www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Has anyone done a Faq on car rental do's and dont's in CR? A search didn't turn up much and I bet many people at least think about leaving San Jose on their own. I would love to hear what the CR veterans say about it!

Sounds like a job for Orange, word is he's the master at driving like a Tico, finding free parking, getting tickets and wrecking little rental cars.

I guess there is no faq but if you put the phrase "rental and car" in the search query most info will come up.

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Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

Yeah, I better not see you crossing the street while I'm behind the wheel. Surprisingly, I just drive my usual way and I fit right in.

I have a few pieces of advice from having driven in rent cars and a company vehicle..

1. Do not rent from Advantage or Economy in San Jose. It is the same company. They quote the cheapest rates, but will jack the price up on you to more than quoted rate, give you a crappy car with high mileage, and jerk you around if you have any problems with the car.

2. Check to see what kind of insurance and taxes are included in the quoted rate for a car or if there are any hidden charges. If you see a dirt cheap rate, there's usually a reason.

3. Check the car for damage before you leave the rental facility.

4. Be aware that there's a scam going where someone screws with one of your tires, when you're in a service station or wherever, and then when you're stopped later by the side of the road they come by and offer to help, but then they rob you.

5. Roads are very poorly marked. Have a good map. You'll frequently come to Y's or intersections in small towns that aren't marked so you don't know which way to go. I'll usually follow the other traffic, then stop and ask if I don't see something within a few kilometers that lets me know I'm on the right road.

6. Traveling at night or in rain or fog can be dangerous in rural areas. If you do it, drive slowly.

7. There are a lot of single lane bridges. Pay attention to the signs to know who has the right of way, and exercise caution.

8. If you're in a mountainous area and stuck behind a slow vehicle, do not pass if you're not sure you can make it.

YMMV

I always rent from them and have never had a problem. When a crazy old Tico hit me a few months ago, they had a replacement car brought out to me on a flatbed in about an hour. Never had a problem getting the quoted prices. If you don't bring back the right amt of gas back, they will charge you A LOT, but other than that, no problems.

The rest are all excellent points and I agree completely.

Orange, you're right, YMMV.

I rented from Advantage once. The price quote was much lower than Thrifty, Hertz, Avis, etc. But it ended up being the same or higher when they got through with the hidden charges. The car was complete sh*t. It had around 70,000 kilometers, was trashed inside and steering was difficult. If it hadn't been late at night, and Thrifty next door hadn't already closed, I wouldn't have accepted the car.

A colleague of mine rented from Economy downtown in San Jose. I told him beforehand to make damn sure he didn't rent from Advantage. I found out later that Advantage and Economy in Costa Rica are the same company. The van we ended up with was in poor condition, compared to your average rental vehicle. He had an accident, and for reasons I don't exactly remember had real problems. I do remember the insurance didn't cover it, and his cost to get the vehicle fixed was more than it should have been.

Apparently I'm not the only one -- I didn't write these, just ran across them as I was trying to refresh my memory as to whether "Economy" was the other name they go by:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/2 ... 288493.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/2 ... 264293.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/1 ... 134458.htm

Two trips ago, I got the ice pick in the tire scam from Budget, as well as them trying to jack up the price. Avoid Budget at all costs.

Let me add...

1. Be prepared to pay a stiff deposit, $1,500-2,000 on your credit card.

2. Don't go with the cheapest 4WD. They are severely underpowered and not practical at all in CR.

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One-eyed and peg-legged is how I like 'em, ARRRRR!

Those charges are SLI insurance. All companies charge it, but some (like Advantage/Economy) do not include it in the quoted rate. So when you get to the counter, they add it in to your rate, so instead of paying $18/day, they'll add $12/day for SLI, and your rate is $30. Some may consider that deception, but that's just how it works there. I agree they should be upfront about it since it's mandatory, but like I said, they aren't the only ones doing it. MUY TICO!