written by axMcLaughlin308 on 04/12/2018
Frequent traveller to NI usually book with budget or Hertz but price was good so decided to take the chance on these. BIG MISTAKE... They find random reasons why you have to pay more money at the desk. They tried to charge us 3 times what we had paid in advance for the car. We refused and returned to airport where Budget guy clearly knew in advance who we were and quoted EXTORTIONATE price for alternative rental SO WE WOULD RETURN TO DOOLEYS (easirent)..MATES HELPING EACH OTHER OUT without doubt! We were lucky we have family living over there there who rescued us but if YOU don't...STAY AWAY
written by Remichen on 15/05/2017
The Dan Dooley/Fox Customer Service Experience: The most unsympathetic, unfriendly and downright hostile group of people I have ever experienced on my many trips home to Ireland. When faced with a very unexpected trip home in March due to a family tragedy, our travel agent made last minute reservations for flights. car rental and hotel. Upon arrival to Dublin we proceeded to the car rental counter of Dan Dooley/Fox where we encountered a very harried and upset eastern European agent. From the onset she was curt and very unwelcoming. We presented our voucher with a confirmation number which quoted a price of $92.43 for the few days we were to be there. She told us that the price was going to be 359.28 Euros which is slightly more expensive. I asked for the breakdown, and fully understood the fuel charge 65.04 Euros that would be returned on returning the vehicle full, a 25 euro fee for waiving their insurance (dubious) and then the rental fee 171.17 euros, a Deliv/Coll/Misc fee of 46.70 euros and finally VAT at 44.37 euros. We were to say the least, bemused. When we questioned the charges we were informed that it was the busiest time of the year (March 11) due to St. Patrick's day and if we felt we could do better at one of other other car rental companies we should just go and do that. By this time we are exhausted, facing a 6 hour drive and in a state of shock due to the family tragedy, we just wanted to get on the road and agreed so we could get out of there. We were then advised that there would be a 3,000 (Three thousand) Euro hold put on our credit card. This turned out to be another mitigating disaster as they did not put a hold, they actually charged the card. This took 6 weeks post return to get amended and corrected. The follow up that both our travel agent and we encountered post return is best described by the adjectives used on our opening paragraph. I found myself having to return to Ireland this past week for another family tragedy and both my Travel agent and I made it a point that we would not dare utilize this agency again, and ultimately had a wonderful customer service experience with one of this company's competitors.
written by 488Meyer on 23/10/2016
After an hour delay we were finally given a car with damage to the left side which was noted. After driving forty miles the tire sensor lights up. Drove to gas station to see a bubble on tire wall. Drive back to Dooley to find out the axle was actually broke. Thankfully I didn't have an accident. No apologies, just rushed out of there in another car and a wasted day of vacation. I just think they should examine their cars for the safety of passengers and others. Be careful!
written by LorraineMykonos on 29/12/2015
Our car was an upgrade to what we expected. Service was excellent prior and after arrival. Thank you for everything we will be back and will be using your service again. I highly recommend Dooley Car Hire.
written by LMWAtlantaGA on 13/10/2015
We researched car rentals thoroughly and chose Dan Dooly with full insurance coverage. That is key. You must make sure you have full insurance coverage....Driving in Ireland is more frightening than driving in Atlanta! We had great service from start to finish and will rent from them again. They even shipped back to us an item we forgot in the trunk.
written by ecj2015 on 07/08/2015
Terrible experience!!! We rented from Holiday Autos and Dooleys was the most competitive price....well you get what you pay for!!! The car hire office is outside the airport and we waited ages for a shuttle bus to collect us and had to carry all our luggage/small baby etc. When we got to the office we experienced an extremely rude woman who appeared to be the boss, who rudely told us the following..... 1) Dooley's have nothing to do with Holiday Autos (which they obviously do if they rent cars from them) so are not accountable for anything they say about Dooleys on their website, which is absolutely ridiculous. 2) Despite paying £36 extra for comprehensive car insurance when booking online, because this was again, "nothing to do with them", we had to pay and extra 1300 euros insurance to Dooleys. 3) They failed to tell us that they are only open from 5.30am until 5.30pm which meant us returning our car hours and hours before our flight and hanging around in Shannon airport for hours with a small baby, which is not fun. When I mentioned that this should be made clear to customers prior to booking she said "do you expect us to work 24hrs, we do have a life you know'.....again, not helpful when you have a night flight! 4) While its Dooleys policy to provide the hire vehicle full of petrol, they informed me that its Holiday Autos (who they have nothing to do with) policy to return it empty. They charged us 75 euros for a full tank of petrol and insisted that we returned it empty. As we were staying with friends in Limerick, we only hired the car for a weekend to run around the local area because we had a baby and babyseat. Therefore, we only used about 10 euros worth of petrol and ended up losing the rest. Do not rent a car from this company. They are cheap, but spend a bit more using a well known hire company and pick your car up in the airport, without all the hassle you get with Dooleys.
written by xiMorgan409 on 30/04/2015
Scratched the left front bumper in Ireland on a Dan Dooley car. In the US it's a 1 hour job to sand, mask, then spray paint the scratch. Dan Dooley found some way to charge me the astronomical amount of 475 Euros for the repair. They held back 500 Euros and I knew that once I was back in the US they were going to find some way to get it all (they almost did). When you own a rental car company in Ireland with the narrow roads, you need to factor in that your cars will get minor scratches on them, not just rip off someone when they do get the scratch. I'll be posting on Facebook also to tell all my friends not to rent from Dooley, ever.
written by on 31/08/2014
We booked this car at very short notice, when let down by another company. The rate was great, as was the service from the person at the desk at Dublin Airport and the one who drove us to our car. The car was virtually, new, and was clean and economical. We found no hidden extras and would use them again.
written by sidhun on 12/08/2014
We had a terrible experience with Dan Dooley car rental. We pre-paid our rental ($1500 USD) and picked up our car after arriving at Dublin airport from the U.S. The car was a standard (stick shift). My husband's regular car at home is a standard, and he has 20 years' experience driving standard. As we were leaving the car rental lot, he noticed the gears slipping. The problems continued and, five minutes after leaving the rental lot, the clutch on our car gave out entirely. This was terribly dangerous as we were entering a highway at the time, with three small kids in the back of the car and no shoulder on the road. Fortunately, some truck drivers helped push us to the side of the road. We thought Dan Dooley would be apologetic about giving us a damaged vehicle but no! They insisted that WE had damaged the clutch and charged $2500 to our credit card. It is not possible to burn out a clutch in five minutes' driving, even with an inexperienced driver, never mind one with 20 years of driving standard! They would not give us a new car unless we signed off on the charge, which we refused to do (they charged us anyway, because we had pre-authorized a hold) and so we ended up having to go to a different car rental company for our car. The total damage for five minutes in a Dan Dooley car? $4000 USD! Not to mention the terrible danger to ourselves and our kids. Now disputing the charges with our credit car company. I will never rent from this company again!
written by Adalynne103 on 10/08/2014
I sent multiple emails to the company confirming that I was covered under my credit card's car rental insurance. Upon arrival I was told that this wasn't the case and that I had to pay $400 for car insurance and that they would hold $2,500 for the deductible. After I returned the car to the airport in perfect working condition they held the $2,500 for over 2 weeks even though I contacted them multiple times requesting to remove the charge. This company is shady and they do not operate honestly. I would not recommended this company to any travelers.
written by johnmichaelc on 14/06/2014
Arrived at Shannon about6:45am. Went to rental counter. Reservation(made in Boston) was nowhere to be found. "No problem", she says,"We will get you a car". I waited for about 15 Min. while she was on the phone. I was told at that time it would take a bit longer and to go upstairs and get breakfast and she would come and get me. 45 min later after a long feed, I went back down stairs."A few more min",she says. I went outside for a walk. 30min later. back at counter. No car yet. "Someone is coming to get you" A short ride to rental pickup. Arrive at 8:45. Car will be ready shortly. Sign papers.( told girl I had a quote of $1450.00 papers written up for $1540.00,,,cute... signed anyway, needed to get out of there and on the road). Second agent sitting in room eating. Refused to get me my car until lunch over!!!! Finally out at 9:15. Only,ONLY thing I can say for good is car didn't break down on trip.
written by Porterfield1945 on 13/06/2014
Besides reading reviews here...if you just do some simple inquiries they all say to make sure to get the extra inxurance, add the tire and mirror insurance and that every rental company will hold an amount on your credit card for possible damage etc. Once I saw these tips online, that is exactly what I requested in my quote and exactly what we got when we rented it. The other Tip I found online was to never book a car rental in a package because the package deal ( to make it such a deal ) only offer the basics.
written by Wrenok390 on 12/06/2014
Overall I can't recommend this car rental ...was over charged for pertol.I've used like 20 euro tops (6,5 l/100 avg Diesel)...charged 40.You'll have to pay 100 euro deposit for petrol and if you need to drop car in Shannon airport there is no petrol station on the way so you need to go back to Shannon Town to refill ..imagine being on morning rush to the airport you don't really want to reverse to go back like 12 miles ...they will charge extra for petrol in fact they have distributor next to their office but they won't let you use it - cheeky f%^&&s! They will tell you that they don't support Visa Debit (the one I used for online pay on their page)and charge you extra ...why I was able to book using that card in the first place? They response :"Because we're so kind" :))) I used to use various rental agencies across the world but this one is the worst I've ever dealt with!!! Arabs in Cyprus will give you hussle free but not Irish Family Business (I always support local business rather then big companies)and that was my mistake as at the end of the day I paid more then using Hertz or Avis!
written by Ontevreden on 01/06/2014
We booked for our trip in Ireland a car by Doodley. Beside we took an insurance all in by Allianz Global Assistance. After arriving by the desk of Dooley, the insurance was apparently worthless and we had to take either a new Assistance or to give guarantee of 1.800 euro. Due the credit card was limited, we had to take a second insurance. Moreover they didn't respected the agreed price by booking but charged 51 euro's extra. The costumer at the desk was not as friendly or helpful as should be.
written by on 16/04/2014
I bought the full insurance and everything they promised they delivered. Had to replace a tire after blow-out and no questions asked. reimbursed with no problems.
written by Joel80863 on 22/01/2014
First, let me start with the positives. I read reviews that said that they rent old heaps. I booked through a package and I got a full size, four door diesel sedan. Yes, it had 70K km on the odometer, but it was in good shape and diesel cars last forever. It was more than adequate for four adults and luggage, and I got 45 mpg with it. At rental, they specified a "large" dent in the rear bumper. When I looked, it was barely noticeable. They promised a walk around of the car prior to drive away, but they didn't do that. But, their customer service people on both ends were not friendly and helpful. At check out, the girl was just matter of fact and mechanical in what she did. When she stated she saw no info on CDW insurance, I showed her a letter of coverage from my World Mastercard that covered Ireland (most cards don't provide this). She didn't pressure me. But, they "pre-charged" me Euro 130 for a full tank of gas. Warning: if you decline CDW, they charge you a Euro 25 "administrative fee." I only got Euro 105 back at the end. Also: you can fill these cars for about Euro 80, so the Euro 130 is a complete rip off, and how they can add VAT to the fee, I'll never know! At the end, they didn't ask anything about how the rental was. All they were interested in was the receipt from the toll I paid. They will also state that they will put a Eur 3000 hold on your credit card if you decline CDW. I knew this is advance and said "fine." I don't think they did it. It's just a scare tactic to get you to take the rip-off CDW. I booked through a tour operator and had no choice. I won't use Dan Dooley on my own. I think their business model is built on rip off the stupid rich American tourist.
written by cust53 on 22/11/2013
With another couple, we bought a package vacation from Great Value Vacations. Each couple bought a trip to Ireland which included a small manual transmission car. Dooley had us listed as having the car for 7 days and we were only going to be there for 6. We were told that we could upgrade to one larger car which we did. We were then charged 70 euros (almost $100) to have two drivers on the car, which was ridiculous since we would have had two drivers if we had used two cars. We decided to get an automatic and were charged another 120 euros (about $163.) I checked their website and the cost of two small manual cars for 6 days was about 1/3 more than the cost of one intermediate size automatic. I asked them why they were charging us more when clearly the one intermediate automatic cost less and they curtly informed me that the prices on their website had nothing to do with the prices in my vacation package. I also pointed out that the car was only being rented for 6 days, not 7 so it should cost less than 120 euros. The agent told me that the cost between 6 and 7 days was the same so I wouldn't get it any cheaper. We paid with a credit card that has car rental coverage on it (even in Ireland) and the rental agent told us that card does not have coverage and charged us for insurance on the car. Then they charged us 106 euros for gas. We only used a half of a tank, filled it back up for 39 euros and got the 106 euros back. Obviously, if you don't refill the car you'll pay an inflated price to Dooley for fuel. Anyway, by the time we walked out of there, our car, which was supposed to be include in the package, cost us over 500 euros ($675)for a week. We would have been much smarter to skip that part of the package and go to the Hertz counter next to them.
written by vacationtime on 07/10/2013
Had a very good experience with Dan Dooley Car REntal. Picked up our car at Dublin Airport and returned it four days later. Great price on an automatic car. And the people who work there were super nice and friendly! I actually forgot my smartphone in the car, and one of the attendants found it for me and brought it back while I was still in the office. I found that super nice and honest....he could have just stolen it but he was honest in bringing it back for me. That's really cool. It made my whole trip!!!
written by on 21/08/2013
The Car was in good shape no complaints there but our window got busted out by thieves, we filed a police report and returned the car and we were told we would be responsible even though we did take out insurance. We asked about how much we could expect and they couldn't tell us. A month later we get a charge on our credit card for 1,547.00!!!! Yes I did type that correct ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FORTY SEVEN DOLLARS!!!! They are taking advantage of customers who are out of their country because they know there is nothing you can do about it. The cost to replace this window should not have been over 300.00 BE VERY CAREFUL OF THESE PEOPLE
written by merockas1402 on 26/07/2013
We just got back from a weeks stay in Ireland. We picked up our car at Dublin's airport. We of course were shocked, like all other reviewers, with all the additional fees and costs. Our one week (through Expedia was less than 300 euros) once we got there it was closer to $900. In the US, we do not get charged for having an additional driver listed. Dooley's charges for this. We upgraded to higher insurance coverage and then they said, well the tires and glass are extra charges for coverage. Really??? We ended up turning the car in two days early and requested a refund for the time not used. The rent desk said check with the customer service inside the airport. We were not going to the airport that day so we checked later. They said they would look into it and needed to check with the other depot about the cars return. Knowing we were waiting for our flight and needed to check in, we had to leave and contact them on line when we got home. I have been going round and round with "customer agents" if that's what the want to call themselves. One told me they don't refund anything. Another told me they would only refund for the charge of insurance and the additional driver fee. And the "manager" stayed that we are lucky to have been offered that refund and that the cost for rented for 5/6/7 days is all the same. When I asked if we had rented the car for 5 days and kept it for 7, would they have charged us for those additional days. He has yet to respond to my question. SHOCKING!! I have been requesting for an itemized bill in US dollars for 5 days now and have yet to have been sent it. I would stay away from this company. Here in the US and checking on line through different site, it looks like a good deal. But once you get to Ireland to pick up your car, they have you over a barrel and there's nothing you can do about it. They know you need a car and you just have to pay for it and try and fight for a refund later. That you're not going to get. The charge your card before you even have the car, at the airport. I have sent a complaint to the Consumer Services of Ireland and are waiting for a response. My husband is also disputing the charges with our credit card company. So we will see what happens. ALSO- TO ALL RENTERS, BEFORE YOU GO, CHECK WITH YOUR U.S. CAR INSURANCE TO SEE IF YOU ARE COVERED WHILE RENTING IN IRELAND. AND IF SO YOU SHOULD BRING A COPY OF YOUR INSURANCE AGGREMENT WITH YOU TO AVOID EXTRA CHARGES. THE INSURANCE COVERAGE WAS ONLY A FEW DAYS SHORT OF THE CAR RENTAL, ITS SELF EVEN CHECK WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY TO SEE IF YOU'RE COVERED BY THEM.
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