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).
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.
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
IMPORTANT: The balance is charged or due a full 60 days prior to the pick-up
date. (If a reservation is placed within that time window, the whole
amount will be charged or due straightaway.)
We require such an early prepayment because our choice vendor
imposes considerable cancellations fees starting at the said 8-week
threshold. Necessarily reflecting that schedule of fees,
IdeaMerge's cancellation policy is as follows ...
cancellation fees
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.
breakdown cover, and insurance
For starters, the fleet of vehicles is modern and frequently upgraded,
the average age of a vehicle normally being about 6 months.
Clients are supported by the 24/7 Fiat emergency service toll-free hotline at tel. 00800 3428 1111.
In addition, all the vehicles are covered by an
international guarantee such that certain mechanical failure they may happen
to suffer will be repaired free of cost to the renter by
a member of the (very wide-ranging) Fiat service network. Also,
more than 300 Dethleffs dealers throughout Europe are enlisted to service
the vehicle. As for possible malfunction of living facilities, such would be
addressed again, free of cost to the renter by the
appropriate distribution and service personel, located throughout
Europe.
See our "Insurance, etc."
page for details concerning the included 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
Any extension of the rental duration (whether requested before
or after the pick-up) requires prior
authorization by the rental company. Refunds are not offered for early return of the rental vehicle.
age and license
The minimum age limit for renters and other drivers
is 25 years, and there is no maximum
age limit. However, said drivers must have possessed a valid drivers
license for at least two years prior to the pick-up date.
If the vehicle is rated as having a "total permissible weight" of
greater than 3500 kg (i.e. 3.5 metric tons), the driver must be
at least 25 years of age and have held a valid
license for at least three years 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 in by certain countries.
There is no charge for additional drivers.
geographic limitations
Entry to the following countries is allowed without authorization from McRent
as of 1 January 2008:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Malta, Monaco, Netherlands (i.e. Holland), Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland).
Authorization from McRent — i.e. to be signed in the rental
station upon the pick-up occasion only — is required for entry to the
following countries: Albania, Algeria, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Macedonia, Moldova, Morocco, Romania, Russia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.
Entry to the following countries (among others, of course) is forbidden:
Israel, Iraq, Iran.
The domain of the insurance and hence the lists presented in this paragraph
are of course subject to change without notice.
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
An EUR750 security deposit will be charged to the customer's credit card
when the customer picks up the vehicle. This amount minus the cost of
damages (which cost is limited only by the relevant,
per-occurrence insurance deductibles) and traffic or parking tickets
will be
credited to the customer's card within a month after the customer returns the vehicle.
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, lest you be charged for the
refueling (including a labor cost of EUR25).
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.)
Vehicles returned in an unclean condition will be
subject to the cleaning fee ranging from at least EUR109.
If the chemical toilet must
be emptied by the rental company, a further fee ranging up to EUR155
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.
One-way rentals are not possible between the McRent Spain depots.
You will have to make your own way to that location by taxi or by another form of transport.
Pick-up (or return) at the McRent Spain locations is not possible directly at airports, city centers (i.e., downtowns) or rail stations.
You must make your own way to the depot.
Any indications to the contrary are misleading.
These depots are open for standard pick-up Mon-Fri, 4 pm to 7 pm (i.e. weekday afternoons); and (for an EUR62 surcharge) on Saturdays, 10 am to 12 noon.
They are open for standard return Mon-Fri, 10 am to 12 noon (i.e. weekday mornings); and (again, for an EUR62 surcharge) on Saturdays, 10 am to 12 noon.
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.)
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.
You are welcome to transport your
rented vehicle by ferry and/or the Channel Tunnel.
Again, see our "Insurance"
page for more details concerning the included insurance.
Generally the minimum rental duration for our Spain rentals is 7 days.
If return occurs after the reserved return time, a charge
of EUR26 (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).
in the event of an accident
After an accident, fire, damage caused by theft, or damage caused by colliding
with wildlife, the renter must inform the local police and
the rental company. The client should inform the rental company
in this respect no later than the end of the business day immediately
following the day of the accident.
In this case, call the rental depot
(dropping the country code and the leading zero if calling from within Spain)
and perhaps also
McRent's Germany headquarters (listed immediately below).
You could also call the 24/7 Fiat emergency service toll-free hotline at tel. 00800 3428 1111.
The rental company's headquarters in Munich, Germany, can be reached at the following numbers:
tel. (+49) 07562 987 850 or 0800 0627 368, fax 07562 987 214.
(Drop the country code and the
leading zero if calling from within Germany.)
In all cases of damage, the renter should as described above inform the rental
company by phone and submit a detailed written report,
including a sketch of the accident situation(s).
The accident report must include
the license numbers of the vehicles involved, the names and addresses of
the persons involved (including any witnesses), and it must be signed by
both parties.
If the renter expects that an immediate repair is necessary and
that the cost of the repair will
exceed EUR150, or if the vehicle is not fully roadworthy as a result
of the accident, the renter must immediately inform the rental company of
this (or these) fact(s) in order to obtain permission for the repair.
a slight disclaimer
IdeaMerge takes special care in representing
our vendors (i.e. the actual rental companies) so as maximally to
benefit you, our clients. Thus we present such information using
various careful emphases and an overall style which is decidedly
complementary to (i.e. in contrast with) the legalistic style
that of course constrains the actual terms and conditions
of our vendors. The information on the IdeaMerge Website is
therefore designed to resonate effectively and thoroughly with but
not be simply identical to those terms and conditions, which
terms and conditions nevertheless override the information presented by
IdeaMerge and are naturally subject to change without notice prior to the
rental pick-up occasion, on which occasion at the rental depot
the client will be obliged to sign and thus agree to them.
See the bottom of this page for a link to McRent's terms and conditions.
mcrent's terms and conditions
Click here for McRent Spain's terms and conditions in English.
Click here for McRent Spain's terms and conditions in Spanish.
warning
Although motor travel in Europe is not generally considered prohibitively dangerous, there are, of course, associated risks including death. For quantitative measures of these risks, please see the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) http://www.asirt.org.
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