FAQs Frequently Asked Questions Car Rental

the most frequently asked questions, with explanatory answers, placed by those preparing to rent a car in Sardinia.

When I rent a car from your website, the car that I am going to rent is part of your park or are you intermediates?

Only Sardinia Autonoleggio is a car rental company with a physical location and is situated in major locations in Sardinia such as Olbia Airport and Cagliari Airport with exclusively owned cars that are continuously serviced and updated.

I do not have a credit card, will I still be able to rent from you?

Certainly, in addition to the most popular and common credit cards, it is possible to rent without a credit card in all of our rental centers. It is also possible to book online with a prepaid, in this case a security deposit wil be required in cash or with the prepaid card. In addition to the mosto popular credit cards, we accept debit cards, prepaid cards and cash.

What is the deposit? Is it mandatory?

It is mandatory worldwide in any car rental when renting a car. The security deposit is the amount the customer must pay to the car rental company as a purely precautionary measure. In case of payment with cash the deposit will be reimbursed at the end of the rental.
In case of credit card rental, only a pre-authorization will be made and not an actual payment. The pre-authorization will be released after checking the car to verify that everything is in order. Checks are not accepted either for the rental fee nor for the security deposit

When will the security deposit be required?

The security deposit, more commonly referred to as “the cautionary deposit," is only required at the beginning of the rental. The security deposit (being a guarantee deposit), is never required in advance or when booking online, but only on site, and then, only at the beginning of the rental.

In case of a prepaid car rental, when will the security deposit be released?

Also in case of car rental with prepaid card, the release is done immediately by us, but in this case as opposed to cash and credit card, it might be necessary up to 30 days, for your bank to make the amount available again.

What is the deductible?

The deductible is the maximum amount of money not covered (in the event of a claim with fault or theft) for which the hirer is responsible.

How do deductible and security deposit differ?

The deductible is the maximum amount of money for which the hirer is liable in the event of a claim with fault or theft. The security deposit is the monetary amount that is temporarily blocked by credit card or cash at the beginning of the rental as a precautionary measure. Reducing the deductible it decreases the risk for the hirer, consequently the security deposit will also decrease.

In case of a no-fault claim, where the other party is known, the insurer of the counterparty/driver with fault will be responsable in paying the damages to our vehicle and the third parties transported.

In case of a claim with fault, the client will participate in the indemnification of the damage to the rented vehicle up to the maximum value of the deductible, while the third parties transported and the counterpary will be indemnified by our TPL up to a maximum of € 25 milion.

If the credit card belongs to my husband and/or to my travelling companion, but only I have a driver’s license, will I still be able to rent?

Sure. As long as the credit card holder is present when the car is picked up and returned.

In addition to cars and scooters, is it also possible to rent vans and commercial vehicles?

Certainly. But only at our office located in Olbia at the airport as well as in Porto Cervo. You can rent vans/trucks for any purpose(moving, business, transportation etc.

What do you mean by special vehicles?

By special vehicles we mean all those vehicles that are not part of the standard categories. The following are special vehicles: minivans, vans, convertibles, Suvs, sport cars, luxury cars. [Example.]

What are the requirements to be able to rent a van/truck?

To be able to rent a van, you must be at least 25 years old, have a driver’s license as well as an ID. Both must be valid.

How can I see prices before making a reservation?

On this website, by typing the location and the dates for the pick-up and drop-off of the vehicle, you will view the exact availability of all the rental vehicles. Once the vehicles are diplayed you will be able to continue with your reservation.

Can I have a price list?

You can have according to location, hour, type of vehicle the exact price based on offers and momentary availability. We do not have a static price list but a dynamic and real time one like the big companies.

I have already booked, can I add any extras or make changes later?

Yes. Free of charge.

Generating a quote, I sometimes noticed that automatically, depending on the hours, a surcharge appears with night-fee wording what is it?

We accept car rentals also at night outside common office hours, this case, in automatic the cost of the service will be calculated and added to the quotation. This service is denominated night fee .

Is it necessary to return the car clean?

We value the cleanliness of our vehicles and are scrupulous about following all procedures so that the vehicle is always in perfect mechanical as well as clean and hygienic conditions. Standard washing is always included in the price. Only in rare and quite exceptional cases, where a standard wash is not sufficient to restore the normal cleanliness of the vehicle as well as its complete hygiene, may a surcharge be requested.

If I want to return the car during office closing hours, how can I do it?

At the Olbia and Cagliari airport rental locations, you can return your vehicle by leaving it in the parking lot, and the key in the KeyBox . This totally free service, allows you to return the car even during the hours when the offices are closed.

The KeyBox is prominently located in our reception desks, and is well indicated by a sign created specifically to make its identification immediate.

I read that you also provide service at Olbia Port, what is the distance between Olbia Port and Olbia Airport?

The port of Olbia is only 4 km from Olbia Airport where our headquarters and car rental office are located.

Where can I find the exact location of your main rental stations?

In the page dedicated to the rental locations you will always find a map indicating the exact location. For:

Olbia Airport Click here
Cagliari Airport Click here
Porto Cervo Promenade Click here

What is the best way to save money when renting a car?

Booking in advance is normally the best choice; as car availability decreases, rates increase, and vice versa, rates decrease the wider the availability.

What is the best location where to rent a car in Olbia?

Tendentially, the best location where you can rent a car in Olbia is undoubtedly Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport. There is a designated terminal here.

Can I transport my four-legged friend with your rental cars?

Certainly, you can transport your four-legged friends with our rental cars. Just a note, don't forget to bring accessories such as pet carrier or divider net for medium or large four-legged friends. We are a Pet Friendly Car Rental.

At international airports, very often to pick up a rental car you have to wait for several hours in line, how long will I have to wait on average in peak season if I decide to rent the car with you?

The speedy service is always included in the price, we have our own software that allows us to have the contract and your car ready when you arrive avoiding unnecessary queues. Usually, all procedures are done in 5 min. with a maximum waiting time in 2020 and 2021 of 15 min.

Can I use NFC technology for rental payment?

Yes you can use NFC technology for rental payment, the reason is simple by paying with this technology through your smartphone, tablet, wearable, the merchant does not receive any information about your card, account etc. This makes your transaction much more secure for you and for us. Remember, however, for this same reason, NFC technology, at the moment, in the car rental market is not usable for the security deposit to be returned at the end of the rental.

My plane might be late, do I risk losing my reservation?

Absolutely not, your reservation is always guaranteed, an operator will always wait for your arrival, even at night. In addition, we accept all reservations after the normal closing time, reservations, which will be duly fulfilled. In the case of a long delay, however, we recommend that you notify the relevant rental office.

Is smoking allowed in the cars?

All rental cars are set up for non-smokers. Smoking is not permitted inside.

Is fuel included in the rental rate?

All our cars are delivered with a full tank of fuel. Fuel is not included in the price.

I committed a traffic violation; how do I get the notification and the ticket?

No problem, the authority, if it cannot ascertain the driver who committed the potential infraction, will notify the car rental company of the violation by asking for the driver's data. The car rental company will then provide the data to the authority.

In the event that the infraction is contested immediately by law enforcement, it is advisable to proceed with the payment promptly, or at least before the car rental company can be notified of the infraction, in order to save on the practice handling fee that the car rental company would otherwise inevitably have to charge you.

The driver is always responsible for any penalties that may arise from his or her conduct with the rental car.

I don't remember the type of fuel that has to be used to refill the vehicle, what can I do?

The quickest way to become aware of the type of fuel used by your vehicle is to look at the key chain provided when you picked up your car. This clearly states the type of fuel to be used. In addition, the key chains of gasoline cars are blue; those of diesel cars are red. [Diesel] [Gasoline]

Can I return the car without refuelling?

Yes, the car is delivered with a full tank and must be returned with a full tank. However, it is possible to return it without a full tank and use our refuelling service, in this case the service will be charged.

What is the full-full fuel formula?

The full-full fuel formula allows you to pick up the rental car with a full tank and return it with the same amount of fuel. It is the most comfortable and convenient formula, this is because the car rental company, commits in providing the vehicle with a full tank of fuel and the customer to return the vehicle with the same amount of fuel at no additional cost The car rental formula with full-full fuel as opposed to the full-empty formula, which requires the customer to pay for the fuel used at the price set by the car rental company, and the empty-empty formula, which does not reimburse for any additional gallons that may be left over when the vehicle is returned [+Details].

I reserved online, once I get to the rental centre what do I need to present?

Your voucher. it is not mandatory this is just to speed up the procedures. Do not forget your driver's license, an ID, deposit with card/debit/cash etc. if required.

I lost the "Confirmation Voucher" email and/or the "Payment/PayPal Receipt", what should I do? Will I lose the right to the rental?

Absolutely No. You will have no mishap, your reservation is recorded in our computer systems, and you can pick up your car with absolute tranquillity even if you have lost or forgotten any of your receipts at home.

I saw that there are several rental companies especially in Olbia Airport, such as Avis, Hertz or Europcar, why book with Only Sardinia Autonoleggio?

We are a local, structured company with clear, all-inclusive rates, short wait times and numerous positive reviews on independent sites. Purpose-built service. No surprises.