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Italy Car Rental / Crash Pad question

Original Post
Drew Hayes · · Charlotte, NC · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 110

I'm going to Italy for my honeymoon this summer and figured it would be easiest to boulder while we're there. I found a place to rent crash pads, and now I'm wondering about what size car to get. Would a "compact" car be able to fit two crash pads? The car is "FIAT 500L 1.3" or similar. Thanks!

Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450

I'm pretty sure that that car would fit only the tiniest of "mini-pads", particularly if you had other stuff in there.

FWIW, a sport rack and rope would be smaller than any pad...

minielle · · Holladay, Utah · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 50

Lat year, I rented a Renault Clio in Venice and drove to the Cortina area. We had 4 people and packs and gear but no crash pads. It was cozy but I would not want a bigger car on the narrow roads. The Clio did everything we needed. I rented from Sixt and picked up the car at the airport. Easy and it all went smoothly.

Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450
minielle wrote:Lat year, I rented a Renault Clio in Venice and drove to the Cortina area. We had 4 people and packs and gear but no crash pads. It was cozy but I would not want a bigger car on the narrow roads. The Clio did everything we needed. I rented from Sixt and picked up the car at the airport. Easy and it all went smoothly.
+1 on Sixt, they do a really solid job, we have used them several times.
Drew Hayes · · Charlotte, NC · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 110
Optimistic wrote:FWIW, a sport rack and rope would be smaller than any pad...
Agreed, but we'll be there for two weeks and only climbing for 3 days. I didn't want to fly with and haul around all of that junk.

Thanks for the info minielle. It looks like that size car is only $20 more! I saw how cheap sixt looked, but when I read reviews there were a lot of terrible experiences. I know usually there will be a couple of negative reviews out there from some dummies, but it seemed like more than normal.
Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450
Drew Hayes wrote: Agreed, but we'll be there for two weeks and only climbing for 3 days. I didn't want to fly with and haul around all of that junk. Thanks for the info minielle. It looks like that size car is only $20 more! I saw how cheap sixt looked, but when I read reviews there were a lot of terrible experiences. I know usually there will be a couple of negative reviews out there from some dummies, but it seemed like more than normal.
That's interesting about the bad reviews...we've rented from them twice and been quite impressed, particularly when they were so careful to make sure that our car seat was installed correctly and all...couldn't have taken it more seriously if it'd been their own kid!

These rentals were in Mallorca and in Switzerland...it's certainly true that in general (not specific to Sixt, don't know about that) they do things a little differently in Italy.
Shawn Heath · · Forchheim, DE · Joined May 2008 · Points: 28,380

I don't have a problem with Sixt, but I usually got better rates from Europcar. It's going to be a pretty tight squeeze with two crash pads with the Fiat. The Clio definitely looks better for hauling the crash pads. Alternatively, you could strap the pads to the roof of your Fiat, especially since you're only bouldering for 3 days. And if you're staying put, then you won't need to load the luggage in there too. It could work...

minielle · · Holladay, Utah · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 50

You are welcome. Congratulations on the wedding. Whatever you choose, have a great time. I love Italy and would go back at the first opportunity. Ellen

Scott Jones · · Portland, OR · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 20

I ordered a "Fiat 500 or similar" from eurocar last summer. They ended up giving me a fiat panda (i suppose both cars are fiats and they both have 4 wheels and a windscreen).

After driving the panda for a month i couldn't be happier with it. The little car gets insane gas milage and has plenty of space in the back to lay down comfortably. I'd imagine that crash pads would fit in there with plenty of room to spare.

Get a panda, you won't regret it!

Jim Titt · · Germany · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 490

I´ve hired loads of cars in Italy (I live in Germany) and the 500 is a small car even without boulder mats. The Panda is a much better bet even though the handling is worse (still better than the rubbish I get in the USA though).
Don´t hire direct, use a broker like holiday autos or cardelmar to get full insurance cover rather than paying through the nose for the extra cover normally needed.

Drew Hayes · · Charlotte, NC · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 110

Wow how is the CarDelMar almost $250 cheaper?? I can get the panda for pretty cheap on that site! Thanks Jim!

Nick Votto · · CO, CT, IT · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 320

Hey Drew, where did you rent a crash pad in Italy???
Thanks

Drew Hayes · · Charlotte, NC · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 110

I was able to get in contact with the dudes at Fiorelli Sport and they rent crash pads. I believe they have a shop in Val Masino. fiorellisport.it/ and also facebook.com/pages/Fiorelli…

We stayed at Hotel Miramonti in Val Masino, man this place was amazing. I ended up borrowing a crash pad from the owner's son, who was a really cool and really really nice dude. The hotel to the right of this one (kind of ugly concrete grey building) also rented crash pads.

We had a really amazing time in Italy. We arrived in Venice the day after our wedding and spent a few days exploring, getting frustratingly lost, eating amazing food, drinking cheap wine, and spending time in museums and churches.

From there we rented a car, drove to Val Masino and stayed at the hotel mentioned above. I highly recommend Hotel Miramonti, everyone there was incredibly kind and welcoming. I believe it was 50 euro per night and it included all 3 meals. The bouldering was within walking distance of the hotel and we got a little sport climbing in on a bigass boulder close to the hotel (the biggest boulder in Italy? I forget the title but the climbing was just OK). We'd wake up and eat, then boulder for a bit, then head back to the hotel for lunch and beer, take a nap, boulder a bit more, then come back for dinner and wine and staring out into some of the most beautiful mountains I've ever seen.

We then drove to Milan and took a train to Cinque Terre where we spent a few days hiking between the towns and drinking a whole lot. Finally we took a train to Rome where we had one full day so we went to the Colosseum, the ruins, and walked around Vatican city.

The mountains were, by far, the best part of the trip for me.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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