Appendix - Ireland 2014 - page 712

such as Auto Europe ( www.autoeurope.com ) or Dan Dooley ( www.dan-dooley.ie ), will do
longer-term rentals at a slight discount.
Compare pickup costs (downtown can be less expensive than the airport but involves
more challenging urban traffic), and explore drop-off options. Always check the hours of
the location you choose: Many rental offices close from midday Saturday until Monday
morning and, in smaller towns, at lunchtime.
When selecting a location, don't trust the agency's description of “downtown” or “city
center.” In some cases, a “downtown” branch can be on the outskirts of the city—a long,
costly taxi ride from the center. Before choosing, plug the addresses into a mapping web-
site. You may find that the “train station” location is handier. But returning a car at a big-
city train station or downtown agency can be tricky; get precise details on the car drop-off
location and hours and allow ample time to find it.
When you pick up the rental car, check it thoroughly and make sure any damage is
noted on your rental agreement. Find out how your car's lights, turn signals, wipers, and
fuel cap function, and know what kind of fuel the car takes. When you return the car, make
sure the agent verifies its condition with you.
If your trip covers both Ireland and Great Britain (Scotland, England, and Wales),
you're better off with two separate car rentals, rather than paying for your car to ride the
ferry between the two islands. On an all-Ireland trip, you can drive your rental car from
the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland, but be aware of drop-off charges ($75-150)
if you return it in the North. You'll pay a smaller drop-off charge ($25-50) for picking up
the car at one place and dropping it off at another within the same country (even picking
up in downtown Dublin and dropping off at Dublin Airport). If you pick up the car in a
smaller city, you'll more likely survive your first day on the Irish roads. If you drop the car
off early or keep it longer, you'll be credited or charged at a fair, prorated price.
Car Insurance Options
Whenyourentacar,you'reliableforaveryhighdeductible,sometimesequaltotheentire
value of the car. Limit your financial risk with one of these two options: Buy Collision
Damage Waiver (CDW) coverage from the car-rental company, or get coverage through
your credit card (more complicated, and few credit cards now offer free coverage in Ire-
land).
CDW includes a very high deductible (typically $1,000-1,500). Though each rental
company has its own variation, basic CDW costs $15-35 a day (figure roughly 30 percent
extra)andreducesyourliability,butdoesnoteliminate it.Whenyoupickupthecar,you'll
be offered the chance to “buy down” the basic deductible to zero (for an additional $10-30/
day; this is sometimes called “super CDW”).