Just attempted to rent a compact car from Milan and return to same, for two weeks. Cost around $1500!!! Tried two main car rentals, Alamo and Europe by Car. Out of sight! Anyone know of a more reasonable company? With prices like this we may take trains resulting in quite a change in our plans.

Can you drive stick shift?

Have you checked autoeurope?

Where are you going that you think you need a car?

Try autoeurope or kemwell

I recently reserved a car through kemwel.com for 2 weeks in Sept, picking up and dropping off at the Florence airport. I'm paying $401 with no deductable. Are you trying to reserve an automatic?

zoe,

I assume you're driving a mini-economy. How are they on the autostrade? On mountains? Have you driven one before?

I drove a Peugeot 107 this summer and had no problems on any road. On the other hand, I was not doing any mountain driving and generally avoided the autoroute. But the car can do 130 kph. Its luggage space is probably too small for most travelers.

Michael, how does that Peugot compare with a Fiat 500 or Lancia 2y? Do you know? Did you drive in Italy?

$1500 is really expensive, even for an automatic. I recently paid a little over $600 total for an automatic - a Mercedes 220 - for 9 days in southern Italy, returning to a different city from the pickup city.

I agree you should try Autoeurope. And check frequently b/c their rates do fluctuate. Even if you reserve at a higher rate, they'll give you the lower price.

This may help--you seem to be doing something wrong:

DRIVING IN ITALY & SOUTHERN EUROPE

Q. SHOULD WE DRIVE IN ITALY?
A. Of course you should if your driving skill & confidence would allow you to drive a rental car in Vermont, Colorado or California. But, be advised of these tips:
* Avoid driving in the major cities except for picking up or dropping cars
* Have good maps—study them in advance—and have a GOOD NAVIGATOR.
* Stay in the right lane except when passing and use your rear view mirrors

Q. WHAT CAR SHOULD I GET AND WHERE DO I GET IT?
A. It is best to rent your car before you leave for Europe. The best source we have found is www.autoeurope.com [800-223-5555] who is a broker for several car vendors. They will quote you prices to include the variables that are often omitted by others, such as unlimited mileage, mandatory insurance coverage with some deductibles, and VAT taxes. It is wise to compare prices and coverage with their sister company at www.kemwel.com. Autoeurope will match any comparable quote, and are famous for their customer satisfaction if problems do arise with the vendor. The best model will depend on your needs, but for best value we suggest you select a compact car with manual transmission. Automatics are available but will cost you about 30% more and may limit your model options & pick up locations.

Q. ARE ITALIAN DRIVERS AS CRAZY AS I HAVE HEARD?
A. Yes & no! They are certainly aggressive, but they are also more skilled than many USA drivers—both are a function of necessity. Italy is one of the most crowded countries in the world and the drivers have evolved these characteristics
* They are notorious tailgaters. If that bothers you, pull over and let them past.
* On the AUTOSTRADE they will drive fast, but will stay in the right lane except when passing and will use their blinkers when passing—YOU SHOULD TOO !
* They will often pass on 2-lane roads with traffic coming. Frankly, they expect you, and the oncoming car, to adjust to the shoulder and make 3 lanes of traffic.

OTHER ROAD TIPS FOR YOUR DRIVING SANITY:
1. Learn the meaning of the sign “ SENSO UNICO” and take heed [ONE WAY ].
2. Be sure to get your ticket when you enter the AUTOSTADA system & be prepared to pay the toll when you exit it [ rule of thumb—300 km=15 Euro]. You can use your credit card in the VIA lane at the toll both, or buy a debit VIACARD in advance.
3. Do NOT attempt to follow road numbers—that will frustrate you. But, do pay attention to the directional signs that point to your destination [ TO MONTALCINO]. And, be aware if that road leads eventually to a larger city [ ROMA—SIENA ETC.]
4. Unless you have a diesel car, you will want to fill the tank with benzina from the green pump. Most stations will pump gas for you and will take credit cards.

NOTE: As of 2005, an International Drivers Permit[IDP] is required in Italy.
You can obtain them from your local AAA office. You will need a valid US driver’s license, two passport photos, and $15. The photos can be taken at the AAA office.

zeppole,

I am renting a Panda. I've driven a Panda in Italy a few times (and once in France) and thought it was terrific in all circumstances.

Autoeurope is probably your best bet. I'm seeing compacts for around $900 for 2 wks in Oct. We used Car Rental Express and really got a good rate from them (Florence pickup, Rome dropoff). But their Milan price appears about the same as AE. In that case, I'd go with the better known entity, Autoeurope.

http://www.autoeurope.com/
http://www.carrentalexpress.com/international/italy/

I rented for 3 weeks in May/June, picking up at Ciampino airport outside Rome and dropping off in Milan. We got a Fiat 500--loved it!--through EuropeCar and drove the autostradas, the winding roads of Tuscany and Piedmont, and--get this--the hairpin turns and steep slopes of the Dolomites. It was a great little car, and many Italians we talked to chuckled and talked about their love for the original Fiat 500. Price: $696 for 21 days, all-inclusive (except gas), prepaid. So keep looking--the cars are out there.

I don't know that anybody is doing anything "wrong". I used Autoeurope to plug in the numbers of an automatic compact out and in Milan Malpensa and came up with $1500 USD for two weeks. Kemwell has it for $1350 -- not all that grand a savings.

zoecat, thanks. Where I live has a lot of steep climbs, and I've always been concerned the very small ones would leave me frustrated. But I like those Fiat 500s!

aprilliacs,

Great! Next time I renting without my husband in the car (long legs), I'm going try a CinqueCento.

The Peugeot 107 is in the same category as the Fiat 500 according to Autoeurope; it offers the 107 in France and the 500 in Austria.

Thanks everyone, especially Bob the Nav. I found Autoeurope and Kemwell in the $512 to $666 range for what we would be happy with!!! Yay! What I was doing "wrong" was asking for an automatic. There has never been such a drastic price difference between auto & manual in all the cars we have rented in Italy or all Europe. The Autoeurope automatic was over $1400 for the same car. Good thing we can both drive a stickshift!
To answer the question why we need a car: we will be going to Lake Guarda and basing there with side trips. Then moving a little East to somewhere in the Veneto to explore that area more closely. Maybe swing down to Bologna for a couple of days-never been there before. Any comments on Bologna?

Do you mean Lago di Garda? Before you jump down my throat and accuse me of picking on your for small spelling mistakes, there is another place on the planet called Guarda (in Switzerland).

One thing I would say about Bologna is that you don't need a car there, or most of the places to which it is interesting to daytrip from Bologna (Ferrara, Ravenna, Parma, Modena, Mantova, Cremona, Dozza, Faenza, etc.) So if you are looking to save money, and Emilia-Romagna is your final area of exploration before returning home, you can think about giving up your car in Bologna.

Other than that, the anatomical museum and the church of Santa Maria della Vita are two of the most fascinating sights in Bologna. The Oratorio of St Cecilia, if you are in the neighborhood of the university, is charming.

Bologna hosts many trade fairs and hotels book up fast. If you have not been in the area and are interested in art, the mosaics of Ravenna are among the most spectacular art treasures in Italy (Europe, actually) and the bapistery and duomo of Parma are beautiful.

exterior of the duomo of parma

http://www.ce.unipr.it/automatica/sa...omoDiParma.gif

interior

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...ion-cc-wit.htm

Parma is also the setting for stendahl's The Charterhouse of Parma, as well as the home of parma ham, parmasean cheese, parma violets and parma yellow

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...ion-cc-wit.htm

It's a lovely, car free place.

Bologna has absolutely the best food. Loved Bologna. On the car rental front we've rented thru AutoEurope for the last 2 years 4 2 weeks in N. Italy. Had a Fiat Punta one year and a Fiat Panda the other year -- both did fine in the mountains and on the autostrada. The rate was in the $400 area.