driving from Santiago to Mendoza

My wife and I will be traveling from Santiago via Mendoza to Buenos Aires in late January. Years ago I lived near Mendoza and want to go back to some of the places I visited on the route over the Andes. We are interested in renting a car in Santiago and taking it one-way to Mendoza. There will be no off road travel, but we are hoping for a more spontaneous trip than we might make by bus. Are there rental car agencies other than the large multinational companies that we should consider. Are there alternatives that might save us the hefty drop charges that we hear are imposed on one-way rentals? Any advice or suggestions would be welcome. Dave and Kathie

I suspect that what you want to do, despite its apparent simplicity, is difficult as most rental companies in Chile will not undertake the paper work necessary for crossing the frontier. Budget does permit crossing the frontier, at an additional cost (US$84), but I don't know if you can drop the car off in Mendoza.