My last car hire in Italy through Avis was a joke.
We where staying at Lake Garda and on the first day got a puncture, and needed to use the space saver.
The following morning a garage mechanic turned up, couldn't speak English, but basically 'follow me'. For the next 4 hours spent following him from garage to garage who didn't have a suitable tyre.
Ended up at Verona airport where they swopped the car.
Was totally unprepared as thought was just going to the local tyre depot for an hour, and ended up in Verona. I said to them how was I expected to find my way back to Lake Garda, no sat nav or anything in the car or map book, and they just shrugged their shoulders!
Used my phone of course and got back late afternoon, wiped out a whole day of the holiday.
On return of the car to Bergamo Airport got charged for the cost of the tyre...but could not give me a receipt.
Back home spent a month with Avis requesting a receipt so I could claim on my own excess car insurance policy.
Eventually they admitted they couldn't get a receipt out of Italy, so they refunded me the cost of the tyre.
After that, would rather drive to Italy in my own car rather than fly and hire.