www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Wheres the best place to get a rental car for exploring outside of SJ?

I've always had luck using Thrifty.com, and picked my car up at the downtown Thrifty office (Calle 3 near the Mona Lisa hotel). The last time I rented (about a year ago) Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) was still mandatory and can cost up to $20 per day. I rented a full-sized Renault Linea (auto & A/C) the last time for 5 days. It cost me around $180 US all in.

I've net yet rented a car in CR. What is involved in doing so? Does my insurance come into play? Is there anything special to know? What about credit card coverages and requirements?

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

Oh man, do we have a great topic here! Renting a car in Costa Rica (and in any other Latin American country) is quite cumbersome...and most of the time, expensive. I'll enumerate the main reason why.

1. Price of rental + insurance + gas = $$$$$$$
2. Limited choice and options on type of car.
3. Rental agency checks vehicle with microscope when you return it and holds you financially responsible for any nicks and bruises that may or may not have been there when you rented it.
4. You MUST purchase the mandatory liability insurance, whether you needed or not.
5. You must haggle with rental agency not to be forced to buy collision and comprehensive insurance.
6. If you do not buy their overpriced collision/comprehensive and ANYTHING happens to the car, you are directly and immediately responsible for the cost (not your credit card, not your insurance company at home, YOU...then and there). They will put a $2000 to 3000 hold on your credit card, typically.
7. It takes a long time to pick up and return rental cars (plan for an hour prior to departure flight)
8. Warning: most of the time the price quoted by sites like Expedia, etc. DO NOT include any of these insurance upcharges and taxes. What you'll end up paying is much more than what you are being quoted.
9. You BETTER return that gas tank full, or the upcharges on gas will be through the roof!
10. Driving in Costa Rica requires knowing where you are going! And extreme defensive driving...be prepared for anything and everything, video game style!

Good luck if you decide to rent a car...

I agree with the majority of this post.

In my experience (I have rented probably about 6-8 times). Each rental agency is difere:
1. The phucking insurance can be as much as the rental rate. For an "SUV" (crappy Hyundai Tuscan that huffs and puffs up a decent sized hill), the mandatory SLI is about $20/day and that covers you for 80%, if you want 100% coverage, you gotta pay about $28/day.
5. I have never haggled with an agency about anything. I have never bought CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) since my credit card covers it. Most Visa cards cover it. No need to haggle or argue over it. When I had an accident in 2007 or so, the card paid for the damage no questions asked. I didn't see a bill or have any issues. They even brought a replacement car to the scene for me.
6. Again, decline CDW if your credit card covers it. No need to pay $12-15/day.
7. I agree that pick up is usually long and tedious (they move slow as Phuck), but drop off can be quick, especially if you tell them that your flight is soon.
9. You must return the tank at the same level as it was given to you, not always full. They charge like $7/gal for the difference and you won't see how much they actually pump in.
10. Agree 100%. Driving in CR isn't very aggressive. People often blow stop signs and red lights, especially at night, so be careful.

I would not rent just to drive in the city. With rental, insurance, gas, and parking, you are paying a shitload. Taxis are cheap and no worry about a car.

BD,

My experience with renting a car in CR has been less of a hassle than what Bandon843 described. Basically you need to show a valid license (any US license will do) and a credit card. Most credit cards carry loss and damage insurance which will pay most of the cost to repair the car and compensate for loss of use, but you will be exposed to some cash out of pocket. Your auto insurance may cover the excess... then again maybe not. It is best to check with your credit card company and auto/homeowner insurance to determine how well you are covered. At any rate, assuming your credit card company (like AMEX) will cover loss and damage, you must decline the rental company's CDW & LDW in order to be covered by your credit card. If there is any doubt, the rental agent should call your cc or insurance company. Better yet, bring along a letter(s) of coverage from your credit card or insurance. Coincidentally, I ran into this problem at Tocumen Airport (Panama City) last week. I had reserved a car for 5 days, and the price I was quoted was $83 US for the 5 days. Too good to be true, right? Well, it was too good to be true. When I told him I was declining CDW, LDW he told me I couldn't do that because I had to have verification of insurance. I told him I had the American Express Premium Auto Rental insurance, and if he had any doubts, to call AMEX. He told me he wasn't going to do that because he needed to see a letter. I asked him how much the rental would be with the insurance... he told me $396. We walked away, and booked with a local rental company at the airport for less than half that amount. In over 20 car rentals in CR, I've only had the rental agent verify my AMEX coverage twice... and they did that with a phone call. I highly recommend the AMEX premium car rental insurance. For $24.95 per rental, AMEX will cover all damage and loss to the vehicle with nothing out of your pocket. It also has Personal Accident Insurance and Personal Effects insurance as well. In the event you don't have car insurance, this policy will serve as your primary auto insurance with respect to car rentals. The Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) is mandatory and a money-maker for INS and the insurance industry in Costa Rica. I argued this point a number of times with rental agents, but they always stood their ground. Even when I showed them proof that my USAA auto and homeowners policies had liability coverage, they did not budge. The last time I rented in CR, SLI was still mandatory. I've paid anywhere from $10.99 to $19.99 per day... sometimes that amount was 2 or 3 times the daily base rental rate.

Yeah, San Jose can be a little nutty to drive in, but once you are out of the city, things calm down a lot. If you've come from a part of the US where the drivers are brain dead AND nuts (like I did), Costa Rica is not that much different. IMHO, I find it more challenging to drive in places like the DR, Colombia and Italy than CR.

I've rented from Alamo and a small company called "Adventure", but 90% of the time, it has been done through Thrifty on their website. The Thrifty office in downtown SJ has always been a pleasure to work with while at times, the airport office can be a bit "canson." One time, I dropped off my car at the airport office, and during check-in, the agent found a microscopic scratch on the rocker panel of my rental. I asked him how much it would cost to "fix it", and he told me around $45. I told him fine... charge it to my AMEX card as a separate item, and I would dispute it. When my bill arrived, the $45 charge for "damage" was on there. I disputed the item, and I let the AMEX car insurance guys deal with Thrifty on that one. I never heard from that microscopic scratch again. Overall, though, the Thrifty guys have been square with me over the years.

If you want to get out of the gulch, and see the country the way I do, I would rent a car. But I would not rent a car if I were planning on just staying in the city. I like renting a car because it offers me freedom and flexibility. If I want to pull over on the side of a road to take piss... I can. If I see a pretty girl selling pipas on the side of the road, I can stop and grab one. If, I want to get up early in the morning, and drive to a remote mountain to watch a sunrise, I can do that too. Buses, taxis and drivers and vans have their advantages... but for me, the way I like to travel, a rental car suits me best. A van and driver can be a lot of fun, and cost-effective, if the ride is shared by a group of guys traveling to a specific destination. Traveling the way I do, vans and taxis would be too expensive and/or impractical. On my last trip to CR, we drove from San Jose to La Fortuna, and then from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio and Dominical and then back to San Jose with many little stops and side trips in between. The cost for the car rental, gas and tolls was less than $250 US. BD, if this is the way you like to travel, a rental car is probably for you. I would not let a few nutty drivers or surly rental agents discourage me from enjoying myself.

Didn't mean to sound so discouraging Bluedevil… just wanted to point out what a different experience it is to rent a car in Costa Rica vs. US.

Agree with what you said; I rent a car myself when I go to Arenal or Guanacaste. Not for San Jose or Jaco though, cabs/shuttles will do just fine there.

I have rented from HERTZ near the airport 5 or 6 times. Used my AMEX card and insurance from the U.S. (GEICO). Prices are double in Dry season vs what you pay in Green Season. I only rent during Green Season and it runs around 200 per week.

On average, it takes 1 hour to complete paperwork. Hertz has a counter at the airport and will take you to the rental place (approx 1/2 mile from SJO).

Had minor accident (like a dumbass, i backed into a pole). No charge or hassle upon return.

As mentioned, only necessary if you want to head out of San Jose.

If you have never drove overseas before, i would not recommend San Jose as a place to start.

Ticos are very nice people until they get behind the wheel of a car

Something to keep in mind when renting a car ANYWHERE: being intoxicated can nullify your insurance coverage in the event of an accident regardless of whose fault it is.

Also it is a good idea to take photos of ANYTHING (damage, scratches, dents, cracked or chipped glass, etc) that might cause a question upon your return. Also check for a spare tire and jack BEFORE leaving the lot. You may need them AND if they are missing you might be charged for them.

With the current rates of $100 - $130 for a roundtrip to Jaco by private taxi or van it might be worth the time and trouble to rent a car if you want to have flexibility in your travel and want to do more than just go point-to-point. As BlueDevil pointed out don't allow yourself to be held hostage by the rental agents.

Let's be careful out there.

Wit

I've only been in Costa Rica for 3 days, but my friend, who has been living here for about 4 years, is teaching me all kinds of stuff, every day. Driving around last night was a real eye-opener.

We were out until about 2:30 a.m. On the way home, I finally called my friend out on his driving. Apparently, we were about halfway home from the bar. He had not been drinking, and he told me, "Relax. Everything that I am doing is perfectly legal." I learned some stuff last night.

You can turn right on a Red Light in Costa Rica, if there is a yield (ceda) sign or a white arrow pointing to the right. You can treat a red light like a stop sign (stop, look, and go) at certain times of night, at most intersections (I'm still not 100% clear on the rules for this).

Some stoplights are only for pedestrian crosswalks. You can stop or yield, and go, if there are no pedestrians present.

Left turn lanes can be used as straight-ahead lanes, as long as you don't block left-turning traffic. This is not technically correct, but one of my friend's police officer buddies told me, "it's common practice, and it improves the flow of traffic."

The "parking lot attendants" are just vagrants trying to make a few colones. They are not anyone's employees. However, many of them do a good job of watching out for your vehicle.

Use your horn... frequently. My friend prefers to flash his lights, which also gets the message across. Ticos honk constantly, to signal right-of-way or to say "Oooh La La!" to a Chica on the sidewalk. My friend prefers flashing the lights for signals in traffic, because, as he says, there is no doubt who is giving the signal, unlike a horn.


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A bit more...

My friend (Jerry) uses his signals for turns and lane changes, consistently. I don't think I have seen even one single Tico use his turn signals.

Most motorcyclists completely ignore lane markings, signs, and traffic signals.

The names of every Tico that knows how to properly use a traffic circle (roundabout) could be written on the back of a matchbook.

One Positive... Ticos are courteous. Someone (except for the red taxi drivers) will always let you into the flow of traffic. If you have any doubts, stick your arm out the window, palm down, and wave your hand up and down. I you want to merge to the right, have your right-seat passenger do the same thing.

Always have had solid luck with Solid Car Rental. Good rates and service: They will bring the car to you and pick the car up from you be you staying at La Amistad or the SL and pretty much anywhere reasonable inside San Jose.

Solid has locations throughout the country, so if you have a break down, obtaining assistance is a lot easier.

Their rates are far more competitive than the others, including the insurance aspect. Don't be fooled by "name brands" like HERTZ, AVIS, etc. They're all franchise owned and as a result can and do do as they please.

http://www.solidcarrental.com/ don't be timid in phoning them. The small amount of money you'll spend in a toll call from the USA to their HQ to hammer out all details will be worth your time. If you're keeping the car for more than a day or so, try to get a discount off the first rate quoted.

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

One of the more valuable Threads in a long time...and no smack talk. All responders are to be congratulated.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Rented from Green Motion. I had a fender bender on the way to Monteverde on my last trip in February. We had stopped at a soda for lunch. I began to back out with a large pickup parked next to me on my left and a compact car on my left. I was taking it slow and as I came out of the spot, a large delivery truck was also backing up from my left out of my field of view because of the pickup.
The high steel bumper of the delivery truck connected with the trunk of my rental and crumpled it badly. Called the tourist police and they made a report.

Long story short, Green Motion clipped my credit card for $966 when I got back. By my estimation the damage was not more than $500, at least if I was in the US. Fortunately, I had collision damage protection on my credit card. I just got the check last week.

So be aware - While you may be covered in an accident, the process of dealing with a claim while not particularly difficult, can be VERY LONG.

Other times I've used USAVE. I've never had a problem with them.

I am researching a rental for August to see Guanacaste. I had forgotton about this thread, and I even posted on it.

Does anyone have any more up-to-date issues with specific companies or new policies that they are trying to push through to make more money?

I intend to speak with my VISA vendor, and GEICO, to see what (if any) protections I will have, and what (if any) proof they can provide to me (preferably in Spanish). Then I will contact whomever I will use (leaning towards Thrifty per this thread) and make sure everything is square.

It's not the money that I care about, I hate bullshyt. It ruins everything for me. I have never rented outside of the USA, and this thread is worth gold to me.

Thanks again all.

_________________
bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

Make sure you have a credit card that has the embossed numbers on it as most places will Imprint your credit card on the old carbonless imprinters. I had this issue at Thrifty one time, as my new credit card did not have the embossed numbers on it, so they could not make an imprint of it. Luckily I had the expired one in my wallet still, and after 30 minutes of telling them to imprint the old one and change the expiration date, they finally did what I suggested. Also I would use a card with a lower limit or not much open credit on it for the deposit so they could not ding my card for a shitload if they decided to.

Since then I have quit renting from the rental car companies as I have found a couple of used car lots that will rent me a used car without the bull shit, also they write up a bill of sale for me and I put the paperwork in the corner of the front window so there are no plates on the car to be caught by the traffic cameras. I get some sort of 4 door vehicle with AC in decent shape for about 40.00 per day but I have to pay cash. The vehicle is covered by their insurance for up to 30 days or until registered which ever is sooner.

I have fun driving in Costa Rica and have had a few close calls due to motorcycles trying to cut thru traffic but you do need to drive defensively and aggressively if you want to keep moving. Think New York driving and taking the spot you want to occupy. DO NOT BE DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. Also if you need to be somewhere at a certain time, do not wait till the last minute to leave. I give myself plenty of time and would prefer to wait in a bar close to where I need to be, or wander around the area and see new sights then to have to try and fight traffic. Also keep your sense of humor because you will witness things driving in Costa Rica that will make you laugh at how stupid the drivers can be and you will wonder how some of the people even got licenses to drive in the first place. Much worse than here in the states. I do not think that learning to merge in traffic is a skill that is ever taught to the majority of drivers.