Car Hire, Italy

[koolpc]

Anyone hired a car in Italy? At the Airport?

Looking to hire a car at Rome airport. I have heard there are many things to look out for. Just needed some advice from those of you that have hired a car in Italy. Cheers

 

[thedoc46]

just check the car out before you sign anything and point out any damage.. best advice anyone can give !

 

[[TW]Fox]

I posted this in another thread the other week but think its equally useful here:

You have to be VERY VERY VERY careful with car hire in Europe. There are a myriad of firms primed to take advantage of the fact you don't speak the language and rip you off with false damage claims, ridiculous fuel policies and extra insurance you are forced in an awkward conversation to take out.

As a result, the best way to avoid being conned is to:

a) Avoid local firms or firms which do not have a presence in the UK. There are some large car hire groups which operate only in France, Spain, Italy etc. Stick with a major rental firm. For example

Hertz
Sixt
Avis/Budget
Thrifty/Dollar
National/Alamo/Europcar

b) You can purchase through a broker if you wish - it is often cheaper - but DO NOT buy car hire until you KNOW who the supplier is and make sure it's one of the firms in the above list.

c) The car will have an excess on it of at least a thousand Euro's. You will then have fun arguing in a foreign language over damage - perhaps even with the more reputable firms.

To avoid this, take out car hire excess insurance BEFORE you travel. It typically costs £2-3 a day in Europe. This will cover the ENTIRE excess and also cover the windscreen, etc etc. Basically, everything they will try and rip you off for. You can then decline absolutely EVERYTHING they try and sell you safe in the knowledge that even if you do damage the car, your excess insurance will reimburse you.

You can buy this insurance from a number of third party insurers. I use https://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/ who charge £2.50 a day.

d) Only rent with a firm that offers a full to full fuel policy. ie, you receive it full of fuel and return it full of fuel. This way you pay for what you use and not a penny more.

DO NOT simply pick the cheapest possible rental and be done with it, the cheaper ones will end up far more expensive once you've gone through with the rental.

If you want, spend some reading the nightmare tales of woe on forums like Moneysavingexpert of countless people getting ripped off by European car hire firms.

I can't guarantee you'll have no issues at all but if you follow my advice above you have the best possible chance of a trouble free rental at the price you agreed at the start.

 

[Tom_ed1987]

I hired at Cagliari recently through budget, and the rental desk was the standard Avis experience. Had no issues.
Get your own excess insurance in advance.

 

[Seft]

Hired a Fiat Panda from Locauto at Pisa airport for a few days in Tuscany. Italian drivers are a bit mental but otherwise everything was fine.

 

[Peerzy]

Listen to Fox, he's pretty much nailed it.

 

[koolpc]

I posted this in another thread the other week but think its equally useful here:

You have to be VERY VERY VERY careful with car hire in Europe. There are a myriad of firms primed to take advantage of the fact you don't speak the language and rip you off with false damage claims, ridiculous fuel policies and extra insurance you are forced in an awkward conversation to take out.

As a result, the best way to avoid being conned is to:

a) Avoid local firms or firms which do not have a presence in the UK. There are some large car hire groups which operate only in France, Spain, Italy etc. Stick with a major rental firm. For example

Hertz
Sixt
Avis/Budget
Thrifty/Dollar
National/Alamo/Europcar

b) You can purchase through a broker if you wish - it is often cheaper - but DO NOT buy car hire until you KNOW who the supplier is and make sure it's one of the firms in the above list.

c) The car will have an excess on it of at least a thousand Euro's. You will then have fun arguing in a foreign language over damage - perhaps even with the more reputable firms.

To avoid this, take out car hire excess insurance BEFORE you travel. It typically costs £2-3 a day in Europe. This will cover the ENTIRE excess and also cover the windscreen, etc etc. Basically, everything they will try and rip you off for. You can then decline absolutely EVERYTHING they try and sell you safe in the knowledge that even if you do damage the car, your excess insurance will reimburse you.

You can buy this insurance from a number of third party insurers. I use https://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/ who charge £2.50 a day.

d) Only rent with a firm that offers a full to full fuel policy. ie, you receive it full of fuel and return it full of fuel. This way you pay for what you use and not a penny more.

DO NOT simply pick the cheapest possible rental and be done with it, the cheaper ones will end up far more expensive once you've gone through with the rental.

If you want, spend some reading the nightmare tales of woe on forums like Moneysavingexpert of countless people getting ripped off by European car hire firms.

I can't guarantee you'll have no issues at all but if you follow my advice above you have the best possible chance of a trouble free rental at the price you agreed at the start.

Fantastic advice.

What about the fact that they need your card details for excess etc? Will they take an ordinary debit card as i dont have a credit card and if not, what credit card would you recommend as it would only be for the car hire.

Any car hire firm you would recommend?

Hiring at Rome airport Fiumicino

Thanks

 

[Peerzy]

Fantastic advice.

What about the fact that they need your card details for excess etc? Will they take an ordinary debit card as i dont have a credit card and if not, what credit card would you recommend as it would only be for the car hire.

Any car hire firm you would recommend?

Hiring at Rome airport Fiumicino

Thanks

I'd suggest getting a credit card that allows you to spend overseas with no fees and the best rate of exchange. You'll save tons of money using a proper card like the Halifax Clarity abroad rather than a pre-pay card, your debit card or changing up tons of cash.

 

[koolpc]

Never had a credit card and i am 50!

 

[Jono8]

I posted this in another thread the other week but think its equally useful here:

You have to be VERY VERY VERY careful with car hire in Europe. There are a myriad of firms primed to take advantage of the fact you don't speak the language and rip you off with false damage claims, ridiculous fuel policies and extra insurance you are forced in an awkward conversation to take out.

As a result, the best way to avoid being conned is to:

a) Avoid local firms or firms which do not have a presence in the UK. There are some large car hire groups which operate only in France, Spain, Italy etc. Stick with a major rental firm. For example

Hertz
Sixt
Avis/Budget
Thrifty/Dollar
National/Alamo/Europcar

b) You can purchase through a broker if you wish - it is often cheaper - but DO NOT buy car hire until you KNOW who the supplier is and make sure it's one of the firms in the above list.

c) The car will have an excess on it of at least a thousand Euro's. You will then have fun arguing in a foreign language over damage - perhaps even with the more reputable firms.

To avoid this, take out car hire excess insurance BEFORE you travel. It typically costs £2-3 a day in Europe. This will cover the ENTIRE excess and also cover the windscreen, etc etc. Basically, everything they will try and rip you off for. You can then decline absolutely EVERYTHING they try and sell you safe in the knowledge that even if you do damage the car, your excess insurance will reimburse you.

You can buy this insurance from a number of third party insurers. I use https://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/ who charge £2.50 a day.

d) Only rent with a firm that offers a full to full fuel policy. ie, you receive it full of fuel and return it full of fuel. This way you pay for what you use and not a penny more.

DO NOT simply pick the cheapest possible rental and be done with it, the cheaper ones will end up far more expensive once you've gone through with the rental.

If you want, spend some reading the nightmare tales of woe on forums like Moneysavingexpert of countless people getting ripped off by European car hire firms.

I can't guarantee you'll have no issues at all but if you follow my advice above you have the best possible chance of a trouble free rental at the price you agreed at the start.

Or on the flip side, if you rent a car in Kefalonia, just do so from the rep endorsed company. Done it twice (different holiday company/rental firm each time) but both came with completely no excess, were the cheapest (far cheaper than the big chains) and were no trouble at all. In fact the second time, the guy just said leave the car unlocked and leave the key on the sun visor and he would collect it early the day our rental was up form the hotel to save us getting up. I didn't do this as I just couldn't bring myself to leave a car unlocked with the key in it overnight. I got up early the morning he came to collect it and the very polite greek chap just looked at me funny and was like "why are you waiting and up so early, you could have just left the key in the car?". He didn't even check the car for damage and just drove off.

Though of course mainland Europe is a different proposition so your advice is very good for that

 

[Scuzi]

I had to hire a car in Malpensa airport in Milan for my mate as he didn't have a credit card, only a Visa Debit, and nobody would let him hire a car without one.

It's definitely worth checking before you go ahead.

 

[koolpc]

Looks like i will have to get one then.

 

[[TW]Fox]

What about the fact that they need your card details for excess etc? Will they take an ordinary debit card as i dont have a credit card and if not, what credit card would you recommend as it would only be for the car hire.

Any car hire firm you would recommend?

Hiring at Rome airport Fiumicino

Thanks

Not having a credit card is a major barrier to travel. Get one. You might as well get a decent travel friendly card like a Halifax Clarity, because you can use it for all your foreign currency withdrawals from cashpoints and card purchases in shops etc and enjoy perfect exchange rate with no loading.

As for rental, I favour Europcar, Avis or Sixt in Europe.

There is no guaranteed way to avoid rental-faff, so just make sure you are as prepared as possible with the right third party insurance.

 

[koolpc]

Not having a credit card is a major barrier to travel. Get one. You might as well get a decent travel friendly card like a Halifax Clarity, because you can use it for all your foreign currency withdrawals from cashpoints and card purchases in shops etc and enjoy perfect exchange rate with no loading.

As for rental, I favour Europcar, Avis or Sixt in Europe.

There is no guaranteed way to avoid rental-faff, so just make sure you are as prepared as possible with the right third party insurance.

Cheers. And the excess insurance company you linked to will be ok with those car hire firms?

 

[Lopéz]

I booked a 1007 years ago in Milan through Hertz but via a third party. The car was brand new and I badly damaged a wheel trim on a high kerb avoiding a truck that was borrowing my side of the road on the way to Como.

Rather than pay the insane excess they would have wanted from me I bought a new wheel trim from a main dealer for 40 Euro and changed it myself before handing the car back. The hardest part was explaining what a wheel trim was to the guy at the Peugeot service desk who spoke no English. Sign language failed, I had to take him out and show him the car

Also scratched the hell out of a Kia in Crete, drove through a massive thorn bush that was growing over the whole road. It looked awful, seriously awful, 45 minutes with a bottle of Cif and a cloth (€2 ) and you would never have known.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Cheers. And the excess insurance company you linked to will be ok with those car hire firms?

They'd better be, I've a reservation with one of them coming up next month

Yes, they are fine

 

[Peerzy]

I booked a 1007 years ago in Milan through Hertz but via a third party. The car was brand new and I badly damaged a wheel trim on a high kerb avoiding a truck that was borrowing my side of the road on the way to Como.

Rather than pay the insane excess they would have wanted from me I bought a new wheel trim from a main dealer for 40 Euro and changed it myself before handing the car back. The hardest part was explaining what a wheel trim was to the guy at the Peugeot service desk who spoke no English. Sign language failed, I had to take him out and show him the car

Also scratched the hell out of a Kia in Crete, drove through a massive thorn bush that was growing over the whole road. It looked awful, seriously awful, 45 minutes with a bottle of Cif and a cloth (€2 ) and you would never have known.

£2.50 a day and you could avoided all that

 

[Lopéz]

£2.50 a day and you could avoided all that

Builds character though

 

[koolpc]

Nervous now as i dont want to be ripped off by a car hire firm! I would be driving the car so could my wife get a credit card for the hire and me drive it?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Nervous now as i dont want to be ripped off by a car hire firm! I would be driving the car so could my wife get a credit card for the hire and me drive it?

Yes, that would be fine I would imagine?