Car Rental Companies Guide

Guide to Car Rental Companies in Costa Rica 2015

Rate Comparisons for 2015

Why is car rental so expensive?

Visitors from outside of Costa Rica are often surprised by the cost of car rental.     All vehicles in Costa Rica are imported and a tax is imposed. There are some car rental operators who rent older vehicles in order to reduce their costs.

    The cost of mandatory insurance (see below).

Factors that Affect Car Rental Costs

• Mandatory Insurance

Car rental operators must charge the customer for this coverage which may or may not be clear in the quotation received by the customer.

The issue that causes contention in Costa Rica is that this cost is not always displayed clearly on the car rental operator's website or in a quote. Customers then discover the additional cost of their rental upon arrival.

The cost of mandatory insurance varies from company to company and will depend on the car category that is being rented as well. Credit cards in North America usually offer car insurance as an additional perk to the credit card holder and so North Americans in particular, are unused to having to pay for insurance on top of rental costs. However, no credit card will cover this insurance requirement.

Do ask if the given quote includes third-party insurance and check the prices on the car rental operator's website.

It is worth remembering that car rental company employees, like in other parts of the world, will sometimes earn commission for insurance sales.

Car rental operators require written proof that the customer's credit card provides CDW. • Deposit

• Airport Taxes

Customers that rent from a car rental operator's counter within an airport building are obliged to pay the airport tax.

Those car rental operators with a counter at San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) are: Alamo/National, Budget, Dollar, Economy and Hertz. These companies will add an additional 12% tax to the rental cost.

Those car rental operators with a counter at Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR) are: Avis, Budget and Economy. These companies will add an additional 3% tax to the rental cost.

To avoid this tax, take an airport shuttle with the car rental operator to an office located outside of the airport grounds.

There are a number of other obligatory fees that car rental operators may add into the rental cost, display on-screen or show in the quote, or leave undisclosed until the customer's arrival. One car rental operator charges $20 for this additional service.

A common confusion for travelers booking a rental car is the discrepancy between international websites for car rental operators and the Costa Rican website for the same brand. A number of companies do not have a local website. Car Rental Comparisons

In May/June of 2013, I compared the pricing and services of a number of car rental operators in Costa Rica and published the findings. The car rental operators selected are those which are most frequently used by travelers:

Adobe

Alamo

Budget

Dollar

Economy

Fox

Hertz

National

Service

Thrifty

Toyota

USave

Vamos

Wild Rider

Exclusion of Companies from Final Comparison

Comparison Information

As not all pricing is completely transparent, the prices are as accurate as possible based on the information provided from the car rental operators' websites, phone calls, and/or emails. Shoulder Season (Quote for July 13 through 20)

2. Service $54.92

5. Adobe $60.13

6. Alamo $60.99

7. Wild Rider $62.86

8. Dollar $63.35

9. Vamos $64.15

10. National $67.04

11. Thrifty $74.39

Low Season (Quote for May 13 through 20)

1. National $37.04

3. Dollar $46.49

4. Adobe $52.57

5. Vamos $53.15

6. Service $53.49

9. Wild Rider $55.71

10. Alamo $60.99

High Season (Quote for March 13 through 20)

1. Dollar $55.92

6. Service $66.63

7. Vamos $67.14

8. Alamo $69.56

9. Wild Rider $70.00

11. National $73.90

The variation in ranking between seasons is marked and customers should consider their vacation dates when choosing the car rental operator. It is also significant that pricing is not consistent with ranking with car rental operators in other car categories. Information on Car Rental Operators

Adobe Rent-A-Car is a local car rental operator that has eleven offices across the country. The mandatory insurance cost is displayed as part of the online quote. The company receives mixed reviews online, but more positive than negative comments are made. Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-855-861-1250

Child Seat: $3/day

GPS System: $9/day

This makes the pricing seem high on first glance, especially when, unlike other car rental operators, Alamo includes airport taxes in their online quotation and so their pricing is honest, but appears much higher than other companies as a result. This pricing discrepancy is the lead cause of negative reviews for this company. Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-855-533-1196

Child Seat: $3/day

GPS System: $12/day

No Toll-Free Phone Number

Child Seat: $5/day

GPS System: $9.99/day

Emailed quotes showed the same pricing for all seasons as the website did. Budget receives mixed online reviews.

No Toll-Free Phone Number, but Live Chat is offered

Child Seat: $5/day

GPS System: $14.99/day

Car washing charge is enforced for very dirty vehicles. Email response is within 24 hours. Dollar receives mixed reviews from online travel forums.

Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-877-767-8651

Child Seat: $5/day

GPS System: $9/day

Economy has the worst online reputation of any big name car rental operator in Costa Rica.

Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-877-326-7368

Child Seat: $10/day

GPS System: $15/day

Offices are located at both international airports. Online reviews are generally poor.

Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-800-225-4369

Child Seat: $5/day

GPS System: $9.99/day

No Toll-Free Phone Number

Child Seat: $5/day

GPS System: $12/day

Free Phone Call Option Via Website

Child Seat: $6/day

GPS System: $12/day

Payless is part of the international car rental company and has no Costa Rican website. Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-800-PAYLESS

GPS System: $9.95/day

Service is a local company with five offices in the country. Reviews are frequently negative due to pricing complaints.

Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-800-344-1705

Free Phone Call Option Via Website

Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-800-467-3659

The company has three offices.

Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-800-950-8426

Child Seat: free

Booster: free

Additional Driver: free

Wild Rider is a small, local company located only in San Jose. The website is simple with third-party insurance included in the pricing. The other car rental operators were less transparent with surcharges or taxes, such as airport taxes or sales taxes. Pricing

Customers need to consider the pricing of other items, such as additional drivers or GPS system, and families will want to compare car seat rental pricing. It is clear that the local car rental operators are still trumping the big names in their transparency and customer service when comparing their websites and online reviews. Adobe, Alamo, and National seem to rate well as international car rental operators. Service also offers these extras at low daily rates.

Which Costa Rican Car Company Is Best?

Renting a Car in Costa Rica? Which company should you choose?

There are so many rent-a-car companies to choose from in Costa Rica - from the large international firms to the smaller national agencies. Understanding the insurance laws and charges that bind the Costa Rican car rental companies may help you to ask the right questions when you are reserving your vehicle and avoid a nasty shock upon arrival. Insurance needs, additional costs in rental and surcharges are considered in more detail below:

Insurance:

Basic insurance is mandatory. Costa Rican law is very clear on this and your rental car company cannot allow you to leave with their car without having agreed to pay it. Expect to pay somewhere between $9 and $20 per day on top of your car rental rate. An honest, car rental agency will make this very clear in their pricing. Check whether your insurance policy covers you to drive in Costa Rica. If you are covered, bring proof (in writing) for your vehicle rental company. Zero liability is offered by rent-a-car companies. Many car rental companies will charge additional fees for a child/baby seat, an additional driver, luggage racks or cooler. Surcharges:

Some rental car companies incorporate taxes and additional fees into their rental cost; others don't. Airport fees can be charged at 13% of your rental cost which is a sizable fee to pay in addition to an agreed rental charge. You may also be charged a license plate charge, environmental fee and/or any other charge that the rental car company has to meet (or pocket).

Criteria for Rating Car Rental Companies:

1) Value: Is the rental rate competitive?

Each company was researched based on a week's rental of a Daihutsu Bego with mandatory insurance.

Dollar Rent-A-Car:

Value

- $300+ USD.

- Extras are at average prices.

Efficiency

- Email inquiry returned within 24 hours.

Transparency

- Reservation price is listed as 'Base rate' and doesn't include insurance.

Vamos Rent-A-Car:

Value

- $300+ USD.

Efficiency

Transparency

- The website clearly states prices and insurance.

- Toll-free number and live chat are provided.

Wild Rider:

Value

- $300+ USD.

- Additional driver is free.

Efficiency

- Email inquiry returned within 2 hours.

Transparency

- Prices are displayed very clearly onsite and include insurance.

Budget:

Value

- Extra charges for baby seat, additional driver etc.

Efficiency

- The company has 9 offices nationwide.

Transparency

- No prices displayed with vehicles information.

- Budget has received mixed reviews.

Service Car Rental:

Value

- $400+ USD including mandatory insurance and taxes.

- Extras such as additional driver and child seat are charged, but at cheaper rates than most companies.

Efficiency

- The company has 5 offices nationwide.

Transparency

National Car Rental:

- Extras are priced a little above average.

Efficiency

Transparency

Economy Rent-A-Car:

- Extras are average in price.

- Email inquiry returned within an hour, but email inquiring about insurance was not returned.

- Website does not make mandatory insurance clear.

- Economy has numerous negative reviews.

Hertz Costa Rica:

- $400+ USD, but actual rental price is not made clear.

- 6 offices nationwide.

- No contact email.

- Mixed reviews.

Adobe Rent-A-Car:

- Extras are at low prices.

- The company has 9 offices nationwide.

- Online estimate includes insurance.

Tricolor Car Rental:

- Extras aren't listed or provided in quotation email, although cell phone price is given.

- 3 offices nationwide.

- Email returned within 2 hours.

- Reviews are mixed.

- Toll-free number is provided.

For real value, Dollar, Vamos, Wild Rider and Tricolor come out on top for competitive pricing for the basic rental fee, plus mandatory insurance. Adobe and Service have low cost extras, whereas Hertz has the most expensive rates for extras. Adobe, Wild Rider, Vamos and Service have websites that clearly show rental prices and insurance. Ask those all important questions: Does this price include mandatory insurance?

Car Dealer Secret

A Secret Credit Score Your Car Dealer Won't Tell You About

You're ready to buy a new car.

You know your three FICO credit scores.

You determine that your highest FICO credit score is from Equifax (also known as your BEACON score).

So, you find a car dealer who uses your highest score (which increases your opportunity to get approved at a good rate).

Sure enough...the dealer says your Equifax/BEACON score isn't high enough for their lowest interest rate.

You just checked your FICO credit scores through http://www.myfico.com/12 a few hours ago. Remember, your credit scores are dynamic and will change whenever information on your credit reports changes.

Car Dealers Can Use "Different" FICO Scores Than The Ones You See

The car dealer is probably using what is known as the FICO Auto Industry Option score instead of a traditional FICO credit score. You see, car dealers not only get to select the credit reporting agency they receive FICO credit scores from...they also get to decide if they will use a traditional FICO credit score or a variation of a FICO score called an Auto Industry Option score.

What's the difference between these two types of scores?

Not a whole lot to most people...but there's enough variation to make the majority of auto lenders use the Auto Industry Option score. The real difference between the two scores is that the Auto Industry Option score pays a lot more attention to how you handled previous auto credit.

- Have you had a car repossessed?

- Did you include your car loan or lease in your bankruptcy?

Those actions will affect your Auto Industry Option score more than they'll affect your traditional FICO score. Bottom line, if you handled your previous auto credit perfectly, you should have a high FICO Auto Industry Option score--that's a good thing.

You guessed it...your Auto Industry Option score will be lower. You see, auto lenders are different than other types of lenders. What a Former Auto Finance Director Revealed to Me

"So many people I have helped couldn't believe their scores were so high with the FICO Auto Industry Option score. What's good about the auto score is that it truly helps the auto lender concentrate on what is important--how the customer handles his/her auto loans.

As you can see, the FICO auto scores can work in your favor, if they are used correctly.

scores against you...

A Dirty Trick Car Dealers Can Play with Your FICO Scores

Let's imagine your Equifax/Beacon FICO score is 585. With a score that low, if you do get approved for a car loan, you'll probably wind up with a high interest rate and high monthly payment.

The finance director then reviews your FICO Auto Industry Option score. And, unknown to you, this score is actually higher than the Equifax/Beacon FICO score you pulled.

With this higher score, you'll get approved at a better rate...right?

Here's what unscrupulous car dealers can do. They won't tell you that your auto score is higher than your traditional score!

How Some Car Dealers "Play the Spread" to Get You to Pay More

It's possible that a car dealer has the ability to pull your traditional FICO scores AND your FICO auto scores. How to Use Your FICO Scores to Your Advantage when Buying a Car

Wait until he reviews the scores himself. Then ask him what your scores are.

3. However, if your scores are higher, then pull them out and show him. How do you find out what your FICO Auto Industry Option scores are before you walk into a car dealership?

Only a very small percentage of the population even knows they have three FICO credit scores...let alone three Auto Industry Option scores.

If you handled your previous auto credit well--your FICO Auto Industry Option scores will be higher than your traditional FICO scores. 4. If you've handled your auto credit poorly...then you should simply try to find an auto lender that uses just the traditional FICO credit scores. When you find a lender that uses a traditional FICO credit score, you'll have your best chance to get the lowest interest rate.

5. Start by calling dealerships and asking the finance director if they use a traditional FICO credit score to make their lending decision or if they use the FICO Auto Industry Option score.

Gran Turismo 5 Review

Modes

Again present is the famous GT mode, which requires you to work your way up in the world of cars. Also present is arcade mode, here users can set the conditions of the race and just drive with a car of their choice. Last but not least is Gran Turismo TV; here you can watch television shows and clips about cars. Online

GT mode

For me this has always been the mode that reminds me I'm playing a Gran Turismo game. The core of GT mode has also been refined, this time you'll need to reach curtain levels to unlock access to events or buy higher-up cars. It's a lot of fun to buy cars/tune them and win every event the game throws at you. Cars

All of the modes ultimately boil down to cars, and GT5 has a lot of them. I honestly think there isn't a game in the world that features so many cars in this amount of detail.

The cars aren't all perfect though. There's a big difference between the 800 standard cars and the 200 premium cars that the game offers. Driving

Due to GT-mode gamers will have to master a host of different cars and thanks to this drivers will quickly notice and appreciate the little differences between the many cars in the game. Some exotic car owners have already expressed that GT5 comes really close to the real thing, for some of the cars that is. In any case it's way more simulation than most other car games have to offer.

Racing

We've already established that Gran Turismo 5 is a great car game but does that convert into a great racing game? The AI cars are still as brainless as they've ever been. Gran Turismo games used to set the bar so high for graphics. What really bothers me though are the standard cars and the sluggish finish. A difference that big between cars in a game is simply unacceptable.

On the flipside, the game does offer a lot of great things. It has a lot of replay value, fantastic premium cars and the physics are unmatched by any console game of the genre.

Putting things into perspective the problems don't outweigh the many great aspects of the game and the bottom-line is this: Gran Turismo 5 is the best car game in the world because it drives great and is really extensive. Not every car is realistic. Presentation 7/10: Slow menus and standard cars are a pain. At times great graphics and premium cars look amazing.

Overall 8/10: Best car game in the world but the drawbacks and lack of polish brings it down.

Gran Turismo review

CAR : The Game Review

NASCAR 2011: The Game - Review

 Modes

 An experience gained from many modes including career, quick race and online play. Career mode let's you play as yourself or one of the 43 famous NASCAR sprint series drivers. Racing

Luckily the cream of the crop is determined on track and in that respect NASCAR 2011 the game does very well. Racing with 43 other cars fighting for every inch of the racetrack is an experience unlike any.

During the race the game does a stellar job keeping you posted of the world around you. At the bottom of the screen the HUD gives a clear overview of the surrounding cars. Tires tend to drop off quite harshly and any car damage is always brutal. I've experienced a race where the car would pull to the left leaving me counter steering through the entire thing - really exhausting!

In the pits a small screen pops up giving options for refueling, or changing tires. The two-car bullet phenomenon, where one is the pusher, is definitely something you won't see in the game. Driving

So how do these cars drive? Aggressive drivers will definitely find the car dancing under the pressure, leaving you pray to the upcoming attackers.

Any contact with the wall and you might find the car pulling to either side. The damage is both visually and mechanically pleasing, despite never willing to break the car completely. To prevent damages you might want to tweak the car setup a little. Players can choose between a standard setup (auto tuned for the particular race) or become engineers themselves. Online

Online racing often falls short of the picture we have in our heads, because close racing can only be done with mutual respect. The graphics while pushing 43 cars fall short of the best we've seen in the genre. On the flip side the cars look great and it can be really entertaining at times to read a cars backend infomercial.

Also surprisingly good are the pre-race shows. These include hawks flying into the air and fireworks as the cars pass the pit straight, things you'd expect in real NASCAR racing. But again unfortunately the in-car experience doesn't live up to the immersion.

NASCAR 2011 the game is the first of the series and is shows. On top of that the graphics suffer from having to run 43 cars at all times. nascar 2011 review

A Consumer's Survival Guide For New Car Buyers

Around 1973 I bought my first new car, a Dodge Dart Sport, painted taxicab yellow. More importantly I followed the findings in the April issue of Consumer Reports which gave that car its highest rating. It was great advice for the time. Ralph Nader's consumer campaigns for safer autos and quality built Japanese cars were emerging from their infancy while the Big Three auto makers reigned supreme. Fortunately, times have changed and cars have significantly improved thanks in large measure to the combined efforts of consumer activist Ralph Nader, the influential Consumer Reports, and the competition waged by the Japanese auto industry. What hasn't changed is the selling practices of new car dealerships and for this reason alone a Survival Guide becomes necessary for serious consumers looking to purchase a new car. Markups on car sales are particularly low in contrast to retail sales of other goods. For example, a dealership buys its cars from manufacturers for several thousands of dollars less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), less confidential bonuses, incentives etc. The smaller the passenger car the smaller the profit margin. My first rule of thumb is take charge of your new car purchase before you need to buy a new car. If you walk into a dealership the next morning unprepared, they GOTCHYA! Forget the televised "car ad hype" and the bosomy girls at car shows. It's true that the best independent researcher of any model year car is Consumer Reports. If you're a serviceman, veteran or immediate family member contact the Pentagon Federal Credit Union and if you're service connected contact the Navy Federal Credit Union for quotes. Plan to either keep the old car or sell it privately for maximum return.

There are several different plans and schemes that purport to offer good car deals. An ingenious marketing partnership today combines Costco with area dealerships and the placement of a brand new car at the entrance to Costco with a sign that reads, "Ignore the sticker price. Consumer Reports offers the second best technique to car buying. Basically, for a fee they help the consumer discover the price the dealership pays for a car (Dealer Invoice). From that starting point you, the consumer, "work up" to the price you're willing to pay. This is a great technique but unless you're experienced at handling negotiations of this sort the dealership will have a major advantage. My favorite car buying technique costs upwards of $250, can save you as much as $5,000.00 (less than the MSRP), is available throughout the continental United States and is run by the online nonprofit CarBargains.org. Then, CarBargains obtains several commitments by phone from area dealers for your specific car. The dealers independently bid against each other for your business for the same car and you never waste time comparison shopping. So let's say the lowest quote for your car "A" comes from a dealer 50 miles away but your nearest bidding dealership has the highest price. That person isn't on commission whereas the salesperson works on commission and whose time is valuable when you take a test drive and don't know enough about the car you want to buy.

When is the best time to meet the sales manager? Of course if you need the car at the beginning of the month, you need the car at the beginning of the month! Never exhibit "GaGa" emotions of buying a new car (pretend you're buying asparagus) and don't let yourself get talked into the seemingly endless options that will be thrown in your direction. Even the most basic cars today are factory equipped with necessary options, including air conditioning. The following paragraph will reveal the nonsensical nature of all sticker prices that as a car buying society we were programmed to believe had to be negotiated.

Consider this documented example of a consumer who purchased a new car using the CarBargains technique after relying on Consumer Reports for due diligence. Every brand new car has a federally mandated factory sticker measuring approximately 16"x9.5" with predominantly blue and white colors and affixed to the side window. The MSRP for this car is listed at $24,250.00, special edition discount less $900.00 or $23,350.00, destination and handling add $595.00 for a TOTAL VEHICLE PRICE of $23,945.00! Using the CarBargains technique the consumer actually paid the TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE of $20,762.10 or $4,872.90 less than the dealer hoped to realize. The car was a 2007 upgrade six cylinder sedan purchased in mid December, 2006 and based on the April, 2007 CR recommendation. For the sake of clarity the terms TOTAL VEHICLE PRICE, TOTAL PRICE, and TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE are interchangeable and synonymous depending solely on the paper they're printed on and represent the all-inclusive bottom line price for the vehicle.

As an aside, if your car purchase takes place between model years, consider buying the CR-reviewed model. There's nothing simple about new car buying. This strategy usually sobers the sales staff to its senses and responsibility to sell the vehicle regardless if the vehicle is a basic sub compact, high end luxury or performance car, minivan, SUV or pickup truck.

Manufacturers are fond of claiming that their cars retain their resale value. That sort of advertising is only true if the consumer purchased the car for a reasonable price and financed it for no more than three years through a neighborhood credit union. Like the sign in the new car at Costco says, "Ignore the sticker price... "

What about the dealership itself? Google the following term: CAR DEALERSHIP RATINGS. Know your dealership! Let The Buyer Beware. F1 2010 Review

Modes

The game starts with a press conference. Here you can select between the different modes including: Time trail, multiplayer, career and grand prix weekend, which also allows championship racing.

Career mode is where you'll probably spend most time at. Additionally after each race you can face the press and talk about your performance. Every session starts in the pit box with the mechanics and engineer working on the car. Using the monitor you can see the session times, weather report or change the setup of the car. More bad news comes when working on the setup of the car, because the game only allows the most basic of adjustments. Luckily almost every F1 rule has made it into the game. Handling

The racing itself is a bit of a mixed bag. The car handles like we've seen on television. We could hit the grass without losing control of the car. On the flip side every car has its own characteristic. The difference between the slowest and fastest car is about 2-4 seconds; we would've liked this to be 4-6 seconds.

Race

The racing is where F1 2010 really excels. During the race fighting for position can get pretty intense, especially with damage and car wear set to full. This however has bugged every driving game so far and is not a big disturbance to the racing.

Lastly the AI is great when you're racing them but turn into robots when you're not. The difference between the fast the slow teams becomes ever so small and some drivers even refused to pit in a perfectly dull dry race. The dynamic weather system is absolutely amazing and light years ahead of any other racing game.

The game succeeds in making every point feel rewarding despite missing features such as the safety car, parc ferme or podium celebrations. But the racing is still the game's strong suit.

The cars and tracks have been recreated in absolute detail. The changing sky and the puddle forming on track are unmatched by any racing game. Sound wise F1 games never really hit the mark for us. Online

The game allows up to 12 racers (1 per team) with an extensive array of options including: full race distance, damage, fuel/try management, penalties and qualifying.

The racing itself worked smooth and bug free. During testing we met many great racers and experienced very close battles. Be successful online and you'll rank up XP points which gives you dips on your favorite car or allows access to games with a "minimal XP threshold".

F1 2010 is a great game. Driving the cars is a lot of fun and the racing can be extremely tense and exciting. Finally it misses some features that every F1 game should have.