Question - has anyone rented/driven a Porsche 911 from Avis in Germany. Thoughts? Was it worth the $$? Will I regret it if I don't do it?

Current plan -

I'm heading to the Middle East and Europe this Summer for about a month. We've got Museum and Factory tours lined up all over Stuttgart and Ingolstadt as well as a planned stop at the Nurburgring for a trip in a 'Ring Taxi. Current plan is to take the high speed Thalys train from Paris to Cologne and pick up a BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo rental car for the week before dropping it off in Munich. I've driven an E350 in Germany before - enjoyed the opportunities to drive fast on the autobahn.

However, in my searching for rental cars, I came across renting a 991 Porsche Carrera S from Avis -

http://www.avis.de/Fahrzeuge/Prestige-Flotte

Price comes to about $250 a day with 200 Km (120 miles) free per day. The cost is steep as compared to $75 a day for the big BMW, the mileage limit is ridiculous, and it would be a pain to try and stuff all the luggage in the back seats and frunk but I suppose if we planned for it, we could manage. However can anyone weigh in here who's done this? Was it worth it? Will I regret it if I don't do it?

Also I found this weblink. It's kinda silly, but I enjoyed sending my wife a porsche style email.

Enjoy..

http://www.avis-porsche.com/


All the best, David

 

Thanks for sharing....I am going to rent one when i plan my trip to Germany.....Just send my wife a message too...

 

I dont think its worth it. Very few areas if any on the autobahn have no speed limit anymore, not like it used to be.

 

I lived there through 2009 and there are a lot of speed limited sections. Luckily where I lived there were also a lot of unlimited stretches. Just depends on where you are. Germany is a very rules oriented place. Autobahns are very predictable, until you get some amateur foreigner on it who doesn't know the rules or customs.

 

I don't think its just Germany. When I first moved to England in the late '90's and naively undertook a car on the M25 (which resulted in high beams and a two finger salute) I learned quite quickly that the rules of the road were different than the US. I wish driving in the 'passing lane' and undertaking were illegal here as well, but I digress...

 

Looks like a great trip planned! I will be taking notes, your trip is something I want to do as well!

 

I lived in Germany from 2004 to 2008 and I can tell you that there are some areas where you can go fast. There are sections on the A3 heading toward the North Sea that are new and straight. There are also some areas on the A45 through the Sauerland that are without limit but with hills and high speed curves. One needs to understand that these sections of the Autobahn have only two lanes each way and require that everone drive strictly by the rules. Otherwize, a dissaster could result. Cruising at 150 mph on the Autobahn is probably better in something like a Panamera than a 911, however. I often drove in my VW Passat TDI at 125 mph on the A45 in good weather and traffic.

 

I rented from Avis back in 2008. Calling Avis in Germany was easier then calling the NA toll free number. The problem when I called, I was that you were asked to give 3 choices of cars to rent. I asked for a Carrera first, Cayman second and Boxster third. I ended up in a new Cayman S. It was fun to drive around Germany in a Porsche, as well the car found it's way on the Nurburgring for a lap

Here is my thread for that trip
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...rburgring.html

 

Just make sure that you get familiar with the traffic laws in Germany. For example it's absolutely illegal (and in addition will bring the wrath of every motorist on you if you do it) to pass on the right on the Autobahn.

 

Wow, it would have expected that there was some language in the rental agreement which would not allow that.

 

How about timing it with a Euro Delivery?

 

Apparently it is verboten for rentals to go on the ring, the Cayman didn't have typical rental license plates...so they didn't stop me from going out on the ring.

 

On our trip to Europe we ended up cruising on the Autobahn for quite a bit in a VW Passat. Not knowing the roads, we would get up to great cruising speed and then suddenly find traffic at a stand still! It happened several times as we entered more populated areas. However it also happend when you would swear you were in the countryside.

If you don't know the layout of the land your traveling in, you won't know which exits might be backed-up or what lays ahead on the road.

 

Having been to Germany many times over the past 15 years, the roads can be anywhere from a nightmare to an absolutely dream to drive on. Worst trip was Frankfurt to Berlin. The A2 was backed up for 20 miles. 20 miles?? I sat on the hood of the big Mercedes Benz I rented for 4 hours waiting for a wreck to clear up. Best trip was on a Sunday morning, Leipzig to the Dutch border. Averaged 105 mph on that trip, clocking speeds over 135 mph for long stretches. With no big trucks allowed on the road on Sundays and mostly unlimited speed limits.

 

I'm actually from Stuttgart and I can highly recommend the A8 from Stuttgart to Singen (Lake Constance) which is 90% unlimited and depending on the day and time fairly open with traffic or a short trip the A8 towards Ulm which is partially unlimited but has usually more traffic. But in general I'd rent one at least for a day to enjoy the drive to Lake Constance in the morning via the Autobahn doing high speed and then in the evening back using the twisty backroads over the "Alb" which also offers lots of nice dining options.