Why is there a difference in price for a manual transmission cars and automatics?

Question: In looking through the ConnsIrelandCarRental.com website, filling out the Hertz widget and getting the quotes for the different car categories, I find that automatic transmission cars are much more expensive than manual transmission cars.  Here in the USA when I rent a car, it is always an automatic.  What gives?

Answer: You may be aware that here in the USA, car rental companies either lease or buy cars from car manufacturers and then keep them in their fleet for a period of time and then sell them off through car dealers as Program Cars, Executive Cars, etc.  Some rental car companies have a used car lot near every one of their locations and sell them there.  They look at ROI (return on investment).  Here in the USA most folks drive automatic transmission cars so the car rental fleets are primarily automatics.  That way the 'used' cars can be sold more readily.

In Ireland, the average person drives a 'manual' transmission car for the increased gas mileage. So consequently, they will NOT BUY an automatic transmission car from a car rental company or a car dealer.  They have to wholesale them off to Britain or another country where they use right hand drive.  To meet the demand of automatic cars for TOURISTS, the car rental companies have to price those higher to meet that ROI.  Then the law of Supply and Demand comes into play during the those peak times in the year when the demand is greater than supply and the difference in price between automatics and manuals is greater.

TRANSFER & PILOT SERVICE - WHEN RENTING IN DUBLIN

Question:  I am very anxious about driving from Dublin Airport or Dublin Downtown to get out to the countryside.  Do you have any suggestions that will allow me to keep my finger nails and my hair?

Answer:  Great question!   A few years ago a new service was introduced to Conn's Ireland Car Rental clients that took the anxiety out of taking delivery of a EasyTour Ireland Hertz rental car and getting out of Dublin.  EasyTour Ireland calls it their 'Transfer & Pilot Service.'  Here is how it works.  If you are arriving at Dublin Airport, Fintan Murray from Corporate Transfers will greet you as you come out of Customs into the Arrivals Hall.  He will will be hold a large card with your name on it.  He will escort you to his private car and then take you to the Hertz lot and wait while you complete the paper work and receive the keys for your Conn's Ireland Car Rental Hertz rental car.  He will then transfer the luggage from the private car into your rental car.  As you will have told him where you are going, he will give you some verbal instructions and ask you to follow him out of the airport and to the road leading to where you wish to go.  At a certain point he will waive you off and you're on your way, with finger nails and hair still intact!

The next scenario is that you arrive at Dublin Airport and are staying in Dublin for a day or two.  Fintan Murray will meet you in the Arrivals Hall and take you to his taxi and then transfer you and your luggage to your downtown hotel.  He will take your luggage into the hotel and make sure you get checked-in.  Once you have enjoyed your stay in Dublin he will return to the hotel at the agreed time and then transfer you and your luggage to the Downtown Hertz location and wait while you complete your paperwork and get the keys to your Conn's Ireland Car Rental Hertz rental car.  He will transfer your luggage from the private car to your rental car and give you verbal instructions to follow him and he will take you through the Dublin streets and out onto the road you need to get to your destination!  This also works for a Dublin Airport pick-up as well.

To the novice car renting tourist this is a God Send!  It is very economical and vert personalized.

Contact Fintan by clicking the Corporate Transfers logo on the EasyTourIreland.com page or click here: www.corporatetransfers.ie  His direct telephone number from the USA is 801 649 3949

Tell him that EasyTour Ireland sent you!

Can I Get Expert Advice to Plan My Ireland Vacation?

Question:  I have been looking at car rental prices and viewing B&B and hotel websites but I can put the pieces together and be comfortable with what I am putting together.

Answer:  This is the question I have been waiting for.  I have often been concerned that many folks who take on the task of planning their itineraries can make many mistakes and don't really know what 'could have been!'

Conn's Ireland Car Rental has a BONUS for you.  You can go to Plan Your Own Itinerary page and get the guidance you need to design a successful vacation.

For Sample Self-Drive Itineraries you can visit Conn's Ireland - Self-Drive Tours

Let Conn's Ireland Car Rental know what you think about this service.  We invite your comments.

Travel Insurance - The MOST Important Part of Your Vacation!

Are you taking a vacation soon?  A cruise, a sun vacation to Hawaii, a tour of Ireland or just a trip to see the family across the country.  You should consider travel insurance.  Total up the prepaid cost of you trip and ask yourself would I lose any money if some unforeseen event happens and I had to cancel everything?  Most airline fares are 'non-refundable.'  Tour packages can be 100% non-refundable depending on when you cancel.  Trip Cancellation coverage is the primary reason for purchasing travel insurance.  Travel Insured, who we consider to be the BEST travel insurance company, also bundles in important other benefits such as Trip Interruption, Missed Connection, Trip Delay, Emergency Accident and Sickness Medical expense, Emergency Evacuation and Medically Necessary Repatriation, Baggage and Personal Effects, Baggage Delay, and more.  It is all bundled into one premium.  This provides great comfort for you and your family and allows you to enjoy your trip with peace of mind.


Get a quote on Travel Insurance for your vacation here:  Travel Insurance Quote

Should You Rely On Credit Card Insurance For Your CDW?

Question:  I am planning a self-drive vacation in Ireland and have seen many postings on Trip Advisor, Frommers, Fodors, etc. about travelers using a credit card CDW insurance coverage to get a lower car rental rate.  Is that true?  Are there and problems I should be aware of?

Answer:  What a timely question!  A definition here: CDW means Collision Damage Waiver). Many of those folks that rely on their Mastercard (Visa, Amex, etc. no longer provide this benefit in Ireland to their card holders), have been doing so for many years.  It was very popular years ago.  The idea that your 'free' Mastercard would save you $200 a week on CDW insurance premium was a great benefit!  As long as you didn't get into an accident!  The Credit Card Insurance is underwritten by an insurance company.  When you get a damage claim from the car rental company, they charge your credit card.  You have to then process a claim through the credit card insurance company to get your money back.  That process can take up to 18 months and you usually settle for 50% of the damage cost.  In recent years that 'free' benefit  was taken away and now only applies to the 'Worldcard' which carries a very high annual credit card fee.  So much for the free benefit.  The coverage for damage claim is limited to $25,000 up to $50,000.  Keep in mind that $25,000 will buy you a nice car here in the USA but in Ireland all new cars are subject to a VRT (Vehicle Registration Tax) of 40% of the cost of the car.  It doesn't take a math wizard to figure out that a $25,000 car in the USA will cost €35,000 in Ireland plus the exchange rate ($1.200) or $42,000.  And that's for a mid-size automatic!

Imagine if you wrecked a BMW?  You'd be out of pocket at least $17,000 even IF the credit card insurance paid a 100% of the claim.

I have also been advised that when you file an auto accident claim with the credit card insurance company that it is reported to the national insurance bureau showing that you had an accident in Ireland. This could affect you own personal auto insurance policy premium at renewal time.

Most folks when they realize this risk scenario usually add the CDW coverage and the Super CDW coverage at the counter so that they don't have a car rental 'hangover.'  Taking out those additional insurance at the counter becomes EXPENSIVE!

I would recommendation is to reserve the Fully Inclusive Rate through ConnsIrelandCarRental.com and Hertz.   All the features at a discount guaranteed in euros.  Compare and you'll see it is a great value and offers 'peace of mind.'

Charged in US Dollars or EUROS? How Does it Work?

Question:  In your previous post 'Pay in Euros or Dollars' you outlined the perceived difference and allayed my concern on that subject.  However, can you tell me what actually happens when my US issued credit card is charged either in US Dollars or Euros?  How is the rate of exchanged determined?

Answer:  Great question! I will outline the procedure of credit card processing to give you some idea of how it works both here in the USA and internationally.     

All credit card transactions whether here in the USA, Ireland Germany or anywhere are processed through 'merchant card processing entity' which is typically a division of a major bank.  The vendor, be it Safeway, Texaco, Imperial Hotel, Mrs. Murphy's B&B or Hertz  does not set currency rates on credit card charges, the 'merchant card processing entity' does.  The vendor has NO CONTROL over the 'merchant card processing entity.'  When your transaction is charged in Euros by Hertz at the end of your rental it is then processed by a 'merchant card processing center,' they credit Hertz with the euro amount and then send that charge on to your bank to be charged against your credit card statement.  It is at that point when the conversion is made.  

  

Exchange rates fluctuate every second of the day and can be 1.12454 on a Friday and open at $1.15567 on  a Monday morning.  If your transaction is being processed by the 'merchant card processing entity' at that moment you will receive an exchange rate of $1.15567 even if later in the day or the next day the exchange rate comes down to $1.12454.

Dublin Airport vs Dublin Downtown

Question: Is there a difference between picking up a car at Dublin Airport and Downtown Dublin?  Does it cost more to rent it from the downtown location?  How about getting through Dublin traffic?  Can you help?

Answer: Generally speaking, if you pick up at the Downtown location of Hertz and return it to the Dublin Airport location, there is no drop off fee.  Hertz has free drop off as well between Dublin Airport, Cork Airport and Shannon Airport.   For those of you who would like a 'pilot' service out of Dublin from the downtown Hertz location you can contact Fintan Murray at Corporate Transfers and he will pick you up at your accommodation, take you to the Hertz Downtown location, wait until you get your car, then pilot you to the road out of Dublin that you want.

 Click the home page button at the top of this page and you'll see his contact info at the lower right section of the Home page.

His phone number from the USA is 801 649 3949 or you can visit his website at: www.corporatetransfers.ie

Driving Age in Ireland for a rental car

Question: Many of the car rental sites have different ages for renting a car.  Some are 69, some are 70 and others are 75.  I am 80 years old and have been driving for 60 years.  I can rent a car here in the USA but it seems I will not be able to in Ireland.  Is that true?

Answer: 

Driver Experience - Requirements and Restrictions

Driver must have been eligible to hold a valid driving license for at least the following number of years:

1. Minimum SIX (6) years are restricted to the following groups – A, B, C, E, F & R6
2. Minimum of TEN (10) years are restricted to the following groups – A, B, C, E, F, D, G, J, P, S, T, V, P, R6
3. Minimum of TWELVE (12) years can rent all car groups.

The upward age for renting a car on the Fully Inclusive Rate with NO deductible is 79 years. Customers over 75 years and through 79 years are eligible to rent with the following specific conditions:

1. You must drive on a regular basis
2. You will need to provide to the counter a letter from your insurance company to state that you have not had an accident within the last 5 years, that you hold a current policy of motor insurance with you and that you are currently driving.
3. You will need to provide a current letter from your doctor to state you have been in good health.

Click the 'Terms' link at the top of the car rental page for more details about any special requirements.

Taking a rental car into Northern Ireland

Question: Can I drive the rental car into Northern Ireland?  Are there extra fees or insurance?  There seems to be a lot of confusion from those who post on the Ireland blogs.  Can you explain?

Answer:  Hertz has no restrictions when taking a rental car into Northern Ireland.   Their insurance covers the entire island of Ireland,  including the North.  Should you want to return your rental to a Northern Ireland Hertz location, there would be a drop off fee, however.  If you're touring around the island and traveling through the North and returning to a Hertz location in the Republic, you have nothing to be concerned about.

In fact when you drive into Northern Ireland you won't realize you are there until you see the road milage signs are in miles rather than kilometers!  There is no 'official' border anymore.  It is just like driving between states in the USA.

Pay for Rental in Euros or US Dollars

Question: I have read that many folks are very concerned about how they can be assured that they get their rental car charged in Euros rather than in US Dollars.  They believe that they save money on the exchange rate that way.  Is that true?

Answer:  There is popular misconception that the tourist will be able to get the daily Wall Street exchange when touring Ireland.  The Wall Street rate is for transactions of one million dollars or more!  The average tourist may spend, within Ireland, a maximum of €5,000 during their touring.  Some higher.  The banks and credit cards apply a few cents to the Wall Street rate for smaller transactions.

So whether you ask to be charged in Euros or USD, it will make very little difference.  As I always say, it will probably be no more than the cost of a few pints of Guinness at the end of the tour.

That being said, if you wish to be 'euro only,' then tell the merchant, hotel, car rental company to charge your card in Euros.  If you are using a Hertz car through EasyTourIreland.com,  you can tell the Hertz agent WHEN YOU PICK UP THE CAR to have your rental charge in Euros and they will make that indication on your reservation record.

One Way Rentals in Ireland

Questions: I have heard that many car rental companies charge a 'drop-off' fee for picking up a car in one location and returning it to another location.  Can you give me some clarification on this?

Answer:   Hertz has a free drop off fee between its Republic locations of €10 to €70,  depending on the length of the rental. If you rent in the Republic and return to a  Northern Ireland location,  the drop fee is €160.  The reason for the fees is that many of the cars are not needed at the smaller locations and will need to be transported back to Dublin, Cork or Shannon.  For Northern Ireland the car MUST be returned to the Republic as it has a Republic registration and CANNOT be rented from a Northern Ireland location.

Car Rental Sizes for Luggage and Passengers

Question: How do I determine the right size of rental car?  Sometimes there are just the two of us, so the smallest car is fine.  But this year we will be traveling with four of us for two weeks and will have eight pieces of luggage.  Can you help?

Answer:  This is the major cause of disappointment of car renters.  Consider when you drive your own car around your home town you do not have any luggage but may fill the seats in your car with family on the Sunday drive.  When you travel to another country you will be bringing at least one checked-in suitcase per person and one carry-on per person.  If you have two people traveling, the you will have at least four pieces of luggage and maybe a few more.  That means that you may wish to rent a Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, VW Golf rather than a VW Up.  When you complete the Search For Cars section on the ConnsIrelandCarRental.com site, you will see a selection of cars (up to 10) and if you click on the 'More Details' link next to the photo of the vehicle, you will see what they advise is the capacity of the vehicle.  For example, the VW Polo is one Large suitcase and two small suitcases.  The VW Golf is Two Large suitcases and two small suitcases.  If you have four folks and eight pieces of luggage, you may consider a minivan as that will provide the most luggage space for four folks, especially if you're taking golf clubs.  The 9 seat minivan should be considered for just 6 persons when accounting for 12 pieces of luggage.

A note regarding luggage capacity:  A large suitcase would be 26” or 29” and a small suitcase would be 19” or 22.”  Be sure you have chosen a vehicle that will meet the passenger comfort and luggage capacity for the number of passengers

you have.  You will find the larger, more comfortable car is not much more in cost.

The old axiom of packing comes into play here: pack your bags two days before you leave home.  Then the day before you leave, take out half the clothes.  You won't wear them.  There are service laundries all over Ireland where you can hand in your dirty laundry in the morning and pick it up that evening when you return from your touring day.  They charge by the weight; wash, dry and fold the laundry.

Cost of Gas in Ireland

Questions: I am reading many posts on TripAdvisor, Frommers and Fodors about the price of gas in Ireland.  Some say it is $9.00 a gallon.  Why is it more expensive than here in the USA?

Answer:  The main reason there is a higher cost for gasoline (petrol) in Ireland than in the USA is that European countries add considerably more TAXES to the price of petrol.  Today, the cost of a gallon of regular here in the USA is about $2.25.  Today, in Ireland that same size gallon (3.75 liters) is about $6.00!  Gasoline is sold by the liter in Ireland.  Many of the smaller rental cars get up to 60 miles per gallon; so if you wish to economize on gasoline, then rent a smaller car.

CDW Covered by Credit Card or Purchase from Car Rental Company

Question: I am confused about the difference between renting a car using a Mastercard to cover the collision damage (CDW ) for the rental car and purchasing CDW - collision damage waiver from the car rental company directly.  Can you enlighten me?

Answer:  For many, many years quite a few of the frequent travelers to Ireland were comfortable with using the 'benefit' connected with their credit card to cover the collision damage to the rental vehicle.  Typically, that 'benefit' would be activated once you 'declined' the car rental company's insurance coverage.  The maximum benefit would be usually $25,000 to $50,000 of damage coverage.  That may work easily in the USA but in Ireland the costs of the vehicle is 40% higher than the same car in the USA.  The Irish Government charges a VRT (Vehicle Registration Tax) of 40% on all new cars.  With that in mind, the 'credit card  benefit' would most likely fall short of a 'totaled' crashed car.  The balance would be the renter's liability.  I have seen this happen hundreds of times in the last 26 years.

In addition, the 'credit card benefit' usually has a restriction on the length of rental, most likely 7 to 15 days; so you would have to turn in the car and get a NEW car if you wish to rent for more than two weeks.  This sometimes incurs a one-way drop fee as well.

In recent years many of the credit card issuers have dropped this benefit for Ireland and several other countries.  So renters are concerned about damage liability do purchase the Super Collision Coverage at the counter which adds to the total cost.  Then they think that they were 'sold the coverage' and blame extra cost on the car rental agent.

The solution to that is what ConnsIrelandCarRental.com has developed - a FULLY INCLUSIVE car rental rate that takes the anxiety and hassle out of renting a Hertz car in Ireland.  Click on the 'Home' button above and you will be able to get a quote by filling in the Hertz widget.