Coast to coast drive from San Francisco
 

Hello USA! Next April/May I'm planning a big trip, part of which - I hope - will be a 3 week solo drive from SF to Boston. I'm not looking for advice on routes or what to see etc, as I already have my list sorted. What I am asking about is the vehicle.

My first idea had been to buy, then drive, then sell a vehicle for the trip. However, it transpires that a non-US citizen is not able to register a vehicle, due to the lack of a US address. That's fair enough. Rules are rules. (A pick-up or a convertible would have been my choice.) So - the next step was to check out renting a car. This is not a problem and, booking far enough in advance, the rates are reasonable. The annoying part is the one-way charge of 500 dollars.

Many years ago, when I did a coast-to-coast on I-10, the car I rented was in what the agency called their "floating fleet", and it was registered (if I remember correctly) in Wyoming, so there was no one-way charge.

Has anyone got any ideas about how to avoid that charge, or even alternate ways of doing it? I don't want to use the bus/train/plane alternatives.

TIA !!

Roger

Have you thought about Motor Cycles, may be cheaper, pretty easy to drive and it's properly exhilarating:

I did it across Asia, but America is build for it.

http://www.lifed.com/a-crash-course-...orcycle-riding

Which cities/towns were you planning on spending more than one night in? With the cost of the rental, gasoline, insurance and the drop off fee, you would be better off taking the Amtrak California Zephyr from Emeryville (San Francisco) to Chicago.
Spend a day or two in Chicago before getting on the Lake Shore Limited to Boston. The Lake Shore Limited splits in Albany New York with part going to New York and the remainder going to Boston. You could break up the Zephyr trip by spending 24 hours in either Glenwood Springs or Denver. You could get off the Lake Shore Limited in Buffalo and go to see Niagara Falls.

If you are from outside the US, look at carhire3000, they will include all needed insurance and can often get one way drop fees waived.

Listen to jamie99. Most overseas visitors can get MUCH better rates including full insurance and no, or very small, drop off fees. These are deals that we Americans can't get through the usual car hirer firms (just like we can often get cheaper, all-inclusive car hires when we go abroad).

And unless you specifically want to go to all the cities on the amtrak route tom suggests (doubtful since you say you already have your listed sorted) - that isn't a viable option since you'd need to hire cars at nearly every stop along the way.

Thanks for the input people. As I said in my last sentence, I have already decided against the train. For one thing, I want more flexibility. I already tried carhire3000 - they are one of the agencies quoting BIG drop-off charges.

Roger,
Try asking for a quote from SF to NYC, that is a more common route than Boston and the dropoff fee may be lower.

Jamie -- thanks -- worth a try!!