Hi,<BR><BR>Which car rental company would you recommend? We need a big car for 7 adults and 2 toddlers.<BR><BR>Since we will arrive at Brisbane airport, is it advisable to take the train to Gold Coast and rent a car there, or rent the car from the airport and drive to Gold Coast?<BR><BR>Thank you very much for your help.<BR><BR>vvv

Hi, vvv!<BR><BR>When it comes to the Gold Coast, I am no expert, so wiser heads than mine might advise otherwise... but, at least this will start the ball rolling and get you back to the top.<BR><BR>While I usually tell people to use public transport wherever possible and forego taxis and hire cars, in your case I can't see the benefits. Seven adults! That's a lot of baggage, a lot of money in train tickets, a lot of man-hours spent asking where do you go now. The drive from Brisbane to The Gold Coast is super-highway and you can't get lost.... the number of cut-price car rental companies in Brisbane will probably far outstrip those on the Gold Coast, so you may be able to get a better deal.... since you want a BIG vehicle, you would have more chance of picking this up without being put on a waiting list if you're in the capital.... and, finally, the convenience of being able to throw all that luggage into your van right from Day 1 rather than lugging it off and on trains; all this is telling me that you should get your car before you leave Brisbane. What do other readers think?

I would certainly research a car rental BEFORE you arrive in Brisbane. I rented a car and drove to the Gold Coast, made a day trip out of it with a day lay over there. Its very easy driving and not that far. Car rental in Australia is very expensive. There are companies here that can save you money. I suggest you use your travel agent to do the research for you. You will want the insurances all included on your rental. Be sure to check the deductible with your rental company in case you have an "accident". Sounds like to me you almost need 2 cars, seat belt purposes, etc. There may be a transfer service right from the airport that would be much cheaper, have you considered researching that? I am certain that could be arranged. Good Luck!

For 9 people you are definitely going to need 2 cars or one of those tour vans. I'd go with 2 cars or mini vans as you'll get a much nicer ride, plus will be more likely to have A/c and nice stereo! We rented a mini van right at the Brisbane airport from Avis. It was cheaper than renting in the US, plus with the exchange rate was a real steal! I rented it over the Avis.com.au site as the rates were cheaper than the American Avis site. We had checked with our insurance and Visa card and did not need the extra insurance in Australia.<BR><BR>The car was brand new and very nice. The ride to Surfer's Paradise was super easy, even for us used to driving on the other side. Took about 45 minutes if I remember correctly.

you can probably get a shuttle bus to the city for a reasonable cost (less than a taxi) then get a car from the city. If you are willing to walk around then you might be able to haggle some prices (depending what accent you have) but with 9 seats if you want 1 vehicle then i'd book ahead

I think that renting a van would be ideal as the cost of the train and bus would be about the same I should think. The drive is very easy and you can't go wrong but make sure that you have enough Au coinage for the bridge toll ( $2.20 for a car but I don't know if that is the same for a van). <BR>As for car rental in Australia being expensive. I have just returned from a RTW trip and I paid the equivalent of $518AU in UK for 3 days small car rental. <BR>$65Au per day in USA for car rental for 5 days and $45AU per day in taxes that I was not told about when I returned the car - making that much more expensive than anything in Australia but not quite as bad as the UK. I decided not to rent a vehicle in South America as I was not feeling all that suicidal so I cannot comment on that side of things. <BR>Try the Hertz, Avis and Budget web sites for their information on large size people movers. <BR>

All good ideas & info. I rented at a good rate (the exchange rate sure helped) from Hertz before leaving the U.S. I picked it up at the Brisbane Airport & drove to Surfers Paradise (easy drive), however I did not have such a large group to transport. I agree with Alan that it would sure be easier with such a large group & all that baggage to rent a couple of cars in Brisbane. Before I left on my trip I checked with my insurance company (State Farm) & they informed me that they did not cover incidents in New Zealand or Australia. They recommended I get full coverage in those locations. Also you must read the fine print of Visa & American Express cards, platinum, gold, or whatever - they do cover vehicle accidents most everywhere but not in New Zealand or Australia - that's a fact. The Hertz folks in Australia & New Zealand also confirmed that piece of info. I think without the full coverage it was something like $2,500 AUD I would be responsible for if something happened but with full coverage only $250 AUD. The cost for full coverage varied from place to place but generally was in the $20 AUD to $25 AUD price range per day so you may want to consider it.

Very good idea Bill. It always pays to get the complete insurance cover with the collision damage waiver included, particularly as the Gold Coast drivers believe they are Formula One material.<BR>I live near there and its a stiff drink and a valium type of driving experience.

Thank you all for your great suggestions. I think we will rent a car from Brisbane airport and drive to Gold Coast. I checked out avis.com.au but the largest van they have can seat 8 person only. With baby seats, we probably need a bigger van or get 2 cars. I checked with a local company, I think it's Red Back Rentals and they have a van for 12 person. However, it's manual drive!<BR><BR>I will continue to surf the other car rental companies' websites.<BR><BR>Thank you once again!