It could’ve been just any other Monday, driving to a work lunch across town, grumbling my way through the always sluggish section of the 10 right before Santa Monica — except this time I’d traded out my beat-up 2010 Toyota Corolla for a brand-new 2022 Porsche Boxster. Needless to say, the stop-and-go traffic was a little more anxiety-inducing than it normally is. The reason I was test driving a $100,000 car was to get inside the minds of customers who routinely turn to Beverly Hills Car Rental for their car rental needs. Instead of a vehicle more suited for a quick pick-up at the airport, or a rental for a jaunt down to a friend’s wedding, the patrons of this car shop are looking for more than just transportation. They want luxury, too.
“We pride ourselves on having the largest fleet of exotic cars in Los Angeles and are often the only place you can find the newest model of a car,” Alen Zare, the company’s general manager, tells InsideHook. “This helps us cater to car enthusiasts that are looking to take a new model out to either experience for fun or to trial before they decide to purchase for themselves. Most of our clients are looking for an exciting car to drive during their vacation in Los Angeles, but we often have locals that just want to switch things up for the day — clients that are renting a luxury vehicle for a special event such as an anniversary or birthday, or clients that are just grabbing a car for a photoshoot.”
As a local business with over 30 years spent serving their community’s rather specific needs, this is a rental agency that goes above and beyond, as they routinely deal with Ferraris, Lamborghinis and of course your more traditional Rolls Royces and Bentleys. For example, when I picked up the Boxster, employees used a mirror attached to a long, angular handle to check for scratches not only on the visible parts of the car, but also anything that might’ve been dinged along the undercarriage. No pressure. Still, for most car fiends, this kind of check is standard procedure — a minor prerequisite before getting out on the road in a fast, expensive machine. Just make sure to double-check your insurance before taking the car off the lot: for renters, full coverage insurance must be in effect and transferable for the vehicle’s market value.
While at first I found it hard to speed, or dart in and out of traffic — due to the sheer expense of the car I was driving — as I loosened up, it was hard not to. Going fast is exactly what cars of this caliber are made for, and the traffic around me definitely reacted differently to the Boxster than my Corolla. The reaction from a sneak peek of the car on my Instagram story also elicited quite a response from people who know the space. Posting about the experience is part of the appeal for this rental agency’s clients.
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What do automakers have in store for the year ahead? Tougher Defenders, a comeback story for Cadillac and deliciously retro pickups, for starters.“Driving a luxury car is all about the experience,” Zare says. “Many people love the body styling, luxury features and technology with these cars. Driving one of our exotic vehicles can make you feel like a celebrity for the day and help capture that perfect social media post. The thrill of receiving a brand-new supercar never wears off.” That thrill comes at a cost, though: Renting from this Beverly Hills agency is quite a bit more than your typical $60-a-day run-of-the-mill sedan, but it’s not so inaccessible that it isn’t worth the splurge every now and then. A daily rental of this two-door convertible with up to a 100-mile radius would run just over $400. Like most rentals, gas isn’t included, and it’ll cost a premium if you don’t fill it up yourself.
The other thing I understood for the first time in my life? Valet parking. Since this was easily the nicest car I’d ever driven, leaving it to the fate of passersby at any random parking meter suddenly felt impossible. Luckily, most of my anxiety about something catastrophic happening to the car had worn off by the time I picked up a friend for our dinner reservation at Toca Madera, which is well inside the 100-mile radius in Beverly Grove — a night of sizzling wagyu, flaming drinks and fire eaters seemed like the perfect complement to a day of luxury driving. And if you have a special occasion dinner or event in mind during your rental, part of what sets this agency apart is their full-service concierge capabilities.
“While we may be viewed as just a rental car agency, we consider ourselves to have the full capabilities of a concierge,” Zare says. “Whether you need an impossible restaurant reservation in LA or tough-to-get concert tickets, we have you covered. Our luxury concierge is what sets us apart from our competitors. We always try to create the most memorable experience for our clients. We receive many requests for a specific color or particular vehicle and try our best to satisfy each of our customers’ individual wants. We like to go above and beyond for our clients.”
Which brings up another great point for online shoppers — any car the agency posts on their social media or website is exactly the car a client will get. “Another aspect our clients love is the transparency we have with our clients,” Zare explained. “All cars shown on our website and social media are the exact same cars you’ll find on our lot. We’re not pulling imagery from the dealer, but rather take pictures of our own vehicles so you can see the exact colorway and features that you’re booking. There are no surprises when you book a car with us.”
Some of the most popular requests for an agency known for its supercars are just what you’d expect — Ferraris and Lamborghinis — but Zare says there’s always something new in the mix as well. “We are also consistently bringing in new inventory, making our rental agency one of the only places you can rent some of the hottest and latest supercars on the market,” he says. “With the constant stream of new inventory, that also means we rotate cars out far more frequently than a traditional car rental agency might — allowing the cars to stay in the best condition possible.”
And the rigorous check-in process when returning the car is just as meticulous as it was during checkout, so no car will come back less than pristine. After turning in my rental that night, getting back behind the wheel of my reliable Toyota wasn’t necessarily depressing, but it did put me in a totally different mood — driving around in an elegant car had an impact on the tone of the day. So what’s the most important factor for a great joy ride? Zare thinks it’s matching the right car with the right occasion: “We like to encourage our clients to choose a vehicle that fits the specific occasion. Whether it’s for an important business meeting, special event or a fun cruise down the coast, picking a car that feels right for you is what we care most about.”
Check out Beverly Hills Car Rental here.
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