Question for SiobhanP or others living in Ireland
 

Hi,
I was wondering if cars in Ireland are subject to an annual safety inspection like we have in the US. I'm curious because on a previous trip, I was given a car by Hertz that had very unsafe tires that never would pass inspection in the US. I'm hoping things are better this year, since I'm renting from Hertz once again (best price).

We have the NCT for cars over 4 years I think. Most hertz cars I thought were 1-2 years old Just check the tires beforehand but I never had an older rental car or any issues. It may have been an oversight and the last renter drove it like mad ???? Mention to them as well or write to Hertz. We don't really have super duper tires like for snow and bad consitions as its mild here unlike in NY when we had radial tires and sometimes switched them for winter

Thanks Siobhan. I don't know what the deal was, but the tires on our vehicle were super old, older than the car probably! I've personally never seen anything so bad before. The owner of our b&b in Killarney came out to inspect and he was appalled. In fact, he called Hertz for us and gave them a lashing and arranged for us to take the car to the nearest airport for a switch. I was dumb and so busy checking the rest of the car when I picked it up at the Dublin airport, even the spare tire in the boot/trunk, that I didn't even look at the tires. We ended up trading the car in at the Kerry airport for another one. I will be studying the tires very carefully this next time, before leaving the lot!

That is dreadful; so sorry that happened to you.
The NCT is still fairly new here - yes for 4 yrs old and over, but there is such a backlog and a long waiting list, so they declared an amnesty for oad tax purposes a few years ago. People were dodging paying Road Tax because they could not get an NCT date.

Ireland has a huge number of older cars and is way behind other countries in checking and policing them. I have only - and my car is a very low mileage ( 38, 000)13 year old - ever been stopped once for a Gardai check on tax and insurance, and they did not ask re NCT test even then.

Standards are lower here also re safety levels. We know this from when we have folk here from Canada. They are shocked at how lax it all is.

As you have found, things can still be overlooked. Glad you had good support.And yes, check always...

PS the NCT test is not annual but only every two years.

I never fail to see Hertz in Ireland renting cars that are a few years old and in pretty bad shape. Never accept a car with bald tires. Rent from a company other than Hertz and ask for a current model year car. There are plenty of car companies who rent new cars. Why accept old junkers from Hertz just because they are a "name brand"?

In Feb of 2002, six of us flew into Shannon for eight days with a departure from Dublin. I had reserved a nine passenger People Mover (van) -- "Toyota Hiace, or equivelant". When I tried to collect the vehicle, the desk clerk kept trying to talk me into taking the smaller, 7 Passenger Ford Galaxy instead. He said it was 'Plenty big enough' (NOT AT ALL), nicer, AND brand spanking new (That WAS true).
I insisted on the Hiace and walked out to the parking lot, contract in hand. What I discovered there, was a two year old vehicle that was thoroughly trashed. It looked like it had just been returned from a long-term rental where it was used by a rock band for touring and living in! There wasn't a body panel that wasn't scraped or dented, the front passenger seat belt was broken and the seats and carpet were dirty enough to harbor enough food to feed a small, third-world country. (I exaggerate only SLIGHTLY).
I returned to the counter and had the contract voided. While I did, my sister-in-law shopped the other counters for an alternative. Budget (who had quoted me over $800 when I had originally shopped for a reservation, gave us a Brand New Mercedes Vito for just under $300. It was a great vehicle, perfect for our needs (if a WEE bit large)that got suprising good fuel economy from the turbo diesel engine, so it all worked out BETTER than originally planned, but it WAS the off-season.
I wouldn't recommend gambling on finding a vehicle during the High Season, but you shouldn't have to accept a vehicle that is questionable, under ANY circumstances.
It is also VERY important to note that TIRES ARE ALMOST NEVER covered by ANY insurance, so ANY bad tire(s) need to be remedied BEFORE you drive off the lot, or else you could get stuck PAYING to have them replaced.
Bob

I was told by a man who works for a car rental company in Ireland that one in four cars returns with some damage,usually minor. Unfortunately some tourists occasionally forget that traffic drives on the left side of the road and massive damage and even deaths occur.

Sandylan; yes to all you say. There are signs up in many places reminding folk that we drive on the left. We saw one car last year as we came out of a side lane here, driving on the wrong side, on a narrow winding road with blind bends and hills.. We gave chase, hand on the horn. A collision was narrowly avoided, simply because the horn mad them wonder. We found the American couple trembling,stopped a mile further up. They had been visiting relatives, were excited and simply forgot.

My last time using Hertz (and it will probably remain my last), I had to go through three cars to get one with reasonably good tires. The folks are more than happy to give you old tires because that's the one thing insurance doesn't cover so if it blows out, you buy it.

Don't get me started on my run in with Avis.

Bill

Ajnchoress most of the scary old cars are off the road as they used to offer a 3,000 trade in for cars over 10 tyears old (This was about 10 years ago!) It was a way of getting rid of seriously od and dangerous cars. I do think we keep our cars longer here but the driving is different and mine seem to last longer than in the U.S. I think its just different here as the standards do not feel lower to me its just we have different needs for cars here and the weather is not as much a factor in most areas.

I would say always bring it back if its not right. Better safe than sorry and wish you had a beyyer experience. i rented with Hertz once and it was fine (I needed a care for moving house). Budget and dan dooley have been the ones i rented from most when people came to visit and I needed a car.

This will be my third time using Hertz in Ireland. They always have the best price in Ireland, and I'm cheap, so that's why I'm going back once again. If I have trouble this time, it will be my last. It was the first time that I had the bad tires. The second time, the tires were fine. The car itself had over 80,000 miles on it, but since it was a Toyota, I was fine with it.

As for Avis, I had a great experience with them in London. Go ahead and share you story, if you are up for it Bill.

Here was my little tirade I posted at irelandyes.

I grabbed my paperwork and read every inch to find no mention of a local number. I picked up the courtesy phone and asked them for the number for Avis. The number they gave me turned out to be a fax number, 1 Euro down. I called them back and they swore that was the right number so I tried again. 2 Euro down. I called back again and asked if there was any way they could find another number. They finally found the number for the desk in the airport.

At this point, I've gotten first call to board. We're at talking Ryan Air, so you want to get on as soon as you can. I called the Avis desk and they said that there had been damage to the tire and the alloy wheel and that I would have to pay for it. I asked how they had missed that on inspection and suggested that a scam was underway. The young lady seemed insulted that I could suggest such a thing, but she stated that pictures had been taken and that I should come to the lot to work this out. Sure, with my flight about to board, go back through security, take the bus out to the lot, haggle for a while and make my way back. That wouldn't happen. Since we are talking tires, not covered by MC.

I informed her that I would dispute the bill through MC and that it would be a very long time before they saw any payment. My guess is that they figured the individual would not have the power to dispute the charges and pay the bill whereas MC would fight it.

About two weeks later I got a letter from Avis saying that a mechanic had replaced the tire AND alloy wheel before a photo was taken so I would not be billed. Sure, they just happened to have a factory alloy wheel hanging around the shop to fix that.

Anyway, it all seemd suspect to me and as I've said lots of times, the car rental situation in Ireland is about the most frustrating aspect.

Bill

Hi, siobhan... Interesting!!..We still see "old bangers" out here sometimes.. and what is worse is that in Ireland, learner drivers drive with no escort. As the people trying to get reform said, they can be failed on a driving test, then just drive away, having been told they are not fit to be on the road. The general standard of driving is poor...

Hi anchoress and Siobhan. As I had it explained to me once, a person can drive on Irish roads for as long as three years. 2 years before taking a test and (at least) one year after failing can all be done with a "L" on the car. It was suggested that the L stands for lunatic.

Bill

Nice one, Bill..
However there is a huge backlog of people awaiting tests....Can be a lot longer than that...

I ahev a provisional and can drive alone but technocally not on amotorway but no one is ever stopped or often charged for this. My full U.S. license did not transfer here. Anchoress I think you are in the country tight?? I would expect probably to see more older cars there if so but in Dublin its not a bad as it was. I am lste 30's and my cousins who grew up on farms all knew how to drive by 12. yes it sounds crazy but when you dad is a sickly 70 year old and you are 10-15 miles outside a big town you will need to know in case of an emergency or to get to the hospital. Their mother taught them and I don't blame her back then.

I think you can renew the provisional twice (its similar to the U.S. permit) and then you must get a test for license but there is a big backlog. I think more people learn to drive older here so its not all 17 year olds driving on permits/Provisional licenses and they have a bit of common sense. My aunt learned to drive at 50! :-)

Just a bit on the car rental thing -

I'm Irish but I don't live there. I go to Ireland about once every two months. I always have to rent a car as my parents live in the country side.

I have tried many car rental companies over the years and now I always use Hertz.

I have been using them very regularly now for three years. I always hire at the airport. I book the car through the Ryanair car hire portal which gives the cheapest rates. I have never gotten a car more than a year old and I often get a free upgrade.

I always take out the extra insurance - to be sure to be sure.

Siobhan; yes we are way out in the country here, and yes, kids drive the "cats" etc. What you said re "scary old cars" reminded me of an offshore Scottish island that was once my home. Because there was no bridge to get to the mainland for the annual MOT, there were "island cars". Tied together with string etc etc.. I am jumpy just now after a series of near-misses out here... One lad raced round a blind bend last week seeming not to notice the bus coming the other way just ahead of me. Slammed into it at high speed; thankfully no one was hurt; thankfully also the bus was ahead of me as it is sturdier than my car....His car was a write-off... But of course this is a narrow back lane that few use.

To be honest Lawchick, that was my 1st bad experience with Hertz, the others had been ok. I think one of the issues though is that the car rental companies want to make as much as they possibly can and tourists are an easy target. My guess is that a vast majority of visitors to a Ireland from the US are making a 1 time visit and so repeat business is not a huge issue for them. Sure, as a corporation, it doesn't help Hertz, but a one time trip to a foreign country isn't going to really hurt their status in the States.

Since you are a regular client and it certainly doesn't hurt that you are Irish, you probably get better treatment. You can argue whether or not it's possible that tourists have a bit of a target on their back, but it is generally assumed that they do. You aren't really a tourist and I'm guessing that it certainly doesn't hurt you. That's just one of the scams.

I've stood at car rental counters and heard them lie to customers about the kind of coverage they need on a car. I had a Hertz agent tell me that I had no liability insurance and would have to pay for it myself. That was a half lie. Third party liability is included in all Irish car rentals. What it doesn't cover (apparently) is injury to the driver of the car. Most people already have insurance that covers them. The person at the counter suggested that there would be NO liability insurance. So you're standing at a counter, with ten people waiting behind you, what do you do? Most people have no idea and end up paying the extra E 6 per day. Pure profit for the rental company.

When I arrived in Dublin in May of 06, the line for cars was huge and they were running out. Every single person in line was arguing about sudden extras showing up on the bill, These were tourists from all over. Italy, UK, the States and on. A couple stepped away from the counter and were clearly not happy. I suggested to them that they had just experienced the worst part of their vacation and it was about to get much better. They told me that the final price was 3X the original quote and that the person behind the counter had told them that if they didn't like the price, they could rent from another agency, but most of them had no cars left so they probably wouldn't get a car. Seriosly, this is taking advantage of tourists. It happens in every country, but in Ireland, it seems to happen most at the first stop that guests make, the car rental agency. This couple walked away saying they would never come back to Ireland. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

The "good" news is that the US has a seemingly endless supply of folks seeking their roots in Irland because almost everyone has a third cousin twice removed who's ancestors made their way from Ireland on a curragh along with St. Brendan. It will be a long time before the car rental companies offend enough people that it cuts into tourism.

Bill

anchoress

Apparently Dursey Island which also has no bridge has lots of abandoned cars throughout.

It's an interesting point that you make about the age of drivers getting their first permit in Ireland. Over the years, I have talked to a number of folks that didn't drive until well into their 30s. That is just about unheard of in the States. I have one friend who waited until his late 20s to do so. He was terrified on his first trip on the interstate (motorway). He didn't get the license until his wife's baby was due. He felt he needed to respond quickly in case of an emergency. Taking the baby on the bus to the hospital seemed a bad idea.

He had survived as a free lance musician in Denver, a city with pretty poor public transit, (especially at the time) by using public transit. He was definitely the exception not the rule. All the while, he was becoming one the better known jazz trumpeters in the country.

Bill

Bill; all the kids here drive. Most of them drink too, which is why they are dying like lemmings. Although the red car that turned right ahead of me last week without glancing ahead, missing us by inches, was driven by a sweet little white haired old lady:) Probably an American in a hire car!!