Manual to Auto Rental Companies in Costa Rica
Charge Comparisons for 2015
Motor vehicle rental in Costa Rica is a chance to take a look at the distant seashores and quiet corners of the breathtakingly wonderful state. Journey without the limitations set by community transportation timetables and with independence around team tours. For the unprepared traveler; on the other hand, car or truck rental charges and companies might be a impolite shock along with a blow to that holiday vacation finances.
Renting a motor vehicle for your holiday will probably be the costliest part of one's finances, so comprehension the phrases and handling anticipations is vital. The information below is not really meant to get an exhaustive guide, however it must set you on the path toward an educated final decision for your automobile rental desires in Costa Rica.
Why is car or truck rental so pricey?
People from outside of Costa Rica will often be shocked by the price of motor vehicle rental. While resort rooms, restaurant costs and tours are decreased than the prices paid in your own home, it may well seem Weird that motor vehicle rental must be far more expensive.
There are 2 straightforward motives for this substantial Price:
All automobiles in Costa Rica are imported plus a tax is imposed. Resulting from this heavy taxation, the associated fee of purchasing a auto is greater than It could be in other industrialized nations. There are a few motor vehicle rental operators who lease older vehicles in order to reduce their prices.
The expense of required insurance plan (see underneath).
Components that Affect Auto Rental Costs
• Necessary Insurance policies
3rd-bash insurance, which can be referred to as TPI, PDW (Partial Hurt Waiver), SLI (Supplementary Liability Insurance coverage) and various acronyms, is actually a legal necessity. Car rental operators will have to demand The client for this protection which might or might not be very clear during the quotation gained by the customer.
The insurance by itself is not the difficulty. In any case, a number of other international locations demand auto renters to pay a compulsory coverage; which includes: 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 this Price is not constantly exhibited clearly on the car rental operator's Web page or in a quote. Customers then explore the extra Expense in their rental upon arrival.
The price of mandatory coverage may differ from organization to business and can rely on the vehicle category that's being rented also. The associated fee for a little sedan may be as minimal as $twelve each day, While a top quality 4x4 motor vehicle may very well be up to $twenty five for insurance per day. This really is in addition to the rental cost.
Credit cards in North America usually offer auto insurance plan as a further perk for the charge card holder and so North Us residents specifically, are unused to needing to buy coverage in addition to rental charges. However, no bank card will include this insurance prerequisite.
Do request Should the specified estimate incorporates third-get together insurance coverage and Look at the prices on the car rental operator's website.
• Collision Harm Waiver
This isn't coverage, but a waiver. The essential level will come with a deductible that may differ, but could possibly be as much as $one,500. For an increased daily amount, a zero deductible CDW may very well be procured To ease the renter of any fiscal obligation in case of damage to, or theft thereof, the vehicle.
Several renters will acquire their CDW by way of their bank card. Nonetheless, it is worth noting which the duty for producing any insurance assert is on the customer and never with the motor vehicle rental operator. Some renters may well decide on to buy further in-house coverage to avoid obtaining this accountability.
There will be car or truck rental businesses which hard sell their unique coverage programs through guaranteeing satisfaction, but finally, this is the renter's choice. It really is worth remembering that vehicle rental enterprise personnel, like in other parts of the earth, will sometimes generate commission for insurance policies product sales.
If The shopper's credit card does not supply CDW, The client will probably be needed to buy this in-dwelling protection.
Car or truck rental operators need published proof that The client's credit card provides CDW. Question the car rental operator for the exact details of the things they have to have and in what sort. Some may possibly accept a forwarded email in the credit card enterprise, but Many others may possibly ask for a printed duplicate to be presented at enough time of rental.
• Deposit
The deposit amount of money required will rely upon whether the customer chooses to utilize the car or truck rental operator's in-property CDW or requires this protection via a credit card. Count on to pay for a Significantly bigger deposit In case the in-household CDW is declined. The deposit can also depend on motor vehicle product rented. This amount of money, that can be held around the renter's charge card until the tip of the rental period of time, could be from $750 approximately just as much as $three,500. The deposit should get no more than 5 times being refunded for the credit card about the vehicle's return. Some vehicle rental companies will accept debit cards for deposit hold, even so the return time for this quantity normally takes weeks.
Do make sure the deposit is calculated from the vacation budget being an surprising maintain of some thousand bucks with a bank card could in any other case severely Slash into holiday vacation spending.
• Airport Taxes
Prospects that hire from a car or truck rental operator's counter in an airport building are obliged to pay the airport tax.
Those people motor vehicle rental operators using a counter at San Jose's Juan Santamaria Global Airport (SJO) are: Alamo/Countrywide, Finances, Dollar, Financial state and Hertz. These providers will add yet another twelve% tax towards the rental Price.
Those people car rental operators by using a counter at Daniel Oduber Quiros Worldwide Airport (LIR) are: Avis, Spending plan and Overall economy. These corporations will increase an additional three% tax on the rental Expense.
To stop this tax, consider an airport shuttle With all the car or truck rental operator to an Office environment Found outside of the airport grounds.
• Surcharges and also other Taxes
There are a number of other compulsory costs that car rental operators may perhaps increase in the rental Expense, Display screen on-display or exhibit inside the estimate, or go away undisclosed right until The client's arrival. These likely hidden fees may possibly appear to be small when considered independently, but these are typically day by day costs, so they're going to increase up speedy!
These may perhaps include things like:
• License Plate Rate: A lot less than $2 day by day, but differs from corporation to enterprise.
• Environmental Tax: A lot less than $one everyday.
• Income Tax: All profits transactions in Costa Rica are subjected to a 12% govt-imposed product sales tax.
• Car Washing Fee: Convey back again an extremely soiled automobile as well as cleaning payment might be included onto the final payment. Just one auto rental operator expenses $twenty for this extra support.
• Fuel Rates: In case the fuel tank is just not filled to the same stage as it absolutely was at the start on the rental period of time, then the vehicle rental organization will cost (usually to the nearest eighth of the tank). This charge is dictated by the vehicle rental operator and It's not subject to the governmentally established gasoline price that will be found at any fuel station.
The place Really should I Reserve the Car or truck?
A common confusion for travelers scheduling a rental motor vehicle may be the discrepancy in between international Sites for automobile rental operators along with the Costa Rican Internet site for the same brand name. Frequently the international Web-sites are unaware of, or fail to disclose, insurances, taxes and surcharges that should be billed with the counter. This may be resulting from The reality that lots of acknowledged vehicle rental operator makes in Costa Rica will not be a international branch in the branded automobile rental operator, but as a substitute really are a franchise Procedure. This factor is additionally truly worth taking into consideration with regard to expectations concerning customer service and various finer specifics. The Costa Rican franchise Workplace may have their own type of working, other than a similar guidelines and recommendations that the customer might have skilled in other portions of the entire world.
Understandably then, a web-based reservation is very best built through the area website and not the Global web-site, anywhere feasible. A number of corporations would not have an area Internet site. In such cases, do check the details with a neighborhood employees member by way of the telephone and ask for penned confirmation of your estimate. Experience with Reside chat on the Worldwide Internet sites suggests that whereas team is experienced on stipulations governing the primary Business (generally U.S.A.); they fully grasp small with the guidelines that need to be adhered to in Costa Rica.
Car or truck Rental Comparisons
In Could/June of 2013, I compared the pricing and services of many auto rental operators in Costa Rica and released the results. To my surprise, the report remains to be being plagiarized routinely across the online market place which indicates that it is still practical and so an update was demanded. The prices for this comparison ended up obtained in December 2014 and January 2015.
The ICT (Costa Rican Institute of Tourism) states there are thirty registered automobile rental operators with 8 others pending approval. However, there are various far more agencies that hire cars and trucks to site visitors. The car rental operators chosen are Those people which happen to be most frequently employed by tourists:
Adobe
Alamo
Avis
Budget
Dollar
Financial system
Fox
Hertz
National
Payless
Services
Thrifty
Toyota
USave
Vamos
Wild Rider
Exclusion of Companies from Ultimate Comparison
Finances, Economic system, Payless, and Toyota were contacted, but these 4 businesses did not give exact on the web premiums. Overall economy and Funds's Web sites have a single price, whatever the dates entered and shoppers will need to reserve a car to ensure that them to honor the value revealed. Toyota's Internet site was regrettably only working up right until March. Further than that, the pricing shown $0 for the remainder of the calendar year. Payless has this disclaimer on their own Web-site: "Taxes and surcharges usually are not inside our control and could transform suddenly."
Sending particular person inquiries for every time period resulted in inconsistent benefits: Spending plan made available exactly the same price for all three investigated time intervals when receiving an e-mail request, which is highly unlikely; Financial system responded with different rates for a similar dates from various customers of personnel; and Toyota's emailed prices for time intervals previous March's charges indicated on the net didn't correspond to your March prices quoted (Probably the emailed estimates contained taxes that were not revealed on the net). Payless can provide estimates by using e-mail and phone, but were not in keeping with pricing for various seasons.
Avis is only excluded from the cost comparison, as they do not have an intermediate SUV group inside their fleet.
Comparison Details
Automobile rental rate, all taxes and surcharges, and 3rd-social gathering insurance charges are (supposedly) calculated and rated appropriately below based on the 7 days's rental of a BeGo or related intermediate 4x4 from a San Jose/Alajuela location (not with the airport).
Rates are calculated over a weekly foundation and divided by 7 to provide a everyday Expense which happens to be a lot more conveniently equivalent. As not all pricing is completely transparent, the prices are as precise as you can dependant on the knowledge presented with the car or truck rental operators' Web-sites, cell phone calls, and/or email messages. Airport taxes are usually not included in these figures.
Shoulder Season (Quote for July 13 by 20)
one. USave $43.37
two. Service $fifty four.ninety two
three. Fox $55.64
four. Hertz $58.seventeen
five. Adobe $sixty.thirteen
six. Alamo $sixty.99
7. Wild Rider $62.86
eight. Dollar $sixty three.35
9. Vamos $64.fifteen
ten. National $67.04
11. Thrifty $seventy four.39
Minimal Period (Quotation for May perhaps thirteen via 20)
one. Countrywide $37.04
two. USave $forty three.37
3. Dollar $forty six.forty nine
four. Adobe $fifty two.fifty seven
five. Vamos $fifty three.fifteen
six. Services $53.forty nine
7. Hertz $fifty four.59
8. Fox $fifty five.64
nine. Wild Rider $55.71
ten. Alamo $60.ninety nine
eleven. Thrifty $74.39
Large Year (Estimate for March thirteen by means of 20)
one. Dollar $55.ninety two
2. USave $56.22
3. Hertz $fifty six.37
four. Fox $59.36
5. Thrifty $64.sixty nine
6. Assistance $sixty six.sixty three
seven. Vamos $67.fourteen
eight. Alamo $sixty nine.fifty six
9. Wild Rider $70.00
10. Adobe $70.63
eleven. National $73.ninety
Summary of Comparison
Apparently, There exists not one very clear pricey or cheap firm from Those people in comparison. The variation in ranking between seasons is marked and shoppers must look at their family vacation dates when choosing the car rental operator. For instance, Thrifty seems since the most costly for both very low and shoulder year, but are only in fourth position in the rankings for prime Season.
It is usually sizeable that pricing is not really according to position with vehicle rental operators in other automobile types. By way of example, Vamos' pricing is The most affordable for the high quality car or truck in the shoulder season; Though they're not initially in almost any rankings for that intermediate classification and Adobe which appears competitive are the most costly for this time period and auto classification.
Info on Vehicle Rental Operators
Adobe Lease-A-Automobile is a neighborhood vehicle rental operator which has eleven places of work across the nation. The web site is simple and convenient to use without having evident concealed expenditures. The required insurance policies Value is shown as Portion of the online estimate. The organization receives combined assessments on the net, but additional favourable than adverse feedback are made. E-mails receive a reply inside 24 hours, but may well not absolutely respond to the inquiries questioned.
Toll-Free Contact number: one-855-861-1250
Baby Seat: $3/day
Booster: $one/working day
More Driver: $3/day
GPS Procedure: $9/working day
Alamo operates in partnership with National and it has 13 offices across the nation. As with numerous huge names, Alamo Costa Rica is a franchise and not a department of Alamo by itself. Third-celebration insurance and fundamental CDW are A part of the online quotation, although the CDW could possibly be refused on presentation of proof of protection as a result of The client's charge card. This helps make the pricing look significant on first glance, especially when, in contrast to other motor vehicle rental operators, Alamo contains airport taxes of their online quotation and so their pricing is truthful, but seems Considerably greater than other organizations Consequently. Pricing differs to the Intercontinental Internet site of the company, Even though the stipulations do condition the costs that can be compensated on arrival. This pricing discrepancy will be the lead explanation for negative testimonials for this business. Email messages are responded to within just 24 hrs.
Toll-Absolutely free Cell phone number: 1-855-533-1196
Youngster Seat: $3/working day
Additional Driver: $6/day
GPS Technique: $twelve/working day
Avis' Web site obliges 1 to choose an auto safety choice, nonetheless it fails to display a closing quotation total or rate to the protection selected on line right up until an emailed estimate is shipped. Protection expenses could be obtained by clicking on the choice 'Protections Defined' at The underside of the display screen.
No Toll-Free Phone Number
Child Seat: $five/day
Additional Driver: $five/day
GPS Procedure: $9.99/day
Finances has a website that may be simple to use, even so the pricing specified is as the identical for all seasons, suggesting that it is not appropriate. E-mail responses were Typically fast, but some were remaining unanswered. Emailed rates confirmed the exact same pricing for all seasons as the website did. Required insurance policies just isn't bundled on the online quotation, though the tiny print states that this is payable within the counter. Price range gets mixed on-line opinions.
No Toll-Free of charge Telephone number, but Stay Chat is offered
Kid Seat: $5/working day
Supplemental Driver: $five/day
GPS Process: $14.99/working day
Dollar appears to obtain quite competitive prices, but airport taxes will likely be applied In the event the motor vehicle is getting gathered through the airport's counters. A person may possibly discover this in their conditions and terms, but not inside their on-line quotations. Vehicle washing cost is enforced for extremely dirty autos. There are four offices in Liberia and San Jose. Email response is in just 24 hours. Dollar receives blended reviews from on the web travel discussion boards.
Toll-Free Phone Number: one-877-767-8651
Boy or girl Seat: $five/day
More Driver: $five/day
GPS Program: $9/working day
Economic system has twelve places of work around the country. They've no Costa Rican Web-site. Scroll down on their own web site to seek out and click on on insurance plan fees. Airport taxes will not be A part of the quote. E-mail obtain both a quick response or no response in the slightest degree. Economic system has the worst on the net standing of any massive title automobile rental operator in Costa Rica.
Toll-Absolutely free Contact number: 1-877-326-7368
Kid Seat: $ten/working day
More Driver: $10/day
GPS Technique: $15/day
Fox operates in partnership with USave. Offices are located at the two Worldwide airports. Emails get a response inside of 24 hours. On-line evaluations are usually poor.
Toll-Free of charge Telephone number: one-800-225-4369
Child Seat: $5/working day
More Driver: $10/day (unless wife or husband)
GPS Program: $nine.ninety nine/day
Hertz has six workplaces during the state. Reservations can be built via a Costa Rican Web page. Preliminary on line quote will not include things like product sales taxes, but it does incorporate the CDW -- Even though CDW could possibly be waived with evidence of charge card protection. E-mail get a response within just 24 several hours. Mediocre critiques on journey message boards.
No Toll-Absolutely free Contact number
Boy or girl Seat: $5/working day
Extra Driver: $thirteen/day
GPS Method: $twelve/working day
Nationwide is effective in partnership with Alamo and has 30 offices in operation across the nation. The organization incorporates a Central American Site, together with the Global web-site, which Evidently demonstrates the breakdown of pricing. CDW is included in the net estimate, but it might be unchecked to obtain a estimate with just the necessary insurance. Take note the airport tax is A part of the online quotation too. Prompt responses to issues can be found via Are living Chat on their Site. Reviews are mixed, but you'll find much more beneficial than negative.
Cost-free Cellular phone Connect with Option By using Web page
Kid Seat: $six/day
Booster: $6/day
Additional Driver: $5/day
GPS Program: $twelve/working day
Payless is part of the international automobile rental corporation and has no Costa Rican Web site. On-line estimates usually do not involve 3rd-celebration insurance, Despite the fact that the knowledge on This can be uncovered by reading the procedures for the San Jose spot. E-mail get a response in under 24 hours, but tend to refer back again to the web site, as opposed to new info. Opinions tend to be more unfavorable than beneficial.
Toll-Absolutely free Contact number: 1-800-PAYLESS
Boy or girl Seat: $5/day
Booster: $5/working day
Further Driver: $ten/working day
GPS System: $nine.ninety five/day
Company is a local enterprise with 5 offices inside the nation. On an normally very clear website, click on 'Reserve Now' instead of 'Receive a Estimate' for a web based rate Check out. Rember is definitely the workers member pointed out in testimonials on vacation Discussion board for his beneficial customer service and the business normally receives great assessments. E-mails are answered inside 24 several hours and Typically provide requested data.
U.S. Phone Number: 1-305-897-3718
Baby Seat: $3.50/working day
Supplemental Driver: $3/day
GPS Technique: $7.50/working day
Thrifty doesn't have a neighborhood Internet site, thus data is with the Intercontinental Site. Protection alternatives or facts about third-social gathering insurance plan is just not presented on the reservation webpage until finally 1 clicks 'Defense Info'. E-mail get a response in just 24 hours, but may not answer spot-distinct queries. Critiques are routinely adverse resulting from pricing complaints.
Toll-No cost Cell phone number: one-800-344-1705
Little one Seat: $five/working day
Booster: $5/working day
More Driver: $twelve/day
GPS Method: $eleven.99/day
Toyota is an enormous identify; however, Though their Web site seems Expert in the beginning look, it simply will not function, or at least it wasn't working so that you can obtain quotations later on than March 2015. Their online rates don't consist of income taxes. Email messages acquire speedy responses, but estimates for different seasons gave the impression to be contradictory. On the other hand, Toyota has a very good reputation on travel community forums. 8 places of work can be found across the country.
Totally free Phone Phone Option By means of Internet site
Little one Seat: $5/working day
Cooler: $one.50/working day
Further Driver: $3/working day
GPS Procedure: $ten/working day
USave performs in partnership with Fox and has a few Business office areas. Insurance coverage options are proven for the web quote, but it surely has to be chosen and 'recalculate' pressed, right before it is actually included in the pricing. E-mails receive a response inside of 24 several hours. The organization receive All round very poor critiques, Despite the fact that there are several positive remarks produced on journey discussion boards.
Toll-Absolutely free Phone Number: one-800-467-3659
Kid Seat: $5/working day
More Driver: $ten/working day
GPS Technique: $nine.ninety five/working day
Vamos is an area company that is a well-liked option for Journey Advisor and Lonely World authorities on account of their customer support and pricing. The web site is simple to use with itemized prices clearly shown. The Illinois to New York Car Transporters Reside Chat solution allows fast individualized quotations and answers from English-speaking staff. The business has a few offices.
Toll-Free Contact number: 1-800-950-8426
Boy or girl Seat: free of charge
Booster: no cost
Further Driver: no cost
GPS Program: $eight/day
Wild Rider is a little, neighborhood business Found only in San Jose. The website is simple with 3rd-party insurance included in the pricing. At the start of the analysis, the pricing wasn't up to date, but this has since been remedied. This car rental operator stands out by owning only optimistic testimonials and so is extremely proposed by journey Discussion board consumers. Owner, Thorsten, replies throughout the hour to inquiries throughout Workplace several hours.
U.S. Phone Number: one-917-477-7712
Little one Seat: $five/day
GPS Program: $8/day
Overall Summary
Clarity
Adobe, Alamo, Nationwide, Support, Vamos, and Wild Rider offer crystal clear and total rates on their own websites. Another car rental operators have been significantly less transparent with surcharges or taxes, for example airport taxes or profits taxes. Pricing on further extras were not usually straightforward to uncover, and Avis, Thrifty and Toyota needed to be contacted for these specifics.
Communication
Levels of conversation have enhanced considering that the initial comparison, although it would appear a good idea to ask for a neighborhood quantity and confirm responses While using the Costa Rica office of the Intercontinental car or truck rental operators, as Global chat operators or Those people replying to e-mails, usually do not always appear a hundred% self-assured about community procedures and should even give incorrect information.
Be prepared to exchange a number of e-mail in an effort to get full solutions to questions with numerous corporations: Funds and Economy were notably susceptible to this -- requesting a great deal of knowledge so that you can provide a quotation. It's not unreasonable that users of personnel Operating in a very next language may overlook aspects of an e mail, so present concerns in crystal clear and straightforward language.
Dwell Chat on the two the Price range and Vamos Web sites necessarily mean data is usually presented instantaneously and is still documented, compared with a phone call.
Pricing
The comparison previously mentioned exhibits that the pricing between companies depends intensely on the period and vehicle classification currently being considered, in lieu of a clear Slice alternative in between far more or inexpensive rental premiums.
Prospects have to think about the pricing of other things, for example additional motorists or GPS technique, and family members will want to compare car or truck seat rental pricing. Wild Rider offers the primary extra driver without cost, Vamos usually do not cost for almost any extras, except the GPS, and generally speaking, the Global companies have greater prices for these extras when compared to the local providers.
So Who Do I Rent From?
It is clear which the community auto rental operators remain trumping the large names in their transparency and customer service when comparing their Internet websites and on the net critiques. The real difference through the former charge comparison from several a long time ago would be that the pricing happens to be harder to equate.
Adobe, Alamo, and Countrywide manage to level perfectly as Intercontinental car rental operators. It is actually really worth noting that Countrywide is the most costly in significant year for that intermediate category, nevertheless the cheapest in small year. Adobe and Alamo are middle-rated for pricing.
Wild Rider is exceptional in obtaining zero bad testimonials, but is barely situated in San Jose and has a A great deal smaller sized fleet of motor vehicles. Of another local firms, Services and Vamos appear out very well and Vamos' no cost further extras will appeal to funds-minded travelers and households with younger kids. Assistance also provides these extras at low everyday fees.