currency

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). 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 of 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.

IdeaMerge charges a 20 percent downpayment upon confirming a customer's reservation. One-half of this downpayment is refundable until 8 weeks prior to the pick-up date. Within that 8-week threshold, the downpayment is not refundable.

balance

cancellation fees

changes

breakdown cover, and insurance

The motorhome rental agreement is a contract between the customer and the vendor and of course involves the customer in certain responsibilities relative to the vehicle. These responsibilities are analogous but far from identical to those typically associated with a car rental. Motorhome rental customers typically bear more such responsibilities than do car rental customers. The nature of the motorhome rental industry is such that replacement motorhomes are usually not guaranteed (although in many cases a replacement motorhome may be effected), as is the case with this vendor and virtually every motorhome rental company. Instead timely service of the rental motorhome is guaranteed and in this case so are limited hotel stays (5 nights) and replacement car rentals. The customer remains responsible for returning the motorhome to the rental depot, as contracted, unless relieved of this responsibility by the rental company (i.e. the vendor).

extension or early return

age and license

The minimum age limit for renters and other drivers of the rental vehicles is only 21 years, and there is no maximum age limit. However, said drivers must have possessed a valid drivers license for at least one year prior 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.

See our "Resources" page for a discussion of the international driving permit, which is required of certain drivers by certain countries.

There is no charge for additional drivers.

geographic limitations

You are welcome to transport your rented vehicle by ferry and/or the Channel Tunnel.

Again, see our "Insurance, etc." page for more details concerning the included insurance.

pick-up and return

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.

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 toilet tank will be empty of waste. Likewise the vehicle should be returned clean inside. (The rental company will clean the outside free of charge.) Vehicles returned with an unclean interior will be subject to a EUR100 cleaning fee. If the chemical toilet must be emptied by the rental company, a further, EUR150 fee will be charged.

Smoking is not allowed in any part of the vehicle.

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.

The rental includes unlimited kilometers.

The pick-up/return depots for DRM vehicles are located at Berlin, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich. See our DRM "Locations" page. Motorhomes/campervans picked-up at these locations must be returned to one of these locations — and one-way costs between these depots are quite high, as our online software will delineate.

Pick-up (or return) is not possible directly at airports, city centers (i.e., downtowns) or rail stations. You must make your own way to the depot locations. Any indications to the contrary are misleading. These depots are open for standard pick-up Monday–Friday, 3 pm to 4 pm (i.e. weekday afternoons; until 5 pm April–September); and (for an EUR70 surcharge) on Saturdays, 10 am to 11 am (except during the period October–March, when the depots are closed on Saturdays). They are open for standard return Monday–Friday, 10 am (9 am April–September) to 11 am (i.e. weekday mornings); and (again, for an EUR70 surcharge) on Saturdays, 10 am to 11 am (again, except during the period October–March, when the depots are closed on Saturdays). A non-standard pick-up time entails an extra night's worth of cost. The same is true of a non-standard return time. (The vendor accounts for cost according to standard pick-up and return times so that most vehicles can be prepared during regular business hours and delivered to a client on the same day that the vehicle is returned by the previous client. Thus the vendor doesn't lose out on renting that vehicle for that night.)

Generally the depots are open Monday–Friday 9 am to 5 pm, although in the duration April–September they open at 8 am and close at 6 pm and are open Saturdays 9 am to 11 am. Actual pick-up and return times, however, are constrained along the lines indicated in the previous parapgraph.

If return occurs after the reserved return time, a charge of EUR28 (up to the daily rate) will be levied for each extra such hour; and the customer will assume responsibility for claims made against the rental company by subsequent renters due to delay. Again, any extension of the rental duration requires prior authorization by the rental company; and no refunds are offered for early return of the rental vehicle.

Upon or after the return occasion, the vendor will charge to the client all traffic fines (including parking tickets) which the rental vehicle received during the rental. Upon returning the vehicle the client should report to the vendor any such fines the client is aware of; but generally the client is responsible for paying such a fine, even if the entity levying the fine reports it neither to client nor to vendor until after the return occasion (relevant statutes of limitation notwithstanding).

a slight disclaimer

drm's terms and conditions

warning