[BlackBMiLuc]

Heading over to Europe next month and I'm debating with what rental to go with. Reached the 25th mark recently and I'm actually kind of excited in finally being able to make it my own choice. I have been to Europe many times before, (being Portuguese and having relatives there), and when I was younger legal to drive but not able to rent, I'd whip around in the family rental that would usually be slow and/or heavy. Having owned and driven several different manufacturer of vehicles (Volvo, Subaru, Ford, Audi, and now BMW), as much as I would like to see what a 1 series diesel is like out there, I am kind of leaning more towards seeing all the hype of a VW golf tdi. Selection is based on your country destination of course, and if you look hard enough, you'd be surprised what you might find especially from the local rental companies. Heck, even Hertz has a VO 1M out there which yes obviously I was curious to get the outrageous quote on. Lol. Diesel or Petrol is not a big distinction for me, however, with diesel being the much more economical choice there, I'd be more comfortable in driving it around more without having to fuel as often as with a petrol motor. And I'm not transporting many people or bags, just possibly one other person, so something compact would be ideal.

So I thought it'd be fun and interesting just to see what some of you tend to do whether you prefer sticking with same manufacturer and maybe even model, or go with something completely different. For me, I appreciate having a feel for how much I appreciate my own vehicle when I return home yet a 1-series there could still be completely different. Stumped.

[KingOfJericho]

I like to try different cars. I voted A1 because I think it's the coolest of the lot. I rented a Fiat Punto when I was in Italy in the spring and it was the slowest car I've ever driven. I literally had to have the accelerator pinned to maintain highway speed, and was still passed like I was standing still. I saw a few A1s and thought they were really neat looking.

[Red Bread]

Yeah, I try to rent something we don't get here, with a diesel, and also try to get the smallest thing possible. Parking garages, side streets and back roads can be very narrow and having to deal with something as large as a B8 A4 is not fun. I also prefer hatchbacks that allow you to remove the rear cargo cover so you can make it clear there's nothing valuable in the car if you park outside. Depending on where you're going, I find the EU agencies have better rates than the US based ones, check Sixt and EuropCar.

[BlackBMiLuc]

They do definitely have better rates. The diesels although they aren't as quick, they do have some nice torque.