Top-Partner:
If it needs to be a specific car, don’t do Sixt. Chances are they’re going to put you in a different model.
If money isn’t an issue, I would go with a (professional) dedicated sportscar rental company like carvia (they’re in Motorworld, which is worth a visit anyways if you’re into cars) or try to get it directly from one of the manufacturers dealers through BMW Rent, Mercedes Rent or Audi on demand.
A look into the crystal ball. Opel Mokka with price adjustment?
MUC is usually fairly well-stocked. Your dates are also not on a high-demand weekend like Pentecost, so you should be fine. There is no guarantee that you will get the model you booked even with a 'guaranteed model' class, but you are also unlikely to be put in an Opel Mokka, as sarcastically suggested. The staff will probably try to offer a car that is at least comparable to the booked category. An alternative to directly booking one of the special car categories could be to place a booking in the LDAR class (or XDAR/XFAR), walk through the (large) parking garage upon arrival, check out some cars and take photos of the ones you like. Then go to the counter and ask for specific cars (referring to the licence plate) to upsell into and try to haggle the price a bit. Bonus: harder to be disappointed; increased excitement going shopping for a car; potentially, 1:1 success in getting what you want, given what's actually there.
That's all true, I didn't mean it seriously. The M5 is very rare. But I'm sure something will be found. Before I admit to having been in the car park and showing a willingness to upsell, I would always first ask what is available in terms of class. Or simply which vehicle is intended for you. If that doesn't appeal to you at all, proceed as leonardsavage described... I'll keep my fingers crossed for your rent.
If you’re going to the Alps stopping in Munich proper is barely a detour. The airport is north of Munich, so you’re passing by anyway.
They have a wide selection at cars at Munich airport, that’s true. But if it‘s important you get a M, RS or AMG model you enjoy, I still wouldn‘t take my chances. Especially not the lottery that is walking in with LDAR and bargaining for an upgrade.
You can get really good deals by doing that, but you can also get absolutely screwed by the employees, which is tbh the likelier outcome if you’re not super experienced with rental cars and the Sixt „Game“. If it has to be Sixt and you want a powerful car, I would book exactly that. It gives you the highest chances of actually getting it.
If you want to get an idea which kind of cars are available at Sixt Munich Airport (MUC), I suggest checking out our „Tatort“ thread.
I would always first ask what is available in terms of class.
That's good advice, too. If you signal upsell willingness right away, they might open negotiations with higher prices. If you first just ask what car they have planned for the booking and then gently ask for other options, e.g. 'do you happen to have anything sporty, like an M5' (which you know exists), it's easier to get a good deal while signalling that you're really on the fence about it. You can also use insurance products as part of the deal, as these count the same towards the sales agents' commission as the upsell itself. This way, you might end up paying significantly less than if you had booked the respective category directly.
All good advice here although at the more complex end. As someone who occasionally rents Luxury and Sports vehicles from Sixt MUC, I’d recommend just booking the vehicle you want to drive (which is the general advice on this message board anyway) - chances are you’ll get the exact category you booked.
If for whatever reason they absolutely cannot accommodate you, they’ll find something as close as possible to what you’ve booked. I wouldn’t worry about it too much as it sounds like you have some flexibility in terms of exact category as long as it is fast.
To put things in perspective, I’ve never had an issue at MUC and have always received my booked category or better.
I don't know what you want to experience on your trip, but if you just want to drive around in the Alps, you might also consider smaller cars. A lot of the mountain passes are quite narrow with tight bends, so you definitely don't 'need' something like an M8 Competition to drive around.
Also, keep in mind the restrictions around certain countries such as Slovenia if you book something with ACRISS code X... I would recommend informing yourself before your trip to avoid any hiccups during your holiday.
Apart from that, have fun on your trip!
Carvia and nothing else
