SRC Rent Car Reviews 204

My experience with this company at their Pisa branch was disappointing and left me feeling very uneasy.

From the outset, there was persistent pressure to purchase full insurance. I declined multiple times, yet the upselling continued, which made the pickup process uncomfortable and unnecessarily drawn out.

The bigger issue came at drop-off. The vehicle inspection took over 10 minutes and felt excessively detailed, with staff going over the car in a way that seemed focused on identifying anything that could result in an additional charge.

Although no damage was identified, I was later charged €25 for “extraordinary cleaning.”

The car had only light dust consistent with normal driving conditions in rural Tuscany with no stains, no spills, and nothing beyond what should be covered under standard cleaning.

Importantly, I have my own time stamped photos taken at the point of return, which clearly show the actual condition of the vehicle.

After this experience, I reviewed feedback on other platforms and noticed similar comments from customers describing very detailed inspections and additional charges being applied. While I can only speak to my own case, this does raise concerns.

I have formally disputed this charge and will escalate further if necessary.

I would strongly advise future customers to:
1. Take detailed photos and videos at both pickup and drop-off
2. Be cautious of repeated insurance upselling

Overall, a very disappointing experience.

Avoid Sicily Rent Car at all costs! I rented a Peugeot 208 in Palermo, and they charged me a €39 "admin fee" for a traffic fine issued in Milan (1,500 km away!) during my rental period.
​The evidence of their error is undeniable:
- ​Total mileage: I only drove 490 km in total (verified by the return receipt). It is physically impossible to be in Milan with that mileage.
- ​Vehicle mismatch: The fine is for an "autocarro" (truck), but I was driving a small passenger car.
- ​Timeline: The fine was issued in Milan just 26 hours after I picked up the car in Palermo.
​Despite these facts, the company ignored all my emails and refused to help. Because of their negligence in reporting the correct data to the authorities, I am now facing a potential €100 fine from Milan that I shouldn't even be involved with.
​They take your money and leave you to deal with their mess. Absolute lack of professionalism and basic logic. Stay away!

I paid at station an extension, they told me price is full inclusive, I paid, after 2 weeks my card was charged another time for the full price, so I paid double. No ways to have back money, supposed 'customer care' after two mail stopped answering.

Really bad experience with SRC Rent Car at Turin Airport.
I had a prepaid booking with pickup at 21:30, and both the website and booking confirmation said the office was open until 22:00. Still, before my pickup time, they told me I would not be able to collect the car. When I arrived, the office was already closed.
Because of this, I was forced to rent another car at much higher cost just to continue my trip.
I will be reporting this to the relevant consumer authorities and taking further actions.
Be very careful with this company, especially for late pickups.

Couldn’t fault them. After reading negative reviews we were very nervous but that wasn’t our experience at all. We collected from Turin airport. Seamless check in, no pressure for insurance, car as described and no issues dropping it back. Our only slight challenge is that we asked for manual but got automatic which ordinarily wouldn’t be an issue however we were in the snowy mountains! However snow socks were included so we made it work. Would use these again.

I would give a zero score if possible. I ordered a car to travel in north Italy and Switzerland. Online I chose a BMW X1 (or similar), which is an All-Wheel Drive vehicle. We were provided a “similar “ vehicle - a Tonale Diesel with summer tires and only front wheel drive. Although in their fine print on their web site somewhere they may have identified the front wheel drive Tonale with summer tires was similar - it is nowhere near similar. When we got to the car, it was boxed in for a half hour delay. When we got to the Swiss boarder the car had no snow capability and we were put in a very dangerous situation sideways. I was able to get it back down and I called the office and they told me to put the tire socks on. Worthless. After 5 attempts and bruising and cutting my hands I gave up. Called the SRC number again to try and get a replacement, and they essentially said that I was on my own. It was in the car class I ordered, and I would have to deal with it. No alternatives or other assistance - just figure it out on your own. Fantastic! Foreign country, nowhere to go, no hotel rooms at that time of night. We left the car there, paid parking fees, got a ride to St Moritz. Paid about 250 Swiss francs to get a ride back to the car. I have rented cars all over the world. Hands down the worst experience ever. No refund provided and honestly I don't think they cared about the dangerous situation or our experience at all. Don't do it. Never again!!!

I am only giving them 1 star because there's no option to put 0. Its a disgusting company ran by liars.
I have rented a car for a week (22.12.2025- 29.12.2025 )
At the desk they kept pushing for some road assistance insurance and I have mentioned that I have one already, part of my travel insurance. I have signed an elecdevice without being shown the agreement. They added the road assistance even after me mentioning 3 time sthat i do kot need it. The agreement was sent via email after we were on our way to Cavalese ( almost 5 hours drive). They kept pushing 3 times and every time I said no, to only find that they added it to my final invoice and now they're refusing to give me a refund. Not to mention that the car was faulty, on the way to Cavalese the driver window stopped working after a few uses ( to pay the tolls) and was unable to use it. The windscreen wash wasn't working either, which made it very difficult to drive in rainy/snowy conditions.
We returned the car with the tank half full ( my mistake as we were running slightly late for our flight and didnt want to miss it). They said there's a 25 euro charge plus the fuel. I kindly asked to waiver the 25 euros, especially after all inconvenience caused. I mean, I get the charges but it should be both ways, as I am sure that if I was the one that damaged the window and the windscreen wash, I would've been charged .
Avoid the company at all cost

Scam
I gave back car and they said that they will returnd deposit i 21 day
2 months payed and still nothing and they don't answer a phone and e mail
Run away from them don't everything rent a car here

Avoid this company. Our experience was unsafe, unprofessional, and felt like a scam.

Shortly after picking up the car at the airport, at 13:27, a tyre pressure warning light turned on. Later in the afternoon, we discovered that one tyre was almost completely flat. We contacted the company at 17:45, and their response was shocking:
they told us over the phone to drive with a flat tire, and even suggested that we should go ourselves to a workshop to repair it — despite having Premium Road Assistance included.

From 17:45 until 19:30, they refused to activate roadside assistance. We were left stranded for almost two hours, and only after going to the Carabinieri (Italian police) did they finally agree to send a tow truck.

They also promised to reimburse the taxi back to the airport, but now refuse to do it, claiming they need an invoice issued to the company. As tourists who do not speak Italian, it was impossible to obtain this from the taxi driver. We provided full proof of payment, including amount, date, time, and route, yet they still deny the reimbursement they had previously confirmed by email.

The company now insists the vehicle was delivered in perfect condition, even though the warning light was clearly on at 13:27. Their refusal to acknowledge the problem, the dangerous advice they gave, and their refusal to honour reimbursement commitments show a complete lack of professionalism.

A company that delivers defective cars, gives unsafe instructions, denies proper assistance, and refuses to honour its own promises cannot be trusted.
I strongly advise avoiding this rental company.

End of October 2025 we've rented a car at SRC Milano Linate. Staff, Salwa, was friendly and took her time to explain everything. Only downside is that 3. weeks after I've returned the car, I'm still waiting for the blocked amount on my creditcard to be released; this takes longer than expected and then it should be. Other than that, happy to have rented here and will certainly rent a car here next time again.

Well, that was… an experience.

I rented a car from SRC and paid extra for their “Premium Insurance” — you know, the one that supposedly covers everything. Turns out, “everything” means everything except the wheels, the engine, the underbody, and basically anything that can actually get damaged. Oh, and roadside assistance? Nope, that’s also extra.

At pickup, I was strongly encouraged (read: pressured) to buy even more insurance — because apparently the “premium” one isn’t premium enough. By that point, it felt less like renting a car and more like auditioning for a scam prevention commercial.

And when returning the car, the lady suddenly “discovered” a bumper dent I somehow didn’t see when picking it up. Even though my insurance supposedly meant I wouldn’t pay for any damage, she started marking it down like it was the crime of the century.

In short — if you enjoy feeling like a confused tourist being gently robbed with a smile, this is the perfect place. Otherwise… maybe look elsewhere. 🚗💸😅

We were wrongly charged for a missing parcel shelf that was never provided with the vehicle. Despite our clear communication, SRC refused to investigate or acknowledge the issue. To make matters worse, they charged us and never returned our deposit. This feels like intentional exploitation, not just poor service.
I’ve reported the case to Discover Cars and will escalate it to consumer protection authorities. I strongly advise others to avoid SRC – I will do everything I can to ensure no one else is misled by this company.

It was a disappointing and unprofessional experience. We hired a fiat 500 from Milan Airport on 24/10, returning Monday 27/10. The first Fiat 500 wouldn’t start but neither mechanic or sales guys believed us and so all sat in the car turning the key..... the second fiat offered had frontal damage, the bumper was hanging off and they eventually found a third car, a diesel which was an unpleasant drive. Every car in their lot had scrapes, dents etc which compared unfavourably to the nice and well kept cars from the other vendors.

We collect our can in the Palermo City office. We were dealing with Masimo who when went above and beyond to accommodate us. He gave us maps and suggested lots of sights to see. Car was returned to Palermo Airport and staff were also efficient and friendly. Highly recommended company

I had a very disappointing experience with SRC Rent a Car.

I booked a vehicle online and paid in advance, but when I arrived to pick it up, the staff refused to give me the car — or a refund — because they said it was reserved for drivers with a special Italian handicap license. The website only mentioned the car was “adapted,” with no clear explanation that this meant it was restricted.

When I calmly questioned this, the staff raised their voices and spoke to me in an aggressive tone, which made the situation even more uncomfortable. Instead of trying to help, they blamed me for not understanding their terminology.

The experience left me feeling deceived and mistreated, especially since the company kept my money. I later found other travelers reporting similar issues elsewhere online, which suggests this might not be an isolated case.

I strongly recommend avoiding SRC Rent a Car and checking independent reviews before booking. Customer service and transparency were both severely lacking in my experience.

I want to warn others about my recent experience with SRC Rent Car at their Florence location (Reservation #65005979). What should have been a straightforward rental turned into one of the most stressful and dishonest travel experiences I’ve ever had.

Forced Insurance (€400)
Despite being covered by my credit card insurance, I was told by staff that unless I purchased their additional insurance, I would lose my reservation and forfeit nearly €700 already prepaid. The agent insisted the “system would not allow” me to proceed without it. This was not a choice—it was coercion under threat of losing the car entirely.

No Staff at Offices
When we arrived (well within the 6-hour grace period), neither of SRC’s two Florence offices were staffed. Both the glass office and the brown building were locked and vacant. We wasted over an hour walking back and forth with heavy luggage and a senior family member before finally being let in. This unnecessary delay then became their excuse for claiming we were “late.”

Damaged & Wrong Vehicle
Instead of the large station wagon we reserved, we were handed a smaller, heavily damaged SUV—scratched panels, dents, and poor interior cleanliness. It was clearly unsuitable for rental, but by this point, after the threats and delays, we had no choice but to accept it.

Systemic Pattern of Abuse
After my experience, I began researching reviews and discovered many others describing the same scam: customers being told their cards were blocked or their reservations in danger unless they paid around €400 extra. I’ve attached one such recent review (from September 2025) showing nearly identical circumstances. This is not an isolated incident but a disturbing pattern of dishonesty.

Conclusion:
SRC Rent Car’s practices are misleading, coercive, and exploitative of travelers who are tired, vulnerable, and under time pressure. I strongly advise avoiding this company. I am pursuing this matter with Italian and EU consumer protection agencies and will be raising it with local government officials.

Save yourself the stress—choose a different rental company.

I want to advice everyone reading this to not use this car rental provider. We have been scammed at the desk when picking up the car. The lady said our credit card was blocked and was not working multiple times. We could only get the car when we paid 400 euro's for full coverage and extra's. As we were with a very little kid after a long flight we decided to pay it. When we later asked our bank if the card was blocked, they confirmed nothing happened. A big scam. Also discover cars , the intermediary we used, used a lot of words to say they could not do anything for us. Which also shows that you can better not use them as an intermediadery. They do not have your back as a customer. Stay away from both of them. We will not get our money back, but I hope I can save others from these scammers.

We booked a car in Comiso and when we arrived, the staff member wasn’t at the counter — we had to call and wait for him to show up. He was unhelpful, and simply handed us the keys, telling us the car was out the front. He didn’t walk out with us or do the handover as their own policy requires:

""During delivery of the vehicle, the Customer undertakes to check its condition and equipment together with the personnel assigned by the Lessor…"

The car was dirty on the outside and not the SUV we had booked — instead of a Seat Arona, we were given a smaller hatchback Cupra Leon. When we checked it, we saw clear pre-existing damage (rim damage on the right side and scuffs near the wheel arch). Thankfully, we always take a full 360° time-stamped video, so it’s all documented.

After returning the car, with no staff present again, we dropped the keys in the box. Later we received an email falsely accusing us of damaging the rims — the exact damage that was already there. Despite sending them our video evidence, they claimed it was our responsibility to notify them before driving away (something they never gave us the chance to do, since no staff accompanied us). They then went ahead and charged our card.

This company is dishonest, unprofessional, and operates like a scam. They never denied the damage was pre-existing, but still forced us to pay for it. Avoid them at all costs.

We rented a van from SRC Rent a Car at Palermo Airport. Upon returning the vehicle, we personally handed it over to the employee, who checked it with us and confirmed there was no damage. We then proceeded to check in for our flight back to Rome.

To our shock, shortly after, we received an email from the same employee claiming that the boot handle was damaged. This was extremely frustrating, as the van was only used to load and unload our bags, and no such damage existed when we returned it. We felt completely cheated.

We immediately went back to their office to dispute this false claim. The employee was extremely rude, and insisted on forfeiting our deposit. My husband strongly objected and demanded proof, asking them to send an email confirming that the van was returned without damage. We waited around 45 minutes in the airport, but the issue was not resolved. Eventually, the employee reluctantly agreed to send the email.

This is what he sent in the email: ‘the insurance covers this type of damage’ Yet, despite this, they still kept our deposit.
This happened on 10th August, and to this day, we have not received any refund. It is clear they have no intention of returning it.
SRC Rent a Car acted in a dishonest and unprofessional manner, and we would strongly advise others to avoid this company.

I highly advise not to use this company, which is highly incompetent and dishonest. We were supposed to rent a car in Catania airport to go to Milazzo. First of all, there was nobody at the counter and we waited for 10 minutes. Then, they could not charge a deposit due to some IT issue on their side. Taking a deposit is obvisoulsy a prerequisite in their procedure. My bank confirmed it approved the transaction. But, according to them, there was a generalized Visa problem….. Which dis not seem to affect car renters around us.
We spent one hour there trying to fix the issue. And, we dediced to finally take a bus. We were supposed to get the refund of the charge for the car rental which we booked on line. Of course, we did not get anything…