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Rentals
Start from what you want to drive. Each category page lists the matching vehicles currently in our fleet.
Category // Convertibles
Convertible rentals for East Tennessee
Top-down on the Foothills Parkway at golden hour is a real thing. Our 1995 Mazda Miata is the answer, and here's when it isn't.
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Category // Sports Cars
Sports car rentals for East Tennessee
The roads here reward the right car. Six sports cars in the fleet, pickup at TYS or Maryville, no counter line.
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Category // AWD
AWD car rentals for East Tennessee
Three AWD vehicles for three different trip profiles: sport, practical, and rugged.
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Category // Manual Transmission
Manual transmission rentals in East Tennessee
National chains don't rent manuals. We rent four of them. The Dragon rewards a stick shift.
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Category // Rugged
Rugged SUV rental for East Tennessee
The FJ Cruiser Trail Teams. Body-on-frame, 4WD with low range, rear locker, BFG All-Terrains. Built for the roads and trails of the Smokies.
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Category // Family & Groups
Family and group rentals in East Tennessee
Eight seats or twelve. The Odyssey for everyday family trips, the NV Passenger for larger groups. Same contactless pickup.
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Category // Classic JDM
Classic JDM car rentals in East Tennessee
1994 MR2 GTS. 1995 Mazda Miata. Two icons from the Japanese sports car golden era. Both are available. Both are analog.
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Start from the car, not the calendar
Most rental car searches begin with logistics: which airport, which dates, what size box to move. Drive865's rental category pages flip that sequence. Start from the car: pick the category that matches the trip you're planning, and the logistics follow.
Sports car for Tail of the Dragon. AWD for a wet-season Smokies week. Convertible for a Cherohala Skyway cruise on a clear May afternoon. Manual transmission for the full analog experience on US-129. Family SUV for the Cades Cove loop with kids. Each category page lists the current vehicles that fit, with specifics on what makes each one right for East Tennessee's roads.
It is not a filtered inventory search. It is a guided decision about what the driving day should feel like, built for guests who already know they want something specific and need to find out if we have it.
An enthusiast fleet in a market that doesn't have one
Drive865's fleet is enthusiast-focused by design. The cars we stock are the ones that make the specific roads in this region more rewarding: lightweight sports cars, manual transmissions, capable AWD platforms, and JDM classics that aren't available at any other rental company in the area.
The national chains at McGhee Tyson Airport rent automatic transmissions exclusively. That's a fleet management decision, not a driving one. A BRZ or Miata doesn't fit their economics, so they don't carry them. We rent four manual transmission vehicles, multiple rear-wheel-drive sports cars, and a JDM sub-fleet that includes a 1994 Toyota MR2 GTS and a 1995 NA Miata. These aren't variations on a theme. They're cars that exist in this fleet because someone decided they should be here.
That orientation shows in the category pages. Every section of the rentals hub represents a deliberate collection, not a default fill.
What you get that an airport counter doesn't offer
Besides the specific cars, renting from Drive865 is a different experience. No mandatory damage walkthrough with a tablet. No hard-sell upgrade at the counter. No credit card hold for several hundred dollars over the quoted rate. The process is contactless: lockbox pickup, digital rental agreement, and a host you can text if anything comes up.
The fleet is maintained to enthusiast standards. Summer-compound tires on the sports cars. Current-season rubber across every vehicle. If a car needs attention before your rental, we move the booking rather than hand you something that isn't ready. For guests renting the BRZ or Supra specifically to drive Tail of the Dragon, that matters: a car with worn tires on a technical road is a problem, not a minor inconvenience.
Each category page reflects the live fleet. When a car is out for maintenance or already booked on your dates, the page shows what's available. What you see is what you can actually rent.
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Frequently asked questions
What if I have never driven a sports car or a manual transmission before?
The category pages include guidance on which cars are accessible to new or returning drivers. For first-time sports car drivers, the AWD WRX or the Civic Sport Touring are capable but not demanding. For drivers returning to manual transmission after time away, the Miata is the fleet's most forgiving stick-shift: light clutch, short throw, easy to recover from a stall. The manual transmission page covers which car to start with at which experience level in detail.
What insurance do I need for a Drive865 enthusiast rental?
Drive865's rental agreement requires either personal auto insurance that extends to rental vehicles (confirm with your insurer) or a third-party damage waiver purchased at booking. For Turo bookings, Turo's protection plans apply instead. The rental car insurance guide in the Guides section covers this in full, including what most personal auto policies actually cover versus what renters typically assume.
How much mileage is included, and is unlimited available?
All vehicles include 200 miles per day. Unlimited mileage is available as an add-on for most vehicles; inquire at booking. For a day combining Tail of the Dragon, Foothills Parkway, and a return through Maryville, you're looking at roughly 200–250 miles, right at the standard daily limit. Multi-day rentals with unlimited mileage are the right configuration for a full week of driving.
What is the minimum age to rent from Drive865?
21 for most vehicles, with a young driver surcharge for drivers under 25. Some vehicles, including the WRX STI, require drivers to be 25 or older. The specific age requirement is listed on each vehicle page. A valid driver's license and clean driving record are required for high-performance vehicles.
Can I drive a Drive865 rental into North Carolina or Georgia?
Yes. The rental agreement covers driving in surrounding states. Tail of the Dragon runs through North Carolina; Cherohala Skyway ends in Robbinsville, NC. Cross-state driving is standard for East Tennessee rentals and is not restricted. International driving is not covered under the rental agreement.