A Trial by Fire

Great Escape Classic Car Hire recently submitted one of its white Morris Minor Convertibles for a trial by fire to demonstrate the reliability of its fleet.
One of Classic Car Buyer magazine's classified advertising sales representatives exchanged her regular 2008 Fiat Punto for our Suffolk Morris for a week. The trial involved her using the car as her regular wheels for a working week, including commuting and attending meetings. The 1967 car passed the ordeal with flying colours - performing faultlessly without any major or minor hitches.
Although Classic Car Buyer's driver wasn't keen to swap the luxury of her modern car for the rudimentary conditions of the Morris on a long term basis, she was pleased with the attention it received and its reliability.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire delivered the car to and from the magazine's offices in Peterborough. To avoid charges of rigging we hired out the car subject to exactly the same checks we conduct for a regular hire.
"I am really pleased that a 40 year old car performed so well over such a gruelling challenge," said Graham Eason of Great Escape. "Our cars are subject to a rigorous maintenance regime and cover 5 times the average mileage of most classic cars. So high standards of reliability are important to avoid disappointing customers."
Great Escape Classic Car Hire operates the largest fleet of classic cars for hire in the UK, including a fleet of 5 Morris Minors. The company has cars for hire in Yorkshire, Suffolk, Cotswolds, Shropshire and Lincolnshire.
For more details on Great Escape Classic Car Hire call 01527 893733 or visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/
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The One and Only

At Great Escape Classic Car Hire we got the shock of our lives when the wedding couple we chauffeured for on Saturday 30th April apeared on TV the following Monday.

Claire and Chris Lawrenson featured on the BBC's The One Show in a feature about weddings to accompany coverage of THAT Royal Wedding. The couple chose to be chauffeur driven in one of Great Escape Classic Car Hire's white Morris Minor convertibles, which also appeared on the programme (albeit fleetingly).

The wedding in Herefordshire went very smoothly, the couple loved the car and the combination of the Morris and Russ, our chauffeur, were a faultless combination.

Great Escape Classic Car Hire has four Morris Minor convertibles for hire from its sites in Yorkshire, Worcestershire, Suffolk and Lincolnshire. The fleet includes three white Morris Minors with burgundy interiors and roofs. All cars are available to hire on a self drive or chauffeur hire basis for weddings and weekends.

Click here to view The One Show broadcast.

For more information call 01527 893733 or visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/.

Don't let the chauffeur have all the fun

For the second year running here at Great Escape we've noticed a significant trend towards self drive hire when brides and grooms book cars for their wedding. January is the busiest time for wedding bookings and it seems that wedding couples are turning away from chauffeur hire in favour of more flexible self drive hire options.
A chauffeur driven white Rolls Royce, Bentley or Jaguar has for decades been the staple of the wedding car hire world. But today couples are increasingly seeking something different - and in the current straightened economic times, something crucially cheaper. The development of flexible self drive wedding car hire packages by companies like Great Escape Classic Car Hire has enabled brides and grooms to cut their costs - and get behind the wheel of more interesting and varied cars.
Self drive hire wedding car packages for couples have many advantages. It means they can access a much wider range of classic cars for hire, typically including a range of colours and models. The range of chauffeur wedding cars available tend to be very similar whereas self drive cars are much more varied, ranging from Morris Minors to Aston Martins and retro cool 1970s and 1980s models like Ford Capris and Jensen Interceptors. Alongside the wider range of cars, self drive is also much more flexible than chauffeur hire. The hire period is generally 24 or 36 hours, rather than a strict 5 hour waiting time. The hirer is also in full control - so if the timings change on the day (which they usually do), the chauffeur isn't standing around tutting. This can lead to a more relaxed and enjoyable day. And by replacing the chauffeur, a family member, Best Man or the groom gets a chance to share the fun of driving the car.
Self drive wedding car hire is also considerably cheaper than chauffeur hire, and offers much more use of the car. Self drive packages from Great Escape Classic Car Hire start at £145 for a Morris Minor or £225 for a popular Jaguar Mk2. Comparable prices for chauffeur hire are usually 50-75% more.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire has developed new services to assist wedding couples with integrating a self drive wedding car into their big day. These include a 36 hour hire period, which enables the couple to collect the car on the day before and return it the morning after, without having to pay for a full 48 hours that they may not need. We also provide a delivery and collection service - often couples prefer to collect the car but the logistics of parties and honeymoons make returning the car difficult. So we will pick it up after the event for a small fee.
"We are finding that couples increasingly want a totally unique day," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape Classic Car Hire. "The internet has given people choice and made it easier to get it. Self drive wedding car hire is cheaper, more flexible and, frankly, more enjoyable than chauffeur hire. I think this is why we are seeing an increase in demand."
"We do still offer a traditional chauffeur hire service, " he adds. "It's still the right choice for many people who want a straightforward and traditional car service."
For more information on Great Escape Classic Car Hire's range of cars visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk. For details on its wedding services call 01527 893733 or visit Great Escape's wedding car pages.

Don't let your special date get away

Great Escape Classic Car Hire, the UK's largest specialist classic car rental fleet operator, says it is experiencing unprecedented demand for car hire in 2011. The news suggests the tourism industry in 2011 may be recovering and the trend towards 'staycations' is continuing.
"Our advance bookings are significantly up on 2010," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape. "Some of our cars are fully booked for popular weekends right up to November 2011, which is unprecedented. We have also sold a record number of gift vouchers, which will redeem during 2011.
"We are recommending that customers who need particular cars for specific dates, such as for a wedding, book early to avoid disappointment."
Despite the popularity of its fleet, Great Escape Classic Car Hire has not changed its commitment to fair and transparent pricing. Customers still get a full 24 hours use for every day booked, unlimited mileage, comprehensive insurance and full AA breakdown cover. You can also book a single day at weekends and the price for weekends is the same as weekdays - there is no premium charged.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire operates a fleet of 50 classic cars from 6 locations across the UK including Shropshire, Suffolk, Yorkshire, East Midlands and Worcestershire. The company's entire fleet of cars can be booked online up to 12 months in advance - or specific dates can be reserved.
For more details visit www.greatescapecars.co.uk or call 01527 893733.

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Figaro Figaro For Hire

Great Escape Classic Car Hire, the UK's largest specialist classic car rental company, has introduced a retro-style Nissan Figaro to its fleet of cars for hire in the Cotswolds. The stylish two door soft top convertible was built in small numbers in the 1990s in Japan. Over the last 10 years it has become very popular with people who appreciate its quirky style and easy to drive nature.
The Nissan Figaro is available to hire from Great Escape's satellite site in the Cotswolds near Evesham. This is easy to get to from London or Bristol or Birmingham and very close to popular destinations like Stow on the Wold, Broadway and Winchcombe.
The car is finished in beige with a cream leather interior and features a power hood, automatic gearbox and electric windows. It is a two seater with space in the rear for children, or adults on a short journey. It is available to hire backed by Great Escape Classic Car Hire's usual comprehensive hire package - which gives you a full 24 hours use for every day you book, unlimited mileage, insurance for 1 driver and full breakdown cover included within the price.
"We have classic cars for hire from the 1950s to 1990s so the Nissan Figaro is a perfect addition," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape Classic Car Hire. "It is stylish, easy to drive and perfect for touring the Cotswolds. We think it will be popular with couples who want a great car for the weekend that is as easy to drive as a modern car, and with many people who just love the Figaro."
You can find out more about the Nissan Figaro for hire in the Cotswolds by clicking here.
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Drive the ultimate dad's car with Great Escape Classic Car Hire

Great Escape Classic Car Hire has added one of the best British saloon cars of all time to its growing fleet of 1980s classic cars. In the 1980s the Rover SD1 Vitesse was the car every small boy wanted his dad to buy. With its elegant fastback styling and big spoilers, the Rover SD1 Vitesse had brutal performance and was Britain's very own Q-car. It was fast, handled well and looked right in the executive car park.
Now you can drive this aspiring 1980s classic car from Great Escape Classic Car Hire's central base in Worcestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds. The 1988 silver car with grey velour interior is one of the last Rover SD1 Vitesse cars ever made and features the high performance 'Twin Plenum' engine delivering 190 bhp. The car is totally standard except for a slightly larger exhaust, which enhances the burble of the lovely V8 engine.
The Rover SD1 Vitesse is available to hire on a self drive basis for weekends and weekdays or on a chauffeur hire basis for weddings. It is a large 4 door saloon with rear seatbelts so ideal for sharing with family and friends.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire operates the largest fleet of classic cars for rental in the UK from bases in Worcestershire, Suffolk, Dorset and Yorkshire. The company has over 50 cars for hire including cars by Jaguar, Jensen, Mercedes Benz, Morris, Porsche, Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo, Triumph, Rolls Royce and Ford. The cars cover coupes, convertibles and saloons from the 1950s to 1990s.
"There is a lot of interest in the classic cars of the 1980s," says Graham Eason of Great Escape Classic Car Hire. "I grew up with cars like the Rover Vitesse, Ford Capri and VW Golf GTI and now they are icons.
"For many people who love these cars it is not practical to buy one. So hiring one for the day or weekend is a great alternative."
For more details on the Rover Vitesse for hire click here.

Hire a 1950s classic Ford

The 1950s saw post-war austerity replaced with optimism and Baby Boomers. Our new Ford Consul convertible for hire from our site in Worcestershire sums up the times very well. Stylish but restrained, modern but not advanced, the Ford Consul brings to mind Grease and weekends on the south coast. We think it's a great addition to a wedding or as a weekend away classic car.

Our Ford Consul is finished in ivory with a cream and white interior and sits four people in comfort. The hood is easy to operate and finished in dark green, which goes well with the rest of the colour scheme.

Ford Consuls are a little before out time here at Great Escape and in fact recently we've been concentrating on adding 1980s classics like our Ford Capri 280 Brooklands. But when this Ford Consul became available for hire we couldn't resist - it just looks so good. And within a week of adding it on the fleet we have been taking bookings for it, so it seems that lots of people agree.

The Ford Consul from Great Escape Classic Car Hire can be hired by the day, week or weekend on a self drive basis. Or we can supply it chauffeur driven for weddings. Self drive hire prices include a full 24 hours use for every day you book, unlimited mileage, insurance for 1 driver and breakdown cover.

For more details visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/ or call 01527 893733.