DH has enough Marriott points to cover car rental for a week--YAY! We'd love to rent some fun convertible to drive around Tuscany (preferably playing Andrea Bocelli music), but I'm a little concerned that a great car is a target for thieves.

Any advice?

Also, we'd pick up the car in Florence, but drop off in Venice. Any tips on best spots to do that would be a big help to us, as this is our first time renting a car in Italy.

I'm sure someone must have rented a convertible...or some other great car?

Or is that just not the way to go? We rented a convertible in Hawaii years ago, and it really did add some fun to the trip. It cost a bit more, but the memories of driving around playing Hawaiian guitar music are priceless!

Just do not leave anything of value in the car. Not joking, I have had convertibles for the last 10 years.

The major rental companies have Puegeots (maybe it's the model 206) and Renault Megane convertibles and others.

Do it.

Thanks, Big Red--

So glad to hear from someone else who has done this! It seems like the way to go~

Hi

I have not rented a convertible in Tuscany but it would have been great. I did rent a Mustang convertible when I went to the USA a couple of years back and I drove with the top down all the time

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

We tried to rent a "fun" car last time we were in Italy. I think we went through Avis who had a category of snappy cars. However, they cannot and would not guarantee whether they would actually have one at the depot when you arrive. Of course when we arrived in Milan they didn't have any available and gave us a boring Laguna, at of course the same price as the snappy car. Blinking rip off. we laugh about it now, but it wasn't very amusing at the time. We wouldn't bother again. I checked with several of the bigger rental firms, ie Hertz, Europe Car and none of them would guarantee the car you book. I think they buy one so they can advertise it as available but they just never have enough to actually go around.

Good luck, it is a good idea, but try and see if they will guarantee it before you book.

Schnauzer

Schnauzer,

That's disappointing! But thanks for the tip...

I guess it really doesn't matter, as long as they have a working car for you, but you shouldn't have been charged for the great car when you got something else.

I'm not ready to give up on it yet, so I'll let people know what happens.

We had a terrifc BMW 'sportster type' (sorry, I am not a car person-it was DH's doing). But we rented from a small local place in the Abruzzo (Lanciano). We went all down the Adriatic Coast through Puglian and all along the Gargano and had a blast!

LJ,
That's just what I was hoping for. DH contacted Hertz today, and was told that the Marriott points would only get him some basic model (he didn't ask which).

So, now we need to find out how much it is to upgrade. They told him to wait & do it there, but I'd much rather get all of those picky details out of the way ahead of time.

Just want to show up & drive off!

On several trips I've been upgraded to Mercedes (not Diesel) and have had a Peugot 605 and DID play Romanzia!! Haha! The Mercedes I had in Spain was a Diesel. It drove nicely but looked like DoDoo! One Caveat...remeber you have to park it and the bigger cars I had made that a bit tricky in Italy's hill towns and crowed cities.

It was a 505! Sorry....I'm watching the BB game between the Yankees and Sox!

john td,

Sounds like you're a lucky traveler! Any tips for me on how to get this type of upgrade on location?

BTW, the parking thing had already occurred to me. I want a small sports car with a big trunk! (what would that be?)
;-)

Just to point out that many of the modern covertibles come with a solid folding roof which means there's a LOT less capacity in the boot (trunk) when it isn't up.

Compared to the normal version of the same car, assume you'll have half the boot space you'd otherwise have

Thanks alanRow,

We definitely have to consider that when booking, as we will probably have 3 suitcases.

...maybe we'll need a minivan..

you are definitely going to have to pack lighter than that if you want a rag top.

Convertible? Lots of "stuff"? Convertible? Lots of "stuff"? - I sure know which I'd choose

(why do you need 3 suitcases for 2 people anyway?? 2 rollaboards and a small day pack is all you should need between the 2 of you)

janisj,

DH would love you! He's been saying that for years.

I really bring the other suitcase to carry things back, for the most part. I do like to shop for things that I never see at home and if I only bring my carry-on, then there's no room to squeeze one more thing in.

Last trip we bought some "antique" maps, handmade books, glassware and some other prints. We don't have to bring a huge suitcase, but I like to bring the midsize. Maybe we could get away with that and just one carry-on...

I never carry that sort of purchase home. I have the merchant ship them. They take the VAT right off the top since they are exporting the item and that pays most of the shipping/insurance costs.

Takes a lot of the hassle out of traveling when I'm not schlepping all my treasures along w/ me.

I rented a convertible to be picked up in Switzerland and driven through France and Italy for my brother last summer. I used AutoEurope and there were no problems. Except he got caught in the rain with the top down.

Not specifically answering your question but some information - many European rental car companies including Europcar require anyone renting a luxury car which would probably include convertibles to show 2 credit cards and they will swipe both cards.This is even if you buy the additional insurance or have the insurance included in the rate as with a corporate rental. I have been told that they are concerned with theft and damage to the higher end cars.

janisj,
What great tips! It's great to learn from people who know the system. Anything I can do to avoid that VAT tax is a big help.

When my sister & I went to Venice about 4 years ago, she had purchases shipped home for about $50 at the time. Everything arrived well; the $50 seemed a bit steep to me...

meath1, not a problem providing credit cards, but thanks for the tip. In speaking with our insurance company, we should be okay for coverage in the event of any mishaps.