New to the board- Hi Everyone-Love the board! Need car rental advice please.

[richdrogpa]

Is it the north-south streets that always have the right of way, or the east-west? It's one of those.

Yep, north-south streets have right of way

---------- Post added February 13th, 2013 at 11:56 PM ----------

Watch the speed limit it goes from 90 to 30 for no reason at all then back to 90.

I know exactly where that spot is and was like "What the hell is going on here???" The road was straight like an arrow, away from any inhabited area, not even a crossing... I always slowed down a little, to a 50-60 km/h, but all the local cars were just zooming by disregarding the 30 speed limit. My first thought was: "Where are the cops hiding?" It really looked like it was put in there to extract some fines

 

[yaml]

call john at Less Pay: we use Less Pay exclusively - i recommend a jeep- cheaper than isis (whom i've used) and just as fair and reliable; picks you up at airport for no charge; has the car filled for you ( you "can" get ripped off by gas attendants if you aren't careful); he's an american that's been in coz `28 years or so; go to their website; self explanatory about what is and what is not included; get the insurance - period

 

[Diver Kat]

Wow, you guys are great help, thanks for the replies. One other Question, do they (car rental co.) require you to purchase their insurance? I have State Farm stateside, don't know if I'm covered in another country?

We've rented a number of times using Orbitz choosing either Hertz or Avis at the airport, depending on who was cheaper. Had no problem with either place, or with the cars from either. You can check with your U.S. insurance and also your credit cards, but in general they don't cover out of the country. However, you might want to check into American Express' Preimium Car Rental Protection program which does cover outside the U.S. It's a flat rate of $24.95 for the rental period and covers damage & theft, but not liability. It can save you a bit of $$ if you're only having to purchase daily rate liability insurance.

 

[scubavaquera]

I Have to agree with the necessity of getting insurance while here. I also highly recommend using Isis. If you have an incident she will personally come help you. However, please understand that any insurance purchased will only cover damage to your car and the other parsons. If they are injured, your insurance will NOT cover that. Then it becomes a shakedown for cash. Sometimes the person will settle on the spot if you hand them a couple hundred bucks. If they want more, you go to the jail and try to reach a cash settlement with that person. Worst case, in 3 days you will go before a judge to decide what happens. Most Americans won't wait that long and end up paying lots of money to get out. I have found that even if it isn't your fault, the outcome can be the same because they see dollar signs with Americans.
Not trying to be negative or scare you, but I feel that an understanding that liability insurance here is not the same as in the US is important information.

 

[amoses]

I Have to agree with the necessity of getting insurance while here. I also highly recommend using Isis. If you have an incident she will personally come help you. However, please understand that any insurance purchased will only cover damage to your car and the other parsons. If they are injured, your insurance will NOT cover that. Then it becomes a shakedown for cash. Sometimes the person will settle on the spot if you hand them a couple hundred bucks. If they want more, you go to the jail and try to reach a cash settlement with that person. Worst case, in 3 days you will go before a judge to decide what happens. Most Americans won't wait that long and end up paying lots of money to get out. I have found that even if it isn't your fault, the outcome can be the same because they see dollar signs with Americans.
Not trying to be negative or scare you, but I feel that an understanding that liability insurance here is not the same as in the US is important information.

This makes me nervous about even renting a car while I am there. I have one reserved through Isis, but now I am not sure I really want to do that.

 

[Mike]

This makes me nervous about even renting a car while I am there. I have one reserved through Isis, but now I am not sure I really want to do that.

Don't run anybody over and you'll be fine.

 

[DandyDon]

This makes me nervous about even renting a car while I am there. I have one reserved through Isis, but now I am not sure I really want to do that.

When you leave the US, you leave the US. There have been very few scary tales that I know of, I can think of one - and it was hyped by an evangelist as part of his blog, but he did spend a night in the non-tourist jail. Be careful, ask about local customs - and a few are very different, and if a problem arises wait for your insurance agent to arrive before agreeing to anything.

Oh, I remember another one: Do Not Rent from Payless, if I remember correctly.

 

[briankinley2004]

I just got back this week. I rented from Hertz at the airport (ahead of time online). I have the Amex Skymiles card which I have a love/hate relationship with. Using the card thru Delta's site I was able to get a discount lower that Avis or other online deals for a "Dodge Attitue or equal". Also as mentioned previously I purchased the insurance through the card for appx $25 for a 43 day period. I checked the fine print and even called and it did cover any damage to the car in Mexico. It DOES NOT cover damage to persons that are not passengers. I bought the policy and printed a copy to take with me. When I arrived I purchased the insurance that covered 3rd party injury along with the "road hazard" insurance which covered flats, out of gas, keys locked in, etc. My total cost of the car for a week including taxes, fees,insurance, etc was $365 using the CC insurance on the vehicle. We wound up with a Toyota Camry which was equal. It was a nice car. I took pictures of all existing damages before we left and they didn't try to say I damaged anything else on return. I got the check in guys picture in the background and tipped him a five. After the tip he went back and wrote additional damaged areas down. Fuel for the week including one trip around the island was $22 US. So in all we spent $400 for transportation for a week on 6 people. When you add tips in this may have been cheaper than a cab but for less folks it makes more sense to take a cab. My only disappointment was that I didn't wreck the vehicle so I would wind up being stuck in Cozumel for weeks of judicial hearings

 

[DandyDon]

My Visa will cover a rental in Mexico if I decline local rental insurance. The problem with trusting any credit card insurance is that you will have to pay for damages in full before leaving the island, then file claims for refunds - using receipts in Spanish. Sounds too scary too me.

If I was going to rent on the island, I'd rent from Isis with their small deductible insurance included. In PDC, I tried renting from her nephew, but no - went with Easyway and their insurance package. Neither will cover hurt locals tho. I just seldom rent. If I do, I use all the cautions I can - keeping in mind to call my renter and wait for my insurance agent if there is a problem.

 

[briankinley2004]

True Don. I did decline their insurance and you have to pay with the card you buy insurance on as well. I kept it "all in the family" by using the AMEX/Delta code to get the discount via their website, paying the recommended extra $25 from AMEX to get full property damage protection. I also called my agent for my US insurance and they don't touch anything rented in Mexico. It would have been an additional $175 to add the Hertz insurance policy but again do I trust a policy written in Spanish and signed in a rush in the airport trying to get to my happy place. All in all I think a cab is much better unless you plan to loop the island a few times, have more than a cab can hold in your group (cars only hold one more) or plan on staying a long time.