Manual to Automobile Rental Companies in Costa Rica
Amount Comparisons for 2015
Auto rental in Costa Rica is an opportunity to explore the distant shorelines and tranquil corners of this breathtakingly wonderful region. Travel with no limits set by public transportation timetables and with liberty over group tours. To the unprepared traveler; on the other hand, automobile rental prices and services can be a rude shock plus a blow to that vacation finances.
Renting a car or truck for your vacation will probably be the most expensive component of one's spending budget, so knowing the conditions and handling anticipations is vital. The information under isn't intended to become an exhaustive guide, but it need to established you on the path in the direction of an informed final decision for your vehicle rental needs in Costa Rica.
Why is car or truck rental so pricey?
Site visitors from beyond Costa Rica in many cases are shocked by the expense of vehicle rental. Even though lodge rooms, cafe expenses and excursions are lessen than the prices compensated at home, it might show up strange that vehicle rental must be extra pricey.
There are 2 simple causes for this superior Price:
All cars in Costa Rica are imported and a tax is imposed. On account of this major taxation, the price of buying a auto is higher than It could be in other industrialized countries. There are numerous vehicle rental operators who lease more mature vehicles as a way to cut down their fees.
The price of required insurance coverage (see underneath).
Things that Have an effect on Car Rental Charges
• Mandatory Insurance policies
Third-social gathering insurance coverage, which can be referred to as TPI, PDW (Partial Injury Waiver), SLI (Supplementary Legal responsibility Coverage) together with other acronyms, is really a lawful prerequisite. Automobile rental operators must demand the customer for this protection which may or may not be crystal clear within the quotation been given by The shopper.
The insurance policy alone is not the issue. In spite of everything, a number of other nations around the world require motor vehicle renters to pay for a mandatory insurance; together with: New Zealand, Italy and Mexico, in addition to a number of the U.S. states, like California. The problem that causes rivalry in Costa Rica is that this Price isn't normally shown Evidently on the car rental operator's Web site or in a very quote. Buyers then find out the additional Value in their rental upon arrival.
The expense of necessary insurance policies may differ from business to enterprise and can rely on the car group that is getting rented also. The associated fee for a little sedan might be as minor as $12 a day, While a quality 4x4 auto might be approximately $25 for insurance plan a day. This really is As well as the rental Charge.
Bank cards in North The united states normally present car or truck coverage as an additional perk to the bank card holder and so North People especially, are unused to having to purchase coverage along with rental expenditures. However, no charge card will go over this insurance policies need.
Do ask In the event the specified quote contains third-occasion insurance policy and Check out the costs on the vehicle rental operator's Web-site.
• Collision Damage Waiver
This is not insurance, but a waiver. The basic amount will come with a deductible that differs, but may very well be as much as $1,500. For the next everyday fee, a zero deductible CDW can be procured To alleviate the renter of any fiscal obligation in the event of harm to, or theft thereof, the vehicle.
Many renters will acquire their CDW by means of their charge card. Nevertheless, it truly is worthy of noting which the responsibility for producing any insurance policy assert is on The shopper instead of with the car rental operator. Some renters may select to buy added in-household protection to avoid possessing this accountability.
There'll be auto rental organizations which really hard offer their unique protection designs by guaranteeing assurance, but finally, Here is the renter's final decision. It can be worthy of remembering that car or truck rental business personnel, like in other aspects of the earth, will often generate commission for insurance coverage sales.
If The shopper's charge card does not supply CDW, The client will likely be demanded to purchase this in-household protection.
Car rental operators need created proof that the customer's credit card offers CDW. Question the vehicle rental operator for the precise specifics of the things they have to have As well as in what sort. Some may possibly acknowledge a forwarded e mail through the bank card business, but Other individuals could ask for a printed copy to become introduced at enough time of rental.
• Deposit
The deposit sum required will count on irrespective of whether The shopper chooses to utilize the automobile rental operator's in-residence CDW or normally takes this protection through a charge card. Count on to pay a Substantially larger deposit if the in-household CDW is declined. The deposit can also depend on car or truck model rented. This amount of money, that may be held about the renter's credit card until eventually the tip of the rental period of time, might be from $750 as much as about $three,five hundred. The deposit must just take no more than five times for being refunded to the charge card about the car's return. Some motor vehicle rental businesses will take debit cards for deposit maintain, however the return time for this amount normally takes months.
Do be certain that the deposit is calculated inside the vacation finances as an sudden keep of some thousand dollars over a credit card could normally seriously Lower into vacation shelling out.
• Airport Taxes
Clients that hire from a motor vehicle rental operator's counter inside of an airport building are obliged to pay for the airport tax.
Those people car or truck rental operators by using a counter at San Jose's Juan Santamaria Worldwide Airport (SJO) are: Alamo/National, Spending budget, Greenback, Overall economy and Hertz. These companies will insert an additional 12% tax into the rental Charge.
People car rental operators that has a counter at Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR) are: Avis, Finances and Overall economy. These businesses will insert an additional three% tax towards the rental Charge.
To prevent this tax, take an airport shuttle While using the car or truck rental operator to an Workplace Found outside of the airport grounds.
• Surcharges and various Taxes
There are a number of other compulsory fees that auto rental operators might insert in to the rental Charge, display on-display or clearly show from the estimate, or go away undisclosed right up until the customer's arrival. These likely hidden costs may possibly seem smaller when viewed independently, but these are usually daily premiums, so they are going to insert up quickly!
These may perhaps contain:
• License Plate Charge: A lot less than $two everyday, but differs from enterprise to firm.
• Environmental Tax: Less than $1 each day.
• Sales Tax: All income transactions in Costa Rica are subjected to your 12% federal government-imposed product sales tax.
• Auto Washing Fee: Carry back again an extremely soiled car or truck and also the cleaning cost may be additional on to the final payment. One particular motor vehicle rental operator fees $twenty for this extra provider.
• Gasoline Expenses: Should the gas tank will not be filled to precisely the same amount as it was At the beginning of the rental time period, then the vehicle rental company will cost (usually to the nearest eighth of the tank). This charge is dictated by the vehicle rental operator and It is far from topic to your governmentally established fuel value that may be found at any gas station.
The place Should I Reserve the Automobile?
A standard confusion for tourists scheduling a rental vehicle may be the discrepancy involving Global websites for auto rental operators along with the Costa Rican Web-site for the same brand. Regularly the Global Web-sites are unaware of, or fall short to reveal, insurances, taxes and surcharges which will be billed for the counter. This may be on account of The truth that numerous recognized car rental operator models in Costa Rica are usually not a overseas department in the branded car rental operator, but instead are a franchise Procedure. This issue can also be truly worth looking at with regard to expectations concerning customer care and various finer details. The Costa Rican franchise office can have their unique form of operating, in addition to precisely the same guidelines and guidelines that The client may have expert in other areas of the world.
Understandably then, an internet based reservation is best built with the area Site instead of the Intercontinental internet site, where ever possible. Several organizations do not need a neighborhood Web-site. In cases like this, do Verify the main points with a local staff members member via the phone and request created affirmation with the quote. Working experience with Reside chat about the Global Web-sites suggests that whereas personnel is experienced on terms and conditions governing the primary Office environment (usually U.S.A.); they realize very little from the procedures that need to be adhered to in Costa Rica.
Car Rental Comparisons
In May possibly/June of 2013, I as opposed the pricing and companies of many vehicle rental operators in Costa Rica and printed the conclusions. To my shock, the write-up remains being plagiarized often throughout the web which implies that it's however practical and so an update was required. The costs for this comparison were acquired in December 2014 and January 2015.
The ICT (Costa Rican Institute of Tourism) states there are 30 registered car or truck rental operators with 8 Other people pending acceptance. However, there are various additional businesses that lease automobiles to people. The vehicle rental operators chosen are Individuals that happen to be most often utilized by tourists:
Adobe
Alamo
Avis
Price range
Greenback
Overall economy
Fox
Hertz
Nationwide
Payless
Services
Thrifty
Toyota
USave
Vamos
Wild Rider
Exclusion of Companies from Closing Comparison
Spending plan, Overall economy, Payless, and Toyota were contacted, but these 4 firms did not present precise on the internet rates. Financial state and Budget's Internet sites have one particular value, whatever the dates entered and clients need to have to reserve a car in order for them to honor the price shown. Toyota's Web-site was regretably only Doing work up right up until March. Beyond that, the pricing displayed $0 for the remainder in the calendar year. Payless has this disclaimer on their Web site: "Taxes and surcharges are usually not in our Manage and may transform all of sudden."
Sending individual inquiries for each time period resulted in inconsistent results: Finances presented exactly the same price tag for all three investigated time intervals when acquiring an e-mail ask for, which is very unlikely; Economy responded with distinct offers for the same dates from diverse users of personnel; and Toyota's emailed quotes for time periods previous March's prices indicated on the web didn't correspond for the March rates quoted (perhaps the emailed rates contained taxes that were not proven on the internet). Payless can provide offers through electronic mail and telephone, but were not in line with pricing for various seasons.
Avis is just excluded from the worth comparison, as they do not have an intermediate SUV class of their fleet.
Comparison Info
Motor vehicle rental price, all taxes and surcharges, and 3rd-get together insurance policy prices are (supposedly) calculated and ranked accordingly beneath dependant on the 7 days's rental of a BeGo or equivalent intermediate 4x4 from a San Jose/Alajuela locale (not in the airport).
Charges are calculated over a weekly foundation and divided by 7 to provide a every day Charge which is a lot more conveniently equivalent. As not all pricing is totally clear, the costs are as precise as is possible according to the knowledge delivered from the automobile rental operators' Internet websites, cellphone phone calls, and/or emails. Airport taxes aren't included in these figures.
Shoulder Year (Quote for July 13 as a result of twenty)
1. USave $43.37
2. Support $54.ninety two
3. Fox $55.64
4. Hertz $fifty eight.seventeen
5. Adobe $sixty.13
6. Alamo $60.ninety nine
7. Wild Rider $sixty two.86
eight. Greenback $63.35
nine. Vamos $64.15
ten. Nationwide $sixty seven.04
eleven. Thrifty $seventy four.39
Low Period (Quote for Could 13 by 20)
1. Countrywide $37.04
two. USave $43.37
three. Dollar $forty six.49
four. Adobe $fifty two.fifty seven
five. Vamos $fifty three.15
6. Provider $fifty three.49
7. Hertz $fifty four.59
eight. Fox $fifty five.sixty four
nine. Wild Rider $55.71
ten. Alamo $sixty.99
11. Thrifty $74.39
Higher Year (Quote for March thirteen by 20)
1. Dollar $55.ninety two
2. USave $56.22
3. Hertz $fifty six.37
4. Fox $fifty nine.36
5. Thrifty $sixty four.69
six. Assistance $66.63
7. Vamos $67.14
8. Alamo $sixty nine.56
9. Wild Rider $70.00
ten. Adobe $70.63
11. Countrywide $seventy three.ninety
Summary of Comparison
Apparently, There is certainly not just one crystal clear highly-priced or inexpensive organization from These as opposed. The variation in ranking among seasons is marked and clients really should take into consideration their trip dates When picking the vehicle rental operator. By way of example, Thrifty appears given that the most expensive for both low and shoulder period, but are only in fourth place inside the rankings for top Year.
It is also substantial that pricing is not according to ranking with motor vehicle rental operators in other motor vehicle types. For instance, Vamos' pricing is The most cost effective for a high quality vehicle inside the shoulder season; Though they don't seem to be initially in any rankings with the intermediate classification and Adobe which appears aggressive are the most expensive for this time period and car group.
Information on Automobile Rental Operators
Adobe Lease-A-Car or truck is an area motor vehicle rental operator that has eleven offices across the country. The web site is easy and simple to use without any obvious hidden expenses. The obligatory coverage Price is displayed as A part of the online quotation. The corporation gets mixed reviews on the internet, but far more beneficial than negative responses are made. E-mails get a reply within just 24 several hours, but might not thoroughly answer the concerns questioned.
Toll-No cost Contact number: 1-855-861-1250
Kid Seat: $3/day
Booster: $1/working day
More Driver: $three/working day
GPS Process: $9/day
Alamo is effective in partnership with National and has 13 offices across the nation. As with numerous massive names, Alamo Costa Rica is often a franchise and not a department of Alamo itself. Third-get together insurance policies and basic CDW are A part of the web quotation, although the CDW can be refused upon presentation of proof of coverage by the customer's charge card. This helps make the pricing appear to be substantial on to start with glance, especially when, contrary to other car rental operators, Alamo includes airport taxes within their online quotation and so their pricing is straightforward, but appears Significantly greater than other providers Therefore. Pricing is different about the Worldwide website of the corporation, although the terms and conditions do condition the fees that may be compensated on arrival. This pricing discrepancy is the lead explanation for destructive assessments for this corporation. Email messages are responded to in 24 hrs.
Toll-Totally free Cell phone number: 1-855-533-1196
Kid Seat: $three/day
Supplemental Driver: $6/day
GPS Technique: $12/working day
Avis' Site obliges a person to pick a car or truck safety solution, nevertheless it fails to Display screen a ultimate quotation total or selling price for the coverage chosen on line until finally an emailed quotation is sent. Protection expenses can be obtained by clicking on the choice 'Protections Described' at The underside from the display.
No Toll-Absolutely free Phone Number
Little one Seat: $5/working day
More Driver: $5/day
GPS Process: $9.99/working day
Spending plan has a website which is simple to operate, nevertheless the pricing specified is as the identical for all seasons, suggesting that it's not correct. E mail responses were being Typically rapid, but some were remaining unanswered. Emailed estimates confirmed the identical pricing for all seasons as the web site did. Required coverage is just not included on the net quotation, however the smaller print states this is payable in the counter. Finances receives mixed on the net testimonials.
No Toll-Free of charge Cell phone number, but Live Chat is offered
Child Seat: $5/working day
Further Driver: $five/day
GPS Procedure: $fourteen.99/day
Dollar appears to acquire extremely aggressive rates, but airport taxes might be utilized if the car or truck is being collected within the airport's counters. A single may perhaps discover this within their stipulations, but not of their on the internet prices. Auto washing charge is enforced for incredibly dirty automobiles. You'll find 4 places of work in Liberia and San Jose. Email response is inside 24 hours. Dollar gets blended assessments from on the net vacation message boards.
Toll-Cost-free Phone Number: one-877-767-8651
Kid Seat: $five/day
Additional Driver: $5/working day
GPS Procedure: $9/working day
Economic system has twelve places of work around the country. They have got no Costa Rican website. Scroll down on their own website page to discover and click on on insurance policy prices. Airport taxes usually are not included in the quote. Email messages receive either A fast response or no response at all. Overall economy has the worst on the internet standing of any big identify auto rental operator in Costa Rica.
Toll-Free Cell phone number: 1-877-326-7368
Boy or girl Seat: $10/working day
Further Driver: $ten/day
GPS System: $fifteen/day
Fox performs in partnership with USave. Offices are located at both of those Global airports. E-mail receive a reaction inside of 24 several hours. Online evaluations are normally weak.
Toll-Free Telephone number: one-800-225-4369
Boy or girl Seat: $5/day
Supplemental Driver: $10/working day (Except if wife or husband)
GPS System: $nine.99/day
Hertz has six workplaces during the country. Reservations could possibly be built through a Costa Rican Web page. Original on-line estimate won't include income taxes, however it does include things like the CDW -- although CDW might be waived with proof of bank card protection. Emails receive a reaction within just 24 several hours. Mediocre critiques on travel message boards.
No Toll-Free Phone Number
Child Seat: $5/day
More Driver: $thirteen/working day
GPS System: $12/working day
Countrywide functions in partnership with Alamo and has thirty offices in operation across the country. The organization includes a Central American Internet site, together with the Intercontinental site, which Evidently reveals the breakdown of pricing. CDW is A dubai exotic car rental part of the web estimate, but it might be unchecked to obtain a estimate with just the required insurance coverage. Be aware the airport tax is A part of the web quote likewise. Instant responses to queries can be obtained by Reside Chat on their own Web-site. Assessments are mixed, but you will find much more optimistic than adverse.
Free Telephone Contact Choice Via Website
Boy or girl Seat: $six/working day
Booster: $6/day
Additional Driver: $five/working day
GPS Technique: $12/working day
Payless is an element on the international car rental enterprise and it has no Costa Rican Web page. On-line rates tend not to include 3rd-get together insurance policy, although the data on this may be found by examining the guidelines for the San Jose location. E-mails receive a reaction in lower than 24 several hours, but are likely to refer again to the website, rather than new information and facts. Assessments tend to be more damaging than positive.
Toll-Absolutely free Telephone number: 1-800-PAYLESS
Youngster Seat: $5/working day
Booster: $5/day
Extra Driver: $ten/day
GPS Technique: $9.ninety five/day
Services is an area corporation with five offices within the country. On an or else apparent Web page, click on 'Reserve Now' instead of 'Get yourself a Quote' for an on-line selling price Verify. Rember is definitely the staff members member stated in opinions on vacation forum for his helpful customer care and the business usually receives very good reviews. E-mails are answered inside of 24 hours and Commonly supply asked for details.
U.S. Phone Number: one-305-897-3718
Boy or girl Seat: $three.50/working day
Added Driver: $3/working day
GPS Method: $seven.fifty/day
Thrifty doesn't have a local Web-site, As a result info is in the Worldwide Web-site. Coverage solutions or info about third-social gathering insurance coverage will not be supplied to the reservation webpage until finally just one clicks 'Safety Facts'. Email messages get a reaction inside of 24 several hours, but may not reply locale-particular inquiries. Reviews are regularly detrimental on account of pricing complaints.
Toll-Free Cell phone number: 1-800-344-1705
Youngster Seat: $five/day
Booster: $five/working day
Extra Driver: $12/working day
GPS Method: $11.ninety nine/working day
Toyota is a large name; having said that, Although their Internet site seems professional to start with look, it just will not operate, or at least it was not operating in order to obtain quotations afterwards than March 2015. Their on the web quotes tend not to incorporate product sales taxes. E-mail get rapid responses, but offers for different seasons seemed to be contradictory. However, Toyota has a fantastic name on journey message boards. 8 workplaces can be found across the nation.
No cost Telephone Phone Possibility By way of Web-site
Kid Seat: $five/day
Cooler: $one.fifty/working day
Extra Driver: $3/working day
GPS Procedure: $10/day
USave operates in partnership with Fox and it has a few Workplace destinations. Insurance policies choices are demonstrated for the web quotation, but it really need to be picked and 'recalculate' pressed, in advance of it is included in the pricing. E-mails get a reaction within 24 several hours. The company receive All round poor evaluations, While there are some favourable comments produced on travel discussion boards.
Toll-Cost-free Cell phone number: one-800-467-3659
Boy or girl Seat: $five/working day
Supplemental Driver: $10/day
GPS Program: $nine.ninety five/working day
Vamos is an area enterprise that is a popular choice for Journey Advisor and Lonely Earth authorities as a consequence of their customer care and pricing. The web site is simple to use with itemized prices Plainly exhibited. The Are living Chat choice permits instant personalized quotes and answers from English-speaking employees. The organization has three offices.
Toll-Free of charge Phone Number: 1-800-950-8426
Youngster Seat: free of charge
Booster: free of charge
Further Driver: free of charge
GPS Program: $8/day
Wild Rider is a small, area enterprise Found only in San Jose. The web site is straightforward with 3rd-occasion coverage A part of the pricing. Initially of the investigate, the pricing wasn't current, but this has considering that been remedied. This car or truck rental operator stands out by owning only favourable opinions and so is very encouraged by journey Discussion board end users. Proprietor, Thorsten, replies inside the hour to inquiries during office several hours.
U.S. Contact number: one-917-477-7712
Baby Seat: $five/day
GPS Program: $8/day
General Summary
Clarity
Adobe, Alamo, National, Service, Vamos, and Wild Rider provide very clear and comprehensive costs on their Internet sites. Another automobile rental operators had been much less transparent with surcharges or taxes, which include airport taxes or profits taxes. Pricing on more extras were not usually simple to find, and Avis, Thrifty and Toyota needed to be contacted for these information.
Conversation
Levels of interaction have enhanced since the first comparison, even though it would appear wise to request an area number and ensure solutions Together with the Costa Rica Business office on the Worldwide vehicle rental operators, as Intercontinental chat operators or Those people replying to e-mails, usually do not always feel one hundred% assured about local procedures and will even give incorrect information.
Be ready to exchange a number of e-mails in an effort to get complete responses to inquiries with several companies: Finances and Financial system were being specially susceptible to this -- requesting a lot of data as a way to provide a quotation. It's not necessarily unreasonable that associates of staff Doing the job in the second language may well skip components of an e mail, so present issues in obvious and simple language.
Stay Chat on the two the Budget and Vamos Sites imply facts could be provided quickly and is still documented, unlike a cellular phone phone.
Pricing
The comparison previously mentioned shows which the pricing among companies is dependent seriously over the period and motor vehicle group becoming viewed as, as an alternative to a clear Slash decision between additional or cheaper rental fees.
Consumers really need to take into account the pricing of other items, for example additional motorists or GPS system, and family members will want to compare auto seat rental pricing. Wild Rider offers the primary additional driver totally free, Vamos do not cost for virtually any extras, besides the GPS, and generally speaking, the Worldwide corporations have larger prices for these extras compared to community businesses.
So Who Do I Hire From?
It is clear the local auto rental operators remain trumping the big names inside their transparency and customer service when evaluating their Internet sites and on the internet assessments. The real difference from the preceding level comparison from a number of yrs ago would be that the pricing happens to be harder to equate.
Adobe, Alamo, and Nationwide manage to price very well as international automobile rental operators. It can be really worth noting that Nationwide is the most costly in large year for the intermediate class, nonetheless the cheapest in minimal time. Adobe and Alamo are middle-ranked for pricing.
Wild Rider is outstanding in possessing zero lousy critiques, but is just situated in San Jose and it has a much smaller sized fleet of cars. Of the other nearby companies, Company and Vamos come out effectively and Vamos' absolutely free additional extras will appeal to funds-minded tourists and people with young young children. Company also offers these extras at minimal each day fees.