Guide to Car or truck Rental Providers in Costa Rica
Charge Comparisons for 2015
Motor vehicle rental in Costa Rica is an opportunity to explore the distant beaches and quiet corners of this breathtakingly lovely nation. Travel with no limitations established by general public transportation timetables and with liberty more than group tours. For your unprepared traveler; nevertheless, auto rental expenses and services generally is a impolite shock and also a blow to that family vacation budget.
Leasing a car or truck for your personal holiday vacation will probably be the costliest portion of the spending budget, so knowledge the terms and controlling anticipations is very important. The knowledge down below just isn't meant being an exhaustive manual, but it should really established you on The trail towards an knowledgeable conclusion for your car rental demands in Costa Rica.
Why is motor vehicle rental so high priced?
Site visitors from beyond Costa Rica are sometimes stunned by the cost of car or truck rental. Though lodge rooms, restaurant costs and excursions are decreased than the costs paid out at home, it could appear Peculiar that automobile rental really should be more high priced.
There are two straightforward causes for this large cost:
All automobiles in Costa Rica are imported along with a tax is imposed. Due to this heavy taxation, the expense of buying a car or truck is better than It will be in other industrialized nations around the world. Usually there are some car or truck rental operators who hire older automobiles in order to minimize their prices.
The price of mandatory insurance policy (see beneath).
Elements that Affect Car Rental Expenditures
• Necessary Insurance policy
3rd-party insurance plan, which may be known as TPI, PDW (Partial Damage Waiver), SLI (Supplementary Liability Insurance policies) as well as other acronyms, is usually a authorized requirement. Auto rental operators ought to charge The shopper for this protection which might or might not be distinct within the quotation obtained by The shopper.
The insurance itself is not the issue. After all, a number of other nations call for car or truck renters to pay a mandatory insurance coverage; together with: New Zealand, Italy and Mexico, in addition to a variety of the U.S. states, like California. The issue that causes competition in Costa Rica is that this Price will not be usually shown Evidently on the car rental operator's Web-site or inside of a quote. Consumers then explore the extra Value of their rental on arrival.
The expense of mandatory insurance plan may differ from business to corporation and may depend on the car category that's becoming rented likewise. The expense for a little sedan can be as tiny as $12 each day, Whilst a premium 4x4 vehicle can be approximately $25 for coverage a day. This really is As well as the rental Price.
Bank cards in North The us commonly provide car insurance as an additional perk for the charge card holder and so North People in america in particular, are unused to needing to purchase insurance coverage on top of rental costs. However, no charge card will deal with this insurance policies requirement.
Do question if the supplied estimate involves third-social gathering insurance and Look at the costs on the vehicle rental operator's Internet site.
• Collision Problems Waiver
It's not insurance, but a waiver. The fundamental level will have a deductible that varies, but could be just as much as $1,500. For a greater everyday price, a zero deductible CDW may be procured to relieve the renter of any economic responsibility in the event of damage to, or theft thereof, the car.
Quite a few renters will get hold of their CDW via their credit card. Even so, it is value noting which the accountability for making any insurance coverage declare is on The client rather than with the automobile rental operator. Some renters might opt for to invest in supplemental in-house protection to prevent obtaining this duty.
There will be car rental organizations which challenging market their own individual coverage options through guaranteeing assurance, but in the end, Here is the renter's determination. It is worthy of remembering that vehicle rental corporation staff, like in other elements of the entire world, will from time to time receive commission for insurance coverage income.
If the customer's credit card won't supply CDW, The shopper might be demanded to get this in-home protection.
Motor vehicle rental operators demand created evidence that the customer's credit card offers CDW. Talk to the vehicle rental operator for the precise information of whatever they require As well as in what kind. Some might acknowledge a forwarded e-mail from your bank card business, but Other people might ask for a printed copy for being introduced at time of rental.
• Deposit
The deposit amount of money essential will depend upon no matter whether The shopper chooses to use the motor vehicle rental operator's in-house CDW or requires this protection by way of a bank card. Count on to pay for a A lot greater deposit if the in-home CDW is declined. The deposit may also depend on car product rented. This sum, which is able to be held on the renter's charge card until the tip in the rental interval, could be from $750 around up to $three,five hundred. The deposit should really get not more than five days being refunded for the charge card to the automobile's return. Some motor vehicle rental organizations will accept debit cards for deposit maintain, though the return time for this amount normally takes weeks.
Do be certain that the deposit is calculated in the vacation spending budget as an surprising maintain of a few thousand bucks with a charge card could or else seriously Slash into holiday vacation expending.
• Airport Taxes
Prospects that hire from a car rental operator's counter inside of an airport creating are obliged to pay for the airport tax.
People automobile rental operators using a counter at San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) are: Alamo/National, Spending plan, Dollar, Economy and Hertz. These corporations will increase an additional twelve% tax on the rental Price tag.
These car or truck rental operators that has a counter at Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR) are: Avis, Funds and Overall economy. These corporations will incorporate an additional 3% tax to your rental cost.
To stop this tax, take an airport shuttle Using the motor vehicle rental operator to an Workplace Situated beyond the airport grounds.
• Surcharges and also other Taxes
There are a variety of other obligatory expenses that vehicle rental operators may possibly insert in to the rental Charge, Exhibit on-monitor or display from the quote, or leave undisclosed until eventually The shopper's arrival. These potentially hidden fees may possibly appear to be tiny when viewed independently, but these are usually day-to-day costs, so they're going to include up rapidly!
These may involve:
• License Plate Charge: Under $2 each day, but differs from business to enterprise.
• Environmental Tax: Fewer than $1 daily.
• Product sales Tax: All income transactions in Costa Rica are subjected to a twelve% governing administration-imposed income tax.
• Automobile Washing Payment: Provide again an extremely filthy car and also the cleansing charge could be additional onto the final payment. 1 vehicle rental operator prices $twenty for this additional service.
• Fuel Prices: When the gas tank will not be loaded to precisely the same degree as it was At first in the rental time period, then the car rental company will demand (typically to the closest eighth of a tank). This cost is dictated by the vehicle rental operator and It isn't subject matter to the governmentally set gas price that would be located at any gasoline station.
Where by Should I Reserve the Vehicle?
A standard confusion for travelers booking a rental vehicle will be the discrepancy amongst Intercontinental Web sites for automobile rental operators and also the Costa Rican Web page for the same brand name. Often the Intercontinental websites are unaware of, or fall short to reveal, insurances, taxes and surcharges that may be billed for the counter. This can be because of the fact that several acknowledged vehicle rental operator models in Costa Rica are not a foreign branch of your branded car or truck rental operator, but in its place certainly are a franchise operation. This factor can also be worth thinking about when it comes to expectations relating to customer support as well as other finer facts. The Costa Rican franchise Workplace could have their own individual variety of functioning, in addition to precisely the same policies and suggestions that The shopper could have professional in other aspects of the globe.
Understandably then, an internet reservation is very best built throughout the local Web page and never the Global web-site, where ever possible. A variety of businesses do not have a neighborhood Site. In such cases, do Look at the small print with an area team member by means of the phone and ask for prepared affirmation on the quotation. Practical experience with Stay chat about the Intercontinental Web sites implies that While workers is educated on terms and conditions governing the principle Business office (usually U.S.A.); they comprehend tiny on the guidelines that needs to be adhered to in Costa Rica.
Auto Rental Comparisons
In Could/June of 2013, I compared the pricing and products and services of several automobile rental operators in Costa Rica and published the findings. To my shock, the short article is still remaining plagiarized consistently across the online world which suggests that it is continue to beneficial and so an update was essential. The costs for this comparison have been received in December 2014 and January 2015.
The ICT (Costa Rican Institute of Tourism) states that there are 30 registered automobile rental operators with eight Some others pending approval. Nonetheless, there are numerous additional agencies that lease automobiles to visitors. The vehicle rental operators picked are People that are most frequently used by tourists:
Adobe
Alamo
Avis
Finances
Dollar
Overall economy
Fox
Hertz
National
Payless
Company
Thrifty
Toyota
USave
Vamos
Wild Rider
Exclusion of Firms from Remaining Comparison
Budget, Overall economy, Payless, and Toyota have been contacted, but these four businesses did not deliver exact on-line costs. Financial system and Price range's websites have a single rate, whatever the dates entered and customers need to order a motor vehicle to ensure that them to honor the price demonstrated. Toyota's Web-site was however only Performing up until eventually March. Further than that, the pricing displayed $0 for the remainder from the year. Payless has this disclaimer on their own Site: "Taxes and surcharges will not be within just our Command and could modify unexpectedly."
Sending specific inquiries for every time frame resulted in inconsistent effects: Spending budget supplied the identical price for all a few investigated time intervals when obtaining an e-mail ask for, which is very unlikely; Financial state responded with distinctive rates for a similar California Car Transporters dates from distinctive associates of employees; and Toyota's emailed quotes for time periods past March's rates indicated online did not correspond for the March rates quoted (perhaps the emailed estimates contained taxes which were not shown on line). Payless can provide estimates via e-mail and phone, but weren't in line with pricing for various seasons.
Avis is only excluded from the cost comparison, as they do not have an intermediate SUV category in their fleet.
Comparison Info
Automobile rental fee, all taxes and surcharges, and 3rd-celebration insurance policies costs are (supposedly) calculated and rated appropriately under based upon the 7 days's rental of a BeGo or very similar intermediate 4x4 from a San Jose/Alajuela location (not within the airport).
Premiums are calculated with a weekly foundation and divided by 7 to provide a every day Price that is much more very easily similar. As not all pricing is totally clear, the costs are as correct as possible determined by the data furnished from the car rental operators' Web sites, telephone phone calls, and/or e-mails. Airport taxes are usually not A part of these figures.
Shoulder Time (Estimate for July thirteen by 20)
one. USave $43.37
two. Assistance $54.92
three. Fox $55.64
four. Hertz $58.seventeen
five. Adobe $60.13
six. Alamo $60.99
seven. Wild Rider $sixty two.86
8. Dollar $sixty three.35
nine. Vamos $sixty four.15
10. Nationwide $sixty seven.04
11. Thrifty $74.39
Small Period (Quotation for Could thirteen via 20)
1. Nationwide $37.04
two. USave $forty three.37
three. Greenback $forty six.49
four. Adobe $fifty two.fifty seven
5. Vamos $53.15
6. Support $fifty three.49
7. Hertz $54.fifty nine
eight. Fox $fifty five.64
9. Wild Rider $55.71
10. Alamo $sixty.99
eleven. Thrifty $74.39
Large Year (Estimate for March 13 by way of twenty)
1. Dollar $55.92
2. USave $56.22
three. Hertz $56.37
four. Fox $fifty nine.36
five. Thrifty $64.sixty nine
six. Service $66.sixty three
seven. Vamos $67.fourteen
8. Alamo $sixty nine.fifty six
9. Wild Rider $70.00
10. Adobe $70.sixty three
11. Nationwide $73.ninety
Summary of Comparison
Apparently, There is certainly not a person distinct costly or low-cost firm from Individuals in contrast. The variation in rating among seasons is marked and clients ought to contemplate their holiday dates when choosing the vehicle rental operator. As an example, Thrifty appears as being the most costly for equally low and shoulder year, but are only in fourth posture inside the rankings for top Period.
It's also sizeable that pricing just isn't in line with ranking with car or truck rental operators in other vehicle classes. Such as, Vamos' pricing is The most affordable for the quality vehicle in the shoulder time; While they're not very first in any rankings for the intermediate classification and Adobe which seems aggressive are the most expensive for this time period and vehicle classification.
Info on Motor vehicle Rental Operators
Adobe Lease-A-Auto is a local car or truck rental operator which has eleven places of work across the country. The web site is simple and simple to operate without any apparent hidden charges. The mandatory insurance policy cost is shown as part of the online quotation. The company gets blended testimonials on the web, but far more constructive than unfavorable feedback are created. Emails receive a reply within 24 hrs, but may well not completely respond to the queries asked.
Toll-Free Phone Number: one-855-861-1250
Little one Seat: $3/working day
Booster: $one/working day
Additional Driver: $3/working day
GPS Procedure: $9/working day
Alamo is effective in partnership with National and it has thirteen workplaces across the country. As with quite a few huge names, Alamo Costa Rica is a franchise instead of a branch of Alamo itself. Third-party insurance policies and standard CDW are included in the web quotation, Even though the CDW may very well be refused on presentation of evidence of coverage through the customer's charge card. This will make the pricing look large on first look, especially when, as opposed to other vehicle rental operators, Alamo contains airport taxes of their on the web quotation and so their pricing is truthful, but seems much greater than other corporations Therefore. Pricing is different over the Worldwide Web page of the company, Even though the conditions and terms do point out the expenses that could be paid on arrival. This pricing discrepancy could be the lead cause of damaging testimonials for this corporation. E-mail are responded to inside of 24 several hours.
Toll-Free of charge Cell phone number: one-855-533-1196
Child Seat: $3/day
Extra Driver: $6/day
GPS Process: $twelve/working day
Avis' Web-site obliges just one to pick out an auto safety alternative, nevertheless it fails to display a closing quotation whole or value for that coverage chosen on the web until finally an emailed quotation is shipped. Coverage costs might be attained by clicking on the choice 'Protections Discussed' at the bottom of the monitor.
No Toll-Absolutely free Telephone number
Little one Seat: $5/day
Further Driver: $five/day
GPS Process: $9.99/day
Funds has a website that is definitely simple to use, though the pricing supplied is as a similar for all seasons, suggesting that it's not proper. Email responses ended up Usually rapidly, but some were being left unanswered. Emailed prices confirmed exactly the same pricing for all seasons as the web site did. Necessary coverage just isn't involved on the web quotation, however the tiny print states that this is payable in the counter. Finances gets combined on the net reviews.
No Toll-Totally free Telephone number, but Dwell Chat is obtainable
Youngster Seat: $5/day
Added Driver: $5/day
GPS Program: $14.99/working day
Dollar appears to possess really competitive rates, but airport taxes will probably be applied if the vehicle is staying collected from the airport's counters. One particular may possibly uncover this within their terms and conditions, although not inside their on the internet prices. Auto washing charge is enforced for very filthy autos. You'll find 4 workplaces in Liberia and San Jose. Email reaction is in 24 hours. Greenback receives blended testimonials from on-line vacation discussion boards.
Toll-Totally free Phone Number: one-877-767-8651
Kid Seat: $five/day
More Driver: $5/day
GPS System: $9/working day
Overall economy has twelve offices throughout the place. They have got no Costa Rican website. Scroll down on their own webpage to search out and click on on coverage fees. Airport taxes will not be included in the quote. E-mail get both a quick response or no reaction in the slightest degree. Overall economy has the worst on the net track record of any big name car or truck rental operator in Costa Rica.
Toll-Absolutely free Phone Number: one-877-326-7368
Kid Seat: $10/day
More Driver: $ten/working day
GPS System: $fifteen/day
Fox functions in partnership with USave. Workplaces are located at equally Global airports. E-mail get a reaction within just 24 several hours. On line reviews are usually bad.
Toll-Free of charge Telephone number: 1-800-225-4369
Kid Seat: $5/working day
Supplemental Driver: $ten/day (Unless of course spouse)
GPS Method: $nine.ninety nine/day
Hertz has six places of work during the state. Reservations may very well be built by way of a Costa Rican Internet site. Preliminary on-line quotation won't include things like income taxes, nevertheless it does contain the CDW -- Even though CDW may be waived with evidence of credit card protection. Email messages get a response inside 24 several hours. Mediocre evaluations on vacation message boards.
No Toll-Free of charge Contact number
Little one Seat: $five/day
Supplemental Driver: $13/working day
GPS Method: $twelve/day
Nationwide works in partnership with Alamo and it has 30 offices in Procedure across the nation. The business has a Central American Internet site, along with the Intercontinental web site, which Obviously demonstrates the breakdown of pricing. CDW is included in the net estimate, but it could be unchecked to get a estimate with just the obligatory insurance coverage. Observe which the airport tax is included in the online estimate in addition. Instantaneous responses to thoughts are available by way of Stay Chat on their own website. Evaluations are combined, but there are actually more good than adverse.
Absolutely free Phone Contact Alternative Through Internet site
Little one Seat: $six/day
Booster: $6/day
Additional Driver: $5/working day
GPS Procedure: $twelve/working day
Payless is a component in the Worldwide auto rental firm and has no Costa Rican Site. On the internet estimates don't consist of 3rd-occasion insurance plan, While the knowledge on this may be found by reading the insurance policies to the San Jose area. Emails get a response in fewer than 24 hrs, but often refer back to the web site, as opposed to new info. Critiques are more negative than positive.
Toll-Absolutely free Telephone number: one-800-PAYLESS
Baby Seat: $5/day
Booster: $5/day
Additional Driver: $ten/working day
GPS Process: $9.ninety five/working day
Provider is a local enterprise with five places of work inside the state. On an normally clear Web page, click on 'Reserve Now' and never 'Receive a Quote' for an online value Look at. Rember would be the staff members member talked about in opinions on vacation forum for his beneficial customer support and the company frequently gets very good assessments. Emails are answered inside 24 hrs and Commonly deliver asked for info.
U.S. Telephone number: one-305-897-3718
Child Seat: $3.fifty/working day
Additional Driver: $three/working day
GPS Procedure: $seven.fifty/working day
Thrifty doesn't have a neighborhood Web page, So information is with the international Web site. Coverage choices or info relating to third-celebration insurance plan is not really delivered to the reservation webpage right until one clicks 'Defense Details'. Emails get a reaction within just 24 hrs, but may not answer locale-precise inquiries. Evaluations are often negative as a consequence of pricing problems.
Toll-Absolutely free Telephone number: one-800-344-1705
Little one Seat: $5/working day
Booster: $5/working day
Further Driver: $twelve/day
GPS System: $11.ninety nine/day
Toyota is a major title; however, Regardless that their Site seems Skilled at first glance, it simply isn't going to perform, or at least it wasn't operating so as to obtain quotations later on than March 2015. Their on-line prices do not incorporate sales taxes. E-mails obtain rapidly responses, but estimates for various seasons seemed to be contradictory. Nonetheless, Toyota has a very good reputation on journey forums. Eight places of work are located across the nation.
Absolutely free Mobile phone Contact Option Through Website
Baby Seat: $five/working day
Cooler: $1.50/working day
Supplemental Driver: $3/day
GPS Technique: $ten/working day
USave works in partnership with Fox and has three Business office destinations. Insurance policies solutions are shown for the online quote, nevertheless it have to be chosen and 'recalculate' pressed, in advance of it can be A part of the pricing. Email messages receive a reaction within just 24 hrs. The business receive General bad critiques, Even though there are a few good opinions designed on travel boards.
Toll-Absolutely free Telephone number: one-800-467-3659
Kid Seat: $5/working day
Extra Driver: $10/day
GPS Process: $nine.95/day
Vamos is a neighborhood enterprise that is a popular choice for Excursion Advisor and Lonely World specialists thanks to their customer service and pricing. The website is user friendly with itemized rates clearly displayed. The Reside Chat selection allows fast individualized offers and responses from English-Talking team. The company has a few workplaces.
Toll-Absolutely free Cell phone number: 1-800-950-8426
Kid Seat: totally free
Booster: totally free
Extra Driver: free
GPS System: $eight/day
Wild Rider is a small, nearby company Positioned only in San Jose. The website is easy with 3rd-occasion insurance policies included in the pricing. Firstly of this exploration, the pricing was not updated, but this has because been remedied. This automobile rental operator stands out by owning only constructive reviews and so is extremely proposed by travel forum consumers. Owner, Thorsten, replies inside the hour to inquiries through Workplace hours.
U.S. Telephone number: 1-917-477-7712
Little one Seat: $5/day
GPS Process: $eight/day
Total Summary
Clarity
Adobe, Alamo, Nationwide, Provider, Vamos, and Wild Rider present clear and total prices on their own websites. One other car or truck rental operators ended up fewer transparent with surcharges or taxes, including airport taxes or revenue taxes. Pricing on additional extras weren't constantly straightforward to find, and Avis, Thrifty and Toyota needed to be contacted for these specifics.
Communication
Amounts of communication have improved given that the first comparison, even though it would seem a good idea to ask for an area variety and ensure answers Along with the Costa Rica office of your Worldwide car or truck rental operators, as Intercontinental chat operators or People replying to e-mail, do not generally seem 100% assured about regional insurance policies and could even give incorrect info.
Be prepared to exchange numerous email messages in an effort to get comprehensive responses to inquiries with quite a few corporations: Finances and Overall economy have been specially susceptible to this -- requesting a whole lot of data so as to give a quotation. It is not unreasonable that customers of employees Doing the job in the next language could skip components of an email, so current thoughts in very clear and easy language.
Live Chat on the two the Spending plan and Vamos Internet sites signify info could be furnished instantly and is still documented, not like a cellular phone call.
Pricing
The comparison above shows which the pricing between businesses relies upon intensely about the period and vehicle classification remaining thought of, in lieu of a clear Slash decision in between extra or less costly rental rates.
Shoppers have to evaluate the pricing of other things, which include further drivers or GPS procedure, and families will want to compare car or truck seat rental pricing. Wild Rider gives the initial supplemental driver without spending a dime, Vamos tend not to demand for just about any extras, except the GPS, and generally, the Global corporations have greater fees for these extras compared to the local firms.
So Who Do I Rent From?
It is evident the community car or truck rental operators remain trumping the big names of their transparency and customer care when comparing their Internet sites and on the internet evaluations. The difference from the former amount comparison from several many years back is that the pricing has become more challenging to equate.
Adobe, Alamo, and National manage to price perfectly as Global car rental operators. It truly is truly worth noting that National is the costliest in high period with the intermediate category, but The most affordable in very low time. Adobe and Alamo are Center-rated for pricing.
Wild Rider is phenomenal in owning zero bad evaluations, but is just based in San Jose and has a much smaller fleet of vehicles. Of the other local corporations, Service and Vamos occur out perfectly and Vamos' free supplemental extras will appeal to spending budget-minded tourists and households with youthful little ones. Provider also offers these extras at very low everyday rates.