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Car rental in Europe / minimum license held

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  • 29-07-2006 12:50am
    #1
    Turlock
    Registered Users Posts: 240 ✭✭


    Folks,
    Going on holidays next month and need to rent a car for a week in Toulouse. After booking our villa which is a healthy hour and a half drive outside Toulouse, I went to book a car but everywhere I've checked so far has a requirement to have held your full license for over a year. I've only had mine 9 months and so am struggling to get a car from anywhere.

    Does anyone know of a car rental company that could help me out??

    Cheers:(


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    #2
    Steffano2002
    Registered Users Posts: 5,918 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Turlock wrote:
    Folks,
    Going on holidays next month and need to rent a car for a week in Toulouse. After booking our villa which is a healthy hour and a half drive outside Toulouse, I went to book a car but everywhere I've checked so far has a requirement to have held your full license for over a year. I've only had mine 9 months and so am struggling to get a car from anywhere.

    Does anyone know of a car rental company that could help me out??

    Cheers:(
    I'm from these parts! Where are you going exactly? I never had problems renting a car from Hertz in Blagnac airport but then again I'm over 25 with a full license since 1998... I think all rental companies pretty much have the same rules in place but I could be wrong! I'll check a few companies I know near Toulouse for you


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    #3
    Steffano2002
    Registered Users Posts: 5,918 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Well, I checked ADA, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Citer & Sixt and they all require you to hold a driving licnse for over 1 year I'm afraid... Seems to be the norm... :o

    Public Transportation is good in France (when there are no strikes obviously...). Where abouts you going?


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    #4
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    How can they tell that you haven't? Just hand them your license and if they bring it up say its your second one, thats why it's only been valid for 9 months. I rented many a car in my first year with a full license and it was never even questioned.


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    #5
    bazz26
    Registered Users Posts: 51,243 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    zuutroy wrote:
    How can they tell that you haven't? Just hand them your license and if they bring it up say its your second one, thats why it's only been valid for 9 months. I rented many a car in my first year with a full license and it was never even questioned.

    Theses conditions are set by the rental car company's insurance carrier. They probably will not care at the time if you lie to them about your licence but doing so means you were not techically insured. Granted you got away with it because you were not involved in an accident but that is a big gamble imo when you are driving in another country especially on the other side of the road for the first time.

    Full disclosure is a term insurance companies like the world over.


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    #6
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    bazz26 wrote:
    Theses conditions are set by the rental car company's insurance carrier. They probably will not care at the time if you lie to them about your licence but doing so means you were not techically insured. Granted you got away with it because you were not involved in an accident but that is a big gamble imo when you are driving in another country especially on the other side of the road for the first time.

    Full disclosure is a term insurance companies like the world over.

    I never even knew to be honest....probably written in the small print somewhere.


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    #7
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Does anyone here have a second full licence. AFAIK, the "from" date in the validity part isn't incremented - certainly when you get a replacement licence, it isn't - they only change the "date of issue", which is a different thing entirely.


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    #8
    WizZard
    Registered Users Posts: 6,762 ✭✭✭WizZard


    I have a second (replacement) full license. Only the date of issue is changed.


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    #9
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Actually I mean a renewed licence. I'm on my second replacement licence, and only date of issue has been changed :)


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    #10
    Steffano2002
    Registered Users Posts: 5,918 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    What's this about replacement licences? Do Irish licences expire?


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    #11
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Irish licences expire every ten years, at which point you have to renew them.

    When I say a "replacement" licence, I mean a new licence issued because you changed address, name, lost your licence or needed a new category added.


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    #12
    Steffano2002
    Registered Users Posts: 5,918 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    seamus wrote:
    Irish licences expire every ten years, at which point you have to renew them.
    Didn't know that. Does this mean you have to sit the test again or something?
    seamus wrote:
    When I say a "replacement" licence, I mean a new licence issued because you changed address, name, lost your licence or needed a new category added.
    And the date of issue changes each time? Isn't there a "Valid From" date on your licenses?


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    #13
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Steffano2002 wrote:
    Didn't know that. Does this mean you have to sit the test again or something?
    Nope. However if your licence expires and you don't renew it within five years you have to sit the test again.
    And the date of issue changes each time? Isn't there a "Valid From" date on your licenses?
    The date of issue changes, but I'm pretty sure the "valid from" date never changes, even if your licence expires and you renew it.


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    #14
    Steffano2002
    Registered Users Posts: 5,918 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    seamus wrote:
    Nope. However if your licence expires and you don't renew it within five years you have to sit the test again.
    I find that all a little pointless and not very cost effective... :rolleyes:
    seamus wrote:
    The date of issue changes, but I'm pretty sure the "valid from" date never changes, even if your licence expires and you renew it.
    That's what I thought alright! I wouldn't chance it anyway OP... Don't go ruining your holiday by doing things like that. I'll help you with arranging public transportation if you want (need to tell me where you're going first though)...


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    #15
    bazz26
    Registered Users Posts: 51,243 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    zuutroy wrote:
    I never even knew to be honest....probably written in the small print somewhere.

    Wasn't having a go at you. It's just that insurance companies love slapping you in the face with these things when the **** hits the fan.


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    #16
    Turlock
    Registered Users Posts: 240 ✭✭Turlock


    Thanks guys esp steffano, the place I'm looking to get to is below, let me know what you think...



    www.visittarn.com/en/How_to_find_us.htm


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    #17
    Steffano2002
    Registered Users Posts: 5,918 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Turlock wrote:
    Thanks guys esp steffano, the place I'm looking to get to is below, let me know what you think...

    www.visittarn.com/en/How_to_find_us.htm
    Hi Turlock,

    I'm from south-west of Toulouse and this holiday cottage is North-East of it so I'm not really familiar with the area. However, a friend of mine who lives here in Dublin is from Castres so I'll get in touch with him. Please bare with me for a few days


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