E

I have read the threads on Irish car rentals and have tried irishcarrentals, Dan Dooley, O'Scannlain, AutoEurop, rentalcarireland, plus Expedia etc., and am finding terrible rates--$202 or E164 for just three days to and from the Dublin airport! This does include CDW, as we don't have, and don't want, a MasterCard at this time. Does anyone have any other ideas for me, or am I doing something wrong?

Clifton

E,

I bet the difference is that you're looking for an automatic. Not cheap in Ireland.

I just checked where we rent from, Argusrentals.com, and a Nissan Micra (tiny) is $111 for 3 days to/from the airport, but an automatic version of the same car is $170. Something like an automatic Corolla is $207.

Clifton

Oh, those rates were with CDW and other insurances, but not including a 25 Euro surcharge for airport pickup. I think that surcharge is new. I just noticed it but don't remember paying it before.

E

Yes, I've noted that airport surcharge--it's 22E per rental, it seems. Makes it confusing for us mental midgets, making sure rates include CDW, TPI, airport charge, oy! Thanks, Clifton--I'll go check out Argus.

wojazz3

Well, it depends on what size car that you are looking at. I took a quick look at autoeurope and they had a subcompact for E150. About half of that is the insurance. The actual rental price for the car is E26 per day which isn't out of line for Ireland.

The other thing to remember is that the CDW that is included in that price has about a 1600 deductible. To buy that down to $0 would probably add a 100+ to that price. It also likely does not include the airport surcharge which I think is about $35. Can't remember the exact price on that.

Without the MC, you're going to pay a lot. Auto insurance in Ireland is a big expense. They say the accident rate there is pretty high which explains the high cost of insurance. One of the indicators of that is, as you enter any county there, you will see a sign telling you how many have died on the county roads during the year and how that compares with the previous year.

This probably wasn't much help, but it may explain it.

Bill

RufusTFirefly

have you tried www.novarentacar.com? They usually have pretty good rates in Ireland.

strass

A few years ago we rented a little Peugeot, stick shift, for almost two weeks in Ireland and paid around $300, including insurance. We went through autoeurope.com. Not sure why your quotes are coming up so high...

E

Thanks for all the quick replies!

My rates seem to be so high because I need an automatic, as Clifton pointed out. Tiny automatic = 164E, while tiny manual = 101E. Those are including CDW (with deductible), TPI, tax, and airport surcharge of approx 25E.

Have any of you ever used O'Scannlain? Had any difficulty with their prepaid voucher, or anything else?

Ann41

Renting just for 3 days is expensive. You get much better rates per week. Might want to have a look at weekly rates.

wojazz3

I've used O'Scannlain and everything worked out fine. When they send you a price quote they may give you a time sensitive discount that makes the price even better. They are also very helpful.

Bill

janis

OK - you are pricing yourself into the stratosphere because of two self-imposed criteria. 1) you want an automatic, and 2) only for 3 days.

Automatics are usually substantially more expensive and daily rental rates are really high.

You could probably get a stick for a week for less than you are being quoted for the 3 day automatic.

But if that is what you need just accept you are going to have to pay through the nose.

(Maybe you can rearrange your itinerary to use a longer rental period - OR do you know how to drive a stick but are just nervous about shifting w/ your left hand? If you can drive a stick at home you can drive one in Ireland - honest.)

E

Thanks, janis, you are exactly right, those 2 criteria are the entire problem. But I don't know how to drive stick, on either side of any road--sad, but true. And what if my SO falls ill and can't drive? I'd rather pay more, if I must, to avoid that disaster. I will look into a weekly rental, if it will be cheaper, but we'll be in Dublin, staying in the City Centre, for the first 3 days of our stay, and won't need a car. I think the hotel offers free parking, though, so if weekly lowers the rate, that's what I'll do.

wojazz3 (Bill)--O'Scannlain did in fact offer a discounted deal via e-mail, which is why I'm leaning towards them. For the same price as all the others, their CDW comes with a $0 deductible.

Thanks, everyone, for all your helpful advice!

strass

I don't know how to drive stick either, so my fiance drove the entire time we were in Ireland... it never occurred to me that we'd be "stuck" if he got sick or couldn't drive for some reason! I guess we just got lucky! I'll blame it on youth...

buongiorno

We rented a Rover 75 car from Thrifty and it worked out great

janis

You won't need the car in Dublin but if teh hotel provides free parking I'd go for it if it got you a lower rate. Besides - three days is fairly generous for Dublin so you might end up wanting to take a day trip somewhere out into the country.

As for the "insurance" of you being a second driver just in case -- that is a calculated decision you have to make. Sort of like trip insurance - what is the likelyhood your SO can't drive? Only you can make that determination, but -- IF SO is that incapacitated are you really going to be touring around anyway?

strass

And you could always hop a bus...

E

Good points, all...SO has said he'd be happy to do all the driving, esp. as it's only for a few days. The difference between the stick and the automatic, though, is $70; I don't know why on earth it occurred to me that he might not be able to drive (I'm not usually a worrywart), but it did, and now I think $70 might be worth the peace of mind. It's not much $$ when I compare it to the the plane tickets, hotel rates, etc.

I will look into the weekly rates, and and continue to consider a stick shift car, though.

E

Just checked a weekly rate at O'Scannlain, it's a much better value at $263, but more than I'd pay for the 3 days, which are all I need the car for after all.

E

Just checked a weekly rate at O'Scannlain, it's a much better value at $140 (stick) $263 (automatic), but more than I'd pay for the 3 days, which are all I need the car for after all.

lizard

not what you want to hear but with your limitations - automatic - no mastercard for CDW - rental for less than a week - just find a rate your quasi happy with and take it. I am going this sept/oct and paying oscannlain 504Eur for 20 days for a ford focus - just get a car and enjoy yourself