Does this sound familiar You arrive in a foreign country (like Costa Rica), get your suitcases at baggage claim, then search for the rental car shuttle bus for 15 to 30 minutes to take you to your car. Of course, the car is not at the airport, but at an off-site location.
OK, now you arrive at the office where you car is supposed to be, but there is a long line of other customers waiting for the under-staffed agency to process their paperwork. As if that’s not enough frustration, when you do finally get to the front of the line, you are "helped" by an over-worked employee with an attitude who thinks they are doing you a favor by renting you a car. You’re presented with an extensive Rental Contract with very small print. You think you should have your attorney check this first, but you are in a hurry and on vacation, so you sign it, and hope that you wont be sorry later.
You give them a credit card deposit of between $500 and $1000, and
agree to a daily rental rate of at least $40 per day (usually more).
But wait, then there is the mandatory insurance fee of between $10 and
$15 per day that is added to the quoted daily rate. So for all this
frustration, you get to pay at least $50 per day including the
mandatory insurance. You may get a "special" weekly or monthly rate
for long-term rentals, but even then, with the taxes, insurance and
fees, you are usually still paying at least $45 per day (often much
more) to rent a vehicle in Costa Rica.
So you finally now have your car or SUV, you use it for your stay and
bring it back to the agency at the end of your trip. Now its time for
the inspection. Your heart beats a bit quicker now as you see the
agency inspector looking over your rental car for any scratches, dings,
dents, or flaws that he may be able to deduct from your deposit. Many
times, I have had some of the big commercial car rental agencies try to
blame me for scratches or dents I did not make. Who needs this?! There
is an alternative solution to this all-too-common car rental scenario.
Rent from a smaller non-franchise, non-international 4×4 SUV car rental operation like "Rent a 4×4 in Costa Rica."
Why Rent from them? Consider this:
- They have one, flat all-inclusive rental rate of $35 including:
full coverage insurance, all taxes, unlimited miles, and free airport
or hotel delivery and pick-up service. If you rent for a month or
longer, the all-inclusive rate is only $29 per day.
- They have one of the lowest car rental security deposit
requirements in Costa Rica. Only $250 is held on a credit card
voucher. Nothing is charged to your credit card unless you have an
unlikely accident. Then this is applied to the insurance deductible.
You will never have to pay more.
- They have a large fleet of well-maintained 4×4 GEO Tracker SUVs.
All Trackers have CD players, fully charged cold Air Conditioning,
removable tops for an open-air drive, newer tires, and are fun to
drive. They have both automatic or standard manual transmission
Trackers available. Gasoline is over $3.25 per gallon in Costa Rica.
Their Trackers get almost 30 miles to the gallon of gasoline on
average.
- They personally meet you at the airport outside baggage claim
holding a small sign with your name on it. Your 4×4 GEO Tracker is
only footsteps away, and is clean, full of gasoline, and ready to go
for you. If you prefer, they can also deliver your Tracker to your
hotel at a time you specify. The short, one page rental agreement takes
only a minute or two to read and complete and you are off in your
Tracker touring Costa Rica. No waiting for shuttle bus rides, no
standing in lines, no over-worked employees with an attitude, no
hassles, and no over-zealous microscopic inspections upon the return of
your Tracker SUV.
- Service, service, service! They are available 24/7 in the
unlikely event you have a problem with your vehicle, or if you simply
have a question, need directions, or want some recommendations for a
good, original Costa Rican restaurant. If you ever need or want to
replace your Tracker rental with another vehicle for any reason, you
just call them, and usually within the hour, they deliver a new Tracker
to you.
- They even rent cell phones to compliment your vehicle rental if you so desire.
- Over 50% of their business is from repeat customers who
appreciate and demand strong, well-maintained 4×4 vehicles, great
service, and low rental rates. They rent from them time and again
because they know that is exactly what they will get.
To make a reservation for a 4×4 GEO Tracker SUV or Cell Phone, visit their website here or e-mail them. From the US you can call Toll Free at 1.866.906.4294, or in Costa Rica at 506.379.9468.