Care Hire in Italy

rossk26

rossk26

rossk26

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Joined
23 Nov 2009
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North East of England
Need to rent a car for a couple of days in Italy, from Venice Marco Polo airport for 3 days. Hertz currently have a 33% offer on at the moment but it's only for bookings up to the 30th June, is there a possibility that this offer will come on again?

I need the car between 27/07/2014 and 30/07/2014, originally this was just going to be for 2 people, but I may need to give a lift to two people from the Aiport to our destination which is a 3 and a half hour journey. So the "Hyundai i10 or similar" probably wouldn't suffice?

Also any tips for driving in Italy would be welcome, every time I go on google maps and get directions there are always numerous "Incidents" on the route!!!

Thanks
 
It isn't bad driving out of town but can get a bit dodgy in the big cities. Overall I like driving in Italy, beautiful scenery.

Last 2 times they said Hyundai or similar and both times I have ended up with an Alfa 147.
 
I won't be going anywhere near cities, the vast majority of my journey will be on the A13.

What company do you use?
 
pitchfork said:
Driving in Italy?


Forget the highway code, it's apparently every man for himself.
Click to expand...

yup, they be bat dodo crazy over there, just drive defensively and don't expect people to follow the rules.

My favorite was pulling up to a traffic lighted crossroad on a dual carriageway, there were three lanes, Left, ahead and ahead/right. By the time the lights changed there were five cars side by side ready to go :D

also try and avoid parallel parking if you can, chances are your bumpers will suffer - maybe get extra liability cover (from someone other than the hire firm is usually cheapest)
 
Just stay out of the cities.

We drove all round Italy and Sicily in a Fiat Panda and the main roads are excellent. In the cities the road signage is terrible (usually carved into a building over a 3m wide footpath).

Also, when you think you've found the closest car park to the Duomo in Florence and you're Mrs asks you to keep going because there might be one closer, it's best to ignore her or you might end up with a 120e fine for driving in the restricted area immediately surrounding the Cathedral.
 
Rented with Sixt via Holiday Autos (IIRC) out of Marco Polo last summer - spent a week in the Dolomites walking.

Generally it's no worse or better than driving here. Lane discipline is perhaps better. I do remember going into Florence a few years ago and thinking that was just like central London. You had to be decisive and not get bullied.
 
I always found Italy the reverse of France in that their autoroutes are crapply surfaced and their roads (around Tuscany at least) are smooth as a snooker table. France is the reverse.
 
I'm a confident driver, and would say my style is progressive, so I don't see myself having a problem.

Was just wondering if the Italians were nutcases like the Russians with all these "Incidents".

I'm guessing July is going to be a peak season for rentals? And I should book as soon as I can? There is unlikely to be any discounts if I hold out?
 
I’ve used Europcar in Italy. Never had a problem, cities (Rome and Naples) are quite a laugh. The autostrade are ok as are small towns and in between. Don’t worry too much if you get surrounded by people on scooters and the like, a little bit of gas soon clears the way. Enjoy it.
 
£88 for a Hyundai i10 or similar sound reasonable for 3 days at the end of July booking through AutoEurope with Budget?

Found cheaper deals, but the company was called FireFly, quick google found many many bad reviews!
 
Carhire3000.com I have always used. Just booked a Panda for £50 for a 4 day weekend.

Driving over there is fine, everyone is assertive. None autostrade roads can be a bit suspect with quality though!

I got upgraded from a Fiat Panda to a Fiat Croma, which was altright until i trying parking ni the centre of florence. Some Austin powers moments.

Firefly share the Hertz desk at bologna airport and never had any issues with them
 
Simon said:
Carhire3000.com I have always used. Just booked a Panda for £50 for a 4 day weekend.

Driving over there is fine, everyone is assertive. None autostrade roads can be a bit suspect with quality though!

I got upgraded from a Fiat Panda to a Fiat Croma, which was altright until i trying parking ni the centre of florence. Some Austin powers moments.

Firefly share the Hertz desk at bologna airport and never had any issues with them
Click to expand...

Thanks, I used rentalcars.com to find a price (apparently this is the new home for carhire30000.com). I can get the Fiat Panda for £71 with FireFly, but was put off after reading about them...

This was the thread I found with bad feedback on FireFly.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g187768-i20-k6451920-Firefly_car_rental-Italy.html
 
Simon said:
I got upgraded from a Fiat Panda to a Fiat Croma, which was altright until i trying parking ni the centre of florence. Some Austin powers moments.
Click to expand...


lol, parking in Florence is a nightmare, the centre is a strictly no parking zone unless you are a taxi.
 
I might/might not have scrapped all the way down the right side of a hired jeep in Greece.

I might/might not have covered it in mud/sand before I handed it back :D

All hypothetical and years ago obviously!

Make sure you check the car before you take the keys, sometimes they are scraped and when you hand it back they will try and get you to pay for it!
 
Buy every extra insurance you can, even if it's expensive. We hired an almost brand new alfa mito when we went to sicily - someone knocked part of the rear bumper off when it was parked, someone else put a big scrape on the door, and someone who may or may not have been me damaged the front splitter attacking a hairpin "enthusiastically" :p

As we'd bought the extra insurance, they didn't charge us when we handed it back, if we hadn't then I believe we'd have been looking at over 1000 euros extra.
 
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