I found that if you are going to need a car for over 17 days, Peugeot and Renault have leasing programs that are half the cost of renting. Is this too good to be true? Has anyone had a negative experience or can advise me of things to look out for?

I too will be interested. We usually travel for thirty days. Two questions I've always had: are there any restrictions on where I can take the car (Italy, for instance) and, the one that has always put me off leasing, should the car break down or an accident occur, what does one do. With a rental, you can get another car. Hopefully nearby. What about a lease?

This *is* true. I don't know if it's 1/2 the cost of renting, but I do know that stays over a certain period of time are far more economical if you lease rather than rent.

I did this with Renault and was great. You get a brand new car. However, for the time that you have the rental it is YOUR car. If it breaksdown, they have an assistance line to call but you will need to have it repaired (at their cost). They dont hand you a replacement car. I assume if it is something that would take days on end they might. I had zero problems with my car so I didnt experience taking it to the shop. Beyond being able to pick the exact car you want, you also get unlimited milage and full insurance. Do make sure you understand who is allowed to drive the vehicule as the contract has some restrictions about that beyond the primary "buyer".

We "bought" a Grand Scenic Renaults last year and it was great. The car had travelled about 30km so was brand new. They have red number plates and we had read that they were targeted by theives. We had no trouble even though we left the car in a carpark in Vence with bags visible. We were relieved to find everything still there the next morning.
We picked up the cars in Avignon and we left our car at the airport in Rome. There was an extra fee for leaving it somewhere other than France.
I couldn't believe how fast the handover was in Rome - a man flagged us down at the agreed spot and asked if there was any damage. We signed a paper and that was it ! He drove off and we caught a taxi into Rome.
It worked out cheaper than car rental and the insurance was included. We have had a letter from them saying something about it being cheaper if you have been a customer before. I didn't keep it as we propably won't be travelling in france by car this year.
I would certainly do it again.
The Grand Scenic was a good car to rent. Room for 4 adults for a long trip and we had 7 adults in it for a trip of a few hours with stops. There was room for 4 reasonable sized bags / backpacks but anything else was in view. This was only a problem when we travelled from France to Italy.

We've leased Peugeots through www.autofrance.net for years and never had a problem. The pickup and dropoff are very easy and with no airport fees. The cars have always been as specified .
I highly recommend it!

Hi iw,

>leasing programs that are half the cost of renting.<

Highly unlikely that they will be that cheap.

It is not always true that a lease for, say, 3 weeks will be less than a rental.

You have to compare prices.

Check with www.autoeurope.com
www.novacarhire.com
www.gemut.com

before you lease.

The cost between renting and leasing evens out only for relatively long leases. A Clio leased from July 2 to July 18 will cost $877 to $952, depending on the model. I believe that one can find cheaper rentals for that period of time.

One big advantage of the "buy-back" plans (not really leases) over straight rental terms is the ease of taking the vehicles into Eastern Europe. Some main-line agencies won't permit it, others add a hefty fee, but Renault/Peugeot don't blink an eye.

They do charge for non-France pickups and dropoffs, but nothing in France proper, and the charge is posted up front, rather than as a gotcha later. Also all taxes and insurance are included in the price, including zero deductable, so again when comparing terms make sure you're seeing the "all in" number.

We swear by them. While the "lease" term and rates are for a minimum 17-day rental, it can often work out cheaper for shorter periods, depending on where you pick up and drop off. In some countries where rental rates are very high (say, Italy) the lease program can indeed be around half the cost, even given $250 or $275 pick up fee (at Rome, for instance.)

We leased a new Peugeot 206 diesel through Auto Europe for our 7 week tour of France, Gremany, Austria, and Belgum. For us it was the only way to go. Ended up costing $27 a day. We picked it up in Lyon and returned it to the same location. Brand new car, small by American standards, but for 2 people it was very comfortable. I did not pay the extra for air conditioning, but it came with it anyway. Full insurance with no deductable was included in the price. There was nothing negative about our experence with this vehicle or Auto Europe which was the leasing broker. The car is covered by the factory warranty.

dgassa,

You are confirming what I am claiming: the buy/sell option is worth it for longer periods of time, when the low extra day rate offsets the high rate for the first 17 days.

Another plus in leasing is that there is no upper age limit for the driver. We've leased Renaults through renaultusa.com several times with absolutely no problems.

We're regular customers of Renault, qualifying for the first 24 days lease at the opening (17-day) price. Price-wise they're geared toward the longer leases (Australians & New Zealanders) who, because of their greater distance from and cost of flying to Europe, tend to stay in Europe for 6-12 weeks rather than the 2-3 weeks that Americans might typically spend there. But for these longer stays, the lease prices are indeed substantially cheaper than car rentals.
As other posters have said, the paper-work and handover (at both ends) is smooth, and it is a brand new car. Yes, you do have to get them fixed (at their cost) if necessary, but if merely dented and still drivable they are pretty laid-back about returning them in the damaged condition.
As I could never see myself going to Europe for so short a time as to make hiring cheaper than leasing, I guess I'm destined to remain a contented Renault customer for many more trips to come!

Thanks all. I have done some research with both Renault and Peurgeot. The websites are excellent: Renault Eurodrive and AutoEurope. Since we want an automatic with A/C the lease cost for our short trip of 18 days is less than 50% the rental and that is before the extra add-ons that come when your return your car. I hope I have the same experience as the other poster with the Peugeot 206 which has excellent reviews. As far as having a small car--better mileage and easier to park in the small villages of Languedoc-Roussillon.

I did the Kemwel Lease buy back..
http://www.kemwel.com/buyback_home.cfm
This is Peugeot. Supposed to be for 17 days or more..which does not mean that you cannot turn it in earlt. I actually turned mine in at 16 days.

Yes, it was cheaper than a rental. It is 100% fully covered with insurance and everything else. No last minute filling it up with gas before turn in. Brand new vehicle. It is the way to go, as far as I am concerned.

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