Hello! We are considering renting a van from PrimeRent.com (https://www.primerentcar.com/) in Palermo. Here is a youtube video that they sent (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrgMO1twrJE); however, they have "disabled comments". There is no pick up and drop off location, they said they would deliver the carto us & pick the car up at the end. We can find no reviews on this company. The van is an automatic and is VERY expensive. We need to give a 3000 euro deposit. We are 3 couples traveling together and one couple really wants to rent from this company, I am skeptical. If anyone has any info on this company, please respond. Many, many thanks!
Posted by
back in the Americas
733 posts
I too would be skeptical and reluctant. No reviews and no address are big red flags in my opinion. Have you just considered a local driver? Since you are three couples willing to rent an expensive automatic van and I assume you will be sharing the cost why don't you just look for a driver/car service. They are locals, familiar with the area, able to drive stick shift vehicles, familiar with limited traffic zones, and you can find one who has a vehicle to suit your needs. Then all the driving headaches are out of your hands. I have never driven in Palermo and would not personally rent a car there. Has anyone in your group driven in Sicily before? Many places can be reached on public transportation. And on the days you want to travel with a driver they can take you where you want to go. There are lots of car services/drivers with reviews or ask your hotel to recommend someone they work with.
Posted by
Boston
1807 posts
This doesn't pass the sniff test for me. Why so fancy, you're just renting a motor vehicle.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34150 posts
let's see - no reviews, no name recognition, no office, maybe pickup and maybe collect, and a cash deposit? Oh yes, and very expensive?
What could possibly go wrong?
Italian companies' websites end in ".it" yours is a dot com.... hmmm with English spelling...
What drew the one couple to be so much in favour of it?
Here's a suggestion - maybe let that couple sign the contract and send the money and the other two watch to see what happens?
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34150 posts
could you manage with two normal cars from a well-known proper company? It would probably work out WAY cheaper...
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16168 posts
Primerent is a legitimate company based in Rome with offices in Milan and Montecarlo.
It's a "boutique" luxury car rental enterprise that specializes in very upscale luxury exotic car rental and cater to the super-wealthy. For example if one wants to rent a Ferrari, a Bentley, a Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini, that is what they provide. Obviously with that level of service they will not ask you to go to a rental car office to pick up your car. Someone will bring it to you wherever you need and when you need to drop it off, someone will come and pick it up for you.
I am glad someone of that caliber and wealth is coming to our Rick Steves' forum for advice. Most of us here are somewhat of budget travelers. Welcome to our Travel Forum. I suppose that you and your traveler partners plan to go to Italy aboard a private jet. That's how most Primerent customers generally travel.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Oh Roberto... you are too funny & I will not take offense to your facetious comments. Please know that we too, are very cost-conscious travellers; however, we are in our late 60's/early 70's with some leg, knee & foot issues that would make it difficult for us to drive a manual transmission van on the hilly/rocky roads of Sicily...we need an automatic van that would fit 6 people comfortably (or 2 cars). We have taken many trips together and never before had a problem finding an automatic van...until Sicily. After much Googling & searching, PrimeRent & SicilybyCar were the only 2 that offered the van... SicilybyCar gets awful reviews and we could not find any reviews for PrimeRent. I was very skeptical and still am.... you say that PrimeRent has offices in Rome, Milan & Monte Carlo...but you did not metion that they have an office in Sicily and that is where they say they can accomodate us. We have now decided to rent 2 automatic transmission cars with AutoEurope, Europcar or Avis and be done with our search for a van. Btw, I surely wish that I had a private jet to transport me... but even though I don't, I feel very blessed that I can afford to take a commercial plane in the economy cabin.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Pat, Mike & Nigel, I thank you very much for your help & kind responses!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16168 posts
Go to www.autoeurope.com.
Automatic cars in Italy are generally available in major cities, especially airports. I'm sure they should have them at the Palermo airport.
Since renting a van costs 3 or 4 times as much as renting one car, I would recommend to rent 2 vehicles instead of a van.
Vans are also not very convenient as they are difficult to negotiate the narrow ancient Italian roads.
Generally automatic cars tend to be available only in the Compact or larger category. So don't bother with the Economy class cars, they are all manual.
Specify you need an automatic when you search on autoeurope.