OMG I hate renting cars

[NotQuiteCockney]

I am trying to sort out a car rental for our Canadian trip. Things that are pissing me off:

1. You can't get any interesting cars
2. It's always X or similar. I know we will show up and they won't have anything of the sort, so we will either be in a subcompact, or a minivan.
3. When they do have luxury cars, it's a merc or a bmw, which is not a novelty from the UK, and boy are the prices alarming.
4. The websites suck ass.
5. We are trying to pick up near the airport and drop off in town. There's a lot of small print about how we might not be able to do this with a luxury car.
6. The prices aren't inclusive. They don't include tax, or whatever the hell people feel like charging us when we show up. Why have a quote if it doesn't mean anything?
7. We want satnav. Some sites appear not to have heard of it.

Any tips?

is it like the film 'planes, trains and automobiles' too where you have to find your car amongst thousands?

No, I don't think so.

It's been ages since we rented anything, last time it was a nice yellow beetle (new model), very nice, but not big enough with two kids. Oh, no, I lie, we rented something v boring when DS1 was tiny, but gave it back as we weren't using it.

Thing is, DH wants something silly. He doesn't see the point to renting a car we'd actually own.

He wants a PT Cruiser (can't get one) or some giant weirdo SUV. (Yes, he would accept a hummer. [nauseated])

Oh, and the websites are just assy. Annoying and difficult to use, wanting my email address before they'll do anything for me, oh, it just sucks.

Hmmm, the Avis website will let me rent a car in Canada and return it to Australia.

haha! really get that one

NCQ - I think I'll join you and rant - I'm trying to find out (roughly) how much 3 or 4 days hire of something like a Audi, BMW, or Merc would cost (in the UK too) because DH has decided that he wants to hire something "nice" for when we visit my parents with the DS's - I'm going round in circles and not getting very far....

And the only 'interesting' options I keep seeing are either a big big old fashioned car that looks like an electric shaver, or an SUV/sports utility type deal that will be just what everyone else has.

God I hate cars.

fannieannie, easyrentacar has Merc A-class or whatever they are. Look a bit funny, but they are nice to drive. And the rental process is relatively straight-forward, last time I checked. (We used to use them a lot.)