How to Buy Used Cars? A Definitive Guide to Buy an Excellent
Used Car Without Overpaying
It is obvious that you have 2 options; a brand-new car or a
used car. As a well known fact, buying a brand-new car can make you lose some
money because the price of the brand-new car will be depreciated as soon as you
buy that new car, but buying a used car can make you avoid that depreciation.
With a large selection of used cars nowadays, there is no
greater value than buying a used car. To avoid the pitfalls of buying used
cars, do your research online and through multiple dealerships and used car
lots.
Consider the benefits of buying a used car
Skillful used car
buyer can explore bigger deals.
Used cars are now
more reliable than ever before.
You can find the
history of the used car by using the car VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
and by using the vehicle history report. Online, you can check the safety ratings
and crash tests for almost any used car.
It is essential to see how much your specific car really
costs. It is important to realize that you will not pay only the car price, but
you should also consider the other costs of vehicle ownership, such as
insurance rates, extended warranties, maintenance, and fuel costs.
Taking a loan to buy a car is also called financing the car.
Choose the right used car
Used car buying has become very popular nowadays, so you
will find a large selection of car models to choose from. Search on T.V,
magazines, internet or at used car dealerships. You can research the large
selection of different car models and prices.
Make a list of several used car models that you are
interested in and then narrow your list down to 3 or 4 cars. Before you decide
on the car model, you should decide whether you will pay the price of the car
in cash or you will finance on the car and pay monthly payments. Ask yourself
does that car suit your needs? How big you want the car? The VIN is included in
many online car listings. Best places to find used cars
Each place has its own pros and cons.The certified pre-owned
cars are the most expensive used cars. Make sure that you do not buy a lemon
used car.
Test drive and inspect the used car
After you collected the necessary information about the car,
contact the seller and arrange an appointment to test drive the used car.When
you go to test drive the car, bring along a mechanic because it is highly
recommended that you take a mechanic with you to inspect the used car.
How does it feel
when you drive the car?
Does the car have
the acceleration levels you want?
You should also check the VIN of the car, it is located in
many places on the car depending on the car model. Negotiate the price
Avoid signing "as is" when buying a used car,
because once you sign that, any problem with the car becomes yours. If you have
to do that, make sure that you researched the information and got the Vehicle
History Report on the used car. Guide to Car Rental Companies in Costa Rica
Car rental is a hot topic for vacationers headed to Costa
Rica. Comparisons include: customer service, pricing and the reservation
process. Insurance
Car rental companies generally refrain from disclosing the
cost of this policy in the quoted rental rate to appear more competitive. Mandatory
third-party insurance can sometimes be as much as double the vehicle's rental
cost. Cost of Mandatory Insurance (also called Third Party or SLI)
Expect to pay between $12 and $15 daily for this insurance,
depending on the make and model of the rented vehicle and the rental car
agency. It's a fact of renting a car in Costa Rica.
Credit card insurance programs may cover the CDW for a
rental vehicle. Check with your chosen rental car company to find which proof
of insurance is needed and then request that from your credit card company
prior to arriving. The credit card company will then reimburse the card holder
for damages.
More Insurance
Additional Charges
Most companies have surcharges for additional drivers, car
seats/boosters, cell phones, coolers, GPS and/or roof racks. Alamo, Budget,
Hertz and National charge the most for such additional options; whereas the
other companies listed, charge more reasonable prices.
Vehicles rented direct at the airport incur airport taxes,
which are a whopping 12% of your rental cost!
If not, companies may charge above gas station rates for
missing fuel.
Vehicles
There is a debate over the vehicles supplied by rental
companies: Older cars allow the driver to blend in more than a shiny, new car. Once
receiving the vehicle, renters should meticulously check for pre-existing flaws
and compare it with the vehicle inspection document used by the rental car
representative. Pricing
Car rentals in Costa Rica are pricier compared to other
countries. When comparing rental car charges, it is best to go directly to the
Costa Rican website of the rental car company, rather than trying to use their
international format or an intermediary (Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak,
et al.). To avoid confusion, print out all correspondence with the car rental company
with whom you have reserved a vehicle and bring this to the rental office with
the quote given at the time of reservation.
The following top ten chart ranks the companies from highest
priced to lowest and it includes the mandatory insurance charge. Rental Car
Companies Ranked According to Price
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
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
Budget, Hertz and National also rate low on the scale for
economical rental options.
Company Summaries
Adobe
Mandatory insurance costs are not shown with the list of
vehicles and rental charges, but they are clearly displayed on the following
page as a customer moves towards booking a reservation. Mixed customer reviews
online. Toll-free U.S.A and Canada phone number. No Live Chat.
10 offices nationwide
Mandatory insurance: $19 daily
Additional charges: GPS $9/day, child seat $5/day
Alamo
Mixed customer reviews online. 14 offices nationwide
Additional charges: GPS $12/day, child seat $6/day
Budget
Mandatory insurance costs are given along with the list of
vehicles; however, the other charges are not listed. Mixed customer reviews
online. No Live Chat on Costa Rican website.
10 offices nationwide
Mandatory insurance: included in the listed price
Dollar
Toll-free U.S.A and Canada phone number. No Live Chat.
3 offices nationwide
Mandatory insurance: $16 daily
Additional charges: GPS $9/day, child seat $5/day
Hertz
Mixed customer reviews online. 7 offices nationwide
Additional charges: GPS $12/day, child seat $2/day
Mixed customer reviews online, but more positive than
negative. Toll-free U.S.A and Canada phone number. Live Chat.
22 offices nationwide
Additional charges: GPS $12/day, child seat $6/day
Service
Mandatory insurance costs are given along with the list of
vehicles and rental charges for the low season charges and on the second page
of the other quotation page. Generally online reviews are positive for Service.
Mandatory insurance: $15 daily
Thrifty
Mandatory insurance costs are not given along with the list
of vehicles and rental charges. Mandatory insurance: $19.99 daily
Vamos
Mandatory insurance costs are not given along side the list
of vehicles and rental charges, but are clearly displayed on the following page
as the customer moves towards booking a reservation. Anibal, a representative,
is frequently mentioned in online reviews for his high level of customer
service skills. Live Chat has instant response time to inquiries.
Live Chat.
Mandatory insurance: $11.95 daily
Additional charges: GPS $8/day, child seat free
Wild Rider
Mandatory insurance costs are given next to the list of
vehicles. Wild Rider is the only car rental firm in Costa Rica with no visible
bad reviews online. No toll-free phone number or Live Chat
Mandatory insurance: included
Comparison Review
Customer Service
Adobe, Alamo and Budget have different rental prices posted
on their websites than those quoted over the phone. Adobe also offers different
vehicle models over the phone as compared to their website. International car
rental firms with both a Costa Rican and international website appear to have
pricing differences between the two sites.
Rental prices for car seating had to be verified on the
phone as they are not listed on the Budget website.
Thrifty's Costa Rican website is simply unusable.
Pricing
Service offers a generally high-level of customer service
and fairly competitive pricing at both international airports.
"Now you're ready to book your rental car after seeing
how the competition compares.
