axelrod6

I will be renting a car for 10 days and carrying two large and two small bags that I want to be hidden in the cargo area when I stop en route between hotels. I'll be driving in the area around Madrid, south to Andalucia, and around Andalucia. I've been given similar (very high) rates on a Mercedes B Class 180, a BMW 320d, and a Chrysler Sebring - the choices for automatics seem to be limited.

Does anyone have experience with these vehicles and their cargo capacity? The rental companies are very vague and I can't find clear information online. And are the BMW and Mercedes likely to be stolen, as one agent suggested? What have you driven and what would you recommend?

LSky

I rented a Sebring once and it was comfortable but the suspension felt like a grandpa car, kind of floaty but big enough for your purposes. An Audi might do the job nicely plenty of zip and responsive to boot. I don't know how likely it is that an Audi would get stolen. We drove one all around Eastern Germany and didn't have any concerns.

Have you looked on AutoEurope.com? They show you the car and give you suitcase icons so you can figure out how much can fit in the trunk. How big are your suitcases? My husband and I carry 2 22" rollers and 2 totes and they fit in the smaller cars perfectly.

Here's the BMW website- scroll down a few pages and it'll give you the trunk dimensions
http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicle...roduction.html

The mercedes website should do the same.

Robert2533

For what you are carrying, I would go with the intermediate size Opal Vectra or similar. Since you need an automatic, then I would go with the Audi A4 with Automatic which is listed with Auto Europe. It will easily handle all of your luggage (in the truck) and is far better then the Mercedes B Class 180, a BMW 320d, and a Chrysler Sebring (a real looser). As far as cost goes, you really need to learn how to drive a stick shift. The cost difference is about 50%.

Lifeman

For more realistic rates, try www.doyouspain.com

They are brokers and will get you better rates with the big companies than you can get direct.

axelrod6

Thanks - based on all of this, I'm going to switch to a stick and ask for an Audi 4. My husband can easily drive that, and I know how but prefer automatic because of a bad wrist. I can do it in an emergency.

ribeirasacra

You never can be sure as to the brand or model.
I have a Canadian friend who has a small cottage here in Galicia. He visits here quite often as he lives in the UK. He needs an automatic and the chice of cars he gets is everything from a VW Golf (Rabbit) through to a Chrysler Voyage. The worse car he got was Dodge Caliber