Maximum Driving Age in Ireland
 

I will turn 70 in July 2006. I seem to recall tere is some restriction to renting a car. Is it at age 70. Can someone please advise.

Call AVIS (800-331-1084) or Hertz (800-654-3001) and query them about this if you don't get a firm reply here.

Think you need to check with car hire companies as they may all differ. Re driving in Ireland chekc out www.aaireland.com and www.aaroadwatch.ie
(AA is same as AAA in US)They have a good route planner too.

I agree that you need to check with each company, or the easier way is to call AutoEurope and ask them which companies. They'll know which ones do and which ones don't, at least with all the companies they deal with. And you'll accomplish that with only one call.

Powell:

You can also find the information you are seeking at www.rentacar-ireland.com and click on 'Driving in Ireland Road Rules & Tips'.

Per www.nova.co.uk they only want to be told once you reach 75+

Sandy

Age discrimination lives. In Ireland, the rental companies charge you an extra 7 euro or so a day if you are 70 or over. Once you turn 75, you can't rent a car. They claim that it is an insurance thing.

I have heard of a dodge involving a kind of lease-purchase and sell back, but this would only make sense for longer stays. It would be a hassle, but possibly cheaper than a long-term rental.

On the flip side, public transportation (bus, rail) in Ireland is free if you are 70.

There's no 'Maximum Driving Age' (i.e., age at which you are no longer allowed to drive your own car or a hackney). It's the age threshold at which Rental companies won't rent you a self-drive.

jkrigney writes: <<Age discrimination lives. In Ireland, the rental companies charge you an extra 7 euro or so a day if you are 70 or over. Once you turn 75, you can't rent a car. They claim that it is an insurance thing.>>

An acquaintance told me that if you buy a fly-drive 'package,' they can't refuse your car rental. I haven't tried that

<< On the flip side, public transportation (bus, rail) in Ireland is free if you are 70.>>

Not so! Senior Citizens do ride free but only permanent residents of the Repubic of Ireland: That's what I was told by the BusEireann people when I inquired about that very thing 2-years ago.

I carry an Irish Passport but that didn't help: one must have something similar to our Medicare Card to qualify

I know that when we were picking up our car from Hertz in Dublin, there was a lovely couple from Australia there who had pre-rented a car before leaving OZ- and then were being denied the rental upon arrival. It was ridiculous- they were expected to contact their home doctor to get a confirmation saying they were in good health and... who knows? Able to see?

It seemed quite insulting and rude, which unfortunately was a trend in this particular office. I of course do not know exactly how old this couple was, but they seemed quite capable to me!!

Perhaps my Scottish sense of humor (and justice) is working overtime, but because I am 78 I would do this:

I would buy a used car that still ran, drive it as much as I wanted to all over Ireland, and then abandon it in order to block the driveway of the city's most central car-rental agency.

I stand corrected on the free travel. You must be 66, if not disabled, and a year-round resident of Ireland. The document one gets is called a "Free Travel Pass".

I don't deal with Hertz any more in Ireland, even if they do appear to be cheaper. Service always seems to be slow and borderline rude. I've dealt with Thrifty for a while. I booked for my upcoming trip on their website and got a 10% discount for being over 55--go figure! I still have a few years before the cutoff.

In reference to Katya's post, I wonder if the rental companies will make an exception to the over 75 rule if one can present a physician's letter? I'll ask the people at the Thrifty office next Wednesday (the same, very pleasant, young woman has attended me the last three times--even remembers me; try that at Hertz!).

USNR has the right idea, but I think that one can short-term lease a car from a dealer. Might be a better, cheaper, solution, even if one would not get the same satisfaction as per his suggestion..

jkrigney:

I was wondering if you found out about Thrifty renting out cars to people over age 75 if they have a physicians letter?

My Parents were both born here in Ireland but live in the U.S. and therefore are not eligible for the free travel pass. Its very frustrating as they are citizens but not resident and its quite pricey for the train here so either i have to drive them across the country (they no longer feel comfortable driving here) or get a longer cheaper bus journey.