Renting a car to take to Speed Week (any advice?)

[tallguy]

I am considering renting a car to take to Speed Week this year, including
spending 2 days on the salt.  I understand car rental companies are not
very keen about this (or Burning Man, for that matter), so I would like to
be discreet.  I would certainly do my best to remove any salt from the
vehicle before returning it, but don't want any unexpected "fine" or
"penalty" to be imposed on me.  For all I know, rental cars have GPS
recording devices that tell where the car was taken.

Any advice on this would be appreciated.  Please base it on experience,
rather than assumptions.  Thank you in advance. 

Tallguy (in northern California)

[wheelrdealer]

Put plastic down on the carpet. There usually are some folks washing the wheel wells at the bend in the road. Which is a good idea to leave the salt there versus spreading it all over town. Carefully wash it at the car wash in Wendover before you head back to SLC. I had no problems with Hertz. Don't wear a racing style T shirt when you rent the car. Tell them you are going to Park City.

BR

[bubruins]

Put trash bags + duct tape in the floor boards & trunk (before you ever get to the salt). Use good duct tape - we cheaped out last year and regretted it. Wash car thoroughly before you take it back. Bring tarp or poncho to wrap up in when powerwashing car.

We rented from a national brand and had no problems. They either did not check GPS or didn't care. I think that the big thing for them is that they get their car back in one piece and it won't require them hiring out a $300 car wash. Only other big word of advice it so make sure you have a lot of gas when leaving Wendover for SLC. We almost ran out and had to draft behind a semi with the windows up and AC off for 35 miles. See the thread "Bonneville Spectator Advice" for more similar info.

Edit: it took nearly an hour to completely clean out the car. We vacuumed everything out 1st and then spent literally 20 minutes with the pay-n-spray.

[mtkawboy]

Arent the high school kids still washing cars on the main road thru town ? I just gave them $10 and told them I needed it really clean last time

[Sumner]

One option is don't drive out on the salt.  Hook up with a team and go out with them and return with them or someone else.  People are friendly.

I had a friend come from Australia about 15 years ago.  He flew into SLC.  Got a cab and had the cab take him to the nearest truck stop (he was a trucker himself).  Within a few minutes he had a ride to Wendover.  In Wendover he found someone going to the salt and was out there within an hour.  With in the next hour he had conned someone out of a bike.  He got everywhere like that for a few days and meet a lot of people and saw about everything there is to see.

About the 2nd year I went I took my '61 Chevy Wagon and Sunday night it rained and we all waited at the end of the road until Wed. when they were able to get one course open on some high salt but there was 2-4 inches of water out to the pits and in them so I wasn't excited about driving out there. I'd was talking to Gray Baskerville from Hot Rod when a van pulled up with some people he knew and asked him if he wanted a ride.  He said yes and told me to jump in to so off we went.  I spent the rest of the day out there bumming rides like that and helping people move their pits or packing up,

Sum

[Milwaukee Midget]

Arent the high school kids still washing cars on the main road thru town ? I just gave them $10 and told them I needed it really clean last time

Last year - I want to say it was the folks who own the laundromat - they had two tanks and two pressure washers, just before you get to landsend.  Knocked about 90% of it off - close enough until you can get to SLC.

I like that option - it leaves the salt where it belongs.

[maguromic]

If you are renting in Nor Cal, the rental car companies wont even care as long as its clean.  I rent at the San Jose airport and just clean it good before giving it back.  The 7 day rental is the same as 5 days and if you book in advance its cheap.  Last week I rented a new Toyota mini van at the air port to go to the LA roadster show from Budget for $12 per day with unlimited mileage. I even stuffed a complete engine in it to bring back. At those prices I can even justify the wear and tear on my car. Tony

[jimmy six]

I rent one out of OC when I drive  up and not running. Don't use duct tape. Use clear packaging tape, leaves no white tape marks. Put a piece over the throttle pedal, brake pedal and emergency pedal before you go on the salt.i also tape the weather stripping seams at the lower doors. Never had a problem.....don't rent near an airport it's cheaper. Got a Kia last year with satilite radio too. Remember a CB"...........

[edinlr]

Tallguy, if you rent in California, I doubt they would even think about any salt if they even saw it.  As much sand as they get in California, salt should not be much different.  I have rented a lot of cars in Salt Lake City and have driven out on the salt before also.  The main thing is to get the bulk of the salt off of the car.  All the tips above cover it.  Assuming you don't have a Speedweek t-shirt on going or coming, you should be fine.  Drop a $ at the casinos and you can honestly tell them that you went to Wendover and gambled!   

[Freud]

Rent at a down town rental station. It's cheaper and they arent paranoid.

Go to the East end of the terminal and ride the light rail into town.

The taxes at the airport are about 25%. They are still paying for the Winter Olympics.

When you make the reservation don't list a flight number. Many people rent that never go near the airport.

Just play that game.




Last year my car was a new Cadillac with 11 miles on it. I showed respect and took it back looking like new.

Enterprise will NOT pick you up at the airport nor drop you off there. Use light rail or a taxi.

Then I wrote a complimentary letter to the rental location. It will benefit me this year.

Just be sensible.

FREUD

[mbuk]

i just took two pairs of shoes and changed when i got in and out of the hire car then put the dirty shoes in a plastic bag. It sound long winded but it works. Took the car back nice and clean and they didn't look at it twice. Some people in the next line had their car "off road checked"

Andrew

[1leg]

I rented a car last year and drove all week on the salt it was my first time there.

I told the rental company (enterprise) that i was going to visit family/friends in Elko Nevada.
I suggest using plastic on the floors, i didn't do it and regretted it
I suggest getting the car washed each day before leaving the salt, tell them you just want a quick once over they charge less. I didn't do this either and regretted it
On the last day have them do a good wash pay a little extra. I did do this.
Drive slowly when leaving the salt, i didn't do this and ripped-off the under pan plastic, had to buy some bailing wire and tie it up.

Give yourself an extra day at home to use the hose to get the last of the salt off. It took me about 2 hours and still removed about 3-5 lbs of salt. I also spent about 1 hour with the vacuum and wet rag to clean the inside.

Turned the car in and never heard a word from them.

[Phil Bennett]

i just took two pairs of shoes and changed when i got in and out of the hire car then put the dirty shoes in a plastic bag. It sound long winded but it works. Took the car back nice and clean and they didn't look at it twice. Some people in the next line had their car "off road checked"

Andrew

Thats the way we work it in the RV.  Just take shoes off when getting in.  The pressure washers at lands end took car of most of the salt but I just went round and had a scrape with a stick to get any caked on stuff off.  No questions asked when we dropped it off. 

[bbarn]

Use large trash bags and put your floor mats into the bags. Tie the bag with and secure it under the seat so that the knot doesn't get under the pedals. The bigger the bag, the better.

When you get in/out of the car, lift the floor mat/bag out and shake it onto the salt. With this method, even if a few grains get under the floor mat/bag combo, it doesn't get ground in. Also, taking the floor mat out of the bag at the end of the week means that it will be as pristine as it was when you placed it in the bag.

The larger the bag the better, you can slide it up under the pedals and slip it under the door kick panels and maybe eve under the center console. The more you can cover, the less you will have to clean.

For the outside: Wash, wash and wash. Stay away from the salt that looks like mud, because it is. Don't follow closely behind a push vehicle or quad, moist/pasty salt will spray up on your hood, windshield, roof... just look at the push vehicles in the parking lot for this condition.

Be smart, treat it properly/like an adult and you probably won't have any issues.

[Dynoroom]

Rent at a down town rental station. It's cheaper and they arent paranoid.

Go to the East end of the terminal and ride the light rail into town.

The taxes at the airport are about 25%. They are still paying for the Winter Olympics.

When you make the reservation don't list a flight number. Many people rent that never go near the airport.

Just play that game.


Last year my car was a new Cadillac with 11 miles on it. I showed respect and took it back looking like new.

Enterprise will NOT pick you up at the airport nor drop you off there. Use light rail or a taxi.

Then I wrote a complimentary letter to the rental location. It will benefit me this year.

Just be sensible.

FREUD

Just trying to figure out who wrote this.........

And what they did with Freud.....

We will not negotiate with terrorists! Do with him what you will........    



Otherwise good info.