Guide to Car Rental Companies in Costa Rica

"My time's limited... how do I choose?"

Car rental is a hot subject for vacationers headed to Costa Rica. Recent analysis carried out by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism (ICT) signifies that, after lodging, rental a automotive is the biggest expense, averaging $702 for an eleven-day trip.

  When Car Insurance Expires

The Internet is droning with prejudicial critiques discussing overcharging, poor client support and mechanical breakdowns. You may need even written one your self!

A typical midsize (3 - Four adults) 4X4 rental runs between $58 and $65 daily with third occasion coverage and charges can differ as much like 20 p.c amongst automotive rental firms, so perusing a fast evaluate will probably be time nicely spent when you calculate the commercial enterprise savings.

So the query is; which rental firm provides the most effective stability of truthful value, succesful client support and dependable autos? I've researched all of it for you, so maintain perusing!

Disclosure: This analysis was carried call at May - July 2013. The following firms had been chosen as a result of they're probably the most loosely utilised in Costa Rica. Some are native firms; others are worldwide franchises of acknowledged model names. Comparisons embody: client support, pricing and the reservation course of. The firms are listed alphabetically and ne'er based mostly on private or on-line preferences.
Consider this info earlier than rental:

Insurance

One of the largest causes for complaints is from the stack of unexpected fees introduced to the renter as soon as standing on the rental firm's counter. Vacationers are unremarkably drained after a drawn-out flight after which are confronted by prices that weren't anticipated, defined or budgeted.

Topping the record of grievances is the non-disclosure of charges concerned the obligatory third-party coverage on the time the reservation is made.

According to Costa Rican legislation, each driver is required to hold legal responsibility protection to insure con to accidents to 3rd events. Car rental firms unremarkably chorus from revealing the price of this coverage inside the quoted rental price to seem extra aggressive. Mandatory third-party coverage can generally be as much like double the auto's rental value. The alone assure con to coverage confusion is to inquire in case your estimate contains the third occasion coverage and demand on a written citation.

Cost of Mandatory Insurance (extraly acknowledged as Third Party or SLI)

Expect to pay between $12 and $15 daily for this coverage, relying on the make and mannequin of the rented auto and the rental automotive company. This is a authorized situation of your rental settlement and is unremarkably not lined by bank card game and can't be waived. It's a reality of rental a automotive in Costa Rica.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

As the identify suggests, this is not coverage, even so a waiver, which relieves the renter from any legal responsibility for harm to the rental automotive after the deductible is paid (normally from $750 to $1,500). Some companies require renters to buy their CDW coverage; thereby negating any bank card program. For an extra price, many companies do supply a zero legal responsibility choice the place the renter will probably be unhampered paying for any harm to the automotive. Some firms could put stress upon renters to buy the zero legal responsibility protection; even so, it's alone non-obligatory, except it's inside the high-quality print of their rental settlement.

Credit card coverage packages could cowl the CDW for a rental auto. Check on with your chosen rental automotive firm to seek out which proof of coverage is required after which request that out of your bank card firm previous to arriving. If you utilise your bank card's CDW coverage, anticipate to pay the next deposit on the auto; round $1,500 to $2000 is widespread. The greater deposit ensures that the bank card bearer has enough monetary system militia to cowl indemnity if wanted. It is necessary to think of that if utilizing CDW protection offered by a bank card (in lieu of the lease a automotive operator), all indemnity will probably be beaked to the renter's bank card. The bank card firm will then recoup the cardboard bearer for indemnity.

More Insurance

Tires and windshields are not often enclosed in coverage insurance policies, though extra insurance policies could also be taken out for masking these ceaselessly broken gadgets. Neither the inside nor the below of the auto could also be lined. Always learn the high-quality print.

Standard Procedure

Your bank card will probably be charged, or a 'maintain' positioned, for the rental auto throughout the time of the rental settlement; i.e. from selecting up the rental till you come it. Debit playacting card game are unremarkably not acceptable.

Additional Charges

Most firms have surcharges for extra drivers, automotive seats/boosters, cell telephones, coolers, GPS and/or roof racks. The prices differ from firm to firm, even so since these extras are beaked at a daily price, it's price checking the full value -- extra choices can add up in a short time! A GPS is round $Eight to $10 per day; even so, some operators could supply discounted items. Expect to pay round $5 daily for a kid seat and some {dollars} a day for all the opposite 'niceties'. Vamos is notable for providing most of those choices and, throughout some promotions, even the GPS rental complimentarily. Alamo, Budget, Hertz and National cost probably the most for such extra choices; whereas the opposite firms listed, cost extra low-priced costs.

Surcharges

Most firms add small additive prices, similar to license plate and environmental charges, into the full tally. Be cautious of operators who insert these extra fees into the small print of the rental contract. Vehicles rented direct on the aerodrome find aerodrome taxes, that are a humongous 12% of your rental value!

The rental auto needs to be returned with the identical amount of gasoline, except in any other case indicated. If not, firms could cost above fuel station charges for lacking gasoline.

Vehicles

There is a debate over the autos equipped by rental firms: Older vehicles enable the drive to mix in extra than a shiny, new automotive. Having an older mannequin could have the oblique good affair about being much less scrutinized by automotive rental companies for current nicks and scratches, in contrast to a more recent auto. However, a more recent auto could also be extra roadworthy. This debate carries on into the all different auto makes and fashions. Generally, Costa Rican companies are capable of lease their autos for a decrease price as a result of their vehicles are unremarkably three to 5 years previous (versus two to a few). Online critiques would recommend that the native companies haven't any extra complaints regarding auto superiority than multinational franchises; analysis on boards, similar to TripAdvisor.com, appears to point that clients ceaselessly refer to driving a less-than-new auto via the wilds of Costa Rica. The causes are much, from highway situations to the notion of less-then-new autos mix in higher -- a more recent auto could draw extra undesirable consideration.

The selections of rental vehicles in Costa Rica are for the most part restricted to makes and fashions that preserve a aggressive resale worth, are a typical model inside the nation, and are cheap to take care of. As such a rent-a-car operator's fleet have a tendency to not be as many because the United States. Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Hyundai represent the mainstay manufacturers of most rental fleets.

Sometimes, drivers are charged for supposed 'indemnity' to the auto upon return. Once receiving the auto, renters ought to meticulously examine for pre-existing flaws and evaluate it with the auto review doc utilised by the rental automotive advisor. Some renters recommend photographing or videoing the auto from all angles, to keep away from any disagreement between pre-existing and just late broken gadgets.

Pricing

Car leases in Costa Rica are pricier in comparison with different nations. Duties on autos are excessive (as much like 50% of their worth!), components are costlier and unforgiving highway situations contribute to greater put on and tear, producing greater upkeep prices.

The rule is you get what you invite out -- there are different choices than these rental firms listed right here, even so they don't seem to be listed for a superb motive. They only fail to supply fundamental client support and/or an appropriate auto situation required for a (practically) trouble-free trip.

When evaluating rental automotive fees, it's best to go on to the Costa Rican site of the rental automotive firm, fairly than attempting to make use of their worldwide format or an middleman (Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak, et al.). For the identical autos and reservation dates, the charges supplied by the several worldwide vs. Costa Rican sites for Alamo, Budget, Hertz and Thrifty differed considerably.

To keep away from confusion, print out all correspondence with the automotive rental firm with whom you have reserved a auto and convey this to the rental work with the quote given on the time of reservation.

The following prime ten chart ranks the businesses from highest priced to last-place and it contains the obligatory coverage cost. In the circumstances of Alamo and Hertz, the determine incorporates their CDW price as it's sure as shot one of their rental necessities. This value equivalence is predicated on per week's rental of a Daihatsu Bego, the place gettable (Dollar provides the Suzuki Vitara) from September 14th - 21st, then once again in December to view each Green and High Season charges. The record shortly demonstrates that the value variation relies upon immensely on the corporate -- for primarily the identical service. These costs had been obtained in June/July 2013.

Rental Car Companies Ranked According to Price

September

10. Alamo $650.96
9. Hertz $514.27
8. Adobe $449
7. Budget $455
6. National $428.01
5. Thrifty $421.05
4. Service $374.43
3. Vamos $370.30
2. Dollar $364
1. Wild Rider $350

December

10. Alamo $650.96
9. National $597.51
8. Hertz $566.52
7. Budget $555
6. Dollar $532
5. Thrifty $506.58
4. Service $494.43
3. Vamos $461.30
2. Adobe $459
1. Wild Rider $395

Alamo ranks amount ten for each seasons, making it the most costly firm. Budget, Hertz and National extraly price low on the size for economical rental choices.

Company Summaries

Adobe

Website is evident and simple to make use of, even so pricing and even the autos listed are unremarkably not the identical as these given by an work advisor over the cellular telephone. Mandatory coverage prices are unremarkably not well-tried with the record of autos and rental fees, even so they're clearly displayed on the next webpage as a buyer strikes in the direction of reserving a reservation. Mixed buyer critiques on-line. Email response is lower than 24 hours, even so could not present all requested info.

Toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount. No Live Chat.
10 works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $19 daily
Additional fees: GPS $9/day, little one seat $5/day

Alamo

Website is evident and simple to make use of, even so costs differ con to quotes noninheritable over the cellular telephone. Mandatory coverage prices are unremarkably not given with the record of autos and rental fees, even so they're clearly displayed on the next webpage because the buyer strikes in the direction of making a reservation. Mixed buyer critiques on-line. Email response is lower than 24 hours.

No toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount or Live chat
14 works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $11.95 daily, even so should extraly take their CDW at $12.95 daily
Additional fees: GPS $12/day, little one seat $6/day

Budget

Website is fundamental, even so simple to make use of. Prices on-line differ to the quotations given by a advisor over the cellular telephone and relying on whether or not the worldwide or Costa Rican site is used. Mandatory coverage prices are given together with the record of autos; even so, the opposite fees are unremarkably not listed. Mixed buyer critiques on-line. Email response is greater than 24 hours.

No toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount. No Live Chat on Costa Rican site.
10 works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: enclosed inside the listed value
Additional fees: GPS $10.95/day, little one seat $12/day (the most costly of the highest ten)

Dollar

Website is evident and simple to make use of. Prices quoted differ if vocation from the U.S. or in Costa Rica. Mandatory coverage prices are unremarkably not given with the record of autos and rental fees, even so they're clearly displayed on the next webpage as a buyer strikes in the direction of a making a reservation. Mixed critiques on-line, even so unremarkably receives constructive suggestions. Email inquiries answered inside 24 hours.

Toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount. No Live Chat.
Three works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $16 daily
Additional fees: GPS $9/day, little one seat $5/day

Hertz

Website is evident and simple to make use of. Mandatory coverage prices are unremarkably not given moreover the record of autos and rental fees, even so they're clearly displayed on the next webpage because the buyer strikes in the direction of a reserving a reservation. Mixed buyer critiques on-line. Email response lower than 24 hours.

Toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount and Live Chat (though it appears to be all offline)
7 works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $17.43 daily, even so their CDW can also be a requirement
Additional fees: GPS $12/day, little one seat $2/day

National

Website is evident and simple to make use of. Mandatory coverage prices are unremarkably not given together with the record of autos and rental fees, even so they're clearly displayed on the next webpage as a buyer strikes in the direction of making a reservation. Mixed buyer critiques on-line, even so extra constructive than prejudicial. Email response lower than 24 hours.

Toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount. Live Chat.
22 works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $25 daily (the most costly of the highest ten)
Additional fees: GPS $12/day, little one seat $6/day

Service

Website is evident and consumer pleasant with only a slight confusion in that a web based quote is obtained by clicking on 'Reserve Now' and ne'er the 'Get a Quote' choice. The response to a cellular telephone inquiry was to make use of the site. Mandatory coverage prices are given together with the record of autos and rental fees for the off-season fees and on the second webpage of the opposite citation webpage. Remember is a extremely beneficial gross revenue advisor who's talked abcall at lots of on-line critiques for the excessive degree of his client support. Generally on-line critiques are constructive for Service. Email response is lower than 24 hours, though all info requested power not be noninheritable.

U.S.A cellular telephone amount, even so not toll-free. No Live Chat.
5 works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $15 daily
Additional fees: GPS $5.99/day, little one seat $2.99/day

Thrifty

Costa Rican model of the site is impossible to make use of and you're requested to register for a consumer identify and password. Mandatory coverage prices are unremarkably not given together with the record of autos and rental fees. A buyer has to click on on "Protection Options" on the U.S. site and choose the obligatory coverage by clicking on it -- implying that it's non-obligatory and ne'er a required value. Thrifty are likely to obtain combined critiques on-line. Email response is greater than 24 hours.

Toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount. No Live Chat.
Four works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $19.99 daily
Additional fees: GPS $10/day, little one seat $5/day

Vamos

Website is evident and simple to make use of. Mandatory coverage prices are unremarkably not given onside aspect the record of autos and rental fees, even so are clearly displayed on the next webpage because the buyer strikes in the direction of reserving a reservation. Anibal, a advisor, is ceaselessly talked abcall at on-line critiques for his excessive degree of client support expertise. General Manager, George Schwarzenbach is thought on Trip Advisor for his direct and sincere responses to clients' posts.

In current years, Vamos has noninheritable very constructive critiques on-line. Email response is lower than 24 hours. Live Chat has immediate latency to inquiries.

Toll-free U.S.A and Canada cellular telephone amount. Live Chat.
Three works nationwide
Mandatory coverage: $11.95 daily
Additional fees: GPS $8/day, little one seat free

Wild Rider

Website is evident and simple to make use of. Mandatory coverage prices are given later to the record of autos. Wild Rider is the one automotive rental agency in Costa Rica with no seen dangerous critiques on-line. Owner, Thorsten, is unremarkably praised for his effectiveness and client support, regardless of the very restricted sources the corporate has at hand. Emails obtain very immediate and careful responses in lower than 12 hours.

No toll-free cellular telephone amount or Live Chat
1 work -- no Liberia aerodrome work
Mandatory coverage: enclosed
Additional fees: GPS $8/day, little one seat $5/day

Comparison Review

Customer Service

Vamos and Wild Rider reply shortly and effectively to e mail or dwell chat inquiries. Adobe, Alamo, Dollar, Hertz, National, and Service reply to e mail inquiries in lower than 24 hours, even so Adobe and Service didn't present all the knowledge requested (probably a language barrier). Budget provides a free cellular telephone service, ne'ertheless it seems to be all the time busy. Hertz's dwell chat seems to be consistently offline. During the previous yr, clients who posted to on-line evaluate websites expressed a specific satisfaction with the client support supplied by Service, Vamos and Wild Rider.

Clarity

Adobe, Alamo and Budget have all different rental costs posted on their sites than these quoted over the cellular telephone. Telephone costs had been decrease than that quoted on the site inside the circumstances of Adobe and Alamo, even so but greater inside the case of Budget. Adobe extraly provides all different auto fashions over the cellular telephone as in comparison with their site. International automotive rental companies with each a Costa Rican and worldwide site seem to have pricing variations between the 2 websites.

Budget and Wild Rider embody the obligatory coverage of their rental costs, even so Budget states that 'different fees' which will probably be introduced on the counter inside the small print on their site. Rental costs for automotive seating required to be verified on the cellular telephone as they don't seem to be listed on the Budget site.

All different firms except for Thrifty (a U.S. site), clearly present the obligatory coverage value with the citation given. Thrifty's Costa Rican site is alone unusable.

Pricing

Service, Vamos and Wild Rider constantly supply the most effective charges for each Green and High seasons, though Dollar has one of many last-place Green season charges gettable, whereas Adobe has a less big-ticket High season price. Vamos supply the most effective "all inclusive" charges, given that nigh all choices are supplied without outlay a dime.

Adobe, Dollar, Service, Thrifty and Wild Rider stay aggressive with their pricing of affairs similar to little one seats. Alamo, Hertz and National are the most costly firms to lease from and their extra choice prices are extraly costlier.

"So, what's your rental recommendation?"

Overall, the Costa Rican firms appear to trump the multi-nationals with higher pricing, service and readability.
Service provides a unremarkably high-level of client support and pretty aggressive pricing at each worldwide aerodromes.
Vamos can supply environment friendly reserving and continued high-level of client support with aggressive pricing, in addition to free extra choices at each SJO and LIR aerodromes.
Wild Rider could be very extremely rated for a rental with clear and economical pricing and glorious client support, even so they're alone in San Jose.

"Now you're ready to book your rental car after seeing how the competition compares. Good luck and happy travels!"