“My time’s minimal… how can I choose?”
Vehicle rental is actually a incredibly hot matter for vacationers headed to Costa Rica. New investigation conducted via the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism (ICT) indicates that, soon after lodging, renting a vehicle is the biggest expense, averaging $702 for an eleven-day trip.
The world wide web is buzzing with adverse evaluations speaking about overcharging, very poor customer care and mechanical breakdowns. You might have even prepared a person your self!
A typical midsize (3 – 4 Grown ups) 4X4 rental runs involving $fifty eight and $65 day by day with 3rd party coverage and charges can vary up to twenty % between automobile rental companies, so examining A fast evaluate might be time effectively put in when you finally determine the cost savings.
So the dilemma is; which rental enterprise presents the most effective equilibrium of truthful price, capable customer support and responsible autos? I have investigated it all for yourself, so keep reading!
Disclosure: This research was performed in May perhaps – July 2013. The following providers had been chosen mainly because they tend to be the most generally used in Costa Rica. Some are community businesses; Other folks are Intercontinental franchises of identified manufacturer names. Comparisons include: customer service, pricing and also the reservation procedure. The companies are outlined alphabetically instead of based on personal or online Tastes.
Take into consideration this info prior to leasing:
Insurance policies
One among the greatest leads to for issues is through the stack of unexpected prices presented into the renter when standing in the rental firm’s counter. Vacationers are generally drained following a very long flight after which are confronted by expenditures that were not predicted, explained or budgeted.
Topping the list of grievances is definitely the non-disclosure of costs associated with the necessary third-occasion insurance coverage at time the reservation is built.
Based on Costa Rican law, each driver is required to carry legal responsibility protection to insure from injuries to 3rd get-togethers. Motor vehicle rental companies typically refrain from disclosing the expense of this coverage inside the quoted rental price to look extra competitive. Necessary 3rd-occasion insurance plan can often be approximately double the automobile’s rental cost. The one ensure towards insurance policies confusion is always to inquire if your estimate incorporates the third party insurance plan and insist over a created quotation.
Price of Necessary Insurance policy (also called Third Party or SLI)
Anticipate to pay for amongst $twelve and $15 daily for this coverage, depending on the make and model of your rented car or truck as well as the rental motor vehicle company. It is a lawful condition of one’s rental arrangement and is usually not protected by charge cards and cannot be waived. It’s a truth of renting an automobile in Costa Rica.
Collision Injury Waiver (CDW)
Since the name implies, this isn’t insurance plan, but a waiver, which relieves the renter from any liability for harm to the rental motor vehicle once the deductible is paid (usually from $750 to $1,five hundred). Some agencies involve renters to acquire their CDW policy; therefore negating any credit card method. For an additional cost, several organizations do give you a zero legal responsibility alternative where by the renter might be freed from paying for any damage to the car. Some providers might put strain on renters to acquire the zero legal responsibility protection; however, it truly is fully optional, Except it’s inside the wonderful print of their rental arrangement.
Credit card insurance policy plans may possibly protect the CDW for the rental motor vehicle. Check out with the picked out rental car organization to seek out which proof of insurance policy is needed and after that ask for that from the credit card business prior to arriving. In the event you use your charge card’s CDW policy, be expecting to pay the next deposit to the car or truck; all over $1,five hundred to $2000 is typical. The upper deposit ensures that the charge card holder has sufficient money reserves to cover damages if essential. It is important to consider that if applying CDW coverage supplied by a bank card (in lieu of your rent an automobile operator), all damages will be billed for the renter’s bank card. The credit card organization will then reimburse the cardboard holder for damages.
More Insurance policies
Tires and windshields are not often included in insurance policies procedures, While additional insurance policies may be taken out for masking these often damaged merchandise. Neither the interior nor the beneath from the motor vehicle could possibly be coated. Normally examine the wonderful print.
Standard Method
Your charge card are going to be charged, or a ‘hold’ placed, with the rental motor vehicle through the time with the rental arrangement; i.e. from finding up the rental till you return it. Debit cards are typically not suitable.
Additional Costs
Most firms have surcharges For extra drivers, auto seats/boosters, mobile devices, coolers, GPS and/or roof racks. The prices vary from enterprise to business, but considering the fact that these extras are billed in a daily rate, it’s value examining the full Value — added solutions can increase up in a short time! A GPS is all over $eight to $ten per day; having said that, some operators may present discounted units. Anticipate to pay around $5 every day for a child seat and some dollars daily for all the other ‘niceties’. Vamos is notable for featuring Many of these solutions and, for the duration of some promotions, even the GPS rental complimentarily. Alamo, Budget, Hertz and National demand essentially the most for these additional alternatives; While another corporations mentioned, demand more realistic price ranges.
Surcharges
Most organizations incorporate modest incremental expenditures, for instance license plate and environmental expenses, into the full tally. Be cautious of operators who insert these extra charges into your smaller print with the rental contract. Automobiles rented direct within the airport incur airport taxes, which happen to be a whopping 12% of your rental Price!
The rental auto ought to be returned with the same quantity of gasoline, unless normally indicated. If not, providers could cost higher than gas station charges for lacking gas.
Motor vehicles
You will find a discussion around the cars supplied by rental providers: More mature cars permit the motive force to blend in over a shiny, new auto. Getting an more mature design may well hold the indirect advantage of getting considerably less scrutinized by auto rental organizations for the latest nicks and scratches, compared with a newer auto. Nonetheless, a more recent car or truck might be far more roadworthy. This debate carries on into the different car or truck will make and types. Typically, Costa Rican corporations can rent their autos for your lessen level due to the fact their vehicles are generally three to five years previous (as opposed to two to a few). On-line assessments would recommend that the community corporations have no a lot more grievances regarding car high quality than transnational franchises; investigation on message boards, such as TripAdvisor.com, seems to point that buyers commonly value driving a fewer-than-new car in the wilds of Costa Rica. The explanations are a lot, from highway conditions towards the Idea of a lot less-then-new autos Mixing in greater — a newer vehicle may possibly attract far more unwelcome consideration.
The options of rental cars and trucks in Costa Rica are largely restricted to helps make and products that maintain a aggressive resale price, are a common brand name from the state, and are economical to take care of. As a result a lease-a-car or truck operator’s fleet are inclined to not be as varied as The usa. Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Hyundai represent the mainstay makes of most rental fleets.
Sometimes, motorists are billed for intended ‘damages’ towards the motor vehicle upon return. As soon as receiving the automobile, renters ought to meticulously look for pre-existing flaws and Review it While using the auto inspection document employed by the rental car or truck representative. Some renters suggest photographing or videoing the vehicle from all angles, to stop any disagreement concerning pre-present and lately broken items.
Pricing
Motor vehicle rentals in Costa Rica are pricier when compared to other countries. Responsibilities on motor vehicles are large (around 50% in their price!), components are costlier and unforgiving street circumstances lead to higher use and tear, generating increased routine maintenance expenses.
The rule is you have That which you buy — you’ll find other available choices than Those people rental businesses shown below, but they don’t seem to be mentioned for a great cause. They basically are unsuccessful to supply standard customer support and/or a suitable automobile situation necessary for the (approximately) trouble-free vacation.
When comparing rental vehicle rates, it is best to go straight to the Costa Rican Internet site in the rental motor vehicle firm, instead of trying to use their Global structure or an middleman (Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak, et al.). For a similar autos and reservation dates, the fees offered by the respective Worldwide vs. Costa Rican Internet websites for Alamo, Spending budget, Hertz and Thrifty differed considerably.
To stop confusion, print out all correspondence Using the auto rental enterprise with whom you’ve reserved a automobile and bring this for the rental Place of work While using the quotation specified at some time of reservation.
The subsequent major ten chart ranks the companies from best priced to least expensive and it features the obligatory coverage cost. Inside the circumstances of Alamo and Hertz, the figure contains their CDW rate since it is among their rental demands. This value comparison is predicated on weekly’s rental of the Daihatsu Bego, the place obtainable (Greenback gives the Suzuki Vitara) from September 14th – twenty first, however in December to watch the two Environmentally friendly and Large Time prices. The listing quickly demonstrates that the value variation is dependent greatly on the business — for mainly the identical assistance. These price ranges had been obtained in June/July 2013.
