I like Will. He seems honest and isn't afraid to tell it like it is. Thanks Mike for doing this one since renting a car kills most people's buget with all of the extras. Other options mentioned are probably a smart choice for many. Great vid!!!!!!!!!!

This explains so many questions that I had about renting down there. Great tips and insights. Thanks guys.

I have traveled a lot to Central and South America and never drive. For day outings, look up day tour operators. Most will pick you up at your hotel and it so much nicer to not deal with driving, parking ,getting lost, etc. A trade off from the private van, usually cheaper, and it can be nice to chat with other people on the way.

This is a fantastic video!

Thanks bro very informative and lots of things I hadn't considered!!

@Diosesdepapel

5 жыл бұрын

Be afraid , Very Afraid ....

We had a great experience with vamos last year and are using them again in a few months... just be prepares to pay a big down payment for about the cost of renting the car... we got ours back immediately when we returned it.

Hi William - Tanya here. Nice to see your face! Excellent advise! Having visited CR only once, I am by no means an expert;but, I would agree - a private shuttle is very reasonable & a good option to get to your destination from the airport. I also enjoyed my Nature Air flight - a good way to appreciate CR. Rent a car to see the area if you wish. Depending on needs/area/distance, a taxi is an option. I found them to be reasonably priced & an efficient way to get around locally in CR. Pura Vida!

We are looking to use Vamos 4x4 as recommended in another of your videos. You mention in this video that the most you've heard on a deposit is $1750. For a 8 day rental, the deposit is $2000 according to their site.

He's always buzzed. I like this guy.

Thank you for the helpful advice in planning the CR adventure :)

One big problem is if you have an accident and the injured party doesn't accept the insurance payout you may go from a vacationer to an expat overnight. You can be barred from leaving the country and it could stretch out for months. After reading about one poor guy being stuck in CR for six month I don't rent anymore, it's just not worth it.

Since I hate to drive anywhere I used taxis and buses on my first trip down there. The Hotel Don Carlos connected me with a taxi driver who spoke perfect English and knew everything about everything in San Jose (use imagination here, lol!) We kept in touch and I hired him for my 2nd trip there, and we still email, text, and Skype. If people don't want to deal with driving, I think this is a great way to go. Hell, he told me to call him 24/7!

I must say their is some great truth in this video! I had the initial part of the rental for "free" using my airline points. That said it would cost about $140. It was through Avis so it was well known name. I had no idea you get their insurance on it so that was the biggest extra cost on the car. I had planned on the GPS and it was $10 per day so not too bad. My "free" car rental ended up costing $400. Still glad we rented, but it cost more than I planned.

honeslty - i have yet to watch one video about visiting costa rica that is inspiring - everyone is saying that there are scams everywhere, super hard to get around, way too expensive, etc. like...maybe ill just go back to mexico where its way easier to travel

I just rented a intermediate 4x4 from Vamos, for 630 for 14 days, including basic insurance GPS for a dollar fifty a day and a free cell phone. Pretty good deal i think. I have made sure there are no hidden costs. Thanks for the advice guys!

@DCice13

2 жыл бұрын

Do you remember the company?

Like Juan Eduardo (below) does, is that a common practice to kind of lease new vehicles when you live there? What's a gallon of gas cost down there?

Do you have any advice on driving to CR in your personal car? I mean like my second or third car worth 4500 dollars, paid for. I don't even carry comp or collision on these vehicles. But do I have to worry about worst case scenario, law suits, car might not even come back with me? Would I drive down and fly home? Thanks.

If you guys have all this info, why not just spit it out: WHO is the BEST to rent from? That's what we want to know....we don't want to know what we already know - that it's tricky and such....why do you think we're watching this video? You did not help at all. So, tell me...straight up....WHO is the BEST company to rent a car from in San Jose?

@JoshuaSteensland

8 жыл бұрын

+Wyldwood Studio I'm with you this video is terrible.

@johnfowler1627

8 жыл бұрын

+Wyldwood Studio --> If you guys have all this info, why not just spit it out: WHO is the BEST to rent from? That's what we want to know....we don't want to know what we already know - that it's tricky and such What they're "beating around the bush" about is that there is really NO good company to rent a car from. Car rental agencies in Costa Rica are LEGALLY allowed to conceal the mandatory insurance charges from you, until the moment that you show up at the car rental counter.

@JoshuaSteensland

8 жыл бұрын

John Hachi we went through Zuma in Jaco...all prices were upfront with no hidden anything. They pride themselves in this fact. What they quote is what you pay! There is at least on good company there!

@johnfowler1627

8 жыл бұрын

+Joshua Steensland That's good info to have. I have actually heard from a couple of other people about similar operations in Costa Rica. The very few car rental companies that I have ever heard anything good about were NOT based at the Juan Santamaria airport (SJO). The airport guys know that they've got you over a barrel, especially if you reserve your car online. You've just arrived at the airport, and without that rental car that you were counting on, your trip will start to fall apart before it even gets started. On the other hand, a company in Jacó knows that you don't really Need a car... You already got from the airport Jacó without a car. Due to numerous past complaints and consumer pressure, the major travel websites are now publishing the insurance rates and some are even allowing customers to pre-pay for everything online. Unfortunately, a few companies will Still try to convince you to buy insurance, waivers, and other items/services which you don't really need. If you've found a good company, then stick with it, because they are hard to find down here.

@johnfowler1627

7 жыл бұрын

Another reason, which I can vouch for as a travel professional, is that that is how we make our money. TripAdvisor, etc. have everyone convinced that travel is a do-it-yourself proposition that doesn't require professional planning. Maintaining that illusion is a part of what I do. I need to ensure that those who plan their own trips don't have all of the information that I have so that my services retain their value and so that they don't use up the services that I need for my clients. It seems unkind, but it's true of any business. Knowledge is the chief product of the travel industry and nobody gives away their product for free. Think about it... TripAdvisor is a $1.5 Billion per year industry, but the average TA user has never paid a dime to use the site or to benefit from it, and they usually don't pay travel professionals to help plan their trips, either. So... where does the $1.5 Billion come from? TA is a site designed to take advantage of the illusions that do-it-yourself travelers have. They select hotels, rental cars etc. based on TA reviews, thinking that they planned their own trip, when, in reality, it was planned for them by the businesses that paid $1.5 Billion last year to make sure that travelers picked them. (speech partially stolen from "The Devil Wears Prada")

Odd that my credit card wasn't accepted in CR for supplemental insurance. CR makes you buy their insurance. If I was in BFE my credit card company would have easily allowed me the "free" supplemental insurance. Renting a car is nice...the freedom to go as you need, seeing the country, etc. But if you are traveling alone, maybe the bus or staying in a single town or two are better. They're right about the travel times on the roads. The roads are horrendous. This video is right on point. Kudos!

Wow. Awesome video. Will is correct! I went through the car rental mayhem and it was very trying. Ditto to what Will say about the deposit and the bait-and-switch. They get you down to the rental car place tell you the price, but the cab that just dropped you off is long gone. The deposit was outrageous. Thank goodness I was had a high credit limit on my card. The insurance was exactly the same price as the rental...how convenient!

@donquijote6857

7 жыл бұрын

Jon Moore TICOS LADRONES

Just returned from CR..the best trip I have every been on in all my world travels. However you are right on!! The initial cost of my rental was $160 UDD but my final cost was $675 USD The security deposit was $1000 USD Still was an amazing trip.

You two got great info to me getting a car is darn stupid like paying for a bodyguard haaaa,,OK I found the fb page of the CR Travelsite you run,,Do you two have personal fb pages too???

@TravelCostaRicaNOW

9 жыл бұрын

facebook.com/pages/Travel-Costa-Rica-Now/110882245651802

@themonger1611

9 жыл бұрын

BLAHHHHHHh

I'm thinking about buying property here, but I know you rather just rent. What video explains the reasons why?

this is one of the MAIN reasons why I can't take my family, because if I take them we need a rental and I can't afford it. Sily and sad because I rent cars all the time here in the U.S, Canada. and the most I pay is like $180 a week, no deposits or sometimes the most is a 200 deposit, no hidden fees. but in Costa Rica they are on CRACK I refuse to pay all this stupid HIGH deposits of 1000 bucks and another 500 for a week of rental. I'm not poor but I'm not going to thow my money .

Well what about insurance on the car That the rental company should offer

Is avis bad... on the site its includes the 12% fee for the airport, the license plate fee or a dollar a day... has anyone used avis? for two weeks I'm getting a quote of near 1100 does this seem right or can i expect it to be double this?

we got hosed too. Quote: 260$ ish. If using the insurance on the card deposit was 2500$, busting our limit and a premium would still be added for a smaller insurance on top of our credit card insurance. So we had to use their full insurance reducing the deposit to 1500$. which was able to fit on the credit card. Costa-Rica was more honest then Panama tho. On top of all the fees been worst then CR, Panama rental company made a bad copy of Passport + credit card+ driver license, and just made a ball and threw in a garbage bin! we were pissed and picked it up ourselves out of the garbage to avoid exposure to identity theft. Costa-Rica vs Panama is day and night to me. Heaven and hell.

@donquijote6857

7 жыл бұрын

Mathieu B I was born and raised in Panama; my advice : avoid going there; It's a RIP OFF and overpriced. Robbery and street crime; very dangerous situation; and the Police & authorities are of no help; If they come at all. Don't believe, the hype about that place. They only see the tourist as prey, and people to take advantage of. Don't trust anyone, in that country.

@donquijote6857

7 жыл бұрын

Mathieu B PANAMEÑOS LADRONES

Is called, The Gringo Discount.

What if you Bring your car there how does that work ? With maintenance ? especially Flat tires and tire replacement? anyone?

@Diosesdepapel

5 жыл бұрын

Of course they dont have only Bananas ... Lol .. Lol

what do you mean David Gimelfarb?

is there at least one that is sort of honest? I will not pay more than $250 in deposits and no more than $200 a week, including al fees, taxes and insurance already included. there has to be one or two that have to be honest but I can't find it. the deposit issue is a huge deal for me becuase I travel on a budget, I don't have credit cards with high limits, my limit is $500 bucks on my credit card so i can't have available $500 just for a deposit because it won't work if is more than that.

temsilcilik ortağı arıyorum

Look, Unless you _Really_ need a car & I mean _NEED_ , not "would like", or "a car would be handy".... then simply dont rent a car,

@poopyisverynice

6 жыл бұрын

thanks!

Just rented a car last week in Jaco Beach for $240 for a week - Took a bus for $4 for San Jose to get there as a rental at airport would cost double, so get away from the airport and then rent...Drove the whole country and will say great beaches and wildlife but I would never return - The country has a bad flavor about it!!!!!!

@dannymorera1148

8 жыл бұрын

We don't want you back Kent maybe you have no flavor liver neck .

i'm listening but don't know the problems he tired to point out.

@Diosesdepapel

5 жыл бұрын

The country is Not Safe right now ... a lot of Assaults and Murders every where every day , besides the Political Chaos they are living right Now to the point of a Civil War , October 2018

because the roads are shit and its easy to fall in a ditch plus crazy drivers on endless miles of two way highways in the jungle with no lighting

@Diosesdepapel

5 жыл бұрын

They Roads are call Flutes because they have holes all over ... Lol Lol ....

The truth, and the bottom line, is that those countries are nothing but a rip off. Peace 🤣🤣😉

Sound recorded through a potato.