Car hire in Ireland - so expensive! Any suggestions for cheaper companies?

[copycat]

Just found some cheap flights to Cork for dh, 2ds's and me but car hire for five days starts around £185 for a four seater skateboard (well, Fiesta) which is over twice as much as the flights for the four of us . I'm hoping that someone can wave a magic wand and conjure up a cheaper (maybe local) car hire company for me? Any suggestions? Thanks.

Irish Car Rentals
Renta Car

If you go into the AerLingus website www.aerlingus.com and then from there choose car rental (or maybe the HERTZ logo), you get a reduced rate but you don't have to enter a flight number or anything to get the rate. Just choose 'walk-in'. I rented this way over Christmas in Cork Airport too actually and I got a great rate... around 250 euro all inclusive for 2 weeks for a Toyota Corolla or similar C class. Its a prepaid rate so you have to pay with credit card immediately. They email you a voucher which you take in with you. Have a great trip - I'm originally from the Cork area so if you've any questions do ask

I usually use a German company, which I find to be the cheapest - www.holidaynet24.com. The car will be from Avis but substantially cheaper than going direct to Avis. I usually go for their "package B" as it only costs an extra fiver or so but you get a child seat for free and a second driver is covered. You nedd to bring the voucher they email to you, not just the first confirmation email. Don't forget to fill up the petrol tank before you return the car or you get charged a fortune! I'm from the Cork area too if you want any info.

Thanks for your quick replies Skribble, Bubblesmum and katy. You're wonderful! I shall check all these recommendations later today when I have a little more time and, yes, I will come back to you for some local area knowledge if I manage to sort the flights and car hire within our budget. Never been to Ireland before so really hope to grab this opportunity. Thanks again.

We used Carjet ..were the cheapest althought it is really expensive in ireland....yuo should aim to get all in for about £25/day...pay the XS 10 euro per day as we didnt ...someone scapped my car in a car park cost me 800 euro week before xmas