Renting through Sixt?

You may want to search for some recent posts about renting in Ireland. The problem with making a blanket statement about Sixt or Hertz or Avis or whatever, is that the rental experience depends so very much on the local office you deal with. Sixt or Avis can be great in Paris, France, but not so great elsewhere. Sometimes people think when the rent from a familiar name in Europe, like Hertz or Avis, they think the U.S. office will help when there is an issue. Likely, not.

I like to use Autoeurope in the hope that they will help when and issue comes up. We've had a few, and dealing with Autoeurope was easier than the local rental company.

In the event that you're not already aware: one element of any rental car booking that needs sorting out beforehand is the matter of insurance. Most of the standard credit cards (ie the free ones) specifically exclude coverage in Ireland. Some of the premium cards do provide coverage, but you'll want to dive into the fine print for those in order to satisfy yourself that you understand their terms and, in particular, how settling a potential claim would actually work.
Many here rely on AutoEurope for rentals in Ireland - both for the competitive pricing and because their insurance options are clearly stated.
And if you intend to rent in Dublin and drive across the international border into Northern Ireland you'll want to ensure that your contract (and insurance cover) reflects that - wouldn't want to inadvertantly void your coverage due a simple oversight.

Just for the record, I've made a claim on my credit card, and other than having the amount reducing my available credit, it was painless. Took about 30 days and they even reduced my actual payment by removing the extra driver add-on. When I returned the car to Enterprise, their eyes lit up and they checked boxes on their tablet until they charged me $4500 for a scuffed rim and a substantial scratch in both doors on the left side.

Last year, Hertz/Alamo charged $7 per day to use your credit card insurance. Still way cheaper than the offered insurance.

I rented from SixT a few years ago, and they were the only company that didn't offer cancellation. I think they since changed that. I rented from them, and my flight arrived three hours late, so they called it a new contract and their demand pricing tripled the rate. I ended up walking away from the 50% deposit and renting elsewhere. Won't use them, no matter what.

I'm calling the credit card company today see what they say....they may be able to book for me through their travel concierge service..it's a fairly high service card.

that said, I appreciate the experiences....late flight/no car that meets are needs available is what I'm afraid of...

however, the take away from this thread seems to be

go for the gold in terms of insurance?

"the take away from this thread seems to be go for the gold in terms of insurance? "

Absolutely ... if only for the peace of mind.
Another thought: it's worth checking with any other affiliations you may have (Costco, USAA, AAA, etc.) to see if booking thru them would be cost-effective ... especially as regards to the matter of the insurance cover. While booking thru AAA a few years ago, for example, the upcharge for their zero deductible cover was only $11 per day - so it is worth shopping around.

Have used Hertz, Avis, SixT and others. Just depends on the best deal for the destination. Have used SixT and have been very pleased with all experiences. That said, be prepared for SixT office to be off airport site, although SixT provides shuttle. No problem.

I too have used Sixt in the Caribbean, Europe, and S Africa and have had good experiences with them. About to use them again over Christmas in Morocco and will likely use the in the future.

I have a reservation for May through Costco. It actually turned out to be Alamo, but the rate is lower and you get a free second driver. And my Costco card is the one that covers the insurance.

Update - we ended up renting through hertz (7 passenger volvo SUV - tight with 6 and limited bags).

my UBS card concierge did get us a much better rate than the web. that said, NI/ROI the only countries where my card won't cover in terms of insurance. we ended up following the advice posted of getting the premium insurance.

it was a big hit unfortunately but thankfully, we had no issues. that said, it provided peace of mind.