Italy, small hire car or big hire car?
Discussion
For my sins I have to spend 2 weeks of the summer with my good ladys family in Italy, I cannot cope for 2 weeks without a car but do I go for the tight arsed option of hiring the smallest thing I can and then proceed to drive like an italian or do I pay 50% more and get something bigger that might have a proper engine and more impact protection when someone drives into me?
Depends on where you're staying in Italy and the main type of roads you're going to be on.
I spent a week around Lake Como and felt the FIAT Panda was about as big as I wanted to go and glad I didn't get the Bravo. Squeezing between walls/big trucks/other cars all driven by complete lunatics on narrow tight twisty roads I was glad to have a fairly narrow car. (still scraped the mirrors a number of times taking evasive action)
If it's mainly Autostrada stuff then Mondeo sized stuff is fine.
I spent a week around Lake Como and felt the FIAT Panda was about as big as I wanted to go and glad I didn't get the Bravo. Squeezing between walls/big trucks/other cars all driven by complete lunatics on narrow tight twisty roads I was glad to have a fairly narrow car. (still scraped the mirrors a number of times taking evasive action)
If it's mainly Autostrada stuff then Mondeo sized stuff is fine.
boredofmyoldname said:
For my sins I have to spend 2 weeks of the summer with my good lady's family in Italy...
You make it sound like a chore! I'll bet there'll be great food and wine on tap for the duration, not to mention fantastic weather..I'm in Italy annually (it's my folks who are over there) and last two years I've hired rather than taking my own car (for reasons too long to explain).
2 years ago it was a 320d touring which we took up the Riviera to Monaco - most overrated car ever.
Last year I had a Panda for a week and a Twingo for another and frankly both were more than adequate. The Panda was by far the better drive and incredibly quiet and refined - especially on the autostrada. The Twingo had a trick stereo/bluetooth thingy but crap steering and was as noisy as you'd expect a town car to be.
Go small!
r11co said:
boredofmyoldname said:
For my sins I have to spend 2 weeks of the summer with my good lady's family in Italy...
You make it sound like a chore! I'll bet there'll be great food and wine on tap for the duration, not to mention fantastic weather..It does look like small is the order of the day though.
I was travelling to Lugano years ago, got off the plane at Milan Malpensa to find the boss's secretary had booked me a 1.0 Corsa.
I bricked it going on the Autostrada, driving like a Brit.
After a few days 'going native' I found it could easily do 90 slipstreaming!
Small every time, just drive 'Con Brio'!
I bricked it going on the Autostrada, driving like a Brit.
After a few days 'going native' I found it could easily do 90 slipstreaming!
Small every time, just drive 'Con Brio'!
The Crack Fox said:
Italy you say ? Small rentalcar you say ? You're no petrolhead if you miss an opportunity to do something like this - http://www.sucksqueezebangblow.net:/folder/?p=75
Looks great but I am going quite a bit further south. Booked the smallest thing on the list which is 'Fiat Panda or similar' so small and basic 
a billy bargain at £105 for 2 weeks IMO. boredofmyoldname said:
Looks great but I am going quite a bit further south. Booked the smallest thing on the list which is 'Fiat Panda or similar' so small and basic a billy bargain at £105 for 2 weeks IMO.
The potenially bad news is that Fiat Panda or similar might just mean tin can Lancia... Proceed with care! a billy bargain at £105 for 2 weeks IMO. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff