Car hire recommendation wanted

[Otta]

I'm not a driver and don't have a clue, so need advise.

My parents are driving down to Devon to see my nan probably May/June sort of time. My mum is refusing to go in my dad's crappy old car, having broken down last year, and wants to hire an automatic.

They don't need flash, just reliable.

They'd be leaving on a Monday morning as early as possible, and getting back Friday afternoon.

Any recommendations on good car hire firms?

[Robert Poste's Child]

Don't know if this is any help but the last time I went down that way I got the train to Exeter and picked up a hire car there, which was much cheaper, particularly if you have a railcard.

[tfwsoll]

I regularly hire cars and there isn't a lot to chose between the major companies...although I am not keen on National. I usually go via http://www.rentalcars.com/ as they have good deals.

[Twirly]

I ended up hiring a couple of cars up in Scotland last year as I couldn't face driving all the way up there! I can't recommend a particular company (though both the ones we used were fine), but I would recommend booking through http://www.travelsupermarket.com/ I was researching costs, and found that the same companies cost almost half if I went through travel supermarket!

For the first trip I didn't use TS, but booked directly through Atlas Choice, and they were fine. The second one I think we hired through holiday autos, but you get the actual car from a local company so it is a bit more of a lottery.

[Jeremy]

Ots, there's a car hire place in Forest Hill. That's just about the only local one I know of. Otherwise it would probably be a train/taxi to somewhere in SW London to pick one up there.

[StraferJack]

I've used the car hir in Forest Hill every year for last five years - always found them really friendly and reasonable rates

ETA a link

http://www.practical.co.uk/locations/england/london/foresthill/

[Lozellen]

There's an enterprise car hire in Sydenham which I've always found cheap and cheerful. Used them recently for a one way hire to Cornwall because their one way rate was about half of the other firms which isn't always clear on the price comparison sites. Also they do free pick up/drop off if it's difficult for you to get to them under your own steam. Agreed - not a fan of National.

[Townleygreen]

This is a really useful thread - thanks for all the advice so far! EDF at its best.