 Poster: A snowHead
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Just a heads up....... car rental prices seem to have at least doubled from the last time I looked..... in particular from VCE. They could very well drop, they usually do.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 1-01-26 23:46; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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it rather depends on whether you are looking 2 weeks out or two months or more out. If its not a busy time rates tumble as you approach the hire period
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I rebooked for my Jan VCE trip just this weekend as I noticed they had dropped from when I booked last month, £81 for 5 days for a compact Astra/Golf, but checked just now and exact same thing from same consolidator and supplier is now £112.
I expect they'll drop again! 
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I've seen the same thing. I suspect the car companies are hoping all the officials, teams and visitors to the winter Winter Olympics are going to boost demand this year particularly in February.
As always the game is to book something for peace of mind and then rebook as rates drop nearer the time. I've already saved £150 on my initial booking for the first week in Feb.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| olderscot wrote: |
I've seen the same thing. I suspect the car companies are hoping all the officials, teams and visitors to the winter Winter Olympics are going to boost demand this year particularly in February.
As always the game is to book something for peace of mind and then rebook as rates drop nearer the time. I've already saved £150 on my initial booking for the first week in Feb. |
Yeah, I can imagine the supply being tighter for the Olympic & Paralympic weeks at N Italian airports in Feb & Mar.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm im val gardena from March 7th. I avoided Olympics weeks but forgot abot Paralympics and it starts that weekend.
I wondered why car hire was so expensive this year.
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I arrived in Venice in September with a car rental on Booking.com and Noleggiare. Upon arriving at the desk (3pm on a Saturday) I was told they had been overbooked and didn't have the car I had reserved (VW Golf). There were several groups in front of me being told the same thing!
I was advised to cancel the reservation and contact Booking.com customer services to arrange for a similar car with one of the other rental companies in the hall. I am so glad I didn't listen as Booking.com said I'd need to cancel & rebook via their website and the cheapest cars available for rental on the same day were well over £1000 (for 9 days). I had originally paid about £330 for the golf.
Noleggiare said they had one car left, a 1.0l Fiat Panda which wasn't exactly what I had in mind for 9 days touring the Dolomites doing hairpin bends at 2500m. They also suggested strongly that I take out their insurance at 800 euros for 9 days. Um no.
Anyway I had no choice but to take it. I'm still trying to get money back from Booking.com for a lesser vehicle compared to the one ordered.
I'm not sure what the moral of the story is other than maybe don't use Noleggiare from Venice.
And the little Fiat Panda actually did a great job
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I'm not sure what the moral of the story is other than maybe don't use Noleggiare from Venice.
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not use booking.com?
Fiat Pandas are terrific. Just not very big!
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They also suggested strongly that I take out their insurance at 800 euros for 9 days. Um no.
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Did you have your own insurance? I've found insurance4carhire very good, as have a number of Snowheads.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yep - well, the insurance from Booking.com provided full coverage.
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| TopGooner wrote: |
I arrived in Venice in September with a car rental on Booking.com and Noleggiare. Upon arriving at the desk (3pm on a Saturday) I was told they had been overbooked and didn't have the car I had reserved (VW Golf). There were several groups in front of me being told the same thing!
I was advised to cancel the reservation and contact Booking.com customer services to arrange for a similar car with one of the other rental companies in the hall. I am so glad I didn't listen as Booking.com said I'd need to cancel & rebook via their website and the cheapest cars available for rental on the same day were well over £1000 (for 9 days). I had originally paid about £330 for the golf.
Noleggiare said they had one car left, a 1.0l Fiat Panda which wasn't exactly what I had in mind for 9 days touring the Dolomites doing hairpin bends at 2500m. They also suggested strongly that I take out their insurance at 800 euros for 9 days. Um no.
Anyway I had no choice but to take it. I'm still trying to get money back from Booking.com for a lesser vehicle compared to the one ordered.
I'm not sure what the moral of the story is other than maybe don't use Noleggiare from Venice.
And the little Fiat Panda actually did a great job |
Thankfully in winter, they have normally cars coming out of their ears. Last year the car I was assigned had a cracked mirror housing, so I went back to the office and they apologetically offered me an almost brand new one with snow tyres.
Lots of mountain locals have Pandas, but the 4x4 variety. With a set of winters they get through things that big heavy SUVs get stuck in.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Origen wrote: |
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I'm not sure what the moral of the story is other than maybe don't use Noleggiare from Venice.
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not use booking.com?
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Interestingly, I’ve always thought of booking.com only a hotel booking site. Never thought of booking cars through them. (Sure, even airlines “offer” to hire cars when you book flights. But since I’ve not seen much advantage in their offer, I always do them separately).
I almost always book flights directly through airline, cars through car hiring company directly too. It’s only non-chain hotels that don’t have their own booking site that I book via aggregator sites.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| olderscot wrote: |
I've seen the same thing. I suspect the car companies are hoping all the officials, teams and visitors to the winter Winter Olympics are going to boost demand this year particularly in February.
As always the game is to book something for peace of mind and then rebook as rates drop nearer the time. I've already saved £150 on my initial booking for the first week in Feb. |
Yeah, did this last years for the birthday bash. I've just paid £208 for an Astra for 28th Feb for 7 days.... a few weeks ago it was about £90 if I remember correctly......
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| abc wrote: |
| Origen wrote: |
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I'm not sure what the moral of the story is other than maybe don't use Noleggiare from Venice.
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not use booking.com?
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Interestingly, I’ve always thought of booking.com only a hotel booking site. Never thought of booking cars through them. (Sure, even airlines “offer” to hire cars when you book flights. But since I’ve not seen much advantage in their offer, I always do them separately).
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I always use booking.com for my cars and found them really good.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just another heads up.... as expected the Italian car rental prices have plummeted. Mine have halved for the 28th Feb.
If there's only 2 of you with no skis, you can pick a 500 or panda up for £70 for Sat to sat....
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Gaz_H, is that from Venice too, if so maybe amend the title as surely hard to extrapolate the anecdote to all of Italy?
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Thu 1-01-26 18:22; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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@ster, good point.... but can't find how to change the title..... any ideas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think you can edit your original post and the title
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Badbobby wrote: |
| I think you can edit your original post and the title |
Yup, edit the first post and the title becomes editable too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Is there a Snowheads recommended rental firm other (obviously not Noleggiare)? Many of the reviews of all rental firms at Marco Polo look dodgy. It's hard to tell if many of the negative reviews are smear campaigns against other agencies and lots of positives look like fake reviews.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Gaz_H wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| Origen wrote: |
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I'm not sure what the moral of the story is other than maybe don't use Noleggiare from Venice.
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not use booking.com?
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Interestingly, I’ve always thought of booking.com only a hotel booking site. Never thought of booking cars through them. (Sure, even airlines “offer” to hire cars when you book flights. But since I’ve not seen much advantage in their offer, I always do them separately).
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I always use booking.com for my cars and found them really good. |
Booking.com own Rentalcars, I always use them and find them to be the best of the comparison sites. Time to do another search to see if I can reduce costs as my trip is under two weeks away
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i have found autoeurope better on 90% of occassions personally
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| JDL65 wrote: |
| i have found autoeurope better on 90% of occassions personally |
I find Skyscanner scrapes the best prices from all the consolidators, but I do like booking through Auto Europe, not had issues with them doing timely refunds. Holiday Autos, Opodo, Booking have been reliable too.
As to the actual suppliers, this is where the issues normally arise...all the International majors are what they are and they have a reputation to uphold.
With the smaller/cheaper ones it's harder to say, they're prolly fine...you're prolly going to get an attempt at upsell into their insurance package with any supplier, so make sure you buy some excess cover beforehand and stick to your guns about not wanting that. Any wavering and they will be tap into that.
I generally only use the ones that have a base 'in airport terminal' (actually it's the top floor of the multi-storey car park next to the terminal). Others need a shuttle bus to a car park outside the airport perimeter.
With all hires make sure you record all existing damage with photos and video, hard when it's dark. Try and get it all noted on the contract before you take the car. Check fuel levels accord with paperwork too.
They're going to make their money from their fleets in the Summer, so Winter is just about ticking over.
Drive carefully and watch for skis sliding and falling on paintwork, lay them on the ground! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Hardest part at Venice is finding the way out of the car park!
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FAQ
