Car Hire or Lease
 

My family and i will be in Italy for six Weeks, want to hire or lease a car not sure which way to go,We are starting in Rome, no car for a week ,then hope to head south around the bottom across to the east coast, back up thru tuscany to the north. We have a weeks accom booked in the dolimites for our white christmas. Can anyone give me advice on the car, rent or lease, and with who.

Anything longer than 17 days should be a lease. Check with AutoEurope. I've only leased in France, with Peugot, but AutoEurope will know the best deal for Italy.

I agree--you want the French buy-back program. Also look at Kemwel. You will save $$$ by picking up and dropping in Nice, but you can also use Milan and Rome as pick up/drop points.

<i>Anything longer than 17 days should be a lease.</i>

Not necessarily. If you are willing to take the smallest standard shift available, there will be a significant difference between a rental and a lease price, with the latter being higher. The reason for that, I believe, is that the costs of insurance, registration, etc. are front loaded. My experience is that for the type of car I rent or lease, it takes at least 40 days of lease for the cost to even out. It is also true that insurance costs are higher in Italy (my credit card will not carry insurance for me in Italy), but there is also a heavy added fee for picking up the leased car in Rome.

Word to the wise: comparison shop if cost is an issue.

Thank you ST cirq, bobthenavigator, and Michael for your advice with the car, i will do some searching. Thanks again