Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 915

Purchase
If you're spending a few months in the USA and Canada, a car may be a good invest-
ment. Keep in mind, however, that purchasing can be complicated and requires plenty of
research.
It is possible to purchase a viable used car for less than $2000, but it might eventually
need repair work that could cost several hundred dollars or more. It doesn't hurt to spend
more to get a quality vehicle - you can sometimes sell it for close to what you paid. It's
also worth having a mechanic check over the vehicle for problems; AAA has diagnostic
centers that can do this for members.
Check the official value of a used car by looking it up in the Kelley Blue Book
( www.kbb.com ) , which is a listing of cars by make, model and year that gives the average
resale price. Local public libraries have copies.
Recreational Vehicles
You can drive, eat and sleep in a recreational vehicle (RV). It's easy to find campgrounds
with hookups for electricity and water, but in big cities RVs are a nuisance, since there are
few places to park or plug them in. They're cumbersome to navigate and they burn fuel at
an alarming rate, but they solve transportation, accommodations and cooking needs in
one fell swoop.
For RV rentals check www.rvra.org . For sales, service and supplies, try
www.campingworld.com . KOA ( www.koa.com ) offers generally excellent RV-oriented
campgrounds, while a good source for general RV-travel tips is www.rvtravel.com .
Rental
Major international rental agencies have offices throughout the Pacific Northwest. To rent
a car, you must have a valid driver's license, (usually) be at least 21 years of age and
present a major credit card or a large cash deposit. Drivers under 25 often pay a sur-
charge over the regular rental.
Agencies often have bargain rates for weekend or week-long rentals, especially outside
the peak seasons or in conjunction with airline tickets. Prices vary greatly depending on
the type or size of car, pick-up and drop-off locations, number of drivers etc. In general,
expect to pay from $30 to $60 per day for a midsize car, more in peak seasons. Rates
usually include unlimited mileage, but not taxes or insurance.
You may get better rates by prebooking from your home country. If you get a fly-drive
package, local taxes may be an extra charge when you collect the car. Several online
travel-reservation networks have up-to-the-minute information on car-rental rates at all the
main airports. Compare their rates with any fly-drive package you're considering.
Basic liability insurance covers damage you may cause to another vehicle. Rental com-
panies are required by law to provide the minimum level set by each state, but it usually
isn't enough in the event of a serious accident. Many Americans already have enough in-