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Which model car
should you rent in Turkey?
Rental
cars in Turkey tend to be smaller,
simpler and less powerful than in
North America and parts of Europe.
Most are perfectly adequate for a
single traveler or a couple (with
or without a child). Here are some
features to consider:
Motor
Size
The small motors are thrifty with
fuel which, although less expensive than in most
of Europe, is more expensive than in North America.
However, a small motor may be inadequate if
your party has three or four adults and/or lots of
heavy baggage. (Motor capacity is usually measured
in liters: 1.2 liters, 1.6 liters, etc.)
Most of Turkey's highways are two-lane
(though many are now being widened
to four lanes), which means you'll
need sufficient power to pass/overtake many
of the omnipresent trucks/lorries.
Without an adequately powerful motor,
it may be unsafe to overtake, and you
may sit behind a stinky diesel truck
for miles. Also, Turkey has lots of mountains,
and you'll want a sufficiently powerful
car to get up them...
Brakes
...and down: it can be unsafe to load too many people
and too much luggage into a small car and rely
on its brakes not to fail during
a long descent on a mountain road. (I've smelled
the overheated brakes in more than one rental car,
and I was traveling alone!)
I suggest that you rent the
cheapest cars only if you are traveling
alone.
Pay a bit more if you are traveling
with one other person, and a bit more
again if you are two adults and a child.
Be careful on those mountain descents
and leave time for a few stops to allow
the brakes to cool. Here's
a cost comparison of means of transport.
Baggage
Capacity
The cheapest cars rarely have much room in the trunk/boot
for luggage. Soft luggage that can
be crammed into odd spaces is better than large,
hard-sided suitcases. You may have to carry some
of your stuff in the rear seat.
Security
As in any country, it's best not to leave
anything visible in your car when you park
it. This applies especially to big cities. Keep this
in mind when you choose a rental car: can you conceal
your stuff when you park?
Air
Conditioning
In the hot months of June
through September, you'll really appreciate air
conditioning, especially if you are driving along
the Mediterranean
coast. Besides being cool, conditioned air is dry,
which is much better than the humid, moisture-laden
air that is the norm in this region in summer.
Humid air may be fine on the beach, but it's wretched
in a car in traffic on a hot black road.
Automatic
Transmission
Automatic transmission is a luxury item in Turkey. Most
rental cars have standard transmissions ("stick
shift"). If you have not learned how to drive
a car with standard transmission, don't expect to
learn while on your trip. It's uncertain enough to
be driving an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar country
where drivers do things differently than what you
may be used to at home. Don't add the burden of learning
a whole new way to drive.
Map Of Turkey
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