A woman was surprised by the vehicle she received as part of Avis’s “mystery car” rental option. This selection effectively leaves patrons’ cars up to the business’ choice whenever they arrive to pick up their ride.
TikTok user Annie (@unotheunit) documented the whip she received upon opting for this choice in a social media post.
While much of her TikTok profile is often dedicated to posts about her cat, Uno, this picture montage was all about her car rental. Upon showing up at the Avis rental location, the “mystery” was finally revealed. The company handed her keys to a large van that is outfitted to seat 12 people.
“POV you chose the ‘mystery car’ from the Avis car rental,” she writes in an on-screen caption in the first picture of her slideshow. The image shows her snapping a selfie while in the driver’s seat of the van. There are three rows of seats behind her. Afterwards, she shows a picture of the exterior, along with another on-screen caption. “I give you: the 12-person transit van.”
Then she displays a selfie of her in front of the van parked on what looks like a historic main street. Finally, the last image shows another image of the 12-passenger van, giving viewers a gander at its length.
Which Passenger Vans Does Avis Offer?
According to the rental car company’s website, Avis offers a 15-passenger Chevrolet Express or Ford Transit 12-passenger van.
While the Express and Transit might look like nondescript, no-nonsense vans, modern offerings do come with updated amenities. For instance, car dealer Gordon Chevy indicates that the Express indeed comes outfitted with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While you may be surprised by getting a large van for your mystery vehicle, at least you can use your turn-by-turn navigation application of choice.
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Avis’ ‘Mystery Car’
As per the business’s website, Avis does indeed offer a surprise vehicle option. But there are some caveats worth considering. Avis writes that the “mystery car may be gas, hybrid, or EV or similar,” in its description of the offering.
Depending on where you’re traveling, your plans might need to be adjusted. For instance, if you’re going to be driving around a city that has tight parking spaces, cruising in a massive Chevrolet Express may not be ideal. Further, if you need to rely on parking garages, you’ll not only incur additional costs with such an unwieldy vehicle, but some garages may not have clearance heights or spaces that accommodate it.
Moreover, if the only car available is an EV and you’re planning on traveling long distances, you might need to adjust to ensure access to charging stations. Or you may need to go out of your way to locate places that offer supercharging, in which case you’ll also have to make sure to have the necessary connectors or adapters.
Pre-planning for the number of passengers you may have with you could be worth considering, too. If you’re in a group and everyone’s lugging around a considerable number of bags, relying on the “dealer’s choice” could result in you ultimately having a bad time at the car rental location. And if you’re banking on picking up another car for yourself in the event you don’t like the mystery car you’re given, be prepared for being told that there aren’t any other rides available.
Is the Avis Mystery Car Worth It?
Leaving the car you get up to chance could pay off, however. As users in this Bob is the Oil Guy forum discussion mentioned, this selection is often “the cheapest option.”
Engine1 assessed rental car options from Newark Airport (EWR) and confirmed that the “mystery car” selection was one of the more affordable offerings, but there were cheaper alternatives. The “pay now” option for the secret whip came out to $42.49 per day. However, economy and compact cars like the Hyundai Venue, Toyota Corolla, or Kia Soul amounted to $40.79–$41.99 per day. Intermediate electric cars like the Kia Niro cost $38.24.
One Reddit user who posted to the site’s r/TravelHacks sub inquired as to the efficacy of selecting the mystery car option. Responses ran the gamut. One said their friend has always “hit the jackpot with the mystery car. Like big SUV or fast race car. Never one did they get a little car.”
Another said their “company used the mystery bookings last year and one poor guy did get a subcompact. But others got a really nice SUV or sedan.”
Commenters Sound Off on Car Rental
Folks who replied to Annie’s video shared similar experiences renting unexpected cars. One person wrote, “I booked a Toyota Corolla once and when I got there they had a bunch of Saturn Sky convertibles and I asked if I could get one of those jokingly and they said, ‘Yes, it’s in the same class.’ It was a blast.
Another remarked, “Was given a Polestar 2 as an equivalent to Kia Niro. Talked my way out a ticket that weekend.”
One shared how they inadvertently ended up with a large pickup truck. “They gave us a F350 to go wine tasting in Napa,” they said.
Whereas another said they ended up with a small commuter vehicle: “I did the mystery car once & slowly drove off in a Chevy Spark,” they wrote.
Engine1 has reached out to Avis and Annie via email for further information. We’ll update this if either responds.
