Car hire in Italy

A snowHead

Last year I reserved a car in Italy. Much to my surprise, they wanted a 1,500 EUR deposit on my credit card. That coupled with the disputes I witnessed at rental counter of customers returning cars, made me think better of it. I ended up taking a taxi into town, across from the train station, and took a train up the next morning. The whole ordeal cost me a day of skiing, but likely saved me from much anguish.

So, here I am again, a year later. Transfers expensive, 300 EUR return likely for 3 people. Can rent a car for less, but trying to be proactive this time.

Have any of you pearls of wisdom with regard to online 3rd party rental companies, rental companies themselves whom seem to be dodgy. We are talking about half term, flying to Turin, and skiing Sauze D'oulz.

Sadly, my flight times do not at all coincide with smartly priced shared shuttle services. It's all a balancing act, flying KLM, low fee on taking ski's, but crap times, or a RyanAIr with cheap fare, high cost ski carriage. Either way you slice it or dice it, it is costing a lot of money, and I'm rather determined to be clever this time!

A snowHead

We are 5 of us going from Turin to sauze at half term.
I have hired a car - it cost £90 which is a huge saving on transfers for 5.

It is normal for car hire companies to put a charge on your credit card if you dont take their insurance. I rent cars twice a year and have never had a problem. I always go through the online rental comanies and choose the cheapest option (look for ON airport) Last time was at Rome airport for 2 weeks- no issues. Just make sure you check the car very carefully and make sure any damage is written down on the sheet. If you want to be safe you can take photos with the same days newspaper in shot!
You can buy separate car hire insurance very cheaply which will cover you if they put anything on your credit card.

Wave to us in Sauze! have a great time.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@nem,

Do you mind saying with car rental agency you are renting from? I think indeed to get extra private insurance. I rented one that presumably covers my excess, but I've been burned by that at the counter, and they still take a huge deposit. Specifically, we are going out Feb 20th, for 8 days of skiing.

Also, read horrible things about Firefly, Maggiore, even Hertz. My current reservation is with Budget.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I take out an annual insurance policy which covers excess on hire cars. It costs about £40 per year. That works out much cheaper than buying it from the car rental firm. but as nem says, the car hire firm will want to "block out" your credit card with the amount of the excess if you don't take out the excess insurance from them - just so thast they know they are covered.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Definitely avoid Firefly

Before you take car check v carefully for any non documented marks , scrapes

With any car hire co, allow time when you drop back, get staff to check car, and sign to say car is not damaged

Hertz in general, not bad to deal with

You'll need to Register first of course.

Ours is argus car hire. Its the third level of car. They are offering full excess cover for £5 per day but I think thats with a separate provider. They will still take a charge on your credit card if you dont buy their insurance at the desk. I think even taking their insurance would work out much cheaper than transfers for 5.

TBH I think people have been ripped off by all of them. My dad was stung by hertz last year- he ended up paying over £1000 for his car when mine cost £200.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

The reservation I have now is Auto Europe - Budget, thought it was Hertz, but it is budget. I took the more expensive option which reimburses the excess charge, which means I still need to pay it up front? So confusing, and they seem to twist everything around once you are at the counter.

After all it is free

Firefly = Hertz. Same company, they shuffle stock between the two. Firefly is the really cheap brand.

To be honest I've never had any issues with any large hire company. If you're careful about reporting damage that isn't noted down and stick to the rules you've nothing to be concerned about. Best to stay away from the ones who make you return it empty, but that's perhaps a personal thing because I find those are the ones associated with shady practices. Out of Avis, Hertz and Europcar my personal favourites are Avis. Never had a duff car, and they're sensible with the deposit nonsense and don't try the hard sell on insurance when you point out you've got it covered already.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

THe main problem with hiring cars in Italy is not to do with swindles but the difficulty of obtaining properly winterised vehicles. So, no snow tyres unless you ring up and book over the phone and then only subject to availability and for an extra fee. You should get snowchains as they are required by law in some provinces, but make absolutely sure they are the right ones for the vehicle and are not rusted to buggery. We've been assured that tutti va bene when in fact that has not been the case - no chains available/ wrong size chains supplied/ etc etc. Big problem if you get caught in a snowstorm.

It's completely normal for hire companies to put a block on your credit card. Go with the additional cover in the UK which as previous posters have said is far cheaper than buying hire companies' super CDW.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@HeidiAmsterdam, cab - all day long.

hiring a car is so much ag, slower, and hardly any cheaper

snow reports

LIsa, now, you raised my hopes there. In the past we have flown into treviso and venice. That's where we've had the issues. Although Europcar claim they do winter tyres there, I had a look and nope, none to reserve online. You can in Torino, Bergamo etc, though. It's true. If I've missed something, then I would be delighted because we have avoided those airports solely for the car hire reason after two horrible experiences on summer tyres.

You know it makes sense.

Booked a car yesterday ;

For Bergamo, and I think other Italian Alpine airports, chains are automatically added to car hire booking, there is a modest fee

You can opt out, but need to present your own chains

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@robertsnerys,

We use this system every week of the season for up to 6 cars per week.

Book it online at the site I gave you, it is a sub site of the main Eurocar site. It's only in Italian but if you open a new tab on your computer and then copy the site URL and then past it into Google you will be able to translate the site. But you MUST book it on the Italian site. Just use the Google translate to let you know what you're doing name, address, etc.

If you are worried, after you have booked, Google Venice airport and then go to the transport link and then Car Hire and then Eurocar. This will get you on the phone to the people actually at the desk, not some call center in Rome. Ask them to confirm everything. I would give it a day or so after booking before the call so it will be on the system.

As I said we use this system all the time.

Mind you snow tyres were no use last week. The chains were on for 3 days.

A snowHead

Lisa, now I am really excited. Thanks so much for explaining. How daft that winterised cars don't show as options if you book it on the regular europcar website. I think I know where we'll be going next year Laughing

A snowHead

@Lisa_BrentaSki, For the prices being quoted on that site I'd be wanting to take the winter tyres home with me as well - about double what I've been offered elsewhere with just chains. (This is for Milan Linate.)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

This year we hired twice in Turin. Always use Hertz...have some probably misguided view that loyalty counts for something. Anyhow, both cars came with chains (new, unused) in the boot without asking and no extra charge.

Where I have had to deal with Hertz customer service I have always found them responsive and courteous.

Help!!

Car hire in Italy

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