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I rented a car recently and chose a compact. When I turned up at the counter they told me they didn’t have the car I reserved and gave me a minivan; the only other options were trucks. Everyone wants the gas saving vehicles. Well at least I’m not stuck owning one.

After gas, the total cost of the rental including taxes and insurance came to 58.2 cents per mile. According to AAA, the total cost of owning and driving a brand new small sedan 15k miles in 2025 is 55.9¢/mi. Not bad for 2026, I guess.

As for trips, the Surfliner is great for going to LA. Going to the Bay Area is another story. Even after gas, the rental car allowed us flexibility in travel plans and didn’t cost that much more than Amtrak for two. I really want that service network envisioned in the state rail plan.

The Surfliner is definitely smoother than the Coast Starlight. For the Bay Area, renting at SFO or Oakland and using BART to get downtown often saves parking headaches. We have a full guide on Bay Area logistics if you want tips on avoiding traffic traps.