Renting a car in Oslo

[Gregor-y]

I'm going to be spending two weeks in Norway and need to rent a car out of Oslo. Short of the usual suspects (Avis, Europcar, Hertz and so on) are there any more interesting companies in the area?

[Gregor-y]

No tips? It's off to Europcar I go, though I worry 'or similar' is just bait and switch to expect a Golf and get an i30.

[Lundefaret]

If You are on a tight budget there is Rent A Wreck, wich is not as bad as the name suggests, but used cars they are.

[Gregor-y]

I'm tempted less because of price and more because something like that would not look like a rental, but in the end I got a decent offer from Hertz. I rented a 'Wreck' about twenty years ago in Boston and ended up in a red Ford Escort with large roses etched in the rear windows and chicken bones under the seat.

[Lundefaret]

Why is it important that it don't look like a rental? Tell me if you need any info on places to visit etc

[Gregor-y]

I was just looking for something inconspicuous. I think everything's set now, and there are two more weeks before I go. Quite a few more road signs to remember (give way or yield is very out of fashion as I suppose people are too dumb to manage anything other than 'stop') but I think the toughest thing to remember is to not turn right on a red light. Weird that it is something drivers in the US are trusted to do.

[Storm]

sorry to hijack this but anybody got experience of sixt.com ?

[Gregor-y]

One more thing for the motorways, is there any particular etiquette for making a 'go ahead' signal? In the US it's usually a single flash of the lights from the passing lane to let trucks know it's safe to pull into the passing lane ahead of you so they can keep their momentum. The overtaken truck will also use a single light flash to let the passer know they're clear and it's safe to move back over. It's generally done between trucks but I've noticed drivers seem to really appreciate it when a car understands their need to keep momentum and will allow them to make their pass first.

[janvanvurpa]

One more thing for the motorways, is there any particular etiquette for making a 'go ahead' signal?
In the US it's usually a single flash of the lights from the passing lane to let trucks know it's safe to pull into the passing lane ahead of you so they can keep their momentum. The overtaken truck will also use a single light flash to let the passer know they're clear and it's safe to move back over. It's generally done between trucks but I've noticed drivers seem to really appreciate it when a car understands their need to keep momentum and will allow them to make their pass first.

Gregorij droogie I have only seen a few times in last 10 years--or more---cars flash healights to trucks or busses and get the acknowledgement back to pull in/over.. In some parts of USA it means "get out of my way or I am going to ram you!" or "You wanna fight?"


Don't know about Oslo but formerly the way in the neighboring country just a little to the East of Norge when you wanted to get ahead, or pass--which was the only signal ie GET OUT OF MY WAY I AM MORE IMPORTANT GET OUT OF MY WAY

You would pull up to within less than 1m of the car in front back bumper and repeatedly flash hi beam and then jockey left and jockey right then left onto the shoulder..
Do this regardless of speed and traffic conditions..and never glace over when you finally succeed in forcing your way around..

Check local habits and see if the Norskies have adopted this practice from their big Neighbors from 30 years ago since that's how long everything takes to reach there...:love:

[Gregor-y]

Gregorij droogie I have only seen a few times in last 10 years--or more---cars flash healights to trucks or busses and get the acknowledgement back to pull in/over.. In some parts of USA it means "get out of my way or I am going to ram you!" or "You wanna fight?"
I only see aggressive light flashing coming into downtown Chicago along Interstate 290, usually a 10+ year old BMW with a little Polish crest hanging from the mirror, a dealer or temporary license plate and trying to weave through traffic at 95 while everyone else is happy doing 80. For my travels outside the city I try to keep trucks happy since they're all in communication with one another and the police can listen in. Plus they're some of the last people on the road that will warn you of speed traps ahead (with still more flashing lights).

[Gregor-y]

So far betwen Oslo's airport and Lillehammer nothing but super low speed limits which everyone but a few white vans seem to follow. I ended up in a massive V70 diesel that blends in perfectly and would only be improved with a set of large spotlights in front of the grille. Every tenth car, van or truck looks like it's an amateur rally competitor. I was too jetlagged to try anything yesterday but spent a half hour this morning setting the menus to English, temperatures to Farenheit for heating and air conditioning, the gauges to show speed/tach rather than an eco chart with a hard to judge spedometer and shut off the auto-stop. I thought I'd broken down the first time it kicked in (or out). The clutch is super light and the brake engages too soon and too hard but that's against what I'm used to. A few days and this will seem fine. The Norsk Vegmuseum had one of Petter's 2003 Imprezas and a few Skoda rally cars so that was cool to see.