I am looking out for a reliable car to go on a road trip around Europe this summer Holiday Can anyone recommend? Any advice would be useful
I’m assuming you are renting a car for that period?
The secret is to rent a car that is in high volume production, reasonably reliable from a rental company that has good road service in case anything goes wrong!
My last trip I rented a Ford Escort from Herz at Frankfurt Airport in Germany.
The car was great and ran flawlessly. Car rental companies in Europe have to meet much tougher fitness standards, so you will likely get a well-maintained car. Budget in the US (mostly their franchisees) has a reputation for shoddy cars. My preference in Europe would be a Ford or an Opel from Europe Car, Hertz or other big name. They can be serviced anywhere. In France, a Peugeot would be a good choice.
The worst rental would be some obscure car rented in Eastern Europe.
In any case, carry credit cards, get the accident deductible (available free through many credit cards) and carry your AAA card; many countries have exchange priveleges.
Years ago I travelled 10,000 miles through Europe (4 1/2 months) in a 2 year old VW beetle, and only had one problem; the speedometer cable broke.
Have a wonderful trip.
The secret is to rent a car that is in high volume production, reasonably reliable from a rental company that has good road service in case anything goes wrong!
Well said “Docnick”…have a safe trip “Simon”.
You’ll pay more at a major rental company than a local. We rented a 9-passenger van in 2005 from a BMW dealer in Noordwyk. They delivered the van to us at the Amsterdam airport. The van performed flawlessly and the price was significantly better than the large rental companies. It was slightly inconvenient to drop the family and baggage at our hotel in downtown Amsterdam then drive to Schiphol, but it was worth it in retrospect. I got to ride the train back to Amsterdam and had a nice walk through downtown to the hotel. While on the train, I learned that essentially every Hollander speaks English.
I’ve rented several cars in Europe from Sixt (http://www.sixt.com/). The last one was a small Ford estate diesel – ran great and very fuel efficient. Expect to pay the equivalent of about $6/gallon for fuel. Always pay for all the insurance options – cheaper than jail time. It also depends upon which countries you will visit. Many rental companies will not allow you to drive in former eastern block countries due to theft. Do your research before you go and have a great trip!
Twotone