I’ve rented quite a few cars and have developed very clear expectations when it comes to the whole rental experience. I expect the car to be clean and reliable. I expect it to get me where I need to go. I don’t expect an amazing driving experience. Please understand Im not unhappy I just don’t equate driving excitement with a car rental.

Renting a real performance car

Included in my many rentals were several performance-oriented cars such as the Dodge Charger. Unfortunately the rental often seem to be only modest versions of the car. I have recently learned that several rental companies including Avis, Budget and Hertz also have in their fleets higher-end cars that you would actually want to drive. These cars include the Ford Mustang, the Chevy Corvette and Camaro. Avis calls their special car group Avis Cool Cars while Budget has the Budget Street Fleet and Hertz has the Fun Collection.

The challenge to renting one of these special autos is available. Since these cars make up a small portion of a rental company’s overall fleet a car like the Chevy Corvette won’t be offered at every rental location. Good news is rental companies usually have their special cars available in areas where they are most popular which means with a little planning you should be able to find the car you want to take on the road. For me it was the updated Camaro.

Finding a Camaro rental

I’ve been interested in the new Camaro since the car was announced. I started my search with the rental car sites and their car guides. I narrowed my choice to Avis and Budget since they both carried the LT and SS versions of the Camaro. Avis offers the Camaro in over sixty cities throughout the U.S. including Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York. Since my travel plans included a trip to Los Angeles I booked a Camaro SS at Avis’ LAX location.

Once I got behind the wheel I was pleased to find the Camaro was not a stripped down version of the car and it completely lived up to my expectations. It was a really fun ride. Renting a Camaro or similar car will come with a premium rental rate. But for me the higher rate was offset by the fun-to-drive nature of the car. If you’re interested in renting a special car remember to book early because cars are limited and they are definitely in demand.