Renting 4x4s in countries around the Alps?

[Lovetheworld]

Hi all,

I am thinking of selling most of our cars/4x4 vans, probably buy some more modest campervan. And then, when I want to go offroading (my family is not that into it), rent a 4x4 for a week or something.

What are good websites to rent these kind of cars? There must be some initiatives where you can rent from private people, some proper 4x4s. I am absolutely fine with renting standard cars. But when visiting the typical rental companies they just have these SUVs. And then of course there is the paperwork, what if you crash it in offroading? Is it covered?

My idea is to travel, probably by train, to the area I want to visit, and rent a car there. These areas could be south of Germany, Southeast of France, Switzerland, Austria, Northern Italy.
Balkans also possible, but it is already further away for short trips. Anyway most options are probably cheaper than renting a real 4x4 here in the Netherlands and driving it at least 1000km.

I am mainly interested in cars like Landcruisers (or FJ or 4runner) or Defenders. They can be old as well. Probably better to do that, than take some modern SUV which you easily damage.
So thats why I think I will end up renting from private people, but that is an assumption.

 

[Arjan]

Not many 4x4's are out for rent in the way you describe.

In Holland, you can try these people : https://www.larorent.nl/

Trains in Europe are expensive.

 

[Lovetheworld]

@Arjan
You are right in that there aren't many options that cover offroading.
There is Taro to rent from private people, but that seems to be more a US thing, not much to find in Europe I guess.

Trains can be expensive, especially if we go with the whole family.
But I don't know if you have seen fuel prices?

Lets take Amsterdam - Vienna, one way.
First you got to rent the Defender from the start. Then you got to drive 1200km there, which is already something pike 240 euro of costs.
The train can easily be 100 euro or more, but you get in in the evening, you sleep through the night, and you arrive early in Vienna. Rent a 4x4 for like 4 days or something.

I think it is more economical friendly (and also environmentally friendly)


I mean I'm a real car guy, now I have 4 cars, which includes 4x4 and a sportscar. But everything costs money.
For sportscar is the same, why wouldn't I just take the train to Switzerland or somehwere Northern Italy, rent some nice Porsche (for relatively a lot of money) and drive all the nice mountain passes?
Now I got to take my old sportscar out of the garage, do some welding, having all kinds of costs before I can even drive.

Also I have an electric car as a daily driver, and it is also pretty cheap to drive it to the mountainous regions I like, and rent something there.

 

[Arjan]

Have a lot of fun and drive careful !

 

[LTV_Chaos]

I've tried finding rental agencies that will provide 4x4. Best I could find was usually an all wheel drive, Toyota RAV4 or equivalent.

Good luck and let us know how it fares.

Pete