Can anyone recommend a good rental car agency. I am not familiar with the companies available and want a good, reliable place with good, reliable cars.

www.autoeurope.com

They are a broker & offer cars through the main rental car co's at very good prices. I believe they also have a customer service desk at Rome airport.

Where do you plan to drop the car off?

I found a really good rate for an FCO rental company, but they only have a few drop off sites in Italy.

I recommend Kemwell.com They can arrange what you want with a turn-key price that takes advantage of a number of rental car companies.. they include insurance and there is no deductible. You can arrange it on line if you are out of the US and all paper work is emailed to you. Each time we have used them we have been very satisfied. Even received upgrade not asked for.

I rent thru Sixt Holiday cars. Check out their Holiday Car rates. I always find them the best and have never been dissapointed in their service.

Thank you all. We will likely want to return the car in the city center...will look into all the suggestions.

We rented through
http://carrentalexpress.com/

Picked up at Florence airport, dropped off at FCO. The rate was $264/week all inclusive (zero deductible damage waiver, etc). And, yes, that's dollars.

But they only have a few offices at airports. Their rates are worth checking out if that would work for you.

I previously wrote a glowing report on Car Rental Express (2006, Rome-Paestum-Milan), but then had to write a tough report on them from last December (2007, Rome FCO-CIA). I will never use them again.

I have never had a problem with autoeurope.com, used them for bookings in several countries and any problems were quickly fixed.
dave

Dave,
I'm pretty sure you're the one who pointed them out to me in such glowing terms! My rental was perfectly fine.

What happened?