Rent a VAN and drive in France

lowrisk

I'm moving to France, I was hopping to get a VAN with Entreprise (as I asked at the desk before and I was told that won't be an issue) but turn you an only drive in Ireland or in the UK.

I contacted Budget, EuropCar, Hertz.... same limitation.

I found vanrentals.ie which might allow you to drive to France, but they are in Dublin and I'm in WestCork (It my only option so far).

Another option would be to rent a VAN in France (quite cheap and most of the company there allow they van to be driven in Ireland, not sure why irish's company have so much limitation) but that would mean take the plan to France, rent the van, go back to Ireland, go back to France, take the plan to Ireland again...

Anyone is aware of another renting company that would accept they van to take the ferry?

an option would be to get any van here and don't tell them anything, switch my current car insurance to the van, drive to France and comeback, but most of the van nowadays have a GPS tracker (I think...) not to mention that this would go directly against they T/C...

-- a bit confusion from Entreprise since they mention https://www.enterprise.ie/en/about/driving-abroad.html "diving aboard" At Enterprise we love the open road and the freedom that a car gives you when you’re travelling abroad. However, we recognise that driving in a different country can be daunting particularly if you’re not familiar with the rules of the road or if you’ve never driven there before. To help you prepare for your road trip and get the most from your rental experience, we have produced these downloadable hints and tips to give you some pointers.

SteM

Just a a matter of interest, when you book the ferry do you not have to give the reg plate number? How could give that if you don't know the reg plate of the van you are going to hire?

lowrisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118814372#Comment_118814372

With Brittany Ferry, when you do the booking you have an option "I do not know the registration number"

bazz26

Your own insurance company may not cover you to drive abroad when doing a temporary transfer to another vehicle either. Temporary transfers are generally not designed for that so you would want to know for sure before going down that route.

Anyway I think most rentals these days do have a GPS tracker fitted that tells them if it leaves the country.

km991148

Most insurance policies will not transfer to a vehicle owned by a rental company.

Only experience I've had doing similar was one way to UK - which still worked out cheaper getting the van in Belfast, driving to Dublin and one way to England.

You're probably going to be less hassle looking at a moving company, or more risky, a person going back to EU empty that can take your stuff. I seem to remember some websites that would quote on this basis (i.e. they would match you with van and light goods vehicles drivers).

The problem with a one way to EU is - someone is going to have to pay the return ferry / repatriation cost. Mainland EU to EU isnt so bad as the van can likely be driven back.

If you don't have that much stuff you could probably buy an old wreck of an estate car or van and try and sell it over there (or keep it if you want to come home?).

lowrisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118814511#Comment_118814511

Thanks, that make sense, I'll might go with vanrental, it's a big annoying to drive 10h just to go in Dublin and back but not the end of the word (what is annoying too is the mileage allowance though but well...)

lowrisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118814556#Comment_118814556

I check a few moving company but they charge from 4.5 to 11k with is way to expensive for me, I might just go with vanrentals.ie since they allow they van to drive to france, but I'm gonna lose a lot of time going to Dublin and back to west cork twice, not to mention the mileage, I think they is a daily trip limit with they rental

I checked some second hand van but I need a big one, and they would be more pricy that the cheapest moving company not even including insurance and road tax

thanks anyway for your help

km991148

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118814603#Comment_118814603

This was the type of "3rd party" quote engines. Be careful what email you use as you might get a bit of spam after.

https://www.anyvan.com/

9935452

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118814511#Comment_118814511

I think as well , they might have an issue with transferring a car policy to a van. Ie a private policy to a commercial vehicle.

I was hiring a van a few years back , they wanted to transfer my policy to the van until they found out it was a car policy, then said it was only possible , commercial to commercial

vandriver

Fly to France,rent van,buy return ferry ticket.Fill up in west Cork,drop in France,return van.

I'm baffled how you've made this so complicated in your head.

km991148

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118832781#Comment_118832781

They said in the op they didn't want the hassle of flying to France first. But unless you can get a oneway there's going to be a double trip (or maybe they need to take a car back?) I don't know?

vandriver

Unless the OP somehow thinks any van rental place is Ok with leaving the van in a different country,then there is always a flight involved.(OP mentions flights both ways ,for what reason I can't fathom)

Bumpstop

I did exactly this a number of years ago.

Rented a hi roof lwb transit from a place in Tallaght.

I drove it the length of France to just shy of the Spanish border.

They provided insurance there was a mileage allowance and cost per mile there after.

Hired van from depot, they let me leave my car there drove it back to depot 10 days later and picked up my car.

I don't remember the cost but I think it was a thousandish.

I can dig out the name of the company if you think it may suit you.

lowrisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118841213#Comment_118841213

Thank you,

I did contacted many company but so far the only one I found which allow aboard driving murphys truck and van rental AKA http://vanrentals.ie

they are located in Dublin, 200 Kms free per day allowance, €171.50 fee just for "Vehicle for use in Continental Europe" then the actual rental of the van is €70.00 per Day and the insurance €29.99 per day or €960.73 total for me, obviously not including the petrol (Dublin to west cork, west cork to cork, cork to Nantes (france) and then the way back...)

easirent would rent the same van for a total of 295.00 EUR (in Cork) but your technically allowed to leave the country with the van... 😪