Do you think renting a fancy car is safe in Italy?
 

I would love to rent a really nice fancy car in Italy. Would that be a sign for "ROB ME?"

Depends on where you're planning to drive. If you do opt for upscale, make sure you have sufficient coverage should there be any damage to the vehicle. A sidewipe or fender bender in a Lamborghini could end up costing you a tidy sum.<BR>

Dave- I was planning on renting something ITALIAN and FAST too. Never thought of the danger so I am curious now and therefore topping.

Unless rules have changed you are required to buy full coverage insurance in Italy, including theft, so the more expensive the car the higher the fees will be. You are also restricted on taking cars out of and into Italy to/from certain countries, so that can have some bearing as well depending on your plans. The easiest thing to do is talk to a rental company and find out the rules and what you have to do.

I say go for it - - www.zephyrus.it - - and come back here and tell us about it.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

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if you use a credit car to pay be ssure to check with them first because several of the card companies will not cover any losses if the car is a so called luxary car

As I mentioned in another post - upscale European cars are built for European conditions. We have a BMW and an Audi, and both have locking trunks. On both, you cannot "pop the trunk" from the cab. You either unlock the car (and trunk handle) with the chip-coded key or use the remote on the key. The fold down rear seats either lock (Audi)or can only be opened from handles inside the trunk (Beemer). I assume after that kind of precautions, you don't just pop the trunk with a crowbar.<BR><BR>Also, when the doors are locked with the key, they can ONLY be opened with a key. If you break a window and crawl in, you still have to crawl out with what fits through the window. And, the car cannot be driven without a valid key (did you see "Gone in 60 Seconds"?) I haven't heard there is a rash of hacked keys yet. All in all, it's probably safer and more secure than the simpler cars.<BR><BR>The only other question is the "envy factor". A celebrity on Toronto in the 70's described how he couldn't park his Rolls anywhere without it being keyed. I saw a lot more fancy cars in Italy than Canada, so I assume that this form of "penis envy" (sorry) is not such a social problem there?<BR><BR>I also suggest that you get a bicycle cable and chain your suitcases together to make grab and run theivery more challenging if they do get in. Don't need a fancy car for that precaution.

Oops. The link is for vintage autos which (a) cost a mint and (b) won't have the fancy computerised security features. Oh well, then don't travel with your jewelry and keep your Rolex and your pasport on your person.

Approximately half the people I've known who've rented luxury cars, or upgraded to them, in southern France and Italy in the past three years - and this is about half a dozen people total - have had their cars broken into. One was in a parking garage in Nice and had the car broken into, goods stolen, and the trunk and rear lights damaged (major buckaroos to fix that). Two were on the coast of Italy - cars broken into while they were at the beach; one just had money and suitcases and camera stolen, the other had the trunk practically ripped off the car in addition to having items stolen. Another, near Cinque Terre, had the entire car stolen, with suitcases inside. Another was driving in Sorrento and stopped at a red light - thieves jumped into the car and grabbed the woman passenger, dumped her onto the pavement, stole her purse, and drove off on motorcycles. Who needs it?<BR><BR>Personally, I think it's a stupid risk, and as you say, like advertising "rob me!" <BR><BR>How bad will your vacation be if you have to drive a normal car? How bad will it be if your luxury car gets broken into or you get robbed en route?<BR><BR>Keeping a low profile in southern Mediterranean coutries these days is a very responsible idea.

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