When traveling to foreign countries and renting a car, always check the condition of the vehicle before leaving the facility. If you find anything damaged, this can be a scratch, missing hub cap, windshield chip, locks that don’t work, windows that don’t operate properly, whatever, go back to the counter and insist on a representative noting these issues on your contract and signing it. Also, use your phone or camera to document any findings, if they are significant, have the representative pose with the damage, makes it undisputable. This may sound like overkill but it isn’t. Some rental agencies, even those with national affiliation, go as far as counting rock chips in the windshield, checking for original radiator hoses, batteries and other parts in the engine compartment.
You should also check the brand of tires on the vehicle. This may sound strange but while we were vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, we rented a car from National Car Rental and when we returned it, the representative tried to charge us for a tire because it was a different brand then the other 3 tires. Now, we did not change the tire, nor were there any problems with the car but I failed to note that there was one tire different before we left the rental facility. Had it not been for Pedro, our in country manager who intervened to “clear up the issue”, we would have been charged for the tire.
Here is a partial list of things to check:
1. Look for scratches, dents, chips, curb rash (hub caps and rims), cracks. Often in European countries that drive on the left side of the road, the exterior mirror cover will be scratched or cracked, check it before you leave.
2. Missing hardware like lock pulls, dash knobs, floor mats (if provided), light covers (interior)
3. Check under the hood for any recent parts replacement, these will look newer, document any differences and again, take a photo.
4. Tires, all the same size and brand.
5. Check the doors and windows (yes, all of them!), radio, air conditioning, heater, fan, electric seats and locks, to make sure they all operate properly.
6. Start the car and look for any leaks or if it starts to overheat. Check fuel levels.
7. If you have a convertible, make sure the top goes down and back up without any issue.
8. Verify the mileage. Some rental agencies put a limit on unlimited mileage so verify it before you leave.
Other things to consider when renting are is the rental agency located onsite or offsite? Is additional insurance mandatory? Will I need to complete the rental forms in person or can this be done online before I arrive? While renting a car in Costa Rica we selected an agency that unfortunately was offsite from the airport. We arrived on Friday afternoon, found the rental agency van and then proceeded to sit in traffic for more than 45 minutes trying to get to the rental facility. Once there, we had to complete all the rental forms again, even though this rental was reserved online before we left. Another hour went by….no exaggeration. Then once we finished the forms, they brought the car around for us to inspect. It had 74,000 miles and looked more like a car owned by one of the representatives than a rental, but be that as it may, we inspected the car and accepted it noting a few minor issues. Then, yes there’s more, they took the car to go get gas. Of course they didn’t want to get gas in the car while we were completing the rental forms for almost an hour that would have been easy. Now we waited again while the representative got gas and returned in rush hour traffic, another 45 minutes. Moral of this story, if the rental agency is offsite, plan on a lot of time to get your car.
In Cabo San Lucas, it was a different story. We went to the rental counter, checked in and was told to go outside and look for the woman holding the agency sign. He further stated that the crowd of people outside did not represent his company so don’t get in their vans. As we exited the airport, no fewer than 50 men and women crowded around the doorway and tried to get us to go with them to the “rental car”. They asked what company we were looking for and said they were the authorized agent. Nothing could have been further from the truth. These people represented timeshares and condominium sales companies that would literally shanghai you for 2-3 hours to listen to their sales pitch. They would bring you back to the airport but not until you’ve sat through the entire sales presentation. We even had a guy at the rental agency try to get us to his timeshare by walking around the car with us and pointing out damage we should note. I thought he was with the rental agency but nope, he was selling timeshares.
Now let’s talk insurance. If you are renting a car in Mexico, you WILL buy insurance at the counter, no question, and no discussion. Forget what you thought you bought on Expedia or Orbitz, once in Mexico you are required to purchase additional insurance. Another interesting fact about this insurance, it can equal or be greater than the daily charge for the rental car itself! That great deal you found on a car for only $29.95 a day just turned into $60.00 a day with the added insurance, no joke! I haven’t tried those online companies that offer Mexican insurance but I can tell you this, standing in line and attempting to not pay for additional insurance fell on deaf ears. The representatives simply looked away and waited for the anger to subside before continuing with the charges.
UPDATE: Panama also requires additional insurance. Our $19.95 Kia had an additional insurance charge of $39.95 / day. No discussion! I was able to add this online through Budget Rental Car, they were the only company that actually had a price and explanation of the minimum acceptable insurance. Once there the rental process was smooth and uneventful, just as it should be.
Rental tips:
1. If you’re in a foreign country, plan on more time to complete documents, get insurance, etc.
2. If you’re in a country that drives on the left side of the road and you’re not experienced driving on that side, think about pulling in the left mirror. Hedgerows, tree branches, mailboxes, etc. can take out a mirror in a heartbeat that can cost upwards of $150 to replace.
3. If its diesel, don’t buy gas and vice versa. May seem obvious but pay attention, not all petrol stations have this clearly marked.
4. Don’t drive like a local. In some countries locals drive a little differently than visitors, maybe even occasionally not stopping at stop signs or blasting through town. Most rental cars have a plaque or sticker identifying the car as a rental. You run a stop sign or speed and a police officer sees you, you will get a ticket, guaranteed.
5. Take time to drive your route before you get there. Google Earth is a great way to actually see the landscape, buildings and landmarks along your route.
6. Speed limits are maximums, you can drive slower. Get comfortable, allow plenty of time and try to relax but stay alert. Not a bad idea to have a co-pilot doing some navigating while you concentrate on the driving, even with a GPS.
7. If your rental company asks for your flight information, give it to them and be accurate. Very few rental companies keep a large selection of specialty vehicles like vans or cars with automatic transmissions so these are brought from another location just before you are to arrive. If you give incorrect or no data for your arrival, you’ll be waiting for a vehicle to show up. Could be quite some time!
8. Double check your dates. Some countries list the day then the month followed by the year, where in the US we sometimes list the month, then the day followed by the year. Usually this isn’t a problem but when we rented a car for our Greece adventure, dear old Dan made the mistake of reserving the car 06/07/2010. The problem here is we were in Greece in July, not June so my reservation was cancelled due to no show. When I went to check on the car the day before we were to pick it up (good thing I did!), there was a mess. We did finally get two vehicles, vans were not available, and everything went along fine. Just check the format of the reservation form to avoid any issues.
9. Bring some tie-wraps with you! Pick up a package of 20 tie-wraps for $5.00 before you take off to parts unknown. When you get to your rental car, check the hubcaps and if they don’t have a tie-wrap holding them on, put one on! A lost hubcap can be upwards of $75.00 so use a $.40 tie-wrap and make sure they don’t come off!