Issues renting a convertible

Question

Travelling to California from the UK in April. I made a car rental booking for a convertible but have made a mistake - I booked for pick up and drop off at LAX when in fact we are flying into LAX but flying out of San Francisco ( free cancellation fortunately) Our trip starts with 5 days in Palm Springs then on to JTNP, Santa Barbara , Pacific Grove and Napa. I can’t find a single rental company offering convertibles with our required pick up and drop off . But I can find companies with convertibles from LAX dropping off at Santa Barbara. Would this be worth doing ie breaking the rental into 2 and having the convertible for the first half? Just out of curiosity why am I not able to rent a convertible for the whole trip?

Answer

Renting a convertible for a long, one-way trip in California that spans multiple cities can be tricky, and there are a few reasons why rental companies limit availability for such bookings.

Why convertibles are hard to rent for long one-way trips:

Convertibles are considered specialty vehicles. Rental companies often have a limited fleet and prioritize them for shorter rentals or local drop-offs rather than long, multi-city trips.
One-way rentals, especially across the state (LAX to San Francisco), incur higher logistical costs for the rental companies, particularly for specialty vehicles like convertibles. They often need to return the car to its original location, which is more costly for rare vehicle types.
Insurance and wear concerns: Convertibles may be perceived as more delicate, especially for long drives on highways and diverse road conditions, so companies limit long-distance drop-offs.

Options to consider:

Split the rental into two segments: Pick up a standard car at LAX and drive to Santa Barbara, then pick up a convertible there for the scenic coastal part of the trip down to Pacific Grove or Monterey. This allows you to enjoy the convertible on the most picturesque sections and avoids one-way restrictions.
Rent a convertible only for the Palm Springs and Joshua Tree portion. Palm Springs has open highways and scenic desert roads, making a convertible fun to drive for this segment. Then switch to a standard vehicle for the remainder of the trip.
Consider local exotic car or convertible rental companies in specific cities (e.g., Santa Barbara, Pacific Grove) for short-term rentals. Some allow flexible pick-up and drop-off within a limited area.

Breaking the rental into two separate bookings can actually be a practical solution. You get to enjoy a convertible for the most visually appealing or enjoyable portion of the trip, while avoiding high fees, logistical issues, and limited availability that come with a long, cross-state one-way convertible rental. It also provides flexibility and may even reduce overall costs compared to trying to force a single long-distance convertible rental.

Issues renting a convertible

More Palm Springs Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions