Places to Rent the Car of Your Dreams

I n Los Angeles, a car not only transports its residents around town, but also makes a statement about one’s status and image. As they say about Angelenos--you are what you drive.

So if your dream has been to tool around town in a slick Rolls-Royce or hot-pink Cadillac, but you can’t afford one, a rental agency may be the way to go.

For those who would rent to impress, here are 10 places to rent the wheels of your dreams. Prices are for daily rental (there are cheaper packages), and extra mileage charges are not included.

Budget Rent-a-Car, 8747 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (213) 655-5894.

The first Budget office started in 1958 with used economy cars, but now has full-time security guards to protect the Mercedeses, Cadillacs, Rollses and Ferraris dressing up its parking lot. Though the name Budget defies its selection, the company has four “luxury-line” branches that feature 1986 and ’87 models of high-priced luxury cars, starting with the Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible at $400. For $350, one may rent the 328 Ferrari GTS, Mondial Ferrari or Rolls Spirit 3. The unique Bitter, a German car that premiered in 1985, or a 560 SEC Mercedes is available for $200. Lower-priced cars include the Porsche 928 for $175, several Mercedeses at $150 and the Corvette, BMW 635 or 735, Jaguar XT6 or XJS, each at $120. At $85.95 are the Porsche 944, Mark F Lincoln, Cadillac Deville, BMW 325, and for $85 is the Audi 5000 Turbo or El Dorado convertible.

Budget will deliver the car to one’s hotel and will make arrangements to have a car delivered even as far away as Palm Springs (charging $100-$150 for delivery costs). Other locations are at 300 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 659-3473; 4500 Lincoln Blvd., Marina del Rey, (213) 821-8200, and its Beverly Hills headquarters, 9815 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 274-9173. Open Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and weekends 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Classic Auto Leasing, 1100 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, (213) 204-2211.

For $10,000 per month, one can rent a plush suite on wheels created out of a Greyhound bus by an Oregon company. The 40-foot-long vehicle, worth half a million, contains a queen-size bed, full kitchen with microwave, VCR, TV, stereo, telephone, full bath and can sleep six people. If you need it now, you’ll have to wait: Eddie Murphy has rented it for three months and will be using it in “Beverly Hills Cop II.” The 24-year-old company also rents Rolls-Royce Corniche convertibles for $400, Ferraris for $250-$350, Mercedeses for $100, Jaguars for $75-$95 and Corvettes for $100. Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

7-11 Rent-a-Car, 200 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach, (714) 650-1180.

Literally fit for a king, the 1971 Mercedes Benz 600 limousine was originally bought for the shah’s twin sister in Iran. Also in the 4-year-old company’s fleet are the Ferrari 308 and Mondial and Rolls-Royce for $250; a Corvette or a Jaguar for $95; a Porsche 944 for $85, and Mercedes 300 diesels and BMW 325Es ranging from $49.95 to $95. Open every day 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Rent-a-50s, 1027 Broadway, Santa Monica, (213) 452-1889.

Old-style, big long cars with big tail fins, huge Jayne Mansfield-style bullet bumpers and lots of chrome celebrate the rock ‘n’ roll era. The company stores a 1956 Buick Century Convertible, an all-electric car with a gas-pedal starter ($129); a rounded-design 1958 Chevy Impala convertible ($99); a 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, ($49); a 1953 Ford Customline, ($20), and a 1959 Dodge Coronet ($30). Open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Gold Prestige, 859 N. La Cienega Blvd., Hollywood, (213) 271-4879.

Exotic cars for rent start with the Rolls-Royce Corniche, $350; Ferrari 308 GTSI and Mondial, $300; Excalibur, $200; Mercedes 500 SL, $150; Porsche 911, $140; Corvette convertibles for $135; Porsche 944 custom convertible Cabriolet, $125; Porsche 928, $120; Mercedes Cabriolet, $100, and BMWs at $100. Headquartered in San Francisco, the 3-year-old company offers a one-way rental between Los Angeles and San Francisco, with a drop-off fee of $150. Open every day 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Other locations in Monte Carlo, Geneva, Zurich and Paris.

Southwest Car Rental, 12312 W. Olympic Blvd., West Los Angeles, (213) 820-9393.

The 26-year-old firm that shows off 7,000 cars in its huge headquarters lot caters to the Hollywood crowd, including Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Bob Newhart and Whitney Houston, among many others. “We’ve rented to well over 1,000 stars, including musicians. We have exclusive deals to rent cars to many studios,” says Ric Militi, director of public relations. The company will deliver a car to one’s hotel--Diana Ross had a Rolls-Royce brought to her in Las Vegas--along with a rental agent to fill out the paper work. Featured cars include the Rolls-Royce from $350; full line of Mercedeses, $95-$150; Jaguar, $115; Corvette convertible, $125; Porsche, $150, and Ferraris, $300-$350. Other locations are in Newport Beach, 4545 MacArthur Blvd., (714) 752-6111; San Diego, 1111 Fashion Valley Road, (619) 291-RENT, and Hollywood, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., (213) 461-6200. Open weekdays 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dreamboats Rent-a-Car, 8536 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (213) 659-3277.

“Blueberry Hill” probably plays on the radio at this remodeled gas station that stocks ‘50s and ‘60s convertibles. One can cruise in a pink Cadillac de Ville, with the largest tail fins that Cadillac ever made, for $89. A 1960 or 1961 Cadillac convertible rents for $69; a red or a white 1960 Chevrolet Impala is $69, as are a green 1962 and a yellow 1966 Thunderbird and a pink 1960 Buick Electra 225. The 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire, 1961 Ford Galaxy Sunliner and 1964 Pontiac Bonneville with a 128-inch wheel base rent for $59. Open every day 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Avon Rent-a-Car, 8459 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (213) 654-5533.

The white Rolls-Royce Corniche driven by Richard Dreyfuss in “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” is available for $239 and still has the grille bent from the filmed crash, said owner Stuart Silver. Other cars with acting careers include the red Ferrari 308 rented for Tom Selleck in “Magnum P.I.” for $239 and the white Rolls-Royce driven by Linda Evans on “Dynasty.” Movie studios spend $25,000-$30,000 per month to rent cars from the 9-year-old company, according to Silver. Also for rent are the ultra-exotic Lamborghini Countach, which can travel 200 m.p.h., for $600, Clenet for $130, Porsches ($79 for 944 and $150 for 928 and 911), Mercedeses for $89 and Corvettes, Maseratis and BMWs for $79. Many customers remove the license plate frames with the rental company’s name, so the renter may seem to be the owner of the car. “We find our frames in the trunk or hidden underneath the floor mats,” Silver said. Open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. every day. Other locations at 3939 Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach, (714) 650-0925 and 501 W. Ball Road, Anaheim, (714) 991-0600.

Rent-a-Wreck, 12333 W. Pico Blvd., West Los Angeles, (213) 478-0676.

Classic used cars for rent include 1966-1973 Mustang convertibles in pink, red, black or yellow for $39.95-$59.95; 1965-1975 Cadillac convertibles at the same price, 1965-1970 Mustang hardtops at $39.95 and a 1959 Studebaker Lark at $59.95. Other locations at 12868 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 762-3628 and 18738 Sherman Way, Reseda, (818) 343-0047. Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Sundays 10-11 a.m.

Showcase Rental Cars, 8820 La Tijera Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 670-7002.

The parking lot of this car-rental outlet near L.A. International Airport includes four models of Peugeots at $33.95-$49.95; Alfa Romeo Spider convertibles at $69.95, Saabs at $56.95-$65.95 and a Volvo 740 Sedan at $59.95. Open every day 6:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.