Favorite rental car company and car to rent

[yanksfan6129]

Are there any companies that rent cars to 18 year olds?

[AZDude]

Are there any companies that rent cars to 18 year olds?

I want to say Enterpise, but don't quote me on that.

[corco]

Are there any companies that rent cars to 18 year olds?

Ha, I remember going through that. In New York State (Michigan and I think a couple other states too) they actually have to rent to 18 year olds under state law, but the surcharge is astronomical (something like $60 per day). In Seattle there was a Mom and Pop operation (Aero Rent a Car)  that would rent cars to 18 year olds, but nobody major. Rent-a-Wreck is a good bet too.

You can also rent a U-Haul when you're 18. It's absolutely baffling to me that you can't rent a Ford Taurus at 18 but if you want the keys to a 26' box truck all you have to do is sign a form, but you could rent a pickup at reasonable cost (too expensive for long roadtrips since you pay by the mile).

Your college may have an agreement with Flexcar or Zipcar or whatever it's called now too to allow to use their vehicles at 18, and your school may even have vehicles available for you to rent. That was what I did at Puget Sound- the Associated Student Body had a few Ford Windstars available outside of the normal vanpool for whatever student wanted to use then at $20/day and I'd book those for road trips. The program wasn't very well advertised (I had to dig to find it), so they weren't used that often.

You're golden once you turn 21 (I haven't had any trouble).

[mightyace]

^^^

You're lucky for turning 21 recently.

I had to wait until 25 to rent a car on my own.  The few times I needed one when I was on a business trip or an interview, the company would rent it for me.  But, that was the 1980s...

[yanksfan6129]

Well I called Geneva, NY Enterprise (since I will be going to school in Geneva) and they said that they didn't rent cars to anyone under the age of 21. So first I just thought, damn oh well. But that was before I searched "car rental under 21 new york" and came across a page on the website of the NY Attorney General outlining the rights of car renters, and it includes a part that prohibits age discrimination to anyone with a full license that is 18 and over. So next time I call enterprise I'll mention that to them and see if they'll budge. Since its not like I'm going to be renting a car every weekend, I could afford that kind of a surcharge as a once a semester kind of thing (I've been saving money from my work so that I have plenty of spending money). And if Enterprise still refuses to budge, I theoretically could threaten them with a lawsuit, I think. Although I probably wouldn't go through the time and expense of that in reality.

[agentsteel53]

I searched "car rental under 21 new york" and came across a page on the website of the NY Attorney General outlining the rights of car renters, and it includes a part that prohibits age discrimination to anyone with a full license that is 18 and over.

I can't say I endorse that law.  the company should be allowed to rent to whomever they want.

but if you're going to make a law, why make the cutoff be 18?  the legislature should make it anyone with a license, period.

(which of course gets us into age limits for licensing in general - I know 14 year olds that could drive safely on public roads, and 35 year olds that should not under any circumstance have a license.)

[corco]

but if you're going to make a law, why make the cutoff be 18?

Less to do with driving and more to do with 18 is the age of adulthood in New York. You can't legally enter a contract under the age of 18, so how could you rent a car?

[agentsteel53]

Less to do with driving and more to do with 18 is the age of adulthood in New York. You can't legally enter a contract under the age of 18, so how could you rent a car?

well, same argument just slightly rephrased then.  I'm willing to bet there are some 16-17 year olds who could enter into contracts and be expected to uphold their end of them ... and a lot of 18+ folks whom you shouldn't trust with anything more than a nickel.

[realjd]

well, same argument just slightly rephrased then.  I'm willing to bet there are some 16-17 year olds who could enter into contracts and be expected to uphold their end of them ... and a lot of 18+ folks whom you shouldn't trust with anything more than a nickel.

I'm sure actuaries were involved with the age cutoff decision. Insurance companies don't deal with exceptions, they deal with generalizations.

[Dr Frankenstein]

I heard the cutoff age for renting over here was 25, but I never actually tested that. (Turning 21 soon.)