Dan Dooley Car Hire

I would give 0 stars if possible. Your 2 options for insurance are outrageously priced, but I could have overlooked even that if it hadn’t been for their extremely poor handling of our situation. We started our tour in Dublin with a snazzy package of hotels booked all over southern Ireland and the car rental. We opted for the more expensive, lowest deductible insurance, as the alternative was them putting a € 1900 hold on my card (who has that kind of spare cash that they don’t mind being tied up, while on holiday??). While in Cork, we were rearended and knocked into the car in front of us. It was entirely the other driver’s fault and he quickly admitted liability. The boot was trashed, so while we could drive to our hotel, we couldn’t do much else with the car. At first, the Cork agents were sympathetic and helpful. They couldn’t bring us a car that night, but promised one the next day. We were checking out of our hotel to move on to Waterford, so it was a bit frustrating that they didn’t arrive until nearly 1 pm (after checkout and us idling about the lobby) but as they had to find us a new car I was patient. We walked through the damage assessment, checked out the new car, and were finally on our way, vowing not to let the accident ruin our trip. In Waterford, 175 km away, I receive a message that they, «are sorry to inform me that additional insurance charges will be required». I quickly check my bank account and they had taken, completely unauthorized and with no prior warning, € 2200! I was shocked. I called and was informed that despite the accident not being my fault, the largest insurance rider was mandatory. When I informed them they were not authorized to debit my account those sums as I never agreed, I was told my only options were to pay, or return the car and receive a refund in 5 – 7 business days. Oh, and I had to return it to Cork or Dublin myself. I ended up turning the car in and 3 days later, I am still broke and extremely disappointed, taking trains, buses, and taxis all over. I have reported their fraudulent charges to my bank and will endeavor to make sure no one ever makes the similar mistake of renting from them. Their staff is ignorant of their own policies (not informing me of potential charges when I took possession of the new auto), they felt at liberty to charge my card despite receiving NO authorization, and in the end were wholly unsympathetic to the fact that I was now 175 km away in a different city after their blunders. The car accident didn’t ruin my trip, but Dan Dooley sure has tried to.

Extremely helpful at the desk, after a long flight. Quickly explained the «need to knows» for traveling in Ireland, all while giving additional tips on travel, eats, and festivities. We really enjoyed our rental for the three week stay, and will go with Dooley again. They were cheap, and hassle free.

Everything went smooth as far as car rentals go. If I could do it all over again I would probably upgrade the insurance for $ 100 more. I didn’t wreck the car or anything but it was certainly running through my head the week I spent driving around Ireland. You might as well fork over the money and leave the worries behind you.

Dan Dooley’s website touts a price guarantee and says, «Our Inclusive car rental low prices are just that, we guarantee there are no Hidden Extras charged when you arrive.» I found this to be almost true when I rented in June 2015.
At the counter in Dublin airport, they charged me for fuel. During my online booking, I think they did warn about this, but did not indicate the cost of fuel that would be charged to my card in Ireland. It ended up not relevant in the long run, because I returned the Ford Galaxy two weeks later with a fuel tank, so they refunded the fuel charge.
However, they did not refund the 50 euro «Deliv/​Coll/​Misc» fee which was in addition to the fuel cost. They don’t make this fee clear when bragging about their price guarantee. They might have mentioned this fee, either when quoting rental cost or during the online ordering process; I don’t recall.
When we first reached the van and inspected it, I found minor damage not noted on the rental paperwork. We had to walk all the way back to the rental counter to have this noted, so they couldn’t make us responsible for the damage.
While back at the counter, we also had to address the surprising absence of a spare tire. They explained that we had to rely on a canned chemical sealant product stored in the vehicle, or hire a tow truck if needed. Also, they cleared up our confusion about hooking up the center seat’s safety belt; it attaches to a point on the Ford Galaxy’s interior ceiling above that seat. They should have told us about these things the first time we were at the rental counter.
The vehicle proved to be reliable, although a couple times it gave a low battery warning that worried us a little.
Returning the van was fast and easy, and I didn’t have to wait long for their shuttle to take me back to Maldron Hotel in the airport site.

Booked our Ireland trip through a travel agency specializing in Ireland trips. Car was pre ordered but was a tiny gas car so when we got there I wanted t upgrade. Coming from the U.S. And compared to prices from San Francisco it was affordable and easy to upgrade to a diesel sedan. We had a Renault sedan and it performed flawlessly. We also got their wifi stick that allowed us to have wifi on the road. It was great for navigation and looking up other things as well. The kiosk was in the airport but like most airports they transported you to the car location a few minutes away. They had large loop to practice in and recommended it if you have never driven RHD (right hand drive). Also, the automatic cars are more so it helps to know how to drive a manual transmission. Staff was friendly and accommodating and luckily they had plenty of selection of cars. I wanted to spring for a diesel BMW but I think our Renault did just fine! Finding the place on the way back in was rather tough so make sure to book mark the rental lot location prior to leaving!

One of the few rental agencies in Ireland that rent out automatic, we ended up getting a stick because they are more fun to drive. Coming from the US, it was mandatory to get car rental car insurance which I can understand why as the roads are very tiny in Ireland’s countryside, we didn’t hit anything but when checking out 2 people in front of us did, one slapped off their mirror and another scratched their fender. You can check with your car insurance to see if you are covered, we were not, most US insurance companies cover rental car use but not for Ireland. There were no hidden fees when we returned the car, and the shuttle to and from the Dublin Airport was great, the drivers were very friendly and helpful.

I have many good things to say about Dan Dooley’s. In the first place they are the only company I could find in Ireland which would rent to people age 75 and over, without requiring extensive documentation from your insurance company and doctor. Of course they charge a premium for age, but for those who are unwilling or unable to obtain the appropriate documentation, it is a welcome policy.
The check in at the airport was very efficient, and the shuttle bus driver who took us to our car was helpful in going over the features of our automobile. We had no problem with the car on our trip in Ireland. The return of the car
was also handled well. (Aside from the fact that we had quite a bit of difficulty in getting to the car return place, but that’s true of all the rentals not just this one — As a piece of advice, if you rent a car with a GPS set the location where you rent the car to home– and you then find it again easily.)
I do have one sour note, which may be the fault of one employee rather than company policy but I think that the management should take note of it. Upon returning the car, the shuttle bus driver was supposed to take us back to the airport taxi stand where we could get a ride to Dublin centre city. The driver told us that the airport taxis charged an extra 10 euro fare and that he would save us money by calling a friend. I was immediately suspicious as who knew what the friend would charge. When his friend was busy, he took us instead to one of the airport hotels where he proceeded to negotiate with taxis waiting there for giving them a fare. He then demanded a tip from me, for saving me the 10 euros. On questioning the cab driver about the «extras» on the meter, he confessed that he had paid the shuttle bus driver a kickback for dropping us off and then added that and a little bit more on as an extra charge. In fairness to the cab driver he agreed to take off this charge and we paid just he regular fare. So probably I did save money on the taxi but I still think that is not acceptable behaviour on the part of the shuttle bus drivers, and it should be stopped.

I rented a manual Renault Captur for my family of four. I checked the quote online, called the Boston office to be extra sure (and yep, what you see online is exactly what you will pay), and made the reservation. As you will notice, it’s significantly cheaper to rent a manual than auto. A three day rental only cost 77 euro.
One thing that my dad and I completely forgot about while booking is that not only do Irish people drive on the other side of the road (leftie), the gear console is also a leftie (!!!) My dad and I realized this literally a couple days before arrival. We tried to see if there was an automatic car available (even if it’s expensive, better safe than sorry) but alas there was not. So if you do not know how to drive stick and/​or are uncomfortable with the leftie driving, reserve an automatic well in advance!
Because of this, we opted into the excess liability insurance. That way, the premium is only 100 euro instead of 5000 or whatever it was. I had my dad practice leftie manual driving in the parking lot for about 15 min. Once he kind of got the hang of it, we drove to our destinations (Galway, Northern Ireland, and everywhere inbetween).
I am happy to say that my family did not end up needing the excess insurance (though we are still glad we purchased it, in case anything had happened). The leftie driving wasn’t as big of a deal as we thought it’d be. Instead, it was the narrow-​ness of the road that bothered my dad more than anything else. To this date, we still don’t know how big-​ish trucks and tractors drive 60+ mph on super narrow roads. A lot of the countryside roads were virtually a one-​lane road, but two cars whizzed by each other from both directions. It was quite frightening.
Anyway, that’s besides the point about Dooley rental. We had a great rental experience with Dooley and we would rent again from them if we come back to Ireland.

The best place to hire a car in Dublin! Great people and the best cars. No hidden fees. I will always use this care hire service.

I am renting from Dan Dooleys since 1997, every year. I find them very professional and eager to please. I asked when I came in to Dublin to leave the car at the airport.
In terminal 2 so it would be easy for me to just check in for my flight. No problem says the woman at the counter your one of our loyal customers! Then I was running short this past trip of time no time to re fuel, they just charged me for what I used, and credited the rest no problem again your a loyal customer! Then when arriving I must admit I was cranky and not in the best form, the woman proceeds to tell me I am getting a diesel. Flipped out, but low and behold the gal was right it was cheaper on the fuel cost and went a long way, my fear was I would not find filling stations but everywhere I went they had plenty of diesel. Last thing I want to say is Dan Dooleys doesn’t play games like all the rest of the rental car companies in Ireland. Insurance on your car all inclusive will leave you fully covered. Our American credit cards don cover us in Ireland anymore except I heard Amex does, check that out, but if you don’t have Amex its best to get the bumper to bumper you never know what could happen. Ps they always have a nice selection of automatics which are easier for us Americans tacking the other side of the road! Okay hope this helps you guys I am glad I discovered Them it’s a good company to do business with!
PPS apologises to the lady that helped me at Dublin Airport when I got the diesel Ford Focus in white, it was a great car!

Excellent experience with Dan Dooley Rental company, We originally rented the car (automatic, GPS, all the insurance) for 9 days. Pick up of the car was fast and easy. Like others had said, they gave us one with many scrapes and dings on the left side and basically said «don’t worry, we won’t even notice a few more.» Luckily, we didn’t add any. But the best thing about our experience with Dooley: when we decided to return the car 4 days early to another airport (driving on left side proved too stressful; we decided to take buses and day tours, which were very affordable and plentiful), they happily took the car back and credited us for the four unused days, even though it was a prepaid, non refundable reservation. Credit to our acct happened almost immediately and they couldn’t have been nicer. Thanks, Dan Dooley!

Rented a Nissan Micra from Dan Dooley from 4÷11÷15−4÷21÷15. After reading some not so flattering reviews I was a bit concerned, but all my worrying was in vain. Had a excellent experience with Dan Dooley. Was in and out of the Dublin airport in less than 20 minutes, was given a very reliable car (had 44k), and the return process was a snap! Would highly recommend and will use again.

Fast check out for our rental and the staff were very nice. Unfortunately the cars with wifi hotspots were all taken (pretty popular) but the gps navi was just fine. We’re pretty resourceful so we don’t get lost that fast i just have to remember that it’s a right hand drive like Japan. Hubby was good with reorienting me LoL. The car was just what i expected… economy, fuel efficient and small…:-) Paul, the shuttle driver was so pleasant! he gave us tips and places to go which we really appreciated especially since he visited California so he knows the difference and gave us tips with driving over here. Great service!

I’ve rented from Dooley on three different occasions. The first two times, they were my only option because I was under 25. The price was high, but again, no other options.
Overall, I was always very happy with their staff. Very friendly. Very helpful. Can’t say enough nice things about the customer service.
The last time I rented I was 25 and they still SEEMINGLY had the best price. They took care of me through their department that markets in the US. However, once I arrived to the airport, they gouged me an extra € 16 per day for the most basic CDW insurance. And then they charged me a € 30 «administrative fee» with a € 3000 hold on my credit card for declining the more expensive CDW since I was covered by my insurance.
(Had I booked the CDW over the phone with the agent marketing to the US, I would have saved significantly.)
We had the car for almost three weeks and hit a curb at one point. It did minor damage to the hub cap on the tire but no significant damage. Upon return the claimed that I destroyed the tire and charged me $ 200. I doubt they even repaired the tire. But I really had no recourse since they had a € 3000 hold on my credit card.
Fortunately I was able to get the $ 200 back through credit card insurance but it was a long process that required a bunch of paperwork.
I would rent from Dan Dooley again in the future, but they wouldn’t be my first choice. I highly recommend getting the full CDW through the American agent rather than getting it at the airport desk.

Customer service was good. We rented a WIFI thing that worked half the time for $ 10 or 10 euros a day. We had to pay for the mandatory liability insurance. Our bill for 10 days was close to $ 1k…ouch. But the car got us where we needed to go, no issues. We opted for automatic with no AC… you don’t need AC in the car in Ireland.

Dan Dooley!!! It’s always fun for me to find the local car rental agency when I am overseas, they tend to have a cool add on, and normally go out of their way to make you happy (they are competing with the big guys after all — looking at you Hertz). Dan Dooley was no exception; they had far and away the coolest car add-​on feature I’ve gotten in Europe, Wi-​Fi for the car. If you’ve traveled out of the states, you know how irritating it can be to pay for data packages for your phone. They are expensive, and you tend to feel lost without Google handy at all times (god forbid we couldn’t search for the top rated bars/​map where they are/​check in to them IMMEDIATELY). Best part of the Wi-​Fi though? It was portable, and connected up to 5 devices. This meant we could unplug it from the car, stick it in our bag and boom, instant Wi-​Fi anywhere we were in the country for both our phones. Big props Dan, you made our trip 1000% more enjoyable.
The car selection was nice; unleaded or diesel, full range from economy to vans. We went with the smallest possible car we could get (there was only two of us), and gas is almost 2euro a LITER (that’s roughly 7.50 $ a gallon, so maybe stop complaining about «high» gas prices while filling up your seven seat Escalade). Driving on the left is always a challenge the first day, but Dooley had nice large signs on the windshield to remind us «left, left, left», good advice as we managed to survive a week with a car unscathed (I have to admit, I got a bit too comfortable, and by the second day found myself flying over the speed limit… whoops).
Great service and selection, I would highly recommend checking Dan Dooley out — make sure you get the Wi-​Fi service you won’t regret it for a second.

I can’t say I had the worst experience by any means with any of their car services… but for the love of god, please update your GPS system! We seriously had so many issues with this system; once it landed us at a dead end stating we had reached our destination, it constantly called road names things they were not labelled as at all, and did not have at like 90% of the locations we were looking for (we’d either have to just put in the town name and hope to happen upon it, or one time I actually just went ahead and turned on my cell phone’s data roaming so we could find our hotel– probably racking up a nice little bill…)
Anyway, we had no problems with the actually car or any of their services, but next time I would think twice about using their GPS, though I’m not exactly sure what the other options are.

Good rates and excellent customer service. Our car was nice and new and we paid extra for the WiFi hot spot, which I HIGHLY recommend!
The only trouble we had was returning the car. Google maps takes you to a location in Santry near the airport and there is a big Dan Dooley sign, but no where to go. So then we just went to the airport and followed signs for Car Rental Returns, but apparently that is only for after hours.
There were directions on a sheet of paper for where to drop off the car but they were so vague and we had already been driving around for a half hr trying to figure it out! The woman at the desk was very kind and let us leave it in the after hours lot.

This review is for the Shannon location. We booked a vacation package with Aer Lingus which included car rental with Dan Dooley. Check-​in went very smoothly. The car was practically new (less than 1,000 km). A Renault Fluence which was spacious (plentiful truck space for our party of 4) and excellent diesel efficiency! We rented a portable wifi, which was a life saver because we could use our smartphones on airplane mode, which eliminated the need to rent a separate GPS (since we had google maps, plus all of the other apps/​benefits of having wifi). Returning the car was a breeze too. Looking at their rates online, they are very reasonable and will choose them again when we return to Ireland. I also emailed the company before and after the trip and they were very good about answering questions.

Very good customer service when we picked up our car hire. Although the queue was long, we didn’t feel rushed and the representative made sure we were aware of everything such as gps extra driver insurance etc. The shuttle driver was extremely friendly and helpful, giving us recommendations and directions as well as handling out heavy luggage. A great experience. Will update with drop off review when we return the car!