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Renting a Volkswagen

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Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#991878
If you haven't driven a modern VW, it's a bit difficult to find car rental companies that have Volkswagens (such as Golf) for rent.

Avis - no. They have Hyundai i20 and i30.
Budget - no. They have Nissan Micro and Pulsar.
Thrifty - no. They use Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30.

Europcar - yes! They offer VW Golf and VW Passat.

http://car-rental.europcar.com.au/medium-car-hire

In the early 1960s, Avis used to have a large range of VW 1200 Deluxe Beetles for hire. These were the latest late-1961 Australian models with deluxe bumpers, fuel gauge and VW dealer AWA radios.

10/- (10 shillings) per day in 1961 is about $13.20 today, which is cheap, but then you add 1 shilling per mile ($1.32) and it starts to add up.

http://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualPreDecimal.html

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Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#991880
Avis also used to rent VW Transporters. 40/- a day is rather more expensive - $52.90 a day plus $1.32 a mile in today's money.

As far as I can tell, no one rents out VW Multivans or Caravelles in Australia.

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vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#991893
rental cars! big part of my working life.

haven't tried a VW yet. except my boss's Passat. its ok, nothing outstanding though, heated seats are a good touch I think.

the Nissan suck balls! but not as bad as the small model Fords 😬.

corolla is quite bellow average, not the same great car they used to be in the 90s

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

amazeer Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,029 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#992713
Europecar wont guarantee you a VW though.

When I had my car in the panel shop I rang them saying I wanted a VW. All they would offer is a VW "or similar". So I begged and said I would go to Sydney and pick one up if I had to. But nup. So I suffered the painful Hyundai Accent for a full week. One of the longest weeks of my life. I dont know what a "or similar" is. Maybe a renault or citroen?

amazeer Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,029 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#992714
even in that long weekend ad, read the fine print "or similar" 🙁

GottaSplit Seriously Crusin Dubber

101 posts · joined Nov 2010 ·

#992735
Hertz did Shelby Mustangs at one stage....... 👍🥷😬
1960 11 Window

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#999061
Here is another Australian rental company - Kay's - who once rented VWs. This is 1964. 5/- is half what Avis charged, but 1/- a mile is the same. And that would have added up very quickly.

I wonder whatever happened to Kays Rent-A-Car?

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pfillery Insano Dub Head

734 posts · joined Dec 2011 ·

#999072
amazeer wrote:One of the longest weeks of my life. I dont know what a "or similar" is. Maybe a renault or citroen?
But its "just like a Golf".

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#999074
The site of what was once Kays Rent-a-Car (106 William St) in 1964, is today used by Europcar. However the building at that location today looks a lot newer than 50 years old (it looks early-mid '70s to me), so I presume it has been redeveloped.

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AA003 Custom Title Time!

1,189 posts · joined Oct 2011 ·

#1000205
Phil74Camper wrote:I wonder whatever happened to Kays Rent-A-Car?
Hertz (established in 1964) and Kay Rent A Car (established in the mid-1950s) aimed initially to develop the rental business in downtown Sydney and Melbourne (Rydges1978).
These firms merged in 1977 and began trading as Hertz.
I read it on samba, so it must be correct.

Sometimes Volkswagen dealers sell spare parts. Amazing isn't it!😂

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#1000279
Thanks Phill, I knew you'd get to the bottom of it !

The Avis ads for renting a Volkswagen disappeared very quickly. They advertised renting VWs for 10/- a day in 1962 and half of 1963, but then switched their attention to the Ford Falcon (20/- a day). By 1965 it was only Kay's that were advertising (in the SMH) having VWs.