my dad's heart surgery. I made a joke at the counter about having Mustang taste and a Focus budget, then asked for something small and sensible. She gave me the price for a Chevy Cruze and then mentioned that the V6 Mustang would only be like $20 more.

Seriously?

I didn't even think they'd have a Mustang available, as it hadn't been listed on the Web site. Turns out that if someone drops off a one-way there, they get to rent it till it gets relocated or whatever. At any rate, I thought about it for like two seconds and jumped at my chance. Best road trip I ever took, and I'll never forget it. (This was the first or second year that they had the serious V6... 2011? 2012? 305 hp? I had looked it up at the time.) The kids still talk about the time I got to take the red Mustang home.

Think about this, though: that was a trip I was making alone. (I left for NY the next day, that's why the kids got to see it before I left.) If it had been my honeymoon, it's possible that I would have either a. not really had the ability to devote attention to the car and enjoy it, or b. pissed off the new wife by devoting too much attention to a rental car on my honeymoon.

Point is, someone suggested renting what's available for the honeymoon and renting a muscle car to play with sometime on your own. I'm thinking there's something to that.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Sprinty 03/15/2015 at 09:52

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We went at like 3:00 pm and were the only ones in there - ha!

Dunnik > Sprinty 08/14/2015 at 18:00

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Realize, if you don’t already, that if you reserve a specific car, that car may or may not be available when you show up, as the rental car industry deliberately overbooks, much the airlines.

Unless you have coverage via your credit card (and be sure to understand what it covers and what it does not) then do get the full coverage insurance. Saving a few bucks for a huge deductible is not worth it. You certainly don’t want to cover the rental under your own, personal policy, for obvious reasons.

boxrocket > Sprinty 02/20/2016 at 16:05

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Yes, absolutely.

My wife and I rented the last Mustang convertible available on Kauai when we honeymooned (they wanted to put us in a Sebring convertible). Worth every penny. Next time we go we'll probably get a Wrangler though, so we can venture off-road.