This week, I’m going to be able to escape the plunging temperatures of my Illinois home for somewhere much warmer and — definitely presently — richer in car culture. That’s right, I’m headed back to Los Angeles, California! I’ll need some way to get around when I’m there, and I’ve decided to give Turo a try. But I’m overwhelmed with all of the available cars, and need your help. What’s the silliest, yet most fun car that I should rent?
I’m actually sort of amazed that I’ve never used Turo before. In fact, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve even rented a car, period. U-Hauls? Oh yeah, I’ve lost track of how many old GMC C6500 trucks I’ve driven. But the last rental car that I’ve paid my own money for was a base model Toyota Corolla so I could drive into Johnson Valley to rip across the desert in a Can-Am Maverick. And that was almost a year ago!
What originally spurred this trip wasn’t something fun; I am to accompany my wife for some serious business. However, her business won’t take up the entire time that we will be there. So we are using this time as a sort of impromptu honeymoon. We’ve apparently been so busy that we’ve forgotten that whole part of marriage! That means that I’ll have some time to show her around Los Angeles and maybe some surrounding areas. Sheryl has never been to Los Angeles before, so I’m excited to explore with her. Honestly, I’m just excited to be away from Illinois, where the weather forecast has been calling for snow or negative temperatures. Hard pass. And to go exploring, we should get some sort of vehicle. Here’s my chance to pilot something that I haven’t driven before.
If you haven’t used Turo before, I’ll explain. Turo is a platform that works like Airbnb where regular people can rent vehicles to other regular people. It seems that the upshot of renting from Turo is not having to deal with boring airport rental cars or the boring airport rental process. Instead, there’s a whole library of exciting vehicles at your fingertips. Some of you are already priming your keyboards to type “rent a motorcycle!” As our resident winter-riding, scooter-off-roading daredevil motorcycle weirdo I have considered that. There’s even a sort of motorcycle “Turo” called Riders Share and the bikes appear to be dirt-cheap! But we think we want at least three wheels this time around. My goal for next year is to get my wife on two wheels so she can join me on her own machine. But that’s fine because that leaves us a whole world of wonderful vehicles to propel us around the state where you never find a dancefloor empty.
Before we continue I should give you some basic requirements and some context. It looks like we’ll be experiencing some warm 70-degree temperatures by day and high 40s at night. To my corn-fed hardened Midwestern body, that’s summer! So I have this idea to get something with a drop-top, or perhaps no roof at all. Sheryl also likes the idea of a drop-top, but she gets cold far sooner than I do, so we’re not sure. The other factor to consider is price. I don’t want to spend more than $125 a day. Alright, let’s have some fun and rent someone else’s car!
What should we rent? To give you an idea of where our heads are at, here’s what we’ve been considering:
Polaris Slingshot – $53-$125/Day
This is something that I’ve always wanted to drive. The Polaris Slingshot is neither a car nor is it a motorcycle. And it’s not like the ElectraMeccanica in being a three-wheeled vehicle that tries to be a car. Instead, it’s a wild plaything that I’ve seen people having lots of fun in. And I’ve seen others decked out in underglow, huge wheels, massive speakers, and custom artwork. It seems that a Slingshot is an experience. In this $53 a day Slingshot SL, there’s a 2.0-liter four making 178 HP and driving the rear wheel through an automatic, though there are also manual versions that are on Turo. Paying more seems to bump you up to the Slingshot R, which gets you to 203 HP. The Slingshot sounds like my kind of silly!
Smart Fortwo – $28-$32/Day
As a cheapskate, I have to admit that being able to rent a second-generation Smart Fortwo for just $28 a day or a third-generation for just $32 a day is alluring. Sure, I know these cars inside and out, so I won’t be trying anything new. I’ve even driven a Smart in Los Angeles, so it won’t even be driving a familiar car in a new place. But those prices are so cheap! And I could even find one in convertible form for $36 a day.
Tesla Model S – $49-$125/Day
I’ve always wanted to try a Tesla, and here’s a chance to do it! The list of Teslas on Turo is vast, and it seems that I could try anything from an early Model S to one built this year and still be within my price range. Looking at the various Model S on Turo, features range from getting one with a yoke, dual motors, or a custom wrap. Heck, there’s someone renting one out and advertising Full Self Driving Beta. And all of those are in my price range. There’s also a Model S 100D for $92 a day with a 335-mile range from a 100 kWh battery and a 4.1-second acceleration time to 60 mph. These Teslas seem to offer a lot of bang for the buck! Though, we will miss out on that drop-top experience.
Vanderhall Venice – $72-$117/Day
This is a similar idea to the Slingshot, but with a different drive and different body. I’ve always seen these as a sort of retro-futuristic take on the Morgan 3 Wheeler formula. Vanderhalls have a vintage-style cockpit, but bodies that look like they come from the future. Once again, we’re dealing with a vehicle without a ton of weather protection, but maybe maximum fun? The one above is just $87 a day.
Matt Hardigree says that in a TV show where a truck pulling a BBQ pit was getting raced, a Vanderhall turned out to be the most dangerous vehicle. That’s only threatening me with a good time. Unlike the Polaris Slingshot, Vanderhalls drive their front wheels instead of the single rear. Power comes from a GM Ecotec LFV 1.5-liter turbo four making 194 HP transmitted through an auto. This is one that readers have recommended that I take a spin around in and it’s another that I’ve been wanting to play with for a while.
Chevrolet Corvette – $50-$127/Day
One of my all-time bucket list cars is a Corvette. Heck, I’ll take a number of Corvettes! Turo seemingly delivers nearly as many Corvettes as it does Teslas and that’s exciting. In my price range, I can get everything from a base model C7 all of the way up to the C8, and yes, even convertibles. For just $89 a day I could get a C7 convertible. That one has a 6.2-liter V8 making 455 HP and of course, no roof to get in the way of that soundtrack.
Then, check this out, you could get a C8 for as low as $113 a day! There are a ton of Corvettes available for honestly really affordable money. I’ve never even driven a ‘Vette so these are in serious consideration.
And then there’s a whole list of other cars that I’ve wanted to try like the current-generation Mazda Miata, Fiat 500 Abarth, or heck, there are even a few BMW i8s in my price range.
You’ll notice that there aren’t any Sheryl picks here, and there’s a good explanation for that. Her bucket list is full of cars from the 1990s and unpopular cars from the mid-2000s. Unsurprisingly, I haven’t found a single Subaru B9 Tribeca in this area on Turo, and I certainly haven’t found an Oldsmobile LSS or Pontiac Bonneville SSEI, either. She’s also interested in playing around with a Nissan Z car, and sadly there are none of those currently on the site, either. Disappointed, I asked Sheryl for even more picks, and her choices were a bunch of 2000s Pontiacs, a Ford Excursion, a first-generation Dodge Dakota, a Chevy HHR SS, and a first-generation Lexus LS 400. Well, none of those are present, either, and neither was the Mazdaspeed3 that she asked for.
Though just one of her bucket list cars has made an appearance, and it’s a Dodge Challenger Scat Pack! This one sounds nice for $85 a day, with its 485 HP 6.4-liter V8 and its gorgeous paint.
[Sheryl’s Note: What can I say? I have a thing for absurd vehicles, especially late ’90s front-wheel-drive H-body sedans and coupes with the supercharged Buick 3800 (best engine ever made) V6. But give me a first-generation Lexus LS 400 and I will daily that thing until the end of time. Oh, and when I was a little girl, the sixth-generation Nissan Maxima and the 350Z were my dream cars. They still are, really. I’m a sucker for a great V6, and next to the 3800 the VQ35 is the best ever made. So there. Also, I said Shelby Dakota!]
Right now, the vehicles tugging on our hearts the most are the Vanderhalls, the Corvettes, and that Challenger Scat Pack. But here is where I leave it to you, dear readers. What fun cars are we missing? And, are roofless cars even a good idea when low temperatures are under 50 degrees. I’m excited to see what you suggest!
(All Photos: Turo Hosts)
KITT of course is the right answer here. https://turo.com/blog/community/recreate-your-knight-rider-fantasies-in-this-kitt-replica
its not like you’re going to be able to drive them fast in LA, so I’d skip the speed demons and go for something fun. The Abarth or the Miata are going to be the best bang for your buck. Now if you just want to look cool cruising around, get the i8 and go destroy those BMW driver stereotypes.
i8. Classy, comfortable, fastish, and beautiful.
And unusual, you like unusual.
“Sheryl also likes the idea of a drop-top, but she gets cold far sooner than I do, so we’re not sure.”
A convertible with heated seats could work here.
“Fiat 500 Abarth”
In my completely unbiased opinion, very yes.
Good luck with the serious business, and have fun on the rest of the trip!
I’ll say Challenger, then Corvette. On your honeymoon the Challenger will be entertaining and the most comfortable. This isn’t the time to have a car beat you up. The concept of people willing to rent their nice cars to strangers is odd to me but good luck and have fun.
I’d do a convertible. I typically don’t like convertibles because the sun and heat are too much. But, in the winter (or “winter” since this is LA we’re talking about) it might be nice to drive around with the top down.
You have the SmatCars already. If the Corvette is a bucket list, do it.
This wasn’t on your list, but there is 2010 Maserati GT ragtop for $109/day. Who wouldn’t want to hear that sweet flat-plane Ferrari-based V8 crackling through the canyons!?!
https://turo.com/us/en/car-rental/united-states/los-angeles-ca/maserati/granturismo/1648898?endDate=12%2F24%2F2022&endTime=10%3A00&searchId=41FB8wH2&startDate=12%2F21%2F2022&startTime=10%3A00
That’s the best suggestion yet.
She’s very likely to get the chance to drive a C8, a Tesla and a high-po Challenger eventually as a press member.
A Maserati? That truly is a rare car to drive, even for automotive journalists. It’s by far the best choice presented here.
(And to the person renting a Maserati out at Turo rates: thank you for your insanity. I hope automotive karma rewards you and your Maserati with Japanese reliability.)
Also, have a second choice queued up, because the Maserati may decide to act Italian on the day you try to pick it up.
Why not do something different every couple of days? Vette for a couple days, followed by the Vanderhall, followed by the Scat Pack, followed by…
This is the obvious solution if there is no minimum period on these rentals. Try a variety of cars you haven’t driven. Don’t waste your time and money renting a smart, that’s just home from home.
Also, as you’re a car journalist, I assume you can write of the rental costs as a business expense if you write about them?
Oh and one piece of advice if you go for a three wheeler since you’d be riding in what LA folks (and no one else) consider cold weather: think motorcycle riding as far as equipment and outfit choices.
You can probably make do with nice warm pants but waist up it helps to just go for something close in spirit at least to a motorcycle riding setup. Including a face-covering helmet if you’re going to be hitting freeways at speed. And ear plugs if you’re going to do actual travel.
The Vanderhall is on my list of three-wheelers I wouldn’t mind trying but don’t really want to own whereas the Polaris is on my list of three-wheelers that I’m glad exist but don’t particularly desire to try, so I’d say Vanderhall.
Some might argue that my various lists of three-wheelers are a bit too granular. They are correct.
Don’t rent the 3 wheelers unless you can pack 2 helmets with you on your trip.
C8 – you can take off the roof for driving between 10am – 3pm, then put it back on for hours outside of that.
I would stick with a roof with those temperatures. Presumably you’ll be back again in warmer temperatures when you will have more fun in one of the topless options. The C7 Corvette has a removable section of the hardtop if you want to spend part of the trip with extra airflow. I’d personally pick the C8 Corvette. I’ve driven the C7 and it’s excellent so I’d love to compare that experience to the new one. The only other consideration is that – being a writer on this site – it might be beneficial context to experience the Model S. It’s the “original” mass-market / well recognized BEV and would be a valuable baseline for covering any new EV launches.
Of the “Vanderhalls, the Corvettes, and that Challenger Scat Pack” I’d definitely scratch off the Vanderhall since three wheelers suck on unfamiliar roads (can’t straddle potholes or debris).
I’d personally pick the i8 of the lot for the unique experience. Enjoy!
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I love the looks of the i8, so I would second that one. That being said, Turo likes to add fees onto the end of the agreement that can impact that daily rate pretty heavily, so I would be sure to check as far into the process as possible to ensure you’re meeting your budge. I’ve always had great experiences with them otherwise, from Pensacola to Denver to Phoenix and all good experiences. You can even get free delivery at the airport!
Get the challenger. Why the hell not?
I would almost be tempted to get the Model S just to see what the yelling is all about. But at the end of the day the C8 beats everything.
You really can’t go wrong with any of the cars on your list (except maybe the Smart since you have, like, 30 of them in your garage at home). I’d be interested in reading about your impressions of any of them… say, if you write up a review article, can you get your bosses to pay part of the rental fees?
As a guy who gets twitchy when someone so much as parks too close to my car, I can’t believe that so many people are willing to hand their keys over to some stranger from the internet. Still, it seems like a cool opportunity to try something interesting instead of whatever the big corporate companies are offering.
The unfortunate truth of Turo is that a lot of people can only afford these cars if they let someone else use them a lot. And you need to be very diligent about documenting the condition before and after, because some will charge ridiculous cleaning/repair fees if you aren’t careful.
But at least it’s not Hertz. You probably won’t get arrested.
If Sheryl gets cold, I’d go with the Scat Pack, probably, maybe a Corvette. If you’ll want to throw much luggage into it, the Scat Pack for sure, but some of your options suggest luggage is not a concern.
Not the Smart. It’s familiar and great for parking, but it’s not trying something new. I think it is going to be a lot more fun for you as a car person to try a new vehicle.
Alternatively, get a comfortable convertible. Cruising with the top down will be nice, and comfort is great for tooling around and seeing the sights.
Don’t overthink it. Rent the Miata.
A convertible is a must-have. When you’re driving in Los Angeles, and especially in the hills above Los Angeles, you will appreciate not having a roof over your head. It’s freeing, and for the purposes of your honeymoon, shockingly romantic.
While something goofy like a Slingshot sounds appealing, just remember you’re there with your partner. You’ll want a trunk with real capacity. You’ll want a working, easy-to-operate top if the weather goes south. And you’ll want a heater that, I can personally attest, makes the cabin feel like an outdoor hot tub when the weather is sub-freezing.
One of my favorite dates ever was driving to a Christmas lights date in my Miata during a snowstorm with the top down, my partner and I bundled up in our puffiest coats and derpiest toques.
Just remember, you’re there to have quality time with your partner, not to intentionally drive a bizarre car.
As someone who owned a Vanderhall for a year and a half I say go for it.
Especially true if it has the bumper shifter and is an earlier model (pre 2020). Later models (at least the 2020 I had) made the shifter more of a recommendation than an order and took most of the fun out of it.
Whichever car you decide on, remember, it’s not a rental company car. So don’t go off-roading with it!
Also, it’s not a rental company car, so don’t assume the cops are coming to arrest you.
It’s still winter and even LA is colder than most would expect. I would not get a car without any roof on it. If you have not driven a Corvette, then get that. The Scat Pack is fun, loud, and comfortable as well so it would not be unreasonable.
i8.
I’m a sucker for 3 cylinders.