Pros & Cons Of Choosing A Mystery Car From A Rental Service

Renting a car is the number one way to explore an unfamiliar place – but it can come at a cost. Of all the ways people use to bring down car rental costs when they’re on a trip, selecting a mystery car is often the gamble people will take.

As someone who has opted for this intriguing option multiple times, I know it offers both positives and negatives. Here’s my experience and some of the things to consider if you’re looking to rent a mystery car for your trip.

High-Spec Car, Or Not So High-Spec?

In 2024, you will unlikely encounter any rental car without engrained technological enhancements, from parking beepers to bumper cameras and in-built sat nav. Depending on the limits you set when renting a car, the higher end of these technological innovations can surprise even the most seasoned driver. Some cars have autonomous features, auto-drive options, or big screens for passengers, so they can select a whole range of entertainment options.

Given that some cars can connect to the Internet, offer streaming services, or allow you to play live casino games, rental cars have come a long way, even in the short space of a decade. When I first rented a mystery car around 10 years ago, I can assure you that the vehicle did not come equipped with any of these things, especially not online gambling.

Now, despite the emergence of online gambling real money games becoming a huge hit on smartphones and tablets, it’s probably not a consideration when you’re renting a car. Still, if you find yourself lumped with a mystery car that is a newer model car like Tesla, for instance, there are a lot of innovations that you will not be aware of unless you have driven a Tesla before.

While the technology is awe-inspiring, sometimes it’s good not to stray too far out of your comfort zone when renting a vehicle. If you leave it in the hands of the rental company, then you may get a highly innovative, technical vehicle that you’re struggling to understand.

How Do Mystery Vehicles Work?

It’s a secret formula that no rental car companies dare share. I am just joking, of course. It usually boils down to what they have available; depending on the company you use, you can specify that you don’t want the mystery car to be over a specific size and request certain specifications to see if they can accommodate you. Budget car rentals offer mystery cars, and the possibilities can vary depending on where you pick them up.

However, if you’re in the business of getting picky with your rental car when you’ve essentially just given the rental company carte blanche to do whatever they want, then we recommend that you at least speak to somebody on the sales team who can tell you whether you should opt for a mystery car or simply select one based on your specifications.

The main positive is that renting a mystery car will often cost you a lot less than renting any other car that the company have available. They’ll also opt for the highest-spec car that they have in stock.

For instance, when I drove around the South Island of New Zealand, I opted for a mystery car and was given an SUV. If there’s ever a destination that I’d recommend driving around, it is the South Island of New Zealand, with incredible scenic tourist hubs like Queenstown and incredible ancient forests like Curio Bay, which historians believe is over 180 million years old.

Downsides To Consider

While an SUV is ideal for New Zealand, especially the countryside areas, I probably wouldn’t have been as pleased if I were given an SUV to drive around somewhere like Tokyo or Paris.

This is the risk you take with a mystery car – the whole purpose of agreeing to it is because you are paying less, and this can cause issues, especially if you are not used to or are not comfortable with driving a bigger car.

Even as an experienced driver, I admittedly experienced a handful of sharp stop-and-starts in the car park, with the windscreen wipers coming on instead of the indicator and a random button that folded the wing mirrors in; I got there in the end despite the whole thing unfolding like a Mr Bean sketch.

Final Thoughts

Mystery cars illuminate the age-old question in life: Should I go for the cheapest option and take a risk, or pay a bit more and know what I am getting? What’s life without a bit of adventure from time to time? Plus, until you get to the rental desk, you can still hope they might give you the brand-new Maserati as a treat.

I’m yet to experience this—and I’m not holding my breath next time I get a mystery car—but if the negatives outweigh the positives for you, then I’d recommend experiencing the unbridled thrill of the mystery car at least once.