I just had a great circumstance at AutoEurope. I had reserved a mid sized car for 6 days at $451.00 picking up at Florence airport and returning it in the city. We decided to extend the driving protion of our trip for a day and when I called into AutoEurope, ythe rates were discounted further and there was a free upgrade. All I had to pay for the 7 days was $351.00.

The lesson here is that when ever you rent from AutoEurope you should call them back before you leave and see if the rate has gotten better. This is not the only time I have paid less

Lets see..... I saved $100.00 ..... that's three more bottles of Brunello! And Auto Europe is paying for it. Ya think my wife will believe that one :rolleyes

If life is an opera by Puccini... I want to be Calaf!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,

Thanks for the heads-up. I will being picking up at FCO next month, I'll put that call on my to-do list.

Oh yes, always keep phoning for better rates, even after you've already been discounted once, keep trying!

For our trip in 2001, I got them down $400.00 from our initial booking rate and that was after 3 calls!

As it stands now, my rate is already less than we paid in 2001 so it's looking pretty good, since we don't leave till Aug 1 think I might get some more discounts ( either that or drive the guys over at Auto Europe nuts! )

Liz - from the "WetCoast"

I have found that if you need a car for only 5 or 6 days, it is almost always better to ask for the full week rate first...it may very well be cheaper to rent for a week and turn the car in early!

Dean, are you aware that there's a 14% tax for picking up your rental car at an airport in Italy? We have a car reserved through AutoEurope in Bologna next week, and we saved nearly $100 (on an 11-day rental) by taking a brief cab ride into town from the airport to pick up the car. We're turning it in at the airport on our way out, but that doesn't incur taxes. You might want to check, since the airport in Florence isn't that far from town, either! One more bottle of Brunello!

Regards, Alyce

One of our guests last week had trouble with his rental car. He had made reservations through Auto Europe and picked up his car from EuropeCar at the Pisa airport.

His car broke down completely not far from our home and we picked him up. When we called EuropeCar, they told us they would be happy to come get the car, BUT they do not deliver a new car - it not their policy to do that. He would have to go to the nearest EuropeCar office and get his replacement car. The expense of traveling to the nearest office would be his and not reimbursed by EuropeCar. We have had this challenge happen on several occassions before and knew what to do.

Remember to bring the telephone number for AutoEurope with you. Bring the regular number for them in Maine, as calling an American 800# can be difficult from Italy.

AutoEurope said they would reimburse the customer the full cost of traveling to Florence to pick up a new car on Sunday if EuropeCar did not pay. They have always paid this in the past, and we're sure they will this time, too. Our guest had to hire a car and driver at a cost of $200 to transport him to Florence - Siena and Arezzo were closed on Sunday + no bus service and limited trains.

This is one more reason for always using AutoEurope.

Bill & Patty Sutherland
Tuscan Women Cook
Montefollonico, Italy

We have used Autoeurope about 5 times, on the last trip, in May, we changed the rental about 3 times, each time calling the 800# from Italy. Each time it was not a problem to change, however, they re-bill you each change and trying to figure out the bills when we got home was a challenge. It was on AMEX (miles) and the only way to be sure it was right was to compare the AMEX charges. I never did get it exactly right but the best I could figure was few dollars one way or the other. (I was very happy with that, and also with Autoeurope...leaving the car is Florence and not getting a receipt was a bit much, but we have never had any problems. Each time it gets easier. The car we had this time was a brand new Opel Zafir diesel, great car

Daniel and Priscilla in Fort Lauderdale