Renting a car abroad at 19?

[MGZRod]

Planning on heading over to the folks holiday home in spain at some point, it's about a 15 minute drive from the airport and whilst a taxi could be do-able, in the whole scheme of things it'd be a hastle, getting shopping, eating out etc.

Now, i've done some googling but haven't found any concrete answers. I'd be flying into Alicante airport and the house is in Gran-Alicante.

Any info/experience?

[rhinochopig]

Unlikely IME. Most are 25 IIRC.

[Shaw Tarse]

I'd just use taxis, buses (walk)

[Face for Radio]

If you do manage to find somewhere that will rent to a 19 year old, then you will be hit with some quite heavy surcharges.

I know a few years ago rental companies started rolling out the 25+ only rule.

[MGZRod]

Hmm, no busses are useful, only a pick up point for coaches out of town etc.

Nearest good supermarket is around 25-30 minutes walk away, with ice and such isn't much use!

[illmonkey]

Done this previously, it cost more for the insurance surcharges that to actually rent the car. There was 4 of us though, as we split the bill, so wasn't too bad.

[TheTurbonator]

I had the same problem when I was 18 and travelled around the world. I looked frigging everywhere but no where in anywhere would rent to anybody under the age of 21.

Obviously all the big companies weren't interested, despite me sending e-mails to see if they could make an exception but all sent the same reply back of no.

I then tried tiny little independent places but again had no luck.

Only place I got close was New York. However you had to find your own insurance and no company would cover anybody under 21 from overseas. So again a dead end.

Scooter's are quite popular with youth in Spain and Southern France, have you seen if you could hire a 50cc from anybody?

[MGZRod]

TheTurbonator said:

I had the same problem when I was 18 and travelled around the world. I looked frigging everywhere but no where in anywhere would rent to anybody under the age of 21.

Obviously all the big companies weren't interested, despite me sending e-mails to see if they could make an exception but all sent the same reply back of no.

I then tried tiny little independent places but again had no luck.

Only place I got close was New York. However you had to find your own insurance and no company would cover anybody under 21 from overseas. So again a dead end.

Scooter's are quite popular with youth in Spain and Southern France, have you seen if you could hire a 50cc from anybody?

I don't think the girlfriend would be too amused at being ragged about (Ooer) on a Scooter.

Plus, despite how fun it would be there I hate scooters, the trush of the automotive world.

[Donatello]

I drove a little Punto in Portugal at 17. Unfortunately though, my ex's dad hired the car and added me as a driver.

Our visit to their holiday home overlapped so they had the car 3 days, we shared it 2 and then me and the ex had it for another 5 days.

He had to take my drivers licence with him when he went and when I handed the car back at the airport the man said 'Ah yes, the baby driver...'.

It is do-able but I would imagine an over 25 would need to actually HIRE the vehicle.

Edit: Quadbike or Moped. My friends went on a lads holiday but stayed in a self catering villa. They hired 2 quads and 6 mopeds for 8 of them. Then they were all free to bugger off and do what they wanted.

Then use a backpack for the shopping.