Hotwire "Ford Mustang Convertible" or similar

[Blanky]

I'm looking to rent a convertible and Hotwire's price is absurdly low; $75/all-in for a day vs $130+ for everywhere else. This is for a Mustang convertible (or similar). However, it seems that they think Chrysler's convertible (sebring/200) is similar, which it sure as all F is not.

Cancelling is not possible. I wonder if anybody here has had luck with this hotwire for a "ford mustang"?

 

[MegaFlop]

I'm looking to rent a convertible and Hotwire's price is absurdly low; $75/all-in for a day vs $130+ for everywhere else. This is for a Mustang convertible (or similar). However, it seems that they think Chrysler's convertible (sebring/200) is similar, which it sure as all F is not.

Cancelling is not possible. I wonder if anybody here has had luck with this hotwire for a "ford mustang"?

I have rented Mustang and Camaro convertibles before using Priceline (name your own price) and Hotwire.

Here is my method. I get the lowest price possible on a full size car using one of the services. Then when it is time to pick up the vehicle I negotiate a upgrade in person to the convertible. This works in large markets with good availability. I think the upgrade usually ends up only costing like $20 extra per day, so I am at <$50 total.

 

[DesiPower]

I agree with MegaFlop's approach, that way are you guaranteed a full size car, then you can upgrade for $20 or $30 a day; While are the rental, can you verify that car you are getting, if its Chrysler then ask them to F off and keep the full size, if its Mustang or Camero then go for it.

 

[deadlyapp]

Pretty sure a ford mustang v6 convertible (or even the miserable I4 ecoboost) would be pretty equivalent to the chrysler convert.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'm looking to rent a convertible and Hotwire's price is absurdly low; $75/all-in for a day vs $130+ for everywhere else. This is for a Mustang convertible (or similar). However, it seems that they think Chrysler's convertible (sebring/200) is similar, which it sure as all F is not.

Cancelling is not possible. I wonder if anybody here has had luck with this hotwire for a "ford mustang"?

I reserved a Mustang Convertible a few years ago and when I got to the rental agency they told me all they had was a Sebring. I ended up with a Ford Escape and a nice discount on my rental. No way would I take that piece of shit Sebring.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

I reserved a Mustang Convertible a few years ago and when I got to the rental agency they told me all they had was a Sebring. I ended up with a Ford Escape and a nice discount on my rental. No way would I take that piece of shit Sebring.

I ended up in a Sebring after I totaled my car since that's all the rental company had available on short notice, and it wasn't that bad. I mean, it wasn't good; it's the most boring car I've ever been in. But it worked well enough. But as a replacement for a Mustang? Yeah, that's ridiculous. That's like Delta saying "well, your flight is overbooked, so here's a Greyhound ticket."

 

[Blanky]

The problem with the upgrade approach is that I already have a vehicle and only want this one to drive around a convertible

I think I will give it a shot and if they put me in a chrysler refuse it and any agreement I may have signed be damned, I will contest it. I think giving a sebring over a mustang is like giving a mustang to somebody who has rented a corvette.

Priceline is strange. I put in 100 as a bid on a mustang and they said okay sure, sign here. So then I hit back and put in 70, they said sure. I hit back I put in 30, they said sure $18 with fees and $48 total. I dunno, that seems weird, but I'll check it out, too.

 

[MegaFlop]

The problem with the upgrade approach is that I already have a vehicle and only want this one to drive around a convertible

I think I will give it a shot and if they put me in a chrysler refuse it and any agreement I may have signed be damned, I will contest it. I think giving a sebring over a mustang is like giving a mustang to somebody who has rented a corvette.

I don't want to ruin your day, but...
The base model V6 automatic Mustang or Camaro that you will most likely end up with is not going to be that exciting dynamically. They put tall gears in those cars for fuel economy and the automatic transmission sucks some life out of them. It isn't going to have a close ratio manual and the sport suspension.

As someone who owns a Corvette I'm not sure a Sebring is going to be any less exciting then a V6 auto Mustang convertible.

 

[slag]

Well, it won't be a chrysler so it has that going for it...

 

[GagHalfrunt]

As someone who owns a Corvette I'm not sure a Sebring is going to be any less exciting then a V6 auto Mustang convertible.

The Mustang V6 auto is a pig, but the Sebring is a pig trapped in quicksand. There's a noticeable difference between mediocre and terrible.

 

[BUTCH1]

Pretty sure a ford mustang v6 convertible (or even the miserable I4 ecoboost) would be pretty equivalent to the chrysler convert.

IIRC the "miserable" ecoboost I-4 puts out 310 HP/320 ft/lbs torque, not too shabby IMO, specially in a smaller car.

 

[mmntech]

Most rental companies will only guarantee a specific class of vehicle, not a specific make or model. It's all on a first come, first serve basis. If they happen to have a Mustang on the lot that day, that's what you get. If not, TS.

Sometimes what they lump into a class defies logic as well, and even varies by region to region depending on whether stores are franchised or corporate owned. I found that out on my trip to Halifax when I booked what I thought was a Fiesta or Corolla, and got an old ass second gen Kia Rio. I chirped them good for that.

Another thing too. If you get a stupid cheap rate, and they have multiple makes of vehicle in that class on their lot, they're always going to give you the crappiest one. Hotels do the same thing with rooms booked online at deep discounts. The travel industry does not reward penny pinchers.

Getting the class down then negotiating an upgrade is a good trick. Just keep in mind that a lot of places limit their counter staff fixed rates to force people to go through the call centre. At least that's how things worked where I was.

 

[rudeguy]

Came in hoping to help OP steal a car.


Left disappointed.

 

[Blanky]

Came in hoping to help OP steal a car.


Left disappointed.

Well done. An extra space in the title and the thread takes on a whole new meaning.

 

[rudeguy]

Well done. An extra space in the title and the thread takes on a whole new meaning.

I did car audio for way too long. All I thought was "Mustang? Those are easy as shit".

As for the rental upgrade, this is what I do: I tell the admin assistant that I want a nice car when she books the rental. Its worked out great.

 

[Blanky]

Should anybody bother with this thread in the future, it seems that the Sebring type convertibles are a thing of the past more or less. I used Priceline and locked a car at $71/day + fees vs $120+ for all quotes elsewhere, including on the phone. Picking it up in a couple of days.

I actually called all the rental car locations (four) at the airport first and all of them said they rent either mustangs or camaros (one said also miatas sometimes), but it appears that I won't get forced to drive a sebring.

Other than the priceline bid that was accepted, the other great place I found for prices was actually directly at avis, better than anywhere else for cars other than the standard fare. For example, I could have gotten a mustang coupe for about $55/day+fees directly at avis or even a Camaro SS for well under a hundred a day. These are pretty good prices.

 

[DesiPower]

Cool, let us know how it goes, what you get.

Sebring seized production in 2010 so there was no way you were going to get that. But the successor is 200, and there was chance that you could be stuck with that, but if the locations confirmed that they they do not have it then there's nothing to worry about.

iirc, miatas only comes in standard so I cant imagine them forcing you to drive that.

If you rent from outside the airport then it will always be cheaper, much cheaper as their prices change a lot. If you bidding on priceline and such you are stuck with the airports only i believe and that's why they will be more expensive.

 

[mmntech]

iirc, miatas only comes in standard so I cant imagine them forcing you to drive that.

They come with an optional 6-speed "sport" automatic now. Most rental companies these days don't stock manuals for obvious reasons.

I'd probably take an MX-5 over the Mustang. They're supposed to be a blast to drive.

 

[Blanky]

I'd rather drive a school bus than a sebring or 200 but the miata would be fun, though this promised something with 4 seats so I didn't expect that.

Picked up the car an hour ago, a 2014 Mustang rode hard and put away wet. Has 30k on it and a number of dings and scratches. However, the top comes down and it's exactly what I was looking for. The 305 horsepower motivates it sufficiently for my purposes, and those horses will not be ridden gently.

Would definitely try Priceline again!

 

[mikeford]

Every time we go to Hawaii we get a Mustang convertible for the week, usually less than $200. Great car for a sight seeing vacation, don't forget the sun block.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

yep, i read the title and immediately thought "screwdriver"

 

[ElFenix]

5.2 second 0-60 and a 3.1 second 50-70 top gear pull is really horrible. probably a better day to day driving car for usable power than the GT.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/perfor...mustang-gt-versus-2015-ford-mustang-ecoboost/


granted, convertible will be slower and probably have a softer suspension, but the ecoboost mustang is far from a dog.

 

[evident]

i had rented two luxury cars. one I got was a cadillac CTS. the other was a beat to death mercury grand marquis. protested about the mercury but they wouldn't do anything about it. oh well.