Thank you for the information.  I checked out Budget.  Does $650 (U.S.) seem about right?  Seems a bit high to me, but I've never traveled there. 

Thanks much!

Caroline

Caroline,

As Dude says, duration of rental, type of car and particularly standard vs. automatic transmission have a huge influence on cost. I have used Hertz on 2 occasions and have had good results out of Shannon. I always rent a small cheap car with standard transmission. I also decline the CDW and use my Mastercard platinum to cover it. This saves a lot of money. Driving a small car with standard transmission on the crooked, narrow Irish roads can be a lot of fun.

Stewart

It does sound a bit high. the strategy that i used to compare when we were renting month to month was to go thru the shannon airport website - they have links to every rental car agency on site and you can just keep clicking and compare them side by side. it takes a bit of time but it does give you complete info.

if at all possible - go with the manual transmission... there isn't much price difference between a small 2 door and 4 door and it really makes a different comfort wise to have the 4 door.

and in order to waive the cdw - it MUST be a platinum mastercard now... visa won't insure rentals here because it is still deemed a country of "civil unrest"

the shannon airport website is:

http://www.shannonairport.com/to-from/carrental.html?interest=%2Fto-from%2Fcarrental.html&imageField.x=16&imageField.y=16

they just changed the website format... i hope this works for you.

 

you could try autoeurope:

http://www.autoeurope.com/index.cfm?

They are a consolidator...that is, you may end up actually getting your car from Avis, or Hertz or somebody else. but they offer very good rates. Its just that you pay them up front. I've used them in Italy, and plan to use them in Ireland this year.

Thank you all for the information.  So, let me get this straight - getting the cdw covers us for the 'no worries' at all coverage?

Thanks much

Caroline

Well... Our Citi bank Master Cards arrived the other day.  I usually cut them up - keeping us at just the one VISA card.  So, please tell me.  What are the steps I need to take in order to make sure I'm covered (collision and liability)? Do I call Master card and get something in writing showing that I have coverage?  Do I decline this CDW when I book the car?  Thanks to all who have responded.

Caroline

I booked with Dan Dooley. Automatic, four door, 8 day rental in mid-June, picking up in Dublin and dropping off in Shannon. $375 USD. I booked it in early Feb. I had them email me a quote, and only 4-5 days later as I checked with other companies, the quotes were over $100 more even at a 7 day rental! So I went with the first quote that they had sent me which was good for 7 days.

I paid with a Visa, because that's all I had. However, I just ordered a Platinum Mastercard, because I felt like we should have a back-up card travelling in Europe, should anything happen. I should have it in a couple weeks.

Good luck!

L

Hi Michele!

I did a lot of research today!  I called our personal car insurance company (USAA); called Master Card; and spoke with several car rental agencies.  This is what I ended up doing:

We will rent a car from Hertz.  Renting through them automatically included 'liability' coverage (Budget and Avis does too)

We declined the 'collision' coverage through Hertz because Master Card will cover us for that AS LONG as we declined the rental companies coverage.

Total cost for our 13 days is $307.  There were lower rates out there to be had, but they didn't include the liability portion.  So by the time we added that on, it would have cost more than the Hertz rental.  All in all, I feel we are now covered for just about any incident.  I'm sure they can always find ways 'to get ya', but we will be driving Ireland with less stress - now that I've learned the ropes.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.  By the way, our last night was booked today too - at Bunratty Lodge.

Take care

Caroline

Our trip is in August.  I thought this was a relatively 'last minute' trip and were cutting it too close to getting the nice accommodations.  I usually book our trips a year in advance. But we got all the accommodations we wanted (thanks to Michele's help and suggestions). 

I just booked the car today.  I got the feeling like the choice of cars was somewhat limited.    I'm so pleased with how everything fell into place with this trip.  We will have only been back from Costa Rica 10 days before heading to Ireland.  My mother and I usually do one trip a year.  This year we chose Costa Rica.  But she has some eye problems and is finding it more difficult to get around.  She's been to Ireland before, and has always wanted to go back. I just had the feeling she wouldn't get back there unless we went this summer.  It makes for a busy summer, but at her age... why wait? 

Caroline