Ireland - car rental question
 

Hello, I have been looking around the internet for car rental deals and found what appears to be a great deal but wanted to check if I was missing something...I went through www.goireland.com (Ireland tourist board site) and found a subcompact manual for 2 weeks in October with unlimited mileage, 3rd party liability insurance, CDW theft insurance, tax and 24 hour breakdown service for $286.88. Is there anything else that I need? Is this a decent/good rate? I haven't rented many cars before so I thought I would ask before hiting the "rent" button! Thanks in advance to all your help!

If that rate includes taxes and CDW it is a good deal. Double check that it includes VAT (Value Added Tax)<BR><BR>You are basically talking $20 per day - a good rate. It will be a very small car - But that is a good thing for some of the narrow roads.

That's a good rate. The only other thing to consider is whether you want to rent an automatic. It makes driving on the left much less stressful if you're a first-timer. It is more expensive, so you have to weigh that up.

Ann, just because you are chicken don't infect Lisa. She already said it is a stick, so obviously she knows how to drive one. A standard transmission is easy for any competent driver. If you are incompetent to drive a stick, perhaps you should not be driving at all

xyz:<BR><BR>Please go away. For first time drivers on the opposite side of the road, it is common to recommend an automatic. Most guide books dealing with a wide range of travelers do so. Please don't be an abusive idiot. I have never owned anything but a stick shift and I drive them very competently, but was thankful to have an automatic on our first trip.<BR><BR>You are probably not only an incompetent driver but are also socially incompetent with nothing better to do than abuse people to help yourself inflate your already over inflated ego. <BR><BR>Ann's suggestion is a good one.<BR>

I think that rate is "too good to be true".

Lisa,<BR>I would recommend an automatic car, it is much easier to navigate in Ireland.<BR>Have you tried Dan Dooley. They have a web-site and a toll-free US phone number I've rented from them with decent rates.

Lisa: You might also ask the age of the car you are renting. We got a good rate, too, but the car was atleast 10 years old. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise - toured dirt roads, fields, and other places we wouldn't have gone in a new vehicle. Enjoy your trip!

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice (but please no fighting!) :-)

Ok...I just went to autoeurope.com and found a great deal but I wanted to ask if CDW insurance is a must have when renting a car in Ireland. If we already have car insurance does that cover it? Also, I just checked Dan Dooley and the website quoted double what I have found already. Autoeurope quoted me $249.98 for 2 weeks inlcuding VAT tax, fire insurance???, unlimited mileage and mandatory public liability insurance....but to include CDW it almost doubles in price. <BR><BR>Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks again to everyone who responded before!

Lisa, based on my research I would say that CDW is a must in Ireland.<BR><BR>Platinum cards often cover primary CDW in a different country...however, most exclude Ireland and Italy. To me, that says a lot! I know Platinum Mastercard and Diner's sometimes covers it.<BR><BR>Read the fine print on your renters agreement! I know with my Dan Dooley quote, CDW was "included". However that meant collision with a deductible. I chose to purchase the super-duper-extra-cautious CDW which has a $0 deductible and covers tires, hubcaps, and sideview mirrors (apparently the biggest victims!). I wanted to make sure I could walk away from the car worry free. <BR><BR>Check with your insurance company anyway. But as I said, I personally would rather buy the car rental's insurance in a place where I'm really concerned about my driving abilities!

Lisa:<BR><BR>Sorry I had to get snippy with xyz. Yes, you would be crazy not to have CDW. I did the research last year and a gold or platinum MC will cover your CDW in Ireland with no deductible for up to 15 days. It is covered through MC and not the bank that issues the card, so you will have to contact MC directly to double check.<BR><BR>The other thing you would want to check on the 286 price with CDW, is what the deductible is. It can be as high as $1000 and they may have a tendency to nit pick when you return the car. I went through Murrays Europcar and got a good deal, but their reservation page is all hosed up now. All you get is the html.<BR><BR>Hope this helps<BR><BR>Bill

Keep in mind that the CDW deductible is PER OCCURRENCE!

www.irelandcarrentals.com is the way to go. I've rented from them before. My husband is renting a manual Ford Monedo from 26 Sept. to 30 Sept. and it is costing him $95.88. <BR><BR>I just went on www.goireland.com and the same car would cost $140. Big difference.<BR><BR>We paid $426 for 10 days in May for an automatic.

ireland car rentals must not like me as much. I always hear about these deals and when I go there, it doesn't seem to work out as well. In fact, I put in the same dates as Molley, for the same car with no CDW and got a price of $127.44<BR><BR>Bill

I've had great luck with O'Scannlain/Hertz:<BR><BR>www.oscannlain.com/Ireland

Bill - I'm sorry - he's leaving on 9/26 and arriving on 9/27. So the rental is actually 9/27-9/30. Now check www.irelandcarrentals.com again.

Thank you all so much for your help!

Just returned from a 4-day drive around the SW part of Ireland. It was terrific - even drove Connor Pass but I strongly recommend an automatic and the first thing you do is pull in the passenger mirrow. After I broke ours, the driving went very smoothly.<BR><BR>Your rate sounds terrific - I had insurance coverage but ended up adding $10/dl for mirrows, tires, etc. which I thought was covered - it wasn't.

Thanks again to everyone who replied to my initial email. I got a car and now I have tom ake a nother decision when I get there about it and wondered if anyone had any opinion regarding fuel options. Here are my choices:<BR><BR>Fuel Policy <BR>Our policy is to supply all cars with a full tank of fuel. We have two fuel options available when your hire a Sixt Irish Car Rentals vehicle.<BR>Option A: - Peace of Mind Option<BR>The majority of our clients avail of our Discount Petrol offer where you pre pay the initial tank of petrol at a very good discount price. This method eliminates the need for you to refill the tank before returning. Please be aware that we are unable to give a refund for unused fuel. <BR>Option B: - <BR>You receive the car with a full tank or petrol and are charged the normal Premium petrol rate that is available around Ireland. A EURO15 Petrol Service levy is imposed at this point. You will receive a refund on return only when the car is completely full. We require you to refuel your rental car within 5kms of the Sixt return location. (Please note in Option B there is no refund unless the car is returned completely FULL) <BR><BR>So if anyone has any recommendations as to which one to go with please let me know! Thanks!<BR><BR>Lisa

Leaving this Thursday for my 5th visit to Ireland. I actually learned to drive a left handed stick shift in England when I lived there when 17 years old. However, we do age and while I can competently drive an American manual car or even Italian or French etc. I find the small roads in Ireland, driving on the left and shifting with my left hand more than I can cope with nowadays. So, we're renting an automatic! You must have good insurance coverage in Ireland. The roads are not great and there are a lot of tourists going the wrong way and making basic mistakes. Also....rent the smallest car you can. Although we've already rented, I noticed good rates from Dan Dooley just about a week ago. Thought about changing our reservation. Tourism is down this year and October is not prime time, so I think your quote is probably legit.

Lisa - We usually get a full tank of gas when we pick up the car and then fill it up just before we return it. There are plenty of petrol stations on the way to Shannon Airport.<BR><BR>Just curious - how much are you paying for your rental? Did you check out www.irishcarrentals.com? They really are the cheapest and very reliable - you pick up at Dan Dooley.<BR><BR>Molly

Molly - I went through www.goireland.com (the Irish Tourist Board) which I think is through Sixt car rentals. I paid $234 (our Mastercard covers the CDW - it is $286 with CDW) I did a lot of research and this one was the cheapest I found and it includes 24 hour breakdown service which made me feel better! But thanks for your suggestion!

Lisa, goireland.com IS NOT the Irish Tourist Board!!! They are a travel agency that books trips, cars, acomodations for people. Did they mis inform you?

Lisa - goireland.com is not the Irish Tourist Board. You say you did a lot of research, but you don't say if you tried irelandcarrentals.com. I think if you did, you'd be booking through them.

I pressed the post button by accident.<BR><BR>Anyway, my husband is going in September and I checked out goireland.com for the same dates I already booked for him. It was more money through goireland.com.

I pressed the post button by accident.<BR><BR>Anyway, my husband is going in September and I checked out goireland.com for the same dates I already booked for him. It was $155.80 with www.goireland.com for 27 Sept. through 30 Sept. We are paying $95.88 for those days thru www.irelandcarrentals.com.

I'm sorry I am starting to get my websites mixed up...I know goireland.com isn't the tourist board site...I have been spending too much time on the net!! <BR><BR>Molly - Thanks for your advice re irelandcarrentals.com but I just did another check on that site and it was actually more than what I got quoted on goireland.com but they were close. I can definitely see why people like irelandcarreantal.com. Thanks again.

Can someone explain what is Dan Dooley? Is it a rental agency? Is there a website? I noticed a previous post mentioned to pick up the car at Dan Dooley. I'm confused.<BR>Thanks!

Dan Dooley is a rental car company.<BR>http://www.dan-dooley.ie/

I'm wondering if anybody has noticed what appears to be a substantial discrepancy in car rental rates between last year and this. Last year I rented from Sixt (through Irish Car Rentals), the smallest of the automatics for two weeks with the whole package (CDW etc). The price was 382 Irish punts. This year exactly the same package for exactly the same dates, pick-up and drop-off points is 614 euros. As far as I have been able to discover, the exchange rate from punts to euros isn't even close to explaining the increase. More meaningfully to me personally is that changing the two figures into Canadian dollars (the rates of exchange on the $CDN being more or less of a constant), results in an increase of about $CDN 290! Anybody else notice a substantial increase in rental prices? Thanks.

Thanks for the support! I actually drive a stick when I'm in Ireland, but I lived there for a time and visit several times a year, so I'm used to it.<BR><BR>Anyway, I've been using priceline.com or priceline.co.uk the last several times I've rented cars over there (once picking up in Shannon, once in Dublin, and twice in Belfast), and have had good luck. The prices have been fantastic, as I place a very low because I always have the option of just going through the rental agencies. And all of the insurances (including CDW) and VAT are included in the bid price.<BR><BR>Usually, my ridiculously low bids are not accepted for economy or compact cars, so I end up with a full or mid-sized car at less than what I used to pay for a small car. This works well for us as we've been brining our golf clubs the last few times, and you just can't fit them in a tiny car.<BR><BR>One caveat: I did have a problem where National/Alamo charged my credit card for 500 pounds. Priceline ended up taking car of it, and I got it back, but it did take nearly 3 weeks from when I first noticed it.

We'll be renting an economy (smallest) car for 8 days in October, and I've noted all your suggestions. I found the best deal by far at rentacar-Ireland.com. It's sometimes tricky to compare quotes, but I found their rate of E168 to be the best. It INCLUDES cdw, airport fee of about E20, VAT, and there's no surcharge to take the car into Northern Ireland (E20 at some companies). Autoeurope, goireland & Kemwell all came to more than E200 when those other charges are added in. At the E168 rate I think I'd spring for the super-duper insurance for another E9 a day. I know some of you were planning to book with rentacar-Ireland, but has anyone found any reason not to, or is there something I'm missing?

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