Ireland Car Rentals – Tips
So you are coming to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland and want to rent a car. How can you get the best deal? Here is some excellent advice from the experts so that your Ireland car rentals experience will be pleasant, cost effective and trouble free.
Don’t waste time searching company by company, use a broker:
Arranging your car hire for a trip to Ireland couldn’t be easier these days thanks to the internet, with an unprecedented wealth of great deals and vehicle options available to the consumer. With this though presents the challenge of finding the best deal without having to scour each individual car hire company. Instead, use a broker that uses most of the well-known companies offering car hire in Ireland to find a deal that will save you time and money.
Do your research on the vehicle before jumping in head first:
Are you traveling in a large group or in a family of more than 4 people? If so you will need a multi-passenger vehicle but also one that will store all your luggage. Do you plan on taking the vehicle off road? Get something that will be able to handle any situation that will arise. In short, these are the kinds of questions to think about before merely booking. In short; do your research.
Save money by planning the pick-up and drop-off points of your hire car in advance:
There can be no doubt that picking up your Ireland car rentals car on arrival at the airport – be it Kerry, Cork, Dublin, Donegal, Derry, Belfast or anywhere – is the easiest and most straightforward option when arranging your car hire, especially if this is where you plan to drop your car off on your return journey. However, many people aren’t aware that car rental companies can be subject to charges for keeping their vehicle fleet on site at the airport; a cost they pass on to consumers. In many cases, it can be cheaper to arrange car hire off-site for your onward journey if this suits your travel plans. Also be aware that you will probably have to pay a one way fee if the drop off location differs from where you picked it up.
Don’t hire your car for more days than you need:
This may be an obvious point, but is one that is commonly overlooked. If you are arriving in Ireland late on the day, it may be cheaper to arrange for a different way to get to your lodgings the first night you arrive. Ireland car rentals companies usually work on a 24 hour basis which means you have until the same time the next day to return your car. If you don’t plan to use your car much when you first arrive, don’t leave it sitting outside your hotel doing nothing and wasting money, instead arrange to collect it at a better time the day after.
Don’t return your hire car late:
Although a little unfair some companies will charge you an extra day rental for being a minute overdue. For this reason make sure you arrive in plenty of time at your drop off location to avoid unnecessary fees. Remember they have your credit card details and will automatically take this cost from your account.
Check the damage excess:
In the unlikely event of an accident, some companies will charge you money on paying excess fees of repair costs. For a small fee many companies will waiver this excess so you won’t have to pay a penny if you are unlucky enough to be in an accident.
Don’t drive away without knowing the vehicle’s essential functions:
This is another obvious point, but an important one sometimes forgotten about. Make sure you know how to use the car’s settings you think you’ll need before driving away as you won’t be able to ask questions when you’re stuck 100 miles away! Things such as learning how to set the windscreen wiper speeds or to use the fog lights are minor examples, but can be helpful if it starts pelting it down with rain in the pitch blackness of the Wicklow Hills!
Examine the vehicle for damage before leaving:
If the car has anything you deem a flaw, report it to the car hire company before you set off. The blame (and bill!) for any instances of damage noted by the car hire company when you take the vehicle back will no doubt fall on your head!
Plan your route:
Though driving in Ireland is straight forward enough, if you have never been there before, it is a good idea to plan your route before you start your journey. If you plan your journey well it could help you save money by not getting lost and wasting unnecessary fuel.
Drive economically:
When driving through the Irish countryside you may well want to test drive your car and put your foot down. Although however much fun and tempting it may be, driving erratically and testing your hire car’s ability it means you will waste money on fuel consumption, not to mention increase your chances of an accident. Take it easy and remember to drive carefully and keep your foot off the throttle.
Follow these car hire tips for your Ireland car rentals and you will save money!
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