Do you wish to know our reviews of Europcar, Budget Rent-A-Car, Sixt and Hertz in Italy? We will cover them and also about important information about renting a car in Italy.
Based on Wikipedia World Tourism Ranking, Italy was the 5th most visited nation with 58.3 million visitors just behind, France, Spain, the USA, and China. Italy has become a popular destination for many people around the world who love fun, vacations, holidays, business and unique and special tourism places in Italy. Renting a car is not necessary unless you love the freedom to roam or explore the inconvenience areas like hill towns of Dolomites.
Car Rental Italy Requirements
Renting a car in Italy is not difficult if you meet the necessary requirements. Before you can rent a car in Italy, you must be
- at least 18 years old (those below 21 years old, certain rental companies allow drivers to rent a car in Italy as long as they have held their license for at least one year),
- own an International Driving Permit (not US Driving License), and
- own a credit card (for them to hold a deposit fee).
Do not surrender your original documents (photocopied are ok) to the car rental companies, as we will share with you a bad experience.
Horror Story of Car Rental
We wish to share a horror story we encountered during the car rental. We had a minor accident against the road railing and scratch the rental car. We called the car rental company and they asked us to continue the trip and just update them.
Upon return of the rented car, the company demanded us to pay an exorbitant sum for the repair (much higher than the excess from the insurance) even though we had bought insurance. After several negotiations, we decided to walk off and didn't pay the sum instead. Don't be exhorted in a foreign country and just make sure you are well covered by insurance. Imagine how bad it will end up if you had surrendered your original documents to them in the first place. In the end, the insurance company just needed us to pay the excess fee which is lower than the "repair" fee.
Our Reviews of Europcar, Budget Rent-A-Car, Sixt, and Hertz
We tried the car rental companies for renting a car in Venezia, Venice and rate them based on our experience.
- Europcar
- Pro #1: No need to choose my country (although some might feel their privacy being invaded). The currency also defaults to your country's currency for familiarity
- Pro #2: Easy to choose the car (automatic, family)
- Pro #3: For the environmentalist, it shows the carbon of each vehicle
- Con #1: Price cannot compete with the Budget Rent-A-Car prices. Not for price-sensitive
- Con #2: No reviews of their services on the site
- Budget Rent-A-Car
- Pro #1: Price is great which is important to those with budget constraints
- Con #1: Extra steps needed to input my country and currency is tagged to Euros by default
- Con #2: Does not show the carbon footprint of each vehicle although it said the cars are smoke-free
- Con #3: No reviews of their services on the site
- Sixt
- Pro #1: Shows independent reviews (from Google)
- Pro #2: Free cancellation
- Con #1: Extra steps needed to input my country and currency is tagged to Euros by default
- Hertz
- Pro #1: Largest selection of cars
- Pro #2: Lots of customization available (at a cost)
- Con #1: Most steps required just to see the base price and selection. Need to key pickup, drop-off and even the exact time for pick-up and drop-off
- Con #2: Extra steps needed to input my country and currency is tagged to Euros by default
- Con #3: No reviews of their services on the site
In summary, go for Budget Rent-A-Car if you are budget conscious. If you are traveling as a family and not sure what to get, go for Hertz or Sixt as they will have the most customizations (at a cost).
List of Cost For Car Rental in Italy
The following are the different fees you may incur during your rental. It is important to get the total car rental rates when doing your comparison. Most rental companies give a low rate for initial per day, while others give low per week, it all depends on the car hire service you are using per time.
- International Driving Permit (around $15 to convert your license),
- International Car Rental Fee (if you plan to travel across 2 countries, e.g. Eastern Europe),
- Out-of-Hour Pick Up (if your flight was delayed or landed at an awkward timing),
- Location Surcharge (Sometimes called pick-up or return fee. For renting at convenient places like Airport, rail station convenient),
- Parking fee,
- Mileage fee (usually unlimited mileage but you pay for the fuel),
- Rental Fuel (usually you need to top up fully when you return),
- Personal accident insurance (PAI),
- Personal effects coverage (PEC) insurance (for coverage of theft which is common in southern Italy, like Sicily),
- Collision damage waiver (CDW),
- GPS Rental Fee (might be free during promo period),
- Addition Drivers Fee,
- Car Seat Rental (if bringing kids),
- Car Insurance (Zero Excess vs Deductible),
- Young Driver Surcharge (some companies charge higher for those below 25 years old as there are more risks to them),
- Road tax,
- Congestion Charge (for tourist places),
- Speeding Ticket (trying to chase a Ferrari?),
- Toll Fee (when passing 2 cities), and
- Cancellation Fee (if you decided not to continue your booking).
Rent A Car From Home
It is paramount you book a car rental service from home as it let you compare prices easily to get the best price. The only risk of booking early is that the company might fold before your trip. Therefore, look for a reputable company and check client reviews, check discount rates and what clients say about the company.
Don't just look for a few companies, use aggregators to get prices. Before you can decide the right car hire service you like to book. RentalCars.com, AutoSlash.com, Momondo.com, Vayama.com, Kayak.com, DoHop.com, Mobissimo.com. If you are renting for the long term, consider car leasing to save even more.
Compy With Driving Law
When you hire a car in Italy, it is advisable you understand and acquaint yourself with the driving rules and regulations. This is essential in order not to fall a victim of traffic laws, drive cautiously and defensively.
Though Italian drivers are aggressive drivers, do not imitate them. Don’t forget they know the rules of the roads, plus the road signs. In Italy, the left lane is only for overtaking and the drivers will be in their Mercedes, BMWs, or Ferraris who are speeding over 100 mph. If someone comes up from behind and flashes their lights at you, it's a signal for you to slow down and drive more on the shoulder so that they can pass you more easily.
The typical speed limits to obey are:
- 130 km/h (80 mph) is the speed limit on highways in Italy,
- 110 km/h (68 mph) is the speed limit on non-major highways outside of major urban areas in Italy,
- 90 km/h (56 mph) is the speed limit on local roads in Italy, and
- 50 km/h (31 mph) is the speed limit in urban areas in Italy
Biggest Car Rental Companies In Italy
From Statista 2015, the lion share of the car rental market in Italy is owned by Hertz, Avis Budget, Europcar and Maggiore and Sixt. These are not the cheapest but are reputable and can offer more convenient in terms of pick-up and drop-off places.Suitable Vehicle For You
The size of the car and type (manual/auto) is an important consideration and directly impact your cost and comfort for your trip. In terms of size, besides the number of people, remember to make a decision based on the luggage space you need too (for your shopping hauls). Some people love the full-sized luggage space vs just a hatchback barely enough for luggage.
If you plan to be driving for long road trips, it is also recommended to go for an automatic transmission, which is more expensive than manual cars but worth the comfort.
Bonus Tip: Useful Itinerary For Car Trip Planning
It is easier to plan when you know which landmarks you wish to visit. Below are the guides from Lonely Planet and a downloadable Guide from CiaoItaly we found useful.
- Lonely Planet Road Trips
- Downloadable Ciao Italy guide
- We also recommend you get a free Italy map from the AAA when making your International Driving Permit if it is available. You never know when the GPS will fail you.
Traveling In Italy With Children
As with many countries, there are laws in Italy that require children under 97 pounds or 4’ 9” to use a booster seat. Young children less than 48 pounds are required to have a child seat. Locals report that these laws are rarely enforced, but abiding by them will, most importantly, help keep your little ones safe on your journey abroad. You can also bring your own child seats along with you, but the hassle of carrying this bulky item in your luggage usually outweighs the cost of renting locally. This would lead to extra costs to budget too.Where To Take Your Rental Car
Like many cities, reputable car companies let you can pick up your car rental at the Airport or rail stations such as Fiumicino Airport, Milan Central Rail Station. Some companies let you return the cars at another location, subject to a one-time fee. That will save you time if you are planning a long road trip from north to south Italy.
Origin of Ferrari in Italy
Besides the normal rental car, some people wished to learn about renting a Ferrari in its origin, Italy.
The Ferrari is a car manufactured by an Italian based sports car company known as Ferrari N.V. It was founded by Enzo Ferrari back in 1939. It is based in Maranello and originated from Auto Avio Construzioni, which was a race division as of 1939; the cars this company produces are usually associated with racing.
They are extremely fast cars and are mostly used like Formula 1, but they also produce cars that can be used on the roads by communists all over the world. Due to the origin of the car, when you step into Italy, there are a lot of people owning or dealing with it.
How much to rent a Ferrari in Italy for a day?
It costs around 700 Euros per day up to 1,500 Euros per day, depending on the model and number of days. A low range Ferrari California would be 700 Euros, mid-range Ferrari Spider would be 1,000 Euros and Ferrari Superfast would be 1,500 Euros.
As you can see the prices are not affordable to many people. So the alternative is a Ferrari test drive experience.
How much to test drive a Ferrari in Italy?
It is not free! For a short 10mins 9km experience in a Ferrari Portofino, it costs around 120 Euros. A much longer 60mins test drive costs around 550 Euros. There is an extra charge for each additional passenger for around 20 Euros.
LIST OF FERRARI RENTALS OR TEST DRIVE IN ITALY
There are lots of car rentals and Ferrari test drives in Italy open to offer you their service at any time you might need them.
- King Rent SA
This rental company offers to the public the largest selection of luxury car rentals all across Europe. They give their clients nothing but the best car rental experience by providing an exclusive touch to any business or vacation trip. They have their headquarters in Switzerland but have branches scattered all over Europe, they guarantee rental quality when making use of any of their products. You will get the newest car model of any major brand you can think of in King Rent.
- Pushstart Srl
Pushstart Srl is a new rental company located at Via Alfredo Dino Ferrari, 41, 41053 Maranello MO, Italy. They offer a large range of luxury exotic cars at a very affordable rate, you will be allowed to drive it yourself but they often recommend you sit in the passenger seat and allow the instructor to show you what the car you ordered can do before you take full control of it. They have a high user rating coming from people who have tested their service one way or the other.
- Hertz
This is an American car Rental Company that conducts operations in over 9700 international corporate and franchisee locations, one of these locations is in Venice, Italy. It is regarded as the second-largest US car rental company when measured according to sales, locations and fleet size. Its headquarters is in Estero, Florida, USA.
- Joey Rent - Luxury Car Rental
Joey rent is the official car rental company of the biggest hotels found in Italy and France. They provide a wide range of modern and vintage cars which are available for hire. It all depends on your taste and what you prefer because all of them are available.
- Edel & Stark SARL
The Edel & Stark group offers all types of luxury transportation services. They offer both car, limousine and aviation services; you can imagine what they have in their collection. Something unique about their services is that they deliver your required product anywhere you are your home, hotel or the airport. They also help their clients get accommodations in the biggest restaurants in town.
- DOLCE V-Italy
This company offers you a 7 days a week service for pick up and drop down of any car of your choice in their collection in an agreed location. With Dolce V car rental, there is a unique opportunity to hire the most recent models of Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, SUV and so on. You can pick up and return the car in any city in Italy and Europe at large, wherever you may find yourself in these regions.
- Driving The Dream Srl
Driving The Dream is a Ferrari focused car rental company; this simply means that they deal with only the Ferrari brand of cars. They are located at Viale Europe 61, Siena, Italy, and can deliver your luxury car to you anywhere in Italy. A professional driver will be provided for you giving you the opportunity to fully understand the car, its abilities and gain the best experience possible.
- Motorsport Maranello
Once you are in Italy and you need a car for rent, you can rely on Motorsport Maranello to provide you with the service that you need. You can rent their vehicle for occasions such as weddings, dinner parties, music videos and so on. Maranello in Italy has good roads that will give you the best as you test the Ferrari of your choice for Motorsport’s collection.
Related Questions
How many people have Ferraris in Italy? In Ooyyo Used Market, there were 1,030 Ferraris in Italy. Ferrari decided in 2012 to cap global production at 7,000 cars a year, to maintain the exclusivity of its brand and drive up prices rather than sell more Ferraris to the growing customer base of the global super-rich. However, the number is increasing to 8,000 and might reach 10,000 due to growing demand. Ferraris are mostly exported and sold to Germany, China, and the UK.
What is the history behind the prancing horse's image in Ferrari's logo? It was the logo from a World War I, Italian flying ace Francesco Baracca`s airplane. The pilot suggested using the prancing horse logo to Enzo Ferrari, who was a racing driver for Alfa Romeo in the earlier decades of the twentieth century.
Conclusion
When searching for car hire service, affordability is key as the prices can balloon up. It is up to you the type of car you like to hire but ensure you do not break the bank for the sole aim of renting a car in Italy. Remember that public transportation can be much cheaper (without the comfort factor).
