Your choice of travel mode will be dictated by what you want to do. If you want the freedom to change your itinerary as you travel then a selfdrive vehicle is probably best. These range from an economy sedan to a gigantic 'fifth-wheel' which is like an articulated caravan unit. These can get up to 50 plus feet long and weigh 20,000 pounds or more. It is interesting that in the USA you do not require a special license to drive one of these units. Consequently there are many of these on the roads during Summer along with conventional towed caravans, truck-campers and the like. Another form of travel/accommodation is the converted bus. These can be 40 feet long and fitted out in great luxury and usually tow a fair size car for local running around. Incidentally they can cost up to $US750,000!
Costs of hire vary with the unit type and size and it is often worth booking before leaving Australia, especially as travel agents will often give you the benefit of their wholesale pricing.
When hiring for a long period or with the knowledge that you will be covering many miles it is wise to check on when the next service is due. Usually the hire company will offer you another vehicle if yours requires a service but this is not much good if you are 500 miles from a depot or you have to drive a long way off your itinerary.
Increasingly you will be offered the option of purchasing the first tank of fuel which means you are able to return the vehicle with an empty tank. The alternative is to return with a full tank or, if it is not full, you will be required to pay for it to be topped up at a highly inflated per gallon price. Usually there is no problem filling up just before returning the vehicle and this is really the best option. If you purchase the first tank any fuel left in there is yours and you do not get a refund!. Thus you have to try to judge getting back to the depot as close to empty as you can which can be quite tricky.
Note that some hire companies limit where you can take their vehicles. Almost all prohibit venturing into Mexico, some do not allow Canada and some limit you to the state of hire so check this if you plan to cover a lot of ground.
When hiring check the insurance as some states require supplementary cover to that normally provided by the hire company. Check your travel insurance too as often it will pay for the excess and provide personal liability cover which will satisfy the state's requirements.
Round trips, where you return the vehicle to the place where you picked it up, are usually cheaper. There can be as much as 10% difference in price between picking up at an airport and downtown.
Purchasing a vehicle is an option which can be fraught with problems and should be thoroughly checked out before making any commitment. It is probably only viable for long periods because of the costs of purchase and resale. Additionally the cost of full insurance is exorbitant for overseas people.
Borrowing a vehicle can be good for shorter stays but insurance companies will usually baulk if the loan is more than 30 days.
Fuel (gasoline) is readily available and it is not generally necessary to carry any cans of fuel unless you are going off road. There will usually be at least three grades available. Use the lowest grade your vehicle can stand and take care when about to cross a state border as, for example, when crossing from California to Oregon, the price will drop around 30 cents a gallon due to difference in tax levels!
