Warning: Car Rental Rip-offs!! Some Require €2,000 - €15,000 Deposit to Decline CDW

Michele Erdvig · Host

RE: Warning: Car Rental Rip-offs!! Some Require €2,000 - €15,000 Deposit to Decline CDW

travelingirl · Member

Thanks, Michelle, for the link to the company that provides the "excess" or super CDW. It looks like that would cost $75 and even covers tires, windows, and undercarriage. It sems like a good deal and that would at least save us about $125. I surely appreciate all your help.

travelingirl · Member

One more additional note. This morning we thought about renting a motorcycle, surely that would be cheaper and easier to use on narrow roads. There seem to be very few places in Ireland that rent motorcycles and they are not cheap. We found a rate from two places of $150 per day! So much for that option.........

Michele Erdvig · Host

Travelingirl,

Happy to help. You are right about the motorcycles. It is just in recent years that they began renting them to tourists. It is more of a novelty and as such the prices are very high. You are better off with a car in rainy Ireland.

Michele

Rosa_Mundi · Veteran Member

For my trip this summer I also plan on purchasing the plan from insurance4carhire for that extra coverage but got my rental from (and I hesitate to admit this since it seems others have had troubles in the past) Hertz.

I went through the Aer Lingus site and got what I think/hope/pray is a fair rate from them. $365 (this is USD) for 13 days including CDW. This is the smallest stickshift that they have (which is now listed as a Ford Ka but used to say Fox). Also, I selected the prepay option which gave a discount.

Got a little nervous thinking they might not like that I wasn't actually flying into Shannon on Aer Lingus (where I'm picking up the car) but then wound up having a shuttle flight with them midway through my trip so not as concerned now. smile

Monty · Senior Member

Rosa:

Have used Hertz out of Shannon before, and although things were OK, there were a couple of things that made me go another direction the next time.

First of all, their fleet at the time I used them was chock full of older vehicles. Since their rental lot is so close to the airport, do not hesitate to go back to the desk and request another car if the first one they give you looks too beat up.

Second, there will be additional charges presented as you show up to get the car. No question -- it will occur. I would love to see you post on here later that the charges were indeed $365, however Hertz and its history tell me that will not be the case. I had to battle them over our previous agreement before they would remove a couple of uncalled for charges.

Let's keep fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly! smile

I've been to Ireland five times and the only company that doesn't pull a fast one when you check in for your car is Dan Dooley.

Hertz and AutoEurope look for every angle to pile on stuff at the airport.

Also, many travelers fail to do this, but make sure you take photos of all four sides of the car, the roof, the hood, tires, and windows. If there is any question on something turned back in, those images will be really helpful as you deal with the agency.

Have a great time -- confusion regarding car rental is one thing we all agree on ... it is often a challenge.

Monty

-- Edited by Monty on Tuesday 16th of March 2010 02:20:01 PM

Rosa_Mundi · Veteran Member

Thanks, Monty.

I've made notes to make sure I take those pictures of the rental car both before and after and in July I'll be reporting on the Hertz experience. I'll be bringing a copy of my original agreement with me so I don't have to try and remember what they said they'd be charging me. Got my fingers crossed!

travelingirl · Member

I want to thank you too, Monty. I had a car reserved through Avis, but decided to cancel it and go with Dooley. It sure seems to be a better bet.

Monty · Senior Member

Appears that one thing most try to help one another with on this forum is the car rental dance, which can be vexing and expensive. I'm not saying that Dooley's is the only one that doesn't play games with you, but they are indeed one of the few that everything is up front.

Hope it helps, and that things go well. smile

Monty

-- Edited by Monty on Wednesday 17th of March 2010 09:22:20 AM

bridgeman · Newbie

I'm curious if anyone has used "insurance4carhire", a company in Great Britain that covers excess on damage to the rental vehicle including the undercarriage, excess on theft, and damage to windows and tires. They have a policy, Europe 31, that includes Ireland and costs only $49EU. Any word how good this company is if one has to file a claim? It's much less than the car rental company's cost. Thanks.

Bridgeman

Michele Erdvig · Host

Bridgeman,

Welcome to my forum. I have heard feedback from someone who made a successfull claim with insurance4carhire. My advice is to read all the fine print so that if something does happen you can gather all info they require and file the claim within their rules.

Michele

travelingirl · Member

The insurance4hire site seems to have a tiny glitch in the ordering process. The forms come up in French. I sent in an email and it may already be rectified, but just a head's up. Also be sure you understand that their coverage does not take the place of the CDW, it just covers the supplement "excess" portion so if you have a problem you don't end up eating the entire $2000 deductible required with the CDW. From reading the fine print, the company sounds sound. I'm sure thankful to have an option to save us a little moola at any rate! : )

Michele Erdvig · Host

Travelingirl,

I am an advocate of saving money wherever possible. Then you have extra to spend on having fun in Ireland instead.

Michele

travelingirl · Member

I wrote to the ministry of tourism as you suggested early on in this threa, Michele. I just receieved a very nice reply. It seems that the national consumerism group has been reviewing complaints from the last two years and are currently reviewing practices and websites of various companies to get a clear picture on what has been going on. I found that very hopeful!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Travelingirl,

How great that you took the time to write the ministry of tourism a letter. So few people do. I hope that you letter and the others they have received results in some rules that make the car rental process simpler and better. As you say, we can only hope so!

Michele

SteveMelnykevich · Newbie

Michele,

So do you recommend Dan Dooley Car rental as the best rental? I will be traveling from US to Ireland later this week and want to rent a car for 7 days and almost booked on the thrifty site before I found the 2000 Euro CHARGE so I canceled and found your site. If you can recommend or share what service most members prefer I would greatly appreciate it.

Also, if you recommend Dooley, when booking the CDW w/ the Excess means that there is no 2000 Deductible correct?

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

I just answered your similar question on anther board, as follows:

"If you are buying the CDW AND the 'Excess', your total liability is approx 100 Euro -- the 2000 Euro 'Hold' or 'Deposit' is only applied if you DECLINE the CDW and 'Excess'.

In any event, MOST rentals EXCLUDE tire, wheel, undercarraige, side mirrors and glass damage from the CDW AND from the 'Excess' coverage.

I've noticed that a few companies are now offering that coverage as an EXTRA, EXTRA -- for 10 to 20 Euro per day!!!!!

If you ARE buying CDW, that cost is usually INCLUDED in your quote. The 'Excess' usually is NOT. It runs 10-20 euro extra -- PER DAY.

Airport fees (typically 25-30 Euro) and Road Tax (usually 2-3 Euro, PER DAY), MAY or MAY NOT be included in the quote. In the case of ALL rentals, you will be charged - at pick up -- for the Initial Tank of fuel. Whether or not returning the car with a FULL TANk nets you a REFUND of the Initial Fuel Charge is determined by the policy of each individual company .... MOST details are buried in the 'Fine Print' in their "Terms And conditions"

There are alternatives to buying the 'Excess' available from private vendors, like www.insurance4carhire.com or www.xswaiver.com but you need to check out THEIR 'Fine Print' to see if they are right -- FOR YOU."

As to the questions concerning Dooley, specifically, i BELIEVE that Michele advocates using whatever company is right -- for YOU. To determine THAT, Michele has gone to GREAT effort to provide tips, advice and info on how to locate, examine and understand the often SPECIOUS and ARCANE rules by which many companies operate. furious

Once you are PAST the car hire issue, I have NO doubt that you will absolutely LOVE Ireland ...

But, FIRST, you DO have to get past the 500-pound gorilla in the room! cry

Bob

Michele Erdvig · Host

Steve,

Welcome to my forum. The car rental debate goes on and on. I rented from Budget last year and was hit with the 2,000 deposit because I declined CDW insurance. Evidently they had just added it to their website between my booking with them and picking up the car. Mind you, it was not a "hold" on my credit card, but an actual charge. Since I was in Ireland for so long I had to pay that on my credit card bill halfway through my trip. It was credited back to my card at the end of the rental but it was a terrible surprise and inconvenience. If I can be blindsided then anyone can! furious

I will not rent from Budget in Ireland again unless they change their rules. disbelief

As you can see from this three page discussion, the car rental companies in Ireland all make up their own rules. That is why it is so complicated. If there was one set of rules for them all it would be easy. Unfortunately you must look at each one on an individual basis, read all the fine print, add up all the various charges to get your total price and then make your decision.

There is also a problem this year with reduced fleets at the car companies. Those going in high season may have some problems if tourism goes up this year.

On my last trip I used Dooley. It is one of the very few companies that give you all charges up front. There were no surprises. The price quoted is what I paid with no extras. I was happy with the whole experience. I have also heard of people who were not happy with Dooley. I suppose no company can have a 100% success rate.

To sum up, there is no one best car company in Ireland. You must find the one that is best for your purposes and pocketbook.

I suggest you call Dooley to ask them your questions. Their operators are helpful and will walk you through the process. Phone number on their website: http://www.dandooley.com/

Bob is right that all the insurances can easily double or triple the cost of renting a car in Ireland. Those in the know and who have the time try to get a World MasterCard (in the US) that covers insurance in Ireland. But your time is short and you will probably have to pay the CDW and Super CDW.

Michele

trung277 · Newbie

Hi !
Most car companies will put a "hold" of a couple of thousand euro on your credit card. Be sure the card you use has a high enough credit limit to accommodate that. The hold will not be released from your card till the car is returned undamaged.

It is always good to have a couple of credit cards for use in Ireland. If one has a hold on it that amount cannot be used. It is "blocked" on your card.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Trung,

What great advice. Thanks so much.

Michele

trung277 · Newbie

no problem :)

-- Edited by trung277 on Friday 23rd of April 2010 03:43:50 AM

Green Dragon · Guru

For those that love Ireland, but have had car rental problems, drop the director of Bord Failte (their Tourism bureau) an email about the need for change. shaun.quinn@failteireland.ie

Green Dragon · Guru

Oh, and don't do what I did last Ireland trip - reserve the car on the MasterCare Gold, and then not only leave it at home, but only have one other card with me, which only had a max of $2000. Which means the hold they put on my card maxed it out, and I had no credit for the first 3 days. Luckily my father was able to Fedex the left behind card to my B&B, and my traveling companions covered me until then. :P

Oh, and we had to pay for the CDW after all, since I didn't have the card I reserved it on that covered it. So it was a $300 mistake :(

Michele Erdvig · Host

Christy,

Thanks for the additional info. And for mentioning the snafu that cost you money. I always check and double check on things like that before departure. Hopefully it will save someone else from the same.

Michele

boomer · Veteran Member

I contacted hertz and for twelve days with cdw ford focus manual for 290.47 That is without Super CDW. That would be 85 euro for one week and then 12 euro per extra days.

I also called Auto Europe- i have used them for several european vacations- not Ireland. They are getting back to me with a better rate.

I also applied for a Master Card World card- will know on Monday if approved. They cover in Ireland. The benefits dept told me that we will cover CDW including undercarage, windshield, roof but not tires. No deductible. Therefore i will not have to purchase CDW.

If I use Hertz and waive the collision they will hold 1,200 euro. Auto Europe said they will not.

You might want to consider calling Auto Europe and seeing what they can do. I am going to keep both reservations just in case. Auto Europe will most of the time beat their competitors.

boomer · Veteran Member

I have used Auto Europe in Europe many times. I did not find that they used any angles to pile on stuff at the airport. Auto Europe's vouchers print all local fees so there are no hidden fees. Keep in mind that Auto Europe is a broker - so each supplier has different policies and local fees.

Michele Erdvig · Host

boomer,

Welcome to my forum. As you say Auto Europe is a broker. Whichever car company they book your car with - that car rental company's rules will apply. Ireland is different from many European countries when it comes to car rentals. That is why this post is so long.

I wish you success with your rental. You will have to let us know if you run into any surprises on arrival.

Michele

boomer · Veteran Member

Thank you. I am still debating on whether to use Auto Europe or Hertz. I google www.mycents and www.fodor.com and they had alot of complaints re Auto Europe. Also complaints for Hertz and the others.

I did speak to Auto Europe about alot of complaints and they are looking into it. I have used them in Europe and no problem.

They work with Murray/Sixth. Murray has financial problems and was not affiliated it with Sixth until perhaps six months- not sure exactly.

Auto Europe told me that if i used World Master Card i would not have to pay a deductible. They told me i had to put a deposit gas/keys- not sure how much. World Master does not pay for tires- but everything else. They also told me that Murray does not charge for administrative fees. World Card told me up to individual rental place. I think loss of use depends on that also.

World Master Card told me there is no deductible.

Hertz told me if i decline CDW i have to have a hold/or deposit not sure which of 1,200 - this would apply for accident separate or theft of car separate but only one deposit. I am a Hertz Gold Member so less deposit. Hertz told me that Super CDW does not change the insurance coverage- merely reduces the deposit to zero.

Still negotiating with Auto Europe on price. I will cost be with hertz 290.47 euro for 12 days with CDW extra for Super CDW. If i get approved for World Card it will be significantly lower. They make their money on add ups- it is really amazing.

Do you think the information that i received was accurate?

Any more suggestions? I have never had this problem renting in other countries.

Thanks

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

From my 2007 Trip Report:

http://ireland.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=65127&p=3&topicID=12825158&page=3&sort=newestFirst

         " My booking invoice from Auto Europe quotes a discounted price of $264.64 for a 13 day rental of the Passat, with the cdw waived, less my booking fee of $59.44, leaving a balance due of $205.20 (Not counting the "fine print", EXTRA charges .....)

     When I picked up the car, I was charged $607. There was the Road Tax, The Airport Pick Up Premium, $36 to enter Northern Ireland, $95 for the initial Tank of fuel AND the 13 day charge for Theft coverage as the desk clerk informed me that Europcar had decided to no longer ACCEPT the MasterRental coverage for Theft, as they (Europcar) had "had too many cars stolen, that MC wasn't paying enough".

     Add to THAT, Europcar's ASSININE "Pick it up FULL / Return it Empty" Scheme and you have my litany of "ISSUES" .... furious

I had anticipated that the "EXTRAS" would drive the price up to about $500, cry

but the rather, um, SELECTIVE dismissal of the MC Theft Protection really did suprise and annoy me. furious

"

And, Oh Yes -- in the 'Heat of the Moment', I FAILED to notice that they ALSO 'Hooked' me with DCC -- making the charge in Dollars, rather than Euro. I think that, had I noticed that little 'salt-in-the-wound', I MIGHT have said 'To Heck with it' and gone "Shopping" for a better deal .... hmm

"

Now, this rental was through AutoEurope, but actually WITH EuropCar.

Bob

boomer · Veteran Member

Thanks I called World Credit card and they said that CDW - includes theft. In 2007 you were able to use Platinum or Gold. Now it has to be the black card- which includes theft. That might be the difference. Auto Europe told me no additonal charges -they do however charge you in dollars when you prepay.

Their rate included VAT- if i have a World Card i can waive the CDW and no deposit required. It also includes the airport location fee. I am not sure about the road taxes. With the fuel they all charge you for that - but some give it back if you return with a full tax.

Unfortuantely, no rentals include tire. Any suggestion of where you purchase that.

I also called Hertz today. I am a gold member so i am eligible for an upgrade if available. They first told me that if i waived the CDW i would have to make a deposit of 1,200 euro but today they said if i supplied a letter from World Card then no deposit.

They are contacting their Training Dept and they will be contacting Dublin Airport for any additional charges- deposit for key, administrative costs, loss of use, fleet utilization.

When i find out i will report back. Thanks for your help.