pjc115

We will be renting a car for 2 days from Rome Fiumicino and dropping it off in Florence. Went to Auto Europe and they quoted 294 usd for Alfa Romeo 147 - their lowest quote. Went to rental car group and was quoted about 140 usd for a Lancia Y through Thrifty. Has anyone used www.rentalcargroup.com? It seems like a big difference between the two and I've read that auto europe is usually the best. Should I go with the Lancia Y for the tuscany countryside?

ira

Hi pic,

Does www.rentalcargroup.com include the mandatory CDW?

Italian law now requires that you must have the CDW.

ira

PS,

The Y is smaller than the 147.

pjc115

I just looked it up and they do include CDW. I know it is a little smaller but was wondering if it would be okay on major roadway?

rshersnow

We did the same trip last year. We used Auto Europe and they were very good. I would recommend staying with a small car. Our travel agent got us the upgrade (she was so pleased with herself I didn't have the heart to tell her we didn't want it). It was impossible to get the car out of the airport in Rome, the corners being way too tight for the mid-size car. We ended up scraping the car down the guard rail. The great thing though was it was covered by the mandatory insurance so there was nothing extra tagged to my credit card when we returned it in Florence.

I recommend also that you return the car to the airport in Florence and then take the bus into the city. Taking a car into the heart of Florence would be insanity. Good luck!!!

ezlivin

First of all, neither the Lancia Y nor the AR 147 should be classified as mid-size cars (as alluded to by rshersnow). These are sub-compact and compat cars, respectively.

Regarding your question on the Lancia whether "it would be okay on major roadway?", my personal take on this is that it is NOT OK regardless of whether you drive defensively or offensively and especially if you are used to driving a decently-powered car in you rhome country. As this was discussed in a separate thread, the Lancia Y with limited power and size makes it difficult to quickly move out of uncomfortable spots (i.e. driving in the Autostrada and in-between 2 large tractor trailers at high speed) or to quickly maneuver into a better comfort zone when you want to overtake and get ahead of a very slow vehicle in a major highway. Besides, the size of the Lancia Y defnitely doesn't provide, for me, the comfort feeling of a highway-driving car. It's good for small roads and driving from one winery to another.

The AR 147 is more than adequate for both small-town driving and on major highways.