Our Italian Adventure: Updates on Reducing the Cost of Renting a Car in Italy

PART 123: It might be interesting to share how we pulled off living in Italy for part of the year. I will post some steps and what we are learning along the way.

We love every minute of it, and what was once a dream is our life!

We live in Tuscany in the Fall, then back again in the Spring, and in California for the rest of the time (in a previous blog, I explained why we live in Italy only part of the year).

Step 1: As we explore areas in Italy, we discover some gems worth sharing. Some are well-known tourist magnets, and others are lesser-known but always amazing.

This week, let's explore how we manage to control the cost of renting a car for the long term (2-3 months) while living in Italy.

Step 2: During our first extended stay in Italy, we followed the advice from several travel forums and decided to lease a car from Renault near the Rome airport (https://www.autoeurope.com/renault-eurodrive/). At that time, it cost us approximately $1,900 for two months, which included a new vehicle, roadside assistance, full insurance, and multiple drivers. While it wasn't cheap, it was still more affordable than a daily rental.

We had a great car and faced no worries.

However, we noticed that leasing prices skyrocketed; the last time I checked, it was over $3,000 for two months for their most economical car. This prompted us to begin exploring other alternatives.

(FYI: I just got an email from Renault, stating that their 2025 rates have been lowered. I just checked for the 56 days we will need a car from the Rome airport, and they start at about $2,200, including insurance.)

Step 3: Many aspects of life in Italy operate smoothly through personal relationships. While living in Puglia, we heard about a company that rents out used cars at low prices.

We communicated via WhatsApp instead of through a website and arranged a two-month car rental for our upcoming trip. The company is located not far from Lecce: https://noleggio.lafenicesrl.it/noleggio-auto-usate/14/14/noleggio-auto-usate .

Our experience was positive. During the off-season, we found used cars available for rent, including insurance, for as little as 15 euros per day. However, we chose to spend a bit more to get a better vehicle.

Pros: Low prices, a local company, and insurance included.

Cons: These cars are only for local use and cannot be driven across Italy. For instance, when we traveled to the Amalfi Coast, we rented a new car from a different company for the four days we spent driving along the coast.

Step 4: Newest Solution

When we moved to Tuscany, our previous car rental service no longer met our needs, so we looked for alternative solutions.

I asked a local friend from Rome to accompany me to the Rome train station to gather information from each car rental agency.

After collecting details from all the agencies, we found one Italian-based agency that would suit our needs, as they offer monthly rentals during some months of the year.

Step 5: Sicily By Car

We spoke with Mario, who works at the Sicily By Car desk at the Rome train station, about their monthly car rental options.

Here are some important points to keep in mind regarding the monthly car rental:

1. The monthly rate is not available during the high season. You can check their website for specific dates.

2. The monthly rate comes with mileage limits: either 2,500 miles or 4,000 miles per month, depending on the chosen rate.

3. The online rate does not include insurance. More information on this is provided below.

4. For insurance, both employees at the desk advised against purchasing it through the website. Instead, they recommended buying it at the desk. The website offers third-party insurance that requires the driver to pay for any accidents upfront and then seek reimbursement.

Make sure to consider these points when planning your rental!

Step 6: The link

For additional information about this monthly deal, please visit the following link: https://www.sicilybycar.it/en/car-hire/info/monthly-car-rental

Step 7: Insurance and rental costs

Although the rental car cost on the website was listed as approximately 450 euros per month, additional expenses such as insurance brought the total to around 800 euros per month for the car from Sicily By Car. This is much cheaper than the leasing program we were using and significantly less expensive than a daily rental.

Step 8: Drawbacks

One drawback for us was the timing of our visit in September. Since we arrived on September 15 and the low season began in October 1, we had to rent a car on a daily basis for two weeks. This increased our expenses significantly. However, we still spent less than we would have if we had leased a car from Renault or other companies.

One drawback of the Sicily By Car website is the inconsistency in car availability. Sometimes it displays a wide range of options, while at other times, there are none listed. Occasionally, I can view prices for cars 3 to 6 months in advance, but other times I can only find cars available a month ahead, with no options for later dates. We checked the website two or three times in October to reserve a car for the spring for two months, and on one occasion, it finally allowed us to make a reservation.

This approach worked for us in the fall, as the staff at Sicily By Car assured us that starting on October 1, they would have plenty of cars available, and that turned out to be true. When we picked up our car on September 15 (daily rental), they advised us to go on the website and reserve the month-long rental beginning October 1. We had to return to swap cars, but the process went smoothly.

In the end, we were also able, with some effort, to reserve a car for the spring for two months.

However, we remain uncertain if this will be a permanent solution for us due to the difficulties in securing a car in advance.

As we explore more car leasing and rental solutions, I will share additional blog posts.

Step 9: Your experience

If you have discovered affordable car rental or leasing solutions in Italy, please share them in the comments, and I will look into them. Thank you!

I hope that helps!

More next time.

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