Kemwel car rentals...give me a push!

Melissa5 · Guru

Kemwel car rentals...give me a push!

wojazz3 · Guru

Hi Melissa:

Here is the scoop. There are a number of reputable companies and I usually go looking for price. Kemwell is one, irishcarrentals.com is another. Europcar sometimes has good deals as does Autoeurope, though I've never found the best prices in Ireland on Autoeurope. I used Irishcarrrentals this year, but I really didn't get to experience them because they were out of cars when I got there (anyone sense a Seinfeld episode here?). I was sent to the europcar desk because they would honor the same deal I had. The other one you are talking about is O'Scannlain which uses Hertz. The prices are usually competitive on smaller cars but not on larger. I didn't use them because the counter at Hertz out and out lied to me about liability coverage last year. I wrote O'Scannlain and let them know that I would not be using them because of the way I was treated at the counter.

It is important to compare apples to apples. Some prices include basic insurance coverage, others do not. The price of the deductible varies widely from E700-1500 for the basic and you can buy that down (very expensively) to 0-100.

Yes, you can use your MC to cover your CDW and in most cases, it's gold or platinum. I have a gold business card and it covers me for 31 days. Non-business cards are usually for 15 days. To find out if your card covers your CDW, call 1-800 MCASSIST. Do not call your bank. They don't have a clue. MC no longer sends a letter to confirm your coverage but if you get to the desk and they insist on a letter have them call the 1-800 number again, not your bank.

There is big money in car rental insurance and they REALLY want you to buy their insurance and may tell you all sorts of stuff to convince you to buy it. As I stood in two different lines waiting to get my car in Dublin, virtually every customer walked away from the counters hopping mad because of what they were getting charged for in insurance. One woman claimed that the cost was 4 times what she had been quoted. It's good to do your homework.

One thing that will happen is that, if you use your card for CDW, the rental company will put somewhere in the neighborhood of an E2000 hold on your card. I think they are all doing this now. That is removed when you return the car in good condition.

What is covered? If you use your MC, you will have your CDW covered with a 0 deductible. That includes Theft protection but you must be able to produce your keys if the car is stolen. In other words, if you leave your keys in the car and someone steals it, you just bought a car. MC usually doesn't cover damage to tires and windshields so check both very carefully on the car when you rent it. Irish car companies are required to provide third party liability coverage. This is what that means. If you are in an accident and you are at fault, everybody's medical expenses are covered except yours. They would like to sell you some liability to cover you, so check and see if you health care insurance will cover you in an auto accident overseas. Mine will though there are some expected early out of pocket expenses before you are reimbursed. If the accident is serious, there is a way for them to step in early to cover major expenses. That's mine and it will vary with yours.

After my frustrating incident with Hertz in Ireland, I called the US number for irish car rentals (They use Sixt) and asked the woman to tell me everything I would be asked at the counter. I told her I was going to throw a temper tantrum the likes of which Ireland has never seen if I got any unexpected questions. She was very helpful and the info I have given you covers what she told me. I had no surprises and the temper tantrum was avoided. Other than the fact that in the end, I didn't use Sixt because they were out of cars, my experience with them was exceptional. Europcar honored the price and provided me with the last car they had in the lot that was my size. It was also the oldest car in the lot, but that's a story for another time. In the end, it seemed to pay that I knew what to expect and they back off with the ridiculous requests when it's clear you have done your homework.

Hope this answers your questions.

Bill

-- Edited by wojazz3 at 10:55, 2006-06-08

fennellkevin · Senior Member

Hi Melissa,

My one and only experience was with Dan Dooley and it was very good. I picked up in Dublin and returned at Shannon. I found their rates to be quite good. We got a Renault Laguna, which was plenty for me, wife, daughter and our three suitcases, plus all other bags and stuff. They have a toll-free number here in the USA, and I was able to pay for all the days plus insurance before leaving, and everything was taken care of before I got there. The insurance didn't seem especially high to me, or maybe I'm missing something.

Obviously, Bill has a lot more experience, but I just thought I'd throw in my two-cents worth.

Have a wonderful trip!

Kevin

p.s., about waiting till now: 3 Hail Mary's

-- Edited by fennellkevin at 16:36, 2006-06-08

Susan in Wi · Member

Hi Melissa,

We have used Dan Dooley on our last 4 trips and have had no problems or surprises. We book using their 800 number. I like being able to book by phone and get all my questions answered ahead of time. We have also used irishcarrentals (Sixt), and a couple of others also without any problems, but I was always worried about the size of the car and any extras at the last minute. We might not get the very least expensive rate, but they are very competive pricewise - we usually wimp out and get an automatic - and we know what we are getting so that balances out it for us.

Susan in WI
22 days and counting

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

Welcome back to the forum! I hope you had a good spring. Before you know it you will be in Ireland.

I have been using Kemwel (from my own website no less) for the past few years. They don't always have the lowest price. It depends on the type of vehicle you want. But on the smallest manuals their prices are rock bottom. Since that is the type of car I always get I have been very happy with Kemwel.

They are a broker. Their rates are in US dollars and they do not require a "hold" on your credit card of any additional money. When you book the charge will go through so -- depending on when you book -- you may see the charge on your card before your trip. However, if you need to cancel you can and they will refund it. They do not charge a fee to decline CDW and the booking engine on my website assumes that you will decline it. I had them configure it that way.

Additional charges: The car rental company that you actually use at the airport will charge an airport surcharge of around $45 dollars. All the companies have the surcharge. There is also something called a "road tax" of about $2.50 a day. When you rent the car you will be charged for a full tank of petrol (gasoline). Depending on the company you either return the car with a full tank and get reimbursed or a empty tank.

Basically, when you get to the car rental counter you give them your voucher (which is emailed to you) and they have you sign the contract, pointing out the "extras" and you must initial the sections for declining CDW. The "extras" are charged to your card.

Anyone can use the Kemwel booking engine: http://www.kemwel.com/booking/car.cfm?creditedAgency=IYES You don't have to be registered on the forum. I do get a very small percentage of each rental. But you don't pay any more.

That's about all I can think of explaining my experience with Kemwel.

I suggest that you shop around. Compare the same type car and "extras" at all the different companies. Some will be in dollars and others in euros, so keep that in mind. I generally write them all down in a little notebook for comparison, add up the prices so I know the actual totals, and then make my decision based on price. I find that if I can book a month or more from my pick-up date I tend to get slightly better prices.

I have heard that some companies are now charging to decline CDW but have not personally encountered that. I hope it is not a trend.

Let me know if you need any other info.

Michele

P.S. For the past few years my Kemwel booking has been with Europcar. I am getting to know the people that work there now and they all seem excellent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The car must be rented by the person who is driving (their name on the card) in order for the MasterCard insurance to be valid. If extra drivers are added to the contract then they are also covered. There is a per day charge for extra drivers.

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, Kevin, Bill, and Susan, wow, thanks for the car rental info! You are all awesome! Surely this is the most informative car rental info available on the entire earth at the moment...

As for those Hail Marys, I'm working on 'em.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

Let us know how the car rental goes. I hope you find a good rate.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Hi Michele, hubby is working on the car rental. I gave him the info that you all have shared, and everything I ever learned about renting cars in Ireland. MORE than he ever wanted to know!

He says the more information I give him the more confused he is getting.

Actually, we expect to get the car rented soon. We are working on it and have been a BIT distracted by the shenanigans of our daughter.

And that is why I am more grateful than ever for this web-site and all of your help! Thank you so much!

I will definitely keep you posted. Hubby was wondering about the pictures of luggage on the Kemwel site. For example there was a big old car that holds about 8 people and four suitcases. Does that mean each person only gets a half of a suitcase, or every person gets four suitcases each?!

We actually need a car for 4 people. Each person will have a carry-on size rolling piece of luggage and a small 18" duffel bag.

I am eager for us to get past this car rental question so I can ask some FUN questions!

Hubby saw some nice photos of Northern Ireland that various folks have shared on-line and he is looking forward to Antrim coast, Glenariff, Ballinboy, etc. Gracias, everybody! Ummm, gotta learn thank you in Gaelic.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I know that there is a lot to learn when renting a car in Ireland. However, being an informed consumer is extremely important if you want to do things right and get the best deal. On the website if the car shows 4 suitcases it is per vehicle. They do have either large or small suitcases. If they are large ones the vehicle will most likely take a rolling carry-on and a duffle per large suitcase icon. You can always call them on their toll-free number to ask questions.

Michele

P.S. Thank you in Irish: go raibh maith agat.

-- Edited by Michele Erdvig at 00:48, 2006-06-14

Melissa5 · Guru

Thanks, Michele. Go raibh maith agat. ("Go rob math aget"? Surely not. Didn't have time to study up on Gaelic pronunciation.) It's gonna be interesting asking for directions to places!

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, hubby finally got us a car, using Kemwel from your web-site. He is using his Platinum Visa to decline the CDW. He has been following the on-line discussion here about insurance. He got the promise of insurance coverage verbally from Chase, but now he is going to try to get it in writing. (As I mentioned we do also have a Platinum MC but were told it doesn't cover the CDW, which is strange because it was covered for the Costa Rica trip!)

Anyway for anybody who is interested in the cost of renting cars in Ireland, hubby said Kemwel had the best price for us. We have 4 people and need enough room for luggage. So we got a mid-sized car which actually holds 5 people (more room for luggage that way.) He got a mid-sized automatic Opel Vectra with A/C for a whopping $887 for 15 days. As everyone knows the automatics are more expensive than the manuals.

As high as that sounds, the price on web-sites for the other companies was higher!

Also as you pointed out, Michele, many web-sites are quoting the price in Euros, and Kemwel has the price quoted in US dollars on your site. That's an important distinction when comparing costs!!!

Thanks for your help, Michele, and for everyone's help.

Hubby forgot to put in a special request for a NEW CAR. I hope Kemwel doesn't steer us to a company which is renting cars which aren't new? We want a reliable new car, not an older worn one. Rental cars get worn out really fast. Maybe he can add the request on.

Cars which only hold 4 people were cheaper than cars holding 5 people, but the cars holding only 4 people are showing very small luggage space. That's why we rented a car which holds 5 people. (See Kemwel site from Michele's web-site.)

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I hope your husband used his MasterCard not Visa!!!!

Visa does not cover CDW in Ireland (unless you are Canadian). Kemwel should have told you the company they booked you with on your voucher. Take a look and see. What we always do is try to get to the car rental desk as early as possible and then ask for a 2006 low mileage car. Always check the car carefully before taking it, especially tires and windows & windshields. The insurance does not cover those and even a tiny chip on glass can expand into a huge spiderweb on its own. Make note of anything on the car rental agreement.

Yes, automatic cars during high season are very expensive. I'm glad you found a better price on my car rental page from Kemwel.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, thanks for your message. I am so confused. Hubby said he called the bank that issued his Platinum Visa and they said they would cover him for the CDW in Ireland. He called his Platinum MasterCard and they said they WOULDN'T cover him! I will tell him what you said and tell him to re-check into this.

Yet the same Platinum MasterCard covered us for the car insurance in Costa Rica in June 2005!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

The bank that issued the card will not have a clue about what is covered. The insurance is provided by MasterCard. That is why you have to call 1-800-MC-ASSIST.

This is what Visa's website says: "No benefit is provided for motor vehicles rented in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland." http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/credit/visa_signature_benefits_auto_rental.html?it=search#anchor_8

If your MasterCard will not cover Ireland then you will have to pay more for insurance.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, I believe you, but hubby is out of town and he has the car rental info.

I have left him some frantic messages which he will probably ignore.

I have never seen such confusion, on all of the travel web-sites, as there is on the question of car rental collision damage waiver! Poor travelers on all the travel chat forums are so confused. Here is what some other "experts" have to say on the subject:

Rick Steves, from his updated web-site for 2006 at www.ricksteves.com says: "Car rental companies in the Republic of Ireland are less amenable to letting renters waive CDW insurance in favor of credit-card coverage. As of this writing, the only credit-card companies that were allowed to provide CDW coverage in Ireland were MasterCard Platinum and Diner's Club - so if you have a Visa or American Express, you're forced to buy CDW." The way this is worded, it makes me think it is the rental car companies in Ireland who have the decision-making power...

On the other hand here is a confusing statement and I have no idea if it is accurate at all: from http://www.enchantingireland.com/Cars/CarInsurance.asp it says "Mastercard, the icensing company for your card, does not cover your CDW - each bank that issues the card sets the rules so call the bank issuing your card. My Chase card did not offer CDW but Citibank Business Platinum does and my Sears Gold Platinum offers coverage--call to make sure." This is not my statement, it is a quote from the web-site. NO wonder folks are confused!

On the other hand as you have pointed out, anyone can call the MC ASSIST number to find out if one's MC is covered or not!!!

Maybe there is a way for us to get a new MasterCard very fast which does cover Ireland, as you suggested once before, but hubby went ahead and thought his Visa was covered. Maybe we will just walk everywhere, forget the car...if you see 4 people hitch-hiking, have a heart and pick us up!

Shoulda listened to you sooner, Michele, about applying right away for a new MasterCARD! Everybody, listen to Michele.

Melissa5 · Guru

MIchele, you're right, somebody didn't have a clue!

Hubby and I called the number on the back of our Platinum Visa card and spoke to 2 different employees. They BOTH said that YES Visa would cover us for the CDW insurance next month in Ireland. However when I expressed doubt due to information I had gotten from on-line experts, they gave me a second phone number for the insurance department. I spoke to Bernard from the Visa insurance department. He explained that although our Visa DOES provide us with travel accident insurance and CDW waiver benefits, "Ireland is one of the countries which does NOT recognize Visa as an international service," therefore the rental car companies in Ireland wouldn't accept the Visa coverage.

Of course you were right, Michele, but hubby was confused by the conflicting things he read on-line and he took the word of the first Visa employee he spoke to and put the car rental on the Visa. Now he will have to decide what to do with a short time remaining... Also this Visa does charge a 3% conversion fee. I'm not sure if hubby knows that. I think we have a different credit card which doesn't do this.

When he booked the rental car he didn't compare how the price would be different if we have to pay for the CDW insurance. He was assuming we could waive it. The only way we could waive it now is if he can get a new MC in the short time we have remaining before the trip.

Well thanks for being here Michele, with the REAL unvarnished truth!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I always try to give everyone the "real unvarnished truth". But you are right that is is very confusing. Diner's Club card covers CDW insurance in Ireland. Do you have time to get one? If you can, your husband can call Kemwel to change the card it is put on.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, I appreciate the suggestion to get a Diner's Club Card. Or we can try for a different MasterCard. Hubby is having way too much fun at his business conference out of town.

So at this point I am worrying much more than he is! But he will be back Sunday and hopefully it won't be too late to apply for a new card which can cover CDW for Ireland. He has our Kemwel car rental info hidden somewhere in his office.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I have a Capital One Platinum MasterCard. I recently called MasterCard Assist to see if they were dropping coverage in Ireland starting in September. The answer was no (for my card). So I assume that some issued MasterCards have the coverage and others don't. The whole issue is extremely confusing. I hope you have time to get a new card before your trip. If you can, you may have to cancel the car and rebook. But do call them first as they may be able to re-do the whole thing for you.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele and friends, thanks for help on car rentals.

We have solved our problem. Hubby has returned from his business trip and was ripping out hair trying to make many calls and visit many web-sites to see about getting a new credit card which covers CDW in time for Ireland. The card won't come in time. (However we still need to get a better one, for the next trip! )

Meanwhile he happened to discover a special promotion with Hertz through Aer Lingus, so he rented a car for an all-inclusive price which includes the CDW, and the taxes, for a good price, so for us it's the best deal, since our credit cards won't cover the CDW. Whew! Hubby was so stubborn about not wanting to pay for that CDW, but now he is content. Problem solved.

Michele, how does he cancel the Kemwel reservation? Kemwel would have been fine if we'd had CDW coverage with our credit cards.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I'm glad everything is sorted out. This is the contact page for Kemwel: http://www.kemwel.com/contact.cfm You will need your voucher number when calling or emailing.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, thanks for the link. Kemwel sent hubby an interesting letter that says Kemwel guarantees the best rates and service in the industry and they will beat any other offer. They apparently have a "Guaranteed Best Rate" form. Hubby might try that, but then he would have charges for 3 cars on his credit cards! Of course 2 of them would be re-imbursed.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

If you can get the same rate with Kemwel and the rental is not with Hertz, I would go for that. Hertz tends to rent older cars. I have heard some negatives about them lately. Whoever you rent from you should always ask for a current year car with low mileage.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, I am trying to get hubby to switch to Kemwel if he can get the same deal. He has been so busy. Thanks for the feedback. I did see another negative comment about Hertz on fodors too.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

When we are in Ireland my husband always comments about the old cars that Hertz rents. He would never accept one of them. Of course, if you did get an old banger and dented it up, who would know?

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, Kemwel has offered us a car from Europcar for the same price as Hertz. We're going to go with Kemwel. It's a Ford Focus 4-door compact category car which includes everything, including CDW insurance. Have you gotten cars through Kemwel from Europcar (Shannon airport) before, and have they been good and reliable and newer cars? Thanks!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I have used Kemwel and Europcar for several years now. Anne at the car rental desk is tops. Just ask for a new car and she will see you get something nice. However, the trunk on the Ford Focus is not real big. They might upgrade you to a larger car for free if you are really nice to them. The extras that I had to pay for was the airport surcharge, the road tax and a tank of gas (petrol). That was paid directly to Europcar. You should check with Kemwel to see if these are extras or included.

My experience with Europcar was great. The cars are good and they have an up to date fleet. Everything has always gone very smoothly.

Michele