Rome Car Hire

A mess!

Pros: Upgraded car performed flawlessly and was very comfortable.

Cons: Dollar uses Hertz/Thrifty as agents but nowhere is this mentioned. Nowhere did it say at Rome train station the location to do the paper work was different than where there cars are located so went to the wrong location. Asked about if the car was returned a little after the origination time (as we had to walk back to the parking garage delaying the pick up of the car) if this would be and issue and was told that as long as I was close it would be ok. Found out at the garage that I was not given all the paper work so at the pick up garage they generated new paper work. Picked up the car. The car was not clean. Rushed check out process Large dent in passenger side door and significant scratches elsewhere. Was told by the garage staff they were aware of all the damage. Thankfully took pictures and paid for the supplemental insurance (very pricey). Drove the car without incident. The return to Florence was more near chaos. Arrived a half hour after the origination time due trouble getting diesel and was immediately asked about getting in an accident due to the dent in the door and also noted the scratches. Also he noted I was a 1/2 hour late returning the car. I stated that the body damage was there already there when we got the car but the somewhat surly check in person stated the paper work had no mention of the car having any damage what so ever. His attitude slowly changed when he realized the substitute paper work given to me at the garage was essentially blank with nor even the starting milage filled in. We worked out a guesstimate for the starting milage and likely since I had the supplemebtal full coverage and time dated pictures of the damage he said nothing more about body damage. Also nothing further about late arrival. After having significant stressr and feeling like this was all going terrible wrong he said everything was fine and he closed the rental. In the end I am not sure I would use Dollar again too much chaos!

No way to fetch the car

Pros: We never got the car because there was no way to get to that part of town. There was a marathon that day and we had to spend an extra 55 euro to go to the airport and get another rental even though this one was prepaid

Rental Place was Closed!

Cons: We showed up to pick up our car, but the place was closed. We had to go to a different place and get another, more expensive car. I won't be using Dollar again.

Chaos at pick-up

Pros: Great little car (Fiat Panda) to drive through narrow Tuscan city streets.

Cons: Pick-up was chaos: We had booked the car at Dollar, but no Dollar was to be found at the pick-up in the airport in Rome (we were not aware that Dollar was a Hertz company, nor were we informed). The queue to pick up the car was very long, and it took approx. 1.5 hours before it was our turn. Overall, a very poor car pick-up experience.