My first trip to the US was in 1996 and I was with a mate who worked for Air New Zealand, so he knew his way around. (He also owned a 1966 Chev Corvair Corsa Turbo Sport Coupe). As we were doing a few long trips, we asked Alamo for an American car - "Why?" they asked, but in Minneapolis we scored a Buick Century. After a couple of days trying to keep it in a straight line we swapped it over for a Chevrolet Corsica which is the ultimate cheap rental, but it did the job, and for the next couple of years I always ended up in one. One year after asking for an American car - "Yep we've got you in a Mercury" - I had visions of a Grand Marquis, but it turned out to be a little Tracer, like a Laser... One of the best was being upgraded into a 2006 Impala. Once in the UK I asked for a British car and scored a Rover Metro 1.3 auto, which actually grew on me. Although I didn't drive in India, there is only one car to travel in that country to experience all the chaos of its roads and drivers and that's a Hindustan Ambassador. A 250 km trip in one of these superannuated Morris Oxfords and to survive says a lot, but I wouldn't have missed it for quids.