livingston

We will be renting a car in shannon and dropping it off in dublin city or airport. Any recommendations for drop off. Also we do drive a shift stick here in the states but should we get an automatic in ireland. As it is difficult to compare apples to apples in the car rental industry regarding insurance, drop off fee, extra CDW, taxes, etc. can anyone recommentd a reliable company. It looks like for an automatic it wiil run about 700 USD/week at least...pricey little thing. Any suggestions.
A novice, but reading

peteram

Shift stick change is the more common in Ireland ( and rest of Europe) and should be cheaper to hire.

allisonm

If you are used to a manual, you should be okay with one in Ireland. (It is definitely less expensive.) You can practice driving around the airport parking lot before you hit the road.

We have used Hertz and Budget in the past, using Irish Car Rentals this time. We just confirmed today that our new Citi Premier Pass World MC will cover our insurance, which saves a lot of $.

Nlingenfel

Just remember the stick shift is not the same as in the US. Also, don't know about Shannon Airport, but Dublin is very busy, and there certainly wasn't any room to practice at the the rental car pick-up.

cd

We did the same thing, rented in Shannon and dropped off in Dublin. Shannon airport is not difficult to navigate and fairly easy to leave from. I would recommend an automatic small car for a number of reasons. First; many of the roads are very narrow, barely room for two cars to pass, lined at the pavement edge by stone walls and distance judgement is difficult at best since in the US we drive on the right side of the road and in the car on the left side. Second: since you will be driving on the right side of the car, handling the car is completely different as the shift and driving controls are reversed. Given the narrow roads, driving a shift is difficult at best, I know as I drove a standard shift which comes to my third point. When you rent a car, get the extra insurance, it could be most valuable to you. When we went to Ireland, no credit cards, (American Express, Visa Gold or Platinum, Master Card, etc.) guaranteed rental damage coverage and without purchasing the extra insurance, you are responsible for damages to the car, road hazard and/or otherwise. Again, a personal experience. We had a stone thrown at the windshield and broke it, I struck a curb and bent the tire rim, we experienced body damage to the car. As a result, if I had purcahsed the insurance, it would have been covered. Since I did not, I had to write a $700.00+ check to the rental agency. Also, get a good road map as the road sign directions are not what we are used to. Other than the above, motoring Ireland is, in my opinion, the best way to see the country. Also, the B&B system is very good and an enjoyable experience as the Irish people are very hospitable and friendly. Have a good time.

CD's Husband

Viajero2

Whatever you do, stay FAR AND AWAY from Auto Europe. We are still trying to collect $454 from a case determined to be Bait & Switch (fraudulent practice) by the Better Business Bureau. We rented in Ireland. Be very, very careful.

livingston

Thank you for all your help. I think we can do a manual but an automatic is tempting. Definitely will get super CDW...want to enjoy the holiday!

LindainOhio

We rented last summer from Dan Dooley--9days, Shannon to Shannon, waived the CDI since we have a WORLD mastercard,automatic, 2 drivers. We paid $430 total. (Exchange rate 1 euro=$1.30)

I found renting a car in Ireland was one of the more complicated arrangements we had to make.

I also worried about driving in Ireland but we had no problems. The map the rental agency gave us worked out fine. The worst seat in the car is the front passenger seat. I was sure that my husband was going to hit one of those stone walls--I was always leaning away from the door.

jumper22

I'll say this:

Living in Ireland all last summer, we rented a car almost every single weekend. I know very well how to drive a stick shift, but always rented an automatic due to the (narrow) roads and driving conditions. At the very end of our stay, I rented a stick shift one weekend, thinking that I would do fine after being so experienced on the Ireland roads at that point.

I found myself wishing for an automatic the entire time, and while it wasn't awful, I disliked that I had to pay even more attention to my driving than on the scenery around me.

It's worth the $$ to drive an automatic, especially if you're not used to driving there.

irishface

I guess I am in the minority, but I drive a stick shift at home and have never had a problem in Ireland or the UK with driving a stick on the left. One is seated at the other side of the car, and I find that helps keeps me focussed on staying left. The clutch is worked with the left foot and gas/brake with right just as in an American car. The shift is worked with left hand, however. The only thing I found quirky was finding reverse which seems to vary with every car I have rented abroad. But just check the driver's manual in the glove box and practice a couple of times in the parking lot before leaving. Shannon, in MHO, is much easier to leave than Dublin.

Have fun!

barrydecarli

It's definitely worth the extra $$ to get an automatic. It's just one less thing to worry about driving. When you get to Shannon if it's at 6:00 A.M., the rental car desk can be a bit daunting. Pay attention to what's being said and ask questions. When we got back home last year, it took us about 2 months to get extra charges for the car rental taken off. We rented through Irish Car Rentals. Even though we had the "exact" amount of the rental when we arrived, it hardly resembled the charges at the end. But with a few emails to ICR, everything got straightened out. Drive safely and keep to the LEFT!

GreenDragon

dan dooley has a good reputation in Ireland for car rental. Credit cards with Mastercare Insurance and some credit unions may cover insurance in Ireland, I think gold MC or Visa usually has that - but check with them first and get it in writing.

hbo6

LindainOhio, did you get a letter from World MC to take to the rental agency stating you were covered? If so, who do you contact to get one. I have a World MC also.

chatham

Before my last trip I called Dan Dooley's 800 number here in the States and it went very smoothly. If you go to http://www.irelandexpert.com/ , you will get info on getting a discount.

swissgirl

Dear Livingston,
Just a caution...please do not use Budget Rental Car.. We recently used them in Ireland (over Christmas) and when I received my credit card, there was an additional charge of 175USD. When I queried this charge, they stated that the car was extremely dirty and they had to pay a valet to clean it.
The car was in normal condition when returned. Not spotless, but certainly not excessively dirty. We emptied all trash prior to returning, etc.
They sent me a receipt for the valet which was dated several days after I returned the car. I continue to protest this charge, but it is quite a hassle.
Pity that some companies will take advantage of people whom they know are leaving the country and do not have time and resource to fight back.
Didn't mean to hijack your thread with this complaint...my message is 1) Do not use Budget and 2) check the fine print carefully (Budget points to fine print which “If the Vehicle needs more than our standard valet you will pay the extra cost.”

LindainOhio

I called my credit card company and asked for a letter, but they just sent me a copy of the small coverage booklet. I also called the 800 number for Dan Dooley and they assured me that they accepted coverage with a WORLD Mastercard. I forgot but I also used the discount provided on Pat Preston's website www.irelandexpert.com

Itallian_Chauffer

In nine visits over the last eight years, I've NEVER been asked for a letter from MasterCard.

That said, NEVER accept the word from your providing BANK as to coverage -- they seldom know about Ireland and frequently give INCORRECT info.

ALWAYS call 1 800 MCASSIST to verify that you are covered by MasterCard in Ireland. They are, after all, the final word.

Bob

crckwc1

We always take the Guide to Benefits obtained from Master Card which shows the rental coverage they provide. If you need one, call 1-800 MCASSIST and request one to be sent to you.

To the poster who is having trouble with AutoEurope, are you sure the problem was with AutoEurope and not the rental company? We had an invalid charge some years ago but it was the fault of the local rental agency and AutoEurope intervened to help settle the problem. Of course, this takes time and it was probably 6 months before we actually got it settled, but without AutoEurope, we would never have been able to work our way through the legalities in France. To avoid having to pay this charge to the credit card company, and the interest it would accrue, we denied the charge and had it put on "hold." I do hope your problems resolve soon.

Lawchick

I'm Irish and ALWAYS rent from Hertz. I've tried other companies in the past but have had problems or I couldn't get rid of the excess etc. With Hertz I know what I'm getting. I almost always get a free upgrade (Hertz 1 Gold) and I find them cheaperr than most other companies. Book through the Ryanair or Aer Lingus portals for a good deal.

I booked a large car last night for beginning of April for 4 days for just over 100 euros. Avis quoted me more than double. Autoeurope came in about the same (a bit more in fact) but I don't like not knowing what company the car is coming from. (some of the brokers are far away from the airport). With Hertz I can be on the road in a couple of minutes.

Viajero2

crz-- you posted a question in regards to my bad experience with Auto Europe. The transaction was made in the USA (HQ, Portland, Maine) and all our dealings in terms of voucher, rates, billing, and conditions were with them. Basically, Auto Europe was found to not include a number of charges that could had been included in the original quote and were not included until the final billing.

In the rental car industry, a quote that does not prices out items asked by the traveler until the final billing is known as Bait & Switch. A considerable number of people have submitted cases to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) against Auto Europe for this practice. When you think of the substantial percentage of customers who just do nothing about it or the ones that just settle with the company, it is alarming the number of complaints that make it to BBB against Auto Europe.

I was so saddened by this as I used Auto Europe for more than 20 years. I will never use them again.