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.
All the vehicles available for pick-up in Spain have a manual transmission.
Generally the minimum rental duration for our Spain rentals is 7 days.
IdeaMerge charges a 15 percent downpayment
upon booking a customer's reservation, which
percentage is figured on the base vehicle-rental cost (i.e. the daily rate plus
the rate for air conditioning, if the latter is a booked feature of the vehicle).
Per the cancellation policy described below, this downpayment is not refundable.
balance
The balance is charged by the vendor
at or within the 30-day threshold before the pick-up date.
cancellation
The penalty for cancellation 31 days or more prior to the pick-up date is 15 percent
of the total rental cost, which portion would consist of the downpayment already charged by IdeaMerge and
perhaps a further portion to be charged by the vendor.
The penalty when cancellation occurs 30–16 days before the pick-up date is 24 percent of the
total rental cost, which portion would consist of the downpayment already charged by IdeaMerge and
a further portion to be charged by the vendor.
The penalty when cancellation occurs 15–0 days before the pick-up date is 30 percent of the
total rental cost, which portion would consist of the downpayment already charged by IdeaMerge and
a further portion charged by the vendor.
breakdown cover, and insurance
First off, the fleet of vehicles is modern and continually upgraded,
the average age of a vehicle normally being about 6 months.
Moreover, all the vehicles do include membership in the German automobile
club, the ADAC, which membership entitles the vehicle
operator to 24/7 service from the network of national automobile clubs throughout
Europe. (Which is to say, renters possess the equivalent of membership in the
AAA, AA, CAC, RAC, etc.) In addition, all the vehicles are covered by an
international guarantee such that any mechanical failure they may happen
to suffer will be repaired — free of cost to the renter — by
a member of the (very wide-ranging) Volkswagon service network.
And 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 many cases limited
hotel stays and replacement car rentals are covered.
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).
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.
age and license
The minimum age limit for renters and other drivers of the rental vehicles
is only 25 years, and there is no maximum
age limit. However, said drivers must have possessed a valid
domestic driving license for at least three years prior to the pick-up date.
Of course said license must be in the driver's possession upon the
pick-up occasion; moreover its nationality must match that of the
licensee's passport.
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 Spain (and Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Portugal).
Such license is not valid unless accompanied by the holder's domestic license.
There is no charge for additional drivers.
Pets are usually allowed. Please describe the type and characteristics of the pet before or upon
placing a booking. The relevant permission will then be obtained by IdeaMerge from the vendor.
Of course the client should return the vehicle free of pet hair and smells.
geographic limitations
The included insurance is effective throughout the entirety of Europe —
Western and Eastern, and the UK and Ireland — except for Russia,
other former members of the USSR, and any regions experiencing general and
violent political crisis.
The vehicles are not allowed to enter
Africa — especially Morocco.
Otherwise 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
The rental rates are charged on a per-day basis, regardless of the time of pick-up
and return. However, if the vendor is obliged to specially open a depot to service a client
— i.e. outside the normal hours of operation, including
the necessary time for transfer to/from the airport or other location —
the vendor will apply an extra charge: EUR100 if such special service
is completed less than 1.5 hours outside said normal time of operation,
EUR200 if such service is completed that day but more than 1.5 hours outside of
a normal time of operation.
Moreover, the customer who returns a vehicle late assumes
responsibility for claims made by the subsequent renter against the rental
company due to a consequent delay in their actual pick-up time.
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.
Clients may park one private vehicle (per rental) at the pick-up
depot free of charge for the duration of the rental.
An EUR600 security deposit will be charged to the customer's credit card
when the customer picks up the vehicle.
This amount — minus the cost of
any damages (up to the relevant insurance deductible of EUR600 for collision
or EUR600 for comprehensive) and traffic or parking tickets — will be
credited to the customer's card when 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.
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. Vehicles returned in an unclean condition will be
subject to a modest cleaning fee.
All our Spain rentals include unlimited kilometers.
The headquarters in Madrid can be reached at the following numbers:
tel. (+34) 0913 29 07 67, fax 0913 29 48 43. The Barcelona depot can be
reached at (+34) 093 637 33 58 or (+34) 093 844 55 20. And the Malaga depot can be reached
at (+34) 0952 17 69 89.
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 Euromotorhome's terms and conditions.
euromotorhome's terms and conditions
Click here for Euromotorhome's terms and conditions.
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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