Cross-Border Car Hire

Jez_Ross-Smith

Hi All,
Before I ask the question, I am aware I this will be expensive!

I get married in Italy in a few weeks and I need to ship 14 suits, boxes of printing, fans, menus, my wife (to-be's!) wedding dress etc.

My brother has very kindly offered to drive them over in his car and back again!

However, I am wondering if it is possible to hire a car in the UK and drop it off in Naples, Italy? That way I can then fly him back to the UK instead of him making the drive again (only four days later!).

I have searched right through Google and cannot find any companies where I can make this kind of car hire (I assume because of the right hand drive car scenario, it would be too expensive for them to arrange the return of the car?)

Does anybody know of a company offering this service??

moonrakerz

Would it not be easier/cheaper to pack it all in a suitably sized crate and just get it shipped ?

Jez_Ross-Smith

My fiancee is not willing to entrust this with a shipping company! Too many variables that she cannot control!!

Doshwaster

Jez_Ross-Smith wrote: »

My fiancee is not willing to entrust this with a shipping company! Too many variables that she cannot control!!

I would have thought that the risk of using a shipping company (who do this all of the time and will be fully insured) would be less than putting everything in the back of a car and driving across the continent. Would the car insurance cover any loss or damages? What if there is an accident and all over your valuables end up scattered over a French Autoroute?

thegirlintheattic

I've done it US to Canada but this seems too extreme. Your best option is to let your brother drive. Is there not someone who can go with him and take over some of the driving?

Jez_Ross-Smith

Thanks both,

She just feels more confident knowing exactly where everything is as we have 100 guests attending and pretty much the most 'important' elements of the wedding will be in that car.

We have already shipped everything else, but we can't get the suits until 5 days before the wedding (14 of them!) and the time scale is just too tight for either of us to be comfortable that everything will arrive on time.

We now have my brother and friend who are going to road trip it over 3 days so all cool on that aspect.

Just would have been nice to get him them flight back and leave a rental car at Naples Airport, but they seem quite happy so all good.

As for the insurance risk, we would both still feel more comfortable with family members handling it, rather than a shipping company, judging by the state some of my parcels have arrived in!

richardw

What will you do if they have a car accident with all that stuff in it?

Jez_Ross-Smith

Well there is no saying that UPS or whoever wouldn't have an accident either? If there is an accident, I would like to think we care more about the passengers than our stuff.

I think I will remain positive rather than negative.

richardw

Jez_Ross-Smith wrote: »

pretty much the most 'important' elements of the wedding will be in that car.

You said this, just seems very risky having all the most 'important' in the car. Why can't some of the suits go with the people who are going to wear them?

c-m

richardw wrote: »

What will you do if they have a car accident with all that stuff in it?

Not care about the stuff and be thankful he/she survived. It will put a load of useless junk into perspective

Jez_Ross-Smith

Easyjet restrictions! The three piece suits in bags are the best part of 10kg each as it is. And as already explained we would rather have a family member handle our important items than a shipping company. If they get lost 'in the system' we've had it. That has already been decided and discussed. It was the car hire question I really needed answering.

Thanks anyway.