We will be in Tuccany (Scandicci) for 1 week. We would like to visit several other towns in the area. We're looking to rent a car. We can pick the car up in Florence, since we'll be arriving in Florence on the train from Amalfi. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations on renting a car there?
Thanks so much for any help!
Reserve your rental car before you leave for Italy. I recommend booking through Autoeurope.com. Many advantages to doing so, not the least of which is a 24 hour toll free number to call their office in Maine if you have any troubles.
Choose the rental office on Borgo Ognissanti. It's relatively easy to drive out of Florence from there.
Hi Doug,
I checked with AutoEurope. They were asking over $500 USD for an Alfa Romeo 147 for 8 days, that with my 10% discount from my credit union. Is that as good as it gets??
Thanks!
Didn't know that. Wow! That equates to ~ $65/day for a compact rental car. You're right. That ain't cheap.
Is AutoEurope considered the best option.
Thanks
That sounds awfully high. I don't know my Alfa Romeos so I don't know if its a high end car. What do they quote you for a Fiat Punto?
Also, when are you going? They may not have started their sales yet.
We'll be arriving Tuscany from Amalfi on April 15th.
Try comparing with carjet.co.uk, a firm we've had great success with....their charges include everything, including CDW. They've a 5-door Fiat Punto with A/C from $375/week out of Florence during April.
Norm,
Thanks so much. Will give it a shot. Anyone needing info on Yucatan or Caribbean, glad to help. That's what I know best. Feel free to contact.
Thanks!
Greg
From my experience, $65/day is not at all expensive for Italy. I've paid that in France too, having booked ahead from the US. In general, car rentals in Europe are much higher than here.
If you can qualify for the rate Norm quoted you, call Autoeurope and ask them to match it. They might. Also, they usually put spring rentals on sale in February. You can always reserve with them and cancel later if you get a better deal. As they reduce their rates, they'll change your reservation.
Hi Doug,
Thanks. Will definitely check Norm's recommendation.
Had a very savvy rep at AutoEurope when I called today. He initally said they could offer me a maximum of 15% discount (this after we'd discussed my credit union coupon for up to 25%).
Eventually landed on 10% with the offer of matching anything better we might get elsewhere. That put us at the $512.33 number.
Thanks
Norm,
I'm not getting that 5-door Fiat Punto with A/C from $375/week out of Florence during April.
It's coming up as 453.96 EUR. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a code I need to enter or something?
Thanks!
Hi Greg....sorry, don't know why. I put in April 13-20 inclusive, Florence pickup and return, and got a quote of 261.90 Euro for the week, unlimited mileage, CDW included and no "excess insurance" deposit or payouts. That works out to about $385 US.
Thanks, Norm. I figured out what I was doing wrong.
I was looking at the Fiat Punto 5 seat, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. Wow! It's almost 200 euro more for the same period (453.96 EUR).
I also noticed something else interesting. The quoted price is the same price for either 6 days or 7.
They usually give you a daily rate for 3-4 days (depending on where you rent), or a week...whether you use it all or not.
I'm also trying to decide whether to keep the car the extra day and drop it off in Rome, rather than back in Florence, since we'll be going on to Rome on 4/22 for the remainder of our stay.
There is a charge of 31 euro for different dropoff point. That may be an option, since we'd otherwise be taking the train from Florence to Rome.
