Wagenschmitte

Wagenschmitte is a classic car workshop in the village of Neerach, in the Zürcher Unterland, run by the Jucker family and trading as Jucker Technik AG at Zürcherstrasse 4, 8173 Neerach. It is first of all a restoration and repair business known for small old Fiats, and a parts specialist for classic Fiats, but it also rents out classic cars, and its rental page for weddings features a yellow 1970 Fiat 500 L. The car is rented for you to drive yourself, by the day or the weekend, at published prices. For a couple who want a cheerful small classic and are happy to drive it, this is a straightforward, honest offer from people who clearly know these cars.

The workshop and the family

The home page greets visitors with "Grüezi, Salut, Ciao, Hello" and describes a family business that has been building and maintaining vehicles of all kinds since 1851. Its stated aim is to keep technical heritage from earlier times usable, cared for and preserved. The history section adds that the Jucker family has worked on the manufacture, maintenance and repair of vehicles since the beginning of the 20th century, that motorized vehicles, mainly agricultural ones, came into the work from the middle of the century, and it shows the family's forebears in front of the old firm "Gebr. Jucker, Huf & Wagenschmiede, Neerach ZH" in a photo from around 1930.

The team, the site says, spans several generations, has solid technical training and keeps learning. The services list covers classic car servicing, accident repairs on classic vehicles, restorations, custom vehicle building, engine and technical overhauls, metalwork and water supply. The site says it is best known for work on small old Fiats but handles bigger projects too, and that the most exciting jobs are the ones it does not yet know.

For someone renting a car, that background is the reassuring part. The Fiat comes from a workshop whose daily work is servicing, overhauling and restoring cars of exactly this kind, and which runs a parts finder and describes itself as a spare parts specialist for classic Fiats. The site also has a "Kauf mich" (buy me) section with classics for sale, a selection of collector model cars, a company video and a link to a television report about the workshop. None of that is part of the rental, but it shows a business that lives with old cars every day rather than one that keeps a single car for hire.

The home page puts its philosophy in homely terms: whether it is an old automobile, a sturdy tractor or any vehicle with or without an engine, your three- or four-wheeled favorite is in the hands of enthusiasts at the Wagenschmitte.

The wedding car

The rental page is headed "Für Hochzeiten oder spezielle Anlässe mieten Sie jetzt ein Klassiker-Fahrzeug!" (for weddings or special occasions, rent a classic car now). The car is described as a Fiat 500 L, yellow, built in 1970, with a red interior, a folding roof over the front seats, a 23 PS engine and a synchronized gearbox. It is covered by partial comprehensive insurance (Teilkasko). Kilometers are unlimited, and 1 free tank of fuel is included.

The page's navigation links to neighboring rental listings, a "Fiat 500 hellblau" (light blue) and a "Fiat 500 gelb mit Anhänger" (yellow, with trailer), so the yellow car is not the only classic on offer; the page described here covers only the yellow one.

Prices and conditions

The page lists:

• day rental: CHF 325
• weekend rental: CHF 425
• each additional day: CHF 80
• long-term rental on request
• deposit: CHF 1000, or CHF 2000 for trips abroad

Drivers must be at least 25 years old and have held their license for at least 3 years. Rental is possible between Easter and October, as long as there are no wintry conditions, and the page asks couples to reserve in good time ("Bitte rechtzeitig reservieren!").

The booking form asks for the start and end of the rental, name, address, phone, email and any questions. The company can also be reached at +41 44 858 22 73, on the mobile +41 79 632 11 50, or at info@wagenschmitte.com. The office answers the phone Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 11.30 and 13.30 to 17.00; the workshop keeps similar hours, with Saturdays and evenings by phone appointment. General terms (AGB) are linked from the menu.

Getting there

The home page places the workshop in the historic center of Neerach, near the Neeracher Ried nature reserve, and says it can be reached in about 20 to 30 minutes from Zurich, by car or by public transport to the "Neerach Post" stop. That matters because the car is collected there: the page does not mention delivery, so someone has to travel to Neerach to pick it up and bring it back.

What the site does not settle

This is a self-drive rental, and the page says nothing about a chauffeur. If neither partner wants to drive on the day, a friend or relative who meets the age and license rules has to. The page does not state the number of seats, and it gives no cancellation terms; check the AGB. It does not mention ribbons or flowers. The deposit rule shows that trips abroad are possible, but the page gives no other conditions for them. The site is in German, and although the home page greets visitors in four languages, it says nothing about English service. For a couple from abroad, the 3-year license rule and the deposit are the first things to confirm.

Who it suits

Wagenschmitte suits a couple marrying in the Zurich area who want a bright, characterful small classic, are comfortable driving a 1970 car themselves, and like the idea of renting it from a family workshop that dates its work on vehicles back to 1851. The weekend rate makes it practical to collect the car the day before and return it after.

It suits less well a couple who want to be driven, need space for several passengers, or plan a winter wedding, when the car is not rented out.