Information to Automobile Rental Firms in Costa Rica
Price Comparisons for 2015
Automobile rental in Costa Rica is a chance to discover the distant seashores and quiet corners of this breathtakingly lovely nation. Journey with out the restrictions set by public transport timetables and with freedom over group excursions. For the unprepared traveler; nevertheless, automotive rental prices and companies could be a impolite shock and a blow to that trip price range.
Renting a car to your trip will in all probability be the most costly a part of your price range, so understanding the phrases and managing expectations is essential. The data beneath isn’t meant to be an exhaustive handbook, however it ought to set you on the trail in direction of an knowledgeable determination to your automotive rental wants in Costa Rica.
Why is automotive rental so costly?
Guests from exterior of Costa Rica are sometimes shocked by the price of automotive rental. Whereas lodge rooms, restaurant payments and excursions are decrease than the costs paid at house, it might seem unusual that automotive rental ought to be extra expensive.
There are two easy causes for this excessive value:
- All autos in Costa Rica are imported and a tax is imposed. As a result of this heavy taxation, the price of buying a car is larger than it could be in different industrialized nations. There are some automotive rental operators who lease older autos so as to scale back their prices.
- The price of obligatory insurance coverage (see beneath).
Components that Have an effect on Automobile Rental Prices
• Obligatory Insurance coverage
Third-party insurance coverage, which can be often called TPI, PDW (Partial Injury Waiver), SLI (Supplementary Legal responsibility Insurance coverage) and different acronyms, is a authorized requirement. Automobile rental operators should cost the client for this protection which can or might not be clear within the citation obtained by the client.
The insurance coverage itself isn’t the problem. In spite of everything, many different nations require automotive renters to pay a compulsory insurance coverage; together with: New Zealand, Italy and Mexico, in addition to various the U.S. states, like California. The problem that causes rivalry in Costa Rica is that this value isn’t at all times displayed clearly on the automotive rental operator’s web site or in a quote. Prospects then uncover the extra value of their rental upon arrival.
The price of obligatory insurance coverage varies from firm to firm and can rely upon the automotive class that’s being rented as nicely. The associated fee for a small sedan could also be as little as $12 per day, whereas a premium 4×4 car may very well be as a lot as $25 for insurance coverage per day. That is along with the rental value.
Bank cards in North America normally supply automotive insurance coverage as an extra perk to the bank card holder and so North People specifically, are unused to having to pay for insurance coverage on prime of rental prices. Nevertheless, no bank card will cowl this insurance coverage requirement.
Do ask if the given quote contains third-party insurance coverage and examine the costs on the automotive rental operator’s web site.
• Collision Injury Waiver
This isn’t insurance coverage, however a waiver. The essential stage will include a deductible that varies, however may very well be as a lot as $1,500. For a better every day fee, a zero deductible CDW could also be bought to alleviate the renter of any monetary duty in case of injury to, or theft thereof, the car.
Many renters will get hold of their CDW via their bank card. Nevertheless, it’s price noting that the duty for making any insurance coverage declare is on the client and never with the automotive rental operator. Some renters could select to buy extra in-house protection to keep away from having this duty.
There might be automotive rental companies which laborious promote their very own protection plans via guaranteeing peace of thoughts, however finally, that is the renter’s determination. It’s price remembering that automotive rental firm staff, like in different components of the world, will typically earn fee for insurance coverage gross sales.
If the client’s bank card doesn’t present CDW, the client might be required to buy this in-house protection.
Automobile rental operators require written proof that the client’s bank card gives CDW. Ask the automotive rental operator for the precise particulars of what they require and in what type. Some could settle for a forwarded e mail from the bank card firm, however others could ask for a printed copy to be introduced on the time of rental.
• Deposit
The deposit quantity required will rely upon whether or not the client chooses to make use of the automotive rental operator’s in-house CDW or takes this protection via a bank card. Anticipate to pay a a lot larger deposit if the in-house CDW is declined. The deposit may rely upon automotive mannequin rented. This quantity, which might be held on the renter’s bank card till the tip of the rental interval, could be from $750 as much as as a lot as $3,500. The deposit ought to take not more than 5 days to be refunded to the bank card on the car’s return. Some automotive rental companies will settle for debit playing cards for deposit maintain, however the return time for this quantity can take weeks.
Do make sure that the deposit is calculated within the trip price range as an surprising maintain of some thousand {dollars} on a bank card might in any other case severely reduce into trip spending.
• Airport Taxes
Prospects that lease from a automotive rental operator’s counter inside an airport constructing are obliged to pay the airport tax.
These automotive rental operators with a counter at San Jose’s Juan Santamaria Worldwide Airport (SJO) are: Alamo/Nationwide, Funds, Greenback, Financial system and Hertz. These firms will add an extra 12% tax to the rental value.
These automotive rental operators with a counter at Daniel Oduber Quiros Worldwide Airport (LIR) are: Avis, Funds and Financial system. These firms will add an extra 3% tax to the rental value.
To keep away from this tax, take an airport shuttle with the automotive rental operator to an workplace situated exterior of the airport grounds.
• Surcharges and Different Taxes
There are a selection of different compulsory charges that automotive rental operators could add into the rental value, show on-screen or present within the quote, or depart undisclosed till the client’s arrival. These probably hidden prices could seem small when seen individually, however these are sometimes every day charges, so they are going to add up quick!
These could embody:
• License Plate Price: Lower than $2 every day, however differs from firm to firm.
• Environmental Tax: Lower than $1 every day.
• Gross sales Tax: All gross sales transactions in Costa Rica are subjected to a 12% government-imposed gross sales tax.
• Automobile Washing Price: Deliver again an exceptionally soiled automotive and the cleansing price could also be added onto the ultimate cost. One automotive rental operator expenses $20 for this extra service.
• Gasoline Expenses: If the gas tank isn’t crammed to the identical stage because it was initially of the rental interval, then the automotive rental firm will cost (normally to the closest eighth of a tank). This cost is dictated by the automotive rental operator and it’s not topic to the governmentally set gas worth that may be discovered at any gasoline station.
The place Ought to I Reserve the Automobile?
A typical confusion for vacationers reserving a rental automotive is the discrepancy between worldwide web sites for automotive rental operators and the Costa Rican web site for a similar model. Regularly the worldwide web sites are unaware of, or fail to reveal, insurances, taxes and surcharges that might be charged on the counter. This can be because of the truth that many acknowledged automotive rental operator manufacturers in Costa Rica should not a international department of the branded automotive rental operator, however as an alternative are a franchise operation. This issue can be price contemplating by way of expectations regarding customer support and different finer particulars. The Costa Rican franchise workplace could have their very own fashion of working, aside from the identical insurance policies and tips that the client could have skilled in different components of the world.
Understandably then, a web based reservation is greatest made via the native web site and never the worldwide web site, wherever potential. Various firms should not have a neighborhood web site. On this case, do examine the main points with a neighborhood employees member through the phone and ask for written affirmation of the quote. Expertise with reside chat on the worldwide web sites means that whereas employees is educated on phrases and circumstances governing the principle workplace (normally U.S.A.); they perceive little of the insurance policies that have to be adhered to in Costa Rica.
Automobile Rental Comparisons
In Might/June of 2013, I in contrast the pricing and companies of various automotive rental operators in Costa Rica and printed the findings. To my shock, the article continues to be being plagiarized recurrently throughout the Web which means that it’s nonetheless helpful and so an replace was required. The costs for this comparability have been obtained in December 2014 and January 2015.
The ICT (Costa Rican Institute of Tourism) states that there are thirty registered automotive rental operators with eight others pending approval. Nevertheless, there are a lot of extra companies that lease vehicles to guests. The automotive rental operators chosen are these that are most continuously utilized by vacationers:
Adobe
Alamo
Avis
Funds
Greenback
Financial system
Fox
Hertz
Nationwide
Payless
Service
Thrifty
Toyota
USave
Vamos
Wild Rider
Exclusion of Firms from Closing Comparability
Funds, Financial system, Payless, and Toyota have been contacted, however these 4 firms didn’t present correct on-line charges. Financial system and Funds’s web sites have one worth, whatever the dates entered and prospects want to order a car to ensure that them to honor the value proven. Toyota’s web site was sadly solely working up till March. Past that, the pricing displayed $0 for the rest of the 12 months. Payless has this disclaimer on their web site: “Taxes and surcharges should not inside our management and should change with out discover.”
Sending particular person inquiries for every time interval resulted in inconsistent outcomes: Funds provided the identical worth for all three investigated time durations when receiving an e mail request, which is very unlikely; Financial system responded with completely different quotes for a similar dates from completely different members of employees; and Toyota’s emailed quotes for time durations previous March’s costs indicated on-line didn’t correspond to the March charges quoted (maybe the emailed quotes contained taxes that weren’t proven on-line). Payless can present quotes through e mail and phone, however weren’t according to pricing for various seasons.
Avis is just excluded from the value comparability, as they don’t have an intermediate SUV class of their fleet.
Comparability Data
Automobile rental fee, all taxes and surcharges, and third-party insurance coverage prices are (supposedly) calculated and ranked accordingly beneath based mostly on the week’s rental of a BeGo or comparable intermediate 4×4 from a San Jose/Alajuela location (not from the airport).
Charges are calculated on a weekly foundation and divided by seven to supply a every day value which is extra simply comparable. As not all pricing is totally clear, the costs are as correct as potential based mostly on the data offered from the automotive rental operators’ web sites, cellphone calls, and/or emails. Airport taxes should not included in these figures.
Shoulder Season (Quote for July 13 via 20)
1. USave $43.37
2. Service $54.92
3. Fox $55.64
4. Hertz $58.17
5. Adobe $60.13
6. Alamo $60.99
7. Wild Rider $62.86
8. Greenback $63.35
9. Vamos $64.15
10. Nationwide $67.04
11. Thrifty $74.39
Low Season (Quote for Might 13 via 20)
1. Nationwide $37.04
2. USave $43.37
3. Greenback $46.49
4. Adobe $52.57
5. Vamos $53.15
6. Service $53.49
7. Hertz $54.59
8. Fox $55.64
9. Wild Rider $55.71
10. Alamo $60.99
11. Thrifty $74.39
Excessive Season (Quote for March 13 via 20)
1. Greenback $55.92
2. USave $56.22
3. Hertz $56.37
4. Fox $59.36
5. Thrifty $64.69
6. Service $66.63
7. Vamos $67.14
8. Alamo $69.56
9. Wild Rider $70.00
10. Adobe $70.63
11. Nationwide $73.90
Abstract of Comparability
Curiously, there may be not one clear costly or low cost firm from these in contrast. The variation in rating between seasons is marked and prospects ought to contemplate their trip dates when selecting the automotive rental operator. For instance, Thrifty seems as the most expensive for each low and shoulder season, however are solely in fourth place within the rankings for Excessive Season.
It’s also important that pricing isn’t according to rating with automotive rental operators in different automotive classes. For instance, Vamos’ pricing is the most affordable for a premium car within the shoulder season; though they don’t seem to be first in any rankings for the intermediate class and Adobe which seems aggressive are the most costly for this time interval and automotive class.
Data on Automobile Rental Operators
Adobe Lease-A-Automobile is a neighborhood automotive rental operator that has eleven workplaces throughout the nation. The web site is straightforward and straightforward to make use of with no obvious hidden prices. The obligatory insurance coverage value is displayed as a part of the web quote. The corporate receives blended critiques on-line, however extra constructive than destructive feedback are made. Emails obtain a reply inside 24 hours, however could not totally reply the questions requested.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-855-861-1250
Little one Seat: $3/day
Booster: $1/day
Extra Driver: $3/day
GPS System: $9/day
Alamo works in partnership with Nationwide and has 13 workplaces throughout the nation. As with many huge names, Alamo Costa Rica is a franchise and never a department of Alamo itself. Third-party insurance coverage and fundamental CDW are included within the on-line citation, though the CDW could also be refused upon presentation of proof of protection via the client’s bank card. This makes the pricing appear excessive on first look, particularly when, in contrast to different automotive rental operators, Alamo contains airport taxes of their on-line citation and so their pricing is trustworthy, however seems a lot larger than different firms in consequence. Pricing is completely different on the worldwide web site of the corporate, though the phrases and circumstances do state the charges that might be paid on arrival. This pricing discrepancy is the lead explanation for destructive critiques for this firm. Emails are responded to inside 24 hours.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-855-533-1196
Little one Seat: $3/day
Extra Driver: $6/day
GPS System: $12/day
Avis’ web site obliges one to pick a automotive safety possibility, however it fails to show a closing citation complete or worth for the protection chosen on-line till an emailed quote is distributed. Protection prices could also be obtained by clicking on the choice ‘Protections Defined’ on the backside of the display.
No Toll-Free Telephone Quantity
Little one Seat: $5/day
Extra Driver: $5/day
GPS System: $9.99/day
Funds has an internet site that’s simple to make use of, however the pricing given is as the identical for all seasons, suggesting that it’s not right. Electronic mail responses have been usually quick, however some have been left unanswered. Emailed quotes confirmed the identical pricing for all seasons as the web site did. Obligatory insurance coverage isn’t included on the web quote, however the small print states that that is payable on the counter. Funds receives blended on-line critiques.
No Toll-Free Telephone Quantity, however Dwell Chat is obtainable
Little one Seat: $5/day
Extra Driver: $5/day
GPS System: $14.99/day
Greenback seems to have very aggressive charges, however airport taxes might be utilized if the car is being collected from the airport’s counters. One could discover this of their phrases and circumstances, however not of their on-line quotes. Automobile washing cost is enforced for very soiled autos. There are 4 workplaces in Liberia and San Jose. Electronic mail response is inside 24 hours. Greenback receives blended critiques from on-line journey boards.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-877-767-8651
Little one Seat: $5/day
Extra Driver: $5/day
GPS System: $9/day
Financial system has twelve workplaces across the nation. They haven’t any Costa Rican web site. Scroll down on their web page to search out and click on on insurance coverage prices. Airport taxes should not included within the quote. Emails obtain both a fast response or no response in any respect. Financial system has the worst on-line popularity of any huge title automotive rental operator in Costa Rica.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-877-326-7368
Little one Seat: $10/day
Extra Driver: $10/day
GPS System: $15/day
Fox works in partnership with USave. Workplaces are situated at each worldwide airports. Emails obtain a response inside 24 hours. On-line critiques are usually poor.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-800-225-4369
Little one Seat: $5/day
Extra Driver: $10/day (until partner)
GPS System: $9.99/day
Hertz has six workplaces within the nation. Reservations could also be made via a Costa Rican web site. Preliminary on-line quote doesn’t embody gross sales taxes, however it does embody the CDW — though CDW could also be waived with proof of bank card protection. Emails obtain a response inside 24 hours. Mediocre critiques on journey boards.
No Toll-Free Telephone Quantity
Little one Seat: $5/day
Extra Driver: $13/day
GPS System: $12/day
Nationwide works in partnership with Alamo and has thirty workplaces in operation throughout the nation. The corporate has a Central American web site, in addition to the worldwide web site, which clearly exhibits the breakdown of pricing. CDW is included within the on-line quote, however it might be unchecked to get a quote with simply the obligatory insurance coverage. Observe that the airport tax is included within the on-line quote as nicely. Prompt responses to questions can be found via Dwell Chat on their web site. Critiques are blended, however there are extra constructive than destructive.
Free Telephone Name Choice By way of Web site
Little one Seat: $6/day
Booster: $6/day
Extra Driver: $5/day
GPS System: $12/day
Payless is a part of the worldwide automotive rental firm and has no Costa Rican web site. On-line quotes don’t embody third-party insurance coverage, though the data on this can be discovered by studying the insurance policies for the San Jose location. Emails obtain a response in lower than 24 hours, however are inclined to refer again to the web site, moderately than new data. Critiques are extra destructive than constructive.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-800-PAYLESS
Little one Seat: $5/day
Booster: $5/day
Extra Driver: $10/day
GPS System: $9.95/day
Service is a neighborhood firm with 5 workplaces within the nation. On an in any other case clear web site, click on on ‘Reserve Now’ and never ‘Get a Quote’ for a web based worth examine. Rember is the employees member talked about in critiques on journey discussion board for his useful customer support and the corporate usually will get good critiques. Emails are answered inside 24 hours and usually present requested data.
U.S. Telephone Quantity: 1-305-897-3718
Little one Seat: $3.50/day
Extra Driver: $3/day
GPS System: $7.50/day
Thrifty doesn’t have a neighborhood web site, thus data is thru the worldwide web site. Protection choices or data concerning third-party insurance coverage isn’t offered on the reservation webpage till one clicks ‘Safety Data’. Emails obtain a response inside 24 hours, however could not reply location-specific questions. Critiques are continuously destructive because of pricing complaints.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-800-344-1705
Little one Seat: $5/day
Booster: $5/day
Extra Driver: $12/day
GPS System: $11.99/day
Toyota is an enormous title; nevertheless, though their web site seems skilled at first look, it merely doesn’t work, or no less than it was not functioning so as to get hold of quotations later than March 2015. Their on-line quotes don’t embody gross sales taxes. Emails obtain quick responses, however quotes for various seasons seemed to be contradictory. Nevertheless, Toyota has popularity on journey boards. Eight workplaces are situated throughout the nation.
Free Telephone Name Choice By way of Web site
Little one Seat: $5/day
Cooler: $1.50/day
Extra Driver: $3/day
GPS System: $10/day
USave works in partnership with Fox and has three workplace places. Insurance coverage choices are proven for the web quote, however it have to be chosen and ‘recalculate’ pressed, earlier than it’s included within the pricing. Emails obtain a response inside 24 hours. The corporate obtain general poor critiques, though there are some constructive feedback made on journey boards.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-800-467-3659
Little one Seat: $5/day
Extra Driver: $10/day
GPS System: $9.95/day
Vamos is a neighborhood firm that may be a widespread selection for Journey Advisor and Lonely Planet specialists due to their customer support and pricing. The web site is simple to make use of with itemized expenses clearly displayed. The Dwell Chat possibility allows instantaneous customized quotes and solutions from English-speaking employees. The corporate has three workplaces.
Toll-Free Telephone Quantity: 1-800-950-8426
Little one Seat: free
Booster: free
Extra Driver: free
GPS System: $8/day
Wild Rider is a small, native firm situated solely in San Jose. The web site is straightforward with third-party insurance coverage included within the pricing. Initially of this analysis, the pricing was not updated, however this has since been remedied. This automotive rental operator stands out by having solely constructive critiques and so is very really useful by journey discussion board customers. Proprietor, Thorsten, replies throughout the hour to inquiries throughout workplace hours.
U.S. Telephone Quantity: 1-917-477-7712
Little one Seat: $5/day
GPS System: $8/day
General Abstract
Readability
Adobe, Alamo, Nationwide, Service, Vamos, and Wild Rider present clear and full charges on their web sites. The opposite automotive rental operators have been much less clear with surcharges or taxes, similar to airport taxes or gross sales taxes. Pricing on extra extras weren’t at all times simple to search out, and Avis, Thrifty and Toyota needed to be contacted for these particulars.
Communication
Ranges of communication have improved for the reason that first comparability, though it could appear smart to request a neighborhood quantity and ensure solutions with the Costa Rica workplace of the worldwide automotive rental operators, as worldwide chat operators or these replying to emails, don’t at all times appear 100% assured about native insurance policies and should even give incorrect data.
Be ready to trade various emails so as to get full solutions to questions with various firms: Funds and Financial system have been significantly vulnerable to this — requesting loads of data so as to give a citation. It’s not unreasonable that members of employees working in a second language could miss features of an e mail, so current questions in clear and easy language.
Dwell Chat on each the Funds and Vamos web sites imply data could be offered immediately and continues to be documented, in contrast to a cellphone name.
Pricing
The comparability above exhibits that the pricing between firms relies upon closely on the season and automotive class being thought of, moderately than a transparent reduce selection between kind of costly rental charges.
Prospects want to contemplate the pricing of different objects, similar to extra drivers or GPS system, and households will need to evaluate automotive seat rental pricing. Wild Rider provides the primary extra driver without spending a dime, Vamos don’t cost for any extras, besides the GPS, and normally, the worldwide corporations have larger expenses for these extras than the native firms.
So Who Do I Lease From?
It’s clear that the native automotive rental operators are nonetheless trumping the large names of their transparency and customer support when evaluating their web sites and on-line critiques. The distinction from the earlier fee comparability from a few years in the past is that the pricing has develop into tougher to equate.
Adobe, Alamo, and Nationwide appear to fee nicely as worldwide automotive rental operators. It’s price noting that Nationwide is the most costly in excessive season for the intermediate class, but the most affordable in off-season. Adobe and Alamo are middle-ranked for pricing.
Wild Rider is outstanding in having zero dangerous critiques, however is just based mostly in San Jose and has a a lot smaller fleet of autos. Of the opposite native corporations, Service and Vamos come out nicely and Vamos’ free extra extras will enchantment to budget-minded vacationers and households with younger youngsters. Service additionally provides these extras at low every day charges.
Final however Definitely not Least…
If in case you have made it right through this text, then you are ready to start your analysis into your trip automotive rental, armed with info and able to acknowledge these costs which might be simply too good to be true! Have a beautiful (and reasonably priced) trip in lovely Costa Rica!