currency
Any special IdeaMerge discount we apply is applied to the entire, tax-inclusive rate.
(Thus we effectively discount the tax as well.) And we do not require you to pay in full earlier than normal
to receive this discount.
Our motorhome and campervan rental
rates (apart from any special IdeaMerge discount) and policies match those of our vendor and therefore the rates
are calculated in Euros (EUR).
This means we do not inflate our rates to cover ourselves against the threat of
our home currency, the US Dollar (USD), declining versus the EUR.
Moreover, we do not impose a credit card transaction
fee.
And we do not truncate the exchange rate
(which is another way companies can favor themselves).
What's more, being a USA company, IdeaMerge charges the EUR price in USD.
Therefore if you are from the USA you avoid involving in the overall transaction a third
(i.e. middle) currency (e.g. the home currency of one or another IdeaMerge competitor based neither in the USA nor in the vendor's country)
and thus you avoid the concomitant retail foreign exchange
from such middle currency to USD, which avoidance saves you about 2 percent on the total cost,
and you avoid any foreign-transaction fee your credit card company might generally charge,
which additional avoidance usually saves from 1 percent to 3 percent.
(A few card companies, such as Capital One, charge no such fee.)
Furthermore, we use the
minimal retail exchange rate — alias the
"credit card" exchange rate
(as published
on www.oanda.com) —
to change from the vendor's currency into our currency
(USD) for actual charging.
Finally we present all this math in the detailed confirmation
voucher that we e-mail to you soon after booking the rental. …
In these and other ways we carefully save our clients from suffering
hidden costs.
reservation & downpayment
In accord with the automobile rental industry standard,
reservations may be made for a vendor's particular vehicle category
(what we might call a vendor's "group") only, not for a specific vehicle.
Which is to say,
although the various images, model numbers and vehicle specifications presented
throughout the IdeaMerge motorhome rental pages — especially on the
vehicle-specification pages — are carefully selected to accurately
and precisely indicate the vehicle that you will get, the vehicle model
(and layout) you get might not be identical to what is indicated by said
information.
In the very unlikely event that
a vehicle in the reserved category is not available upon the pick-up date, the
rental company reserves the right to substitute a comparable or larger vehicle
with the same equipment and the capacity to accommodate the number persons you have delineated (in terms of, say, adults and children) as being in your party. In this case there will be no additional charge for a larger
vehicle. However, the higher ancillary costs associated with a larger
vehicle — such as ferry charges,
tolls, and fueling costs — are to be borne by the customer.
Of course IdeaMerge will not charge your credit card unless the vendor you select does have availability in the
particular vehicle category you select.
After you place a complete online reservation request with IdeaMerge (i.e. including your credit card details), IdeaMerge will straightaway query the vendor.
If a vehicle in the selected vehicle category of that selected vendor is indeed have available, we will immediately book the rental with that vendor and charge your card —
binding you per the cancellation policy noted below. Either way, we will then inform you as soon as possible,
often within an hour but most certainly within 24 hours
(or perhaps 48 hours if you enter the reservation request on a Friday or Saturday,
since the booking facilities of some vendors are closed on weekends).
There is no charge for an additional driver (maximum two drivers per motorhome).
The minimum
age limit is 20 years, and there is no maximum age limit.
A driver must have held a valid drivers license for at least the year-long
duration immediately previous to the pick-up date.
Drivers must of course possess a valid drivers license
relative to the weight of the vehicle.
Most domestic licenses suffice for operation of the vehicles presented on
the IdeaMerge Website, for most of the vehicles are rated at 3500 kg or less.
Relative to vehicles exceeding this threshold, our online
software will usually elaborate —
but you the driver or drivers are obliged to check your licenses and the vehicle's
specs page in this important respect (the latter by clicking on the vehicle
image on the "Rates & Reservations" page or during the online reservation
process). Also see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver's_license and, say,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Driving_Licence_codes.
Regarding the vehicles rated at over 3500 kg
(i.e. 3.50 metric tons):
Almost all typical (i.e. class C) USA drivers licenses, for example,
suffice in this respect.
(In fact such licenses usually cover vehicles up to 13,000 kg.)
The same is true of, say, typical "old" British licenses
(i.e. class B issued prior to 1 January 1997).
But the typical new "European Union drivers license"
(i.e. class B) limits its holder to vehicles of 3500 kg or less; and as such,
a holder of an EU license must possess a class C license to operate in Europe
one of the European motorhomes which are rated at over 3500 kg.
On the pick-up occasion the vendor will not release a rental vehicle
to a party unless a driver among them is licensed to operate such vehicle.
IdeaMerge is not responsible if such licensed driver is not present
to operate the vehicle upon the pick-up occasion and throughout the duration
of the rental. No refunds will be extended to the client if such absence precludes
the actual use of the rental.
All the vehicles available for pick-up in France have a manual transmission.
IdeaMerge charges a 10 percent downpayment
upon booking a customer's reservation request.
balance
IdeaMerge charges the balance at the 50-day threshold before the pick-up date.
cancellation fees
If upon cancellation the balance has not been paid, the vendor reserves
the right to charge the customer's credit card according to the above schedule.
changes
Any change to a booking — especially of the rental duration, and
whether requested before, during
or after the pick-up — is subject to
authorization by the rental company. Do not expect to be able to make
such changes upon the pick-up occasion.
A change may entail a change fee, the amount of which is
usually modest/nominal yet is generally commensurate with the degree to
which the change compromises the vendor's ability to rent out the vehicle.
Refunds are not offered for early return of the rental vehicle.
pick-up and return
An EUR2000 security deposit will imprinted from the
customer's Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card
when the customer picks up the vehicle, but the imprint will not be
processed unless necessary (owing to damages and the like).
(If the client has ordered
the portable GPS unit, this amount will be EUR400 higher.)
Regarding return of the vehicle, the customer must ensure that the
vehicle is in a reasonably clean and tidy condition
(especially the refrigerator, stove and shower), with
chemical toilet and waste water tank empty.
Otherwise a minimum EUR100 will be charged.
Only with special permission from the vendor are dogs or
other pets allowed in the vehicles. If such
permission is indeed granted, the client should return the vehicle
thoroughly cleaned of pet hair and odors
lest the vendor levy a special cleaning fee.
A thorough explanation and demonstration of the rental vehicle will be provided
upon pick-up. This orientation, together with completion of the relevant
paperwork, requires approximately one hour.
For non-one-way rentals, the vendor will store luggage and other valuables free of charge.
The vehicle will be delivered with an ample amount of motor fuel in the tank;
you should try to return it with this same amount.
The water tank, propane tanks,
and toilet chemical repository will be full; but you will not be
charged if they are returned less than full.
The interior and exterior
will be clean, and the waste water and toilet tank will be empty of waste. Likewise the vehicle
should be returned clean (especially the refrigerator, stove and
shower) and empty of waste. Vehicles returned in an unclean condition will be
subject to a minimum EUR100 cleaning fee.
Also included will be a French/English operators manual, a list of campgrounds in France, a list of service areas in France,
road maps of France, and
suggested itineraries in the various regions of France.
Cooking utensils, dishes, and silverware are included by default at no extra charge.
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