Which rental car for Slovenia mountains?

[Matt..]

I'm flying into Venice and driving to Slovenia to go take photos and hike around next month. Unlike last time I rented from Hertz in Venice there are now loads of options to pick the exact car, all at similar prices (within £10).

- Fiat 500
- Fiat Panda
- Jeep Compass 4x4
- Audi Q3 4x4
- Alfa Stelvio 4x4
- Volvo XC40 4x4
- Jaguar EPace 4x4
- Nissan XTrail
- Audi Q2
- Fiat 500 Abarth Turismo

I'll be on my own with only carry on.

What should I get?

[ElectricSoup]

Seriously? An Alfa Stelvio is only £10 dearer than a FIAT Panda? Well surely it's a no brainer to go for one of those then.

I travel to Slovenia via Venice or Trieste airport every winter to go skiing, and I use Hertz every time as they're the only ones I can find whose insurance allows you to cross the border. Which is weird, seeing as both countries are EU, but anyway. I usually hire a Focus size estate, and that's more than £10 over the cost of a Panda, I've never seen something like a Stelvio at such a low price. Any tips to get those deals?

[Matt..]

ElectricSoup said:

Seriously? An Alfa Stelvio is only £10 dearer than a FIAT Panda?

Well I might have lied a little. It's 30% more. But that's before applying any offers.

- Fiat Panda/Fiat 500 = £95
- Jaguar EPace/Volvo XC40/Jeep Compass = £105
- Audi Q3/Fiat 500 Abarth/Nissan XTrail = £115
- Alfa Stelvio = £125

Are there any additional charges for going to Slovenia using Hertz? (I'll return the car to Venice), and is there anything to know about driving from Italy and into Slovenia?

[TartanPaint]

Small, manual box, revvy. The roads are spectacular. I wouldn't want a big lumbering 4x4.

You need a vignette to use the motorways in Slovenia. They sell them at motorway services, so just pull over at the first services after you cross the border and pick one up. There's not much else to it.

Edited by TartanPaint on Monday 17th September 13:06

[ElectricSoup]

Matt.. said:

ElectricSoup said:

Seriously? An Alfa Stelvio is only £10 dearer than a FIAT Panda?

Well I might have lied a little. It's 30% more. But that's before applying any offers.

- Fiat Panda/Fiat 500 = £95
- Jaguar EPace/Volvo XC40/Jeep Compass = £105
- Audi Q3/Fiat 500 Abarth/Nissan XTrail = £115
- Alfa Stelvio = £125

Are there any additional charges for going to Slovenia using Hertz? (I'll return the car to Venice), and is there anything to know about driving from Italy and into Slovenia?

Those prices still looks remarkably cheap for a week. I just looked up for my ski trip and Hertz want £180 quid for a week for a Golf sized estate. I only paid £90 last year. Sheesh. Which website are you booking through? Hertz direct? I usually get it cheaper through rentalcars.com, although they are not offering me a Hertz hire for my week next Feb, bizarrely. Sigh. It was rentalcars.com who told me Hertz were the only company which allowed cross-border travel to Slovenia.

You will need to buy a "Vignette" for driving on the motorways in Slovenia. You can get them at the shops on the border. Stick it in the windscreen, job done. You can buy them for daily, weekly, monthly etc durations, depending on your needs. Not expensive, few quid. I would double check with Hertz that their insurance is OK though, I'm just going on what I was told last year.

[ElectricSoup]

Oh, and P.S. Some of the mountain roads in Slovenia are VERY narrow, very twisty and have very sharp, unprotected drops at the edge. I've always been OK in Focus/Golf sized cars but wouldn't fancy driving anything much bigger. Even so, I'd be hard pushed not to take a Stelvio at that price. Sounds almost unbelievable.

And P.P.S - what are these offers you speak of which are bringing your price down? Very interested to hear, if it's possible to share. Cheers!

[Matt..]

ElectricSoup said:

Those prices still looks remarkably cheap for a week.

It's only 4 days... so not exactly super cheap!
Stevlio is £170 for a week when I'm going.

Edited by Matt.. on Monday 17th September 13:21

[ElectricSoup]

Ah, OK, makes more sense!

Have a great trip, spectacular wee country. Although I'm more accustomed to it being completely white!

[Matt..]

TartanPaint said:

Small, manual box, revvy.

That's not really an option with Hertz.

I'm not convinced I'll fit in a Fiat 500 Abarth (too tall).

[Matt..]

ElectricSoup said:

Oh, and P.S. Some of the mountain roads in Slovenia are VERY narrow, very twisty and have very sharp, unprotected drops at the edge.

I'm planning on going to Triglav national park. Have you been there? What are the roads like?

[ElectricSoup]

Matt.. said:

ElectricSoup said:

Oh, and P.S. Some of the mountain roads in Slovenia are VERY narrow, very twisty and have very sharp, unprotected drops at the edge.

I'm planning on going to Triglav national park. Have you been there? What are the roads like?

Yes, I've been around Triglav, I use the ski slopes up that way. Roads are generally in good condition surface wise, but like I say the higher you get, they can get quite narrow/steep/twisty. Although they're not very busy at all. Locals charge around in pick up trucks and box vans and the like and don't seem to fall off the edge too often! Smallest car you can get away with, considering your own size, is probably the best idea for a first trip. Was FIAT 500X on the list? Probably about right.

[Matt..]

ElectricSoup said:

Was FIAT 500X on the list? Probably about right.

£190. Way more than the others.

Maybe I'll have to try and fit in a 500 Abarth!

[Matt..]

Hertz is getting cheaper... £75 for a Q3. Might just do that as it's the cheapest option.

Stelvio is now £100, but it looks a little too big (also will be diesel and as boring as any other small suv!). Quite a lot bigger than a Q3/XC40.

Fiat 500 is £90 still, but I don't think I'll easily fit, though the Abarth is tempting for a little fun. I had a Yaris last year in Italy and the seats were not good for someone of my height.

Edited by Matt.. on Thursday 20th September 15:45