Renting a car during your travels can appear like a deceptively simple task. You pay the rental service, hop in your ride of choice and go from point A to B. No prior thought required! Unfortunately, this is not quite the case for everyone.
Different people have different needs and these needs should absolutely be considered when choosing a rental car during your travels. Here are our expert tips to get the most out of your next car rental.
Define your rental car needs
A modern rental car company will most likely offer a wide range of vehicle options to cover every need under the sun. With this in mind, it’s important to define what exactly your travel needs are before making a final decision.
Will you be driving long distances in your rental car? If so, you may want to opt for a luxury ride that provides a higher level of comfort if you have room in your budget.
Likewise, you may want to rent a larger vehicle if you have a lot of luggage or a convertible if you expect the weather to be perfect. The more defined your needs are, the more you can be confident when choosing a rental car.
Size matters
Contrary to popular belief, size actually does matter, at least when it comes to renting a vehicle. Aside from costing you more at the pump, larger vehicles are also more complicated to maneuver, which might not be ideal if you are visiting a country with narrow roads and limited parking.
On the positive side, larger vehicles have more space for your luggage and family members and can provide a certain sense of security that smaller rental cars often do not. In the end, choosing your vehicle size comes down to weighing the pros and cons according to your needs.
Do your homework
Once you have defined your specific needs and thought about the size of rental car that suits you best, it’s important to research the terms and conditions of your rental company, especially when booking online. Some things to look out for include:
- Are there any applicable penalties or late fees?
- What rental car services are included (free GPS, additional driver, etc.)
- Are there any travel restrictions?
- Are there any liabilities you should be aware of?
Purchase insurance
Your rental car company will no doubt ask if you want to purchase their insurance. This is highly recommended since you never know what can happen on the road, especially in a foreign country, and it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many things worth considering when choosing a rental car during your travels. Start by defining your needs and then you can think about what kind of car is right for you.
Once you have a good idea what kind of vehicle you want, you can research the car rental company policies and don’t forget to purchase insurance for peace of mind! If you need help choosing the right rental car in Costa Rica, don’t hesitate to contact our company with over 15000 satisfied customers.
Thank you for all the tips for choosing the right rental car for your travels. My husband and I really want to go on vacation and we want to find the right car. I’m glad you mentioned that we should define what exactly our travels needs are before making a final decision. I think that really would help us narrow down the choices as well.
You are very welcome! We are glad that you found our article to be helpful. If you need any other information or recommendations do not hesitate to ask, we would be happy to help you find the perfect rental.
I didn’t know you could purchase insurance for your rental car. My husband is going on a business trip next week and needs to rent a car. Hopefully, he can find a good car in the area.
Yes of course! All our rentals at Target come with the mandatory insurance required here in Costa Rica included in the quote. However for extra security we offer Third Person Liability and Full Coverage insurance packages as well for complete peace of mind.
If you have any questions about insurance or rentals here in Costa Rica feel free to contact us, we are happy to help.
It was very helpful when you pointed out that the size of the car matters when it comes to renting and that it is best to choose one that is not too big if the person intends to visit a place with narrow roads. To be honest, I am not yet sure about where we are going, so I will ask my parents. I’ll do this because they want to rent a van, and I want to be sure that it will be appropriate for the place we’re visiting. Thanks!
We are glad you found the information to be helpful. Also consider that many places here in Costa Rica do not have the best roads. If you are visiting an area such as Montiverde you would want a vehicle with more ground clearance for potholes and dips in the road. It is advised to contact a rental agency or the hosts you have reservations with to inquire about what type of vehicle you will need to access their location.
I really appreciate that you elaborated on the importance of getting car insurance for rental cars. It may be costly, but it’s worth being prepared for any unexpected accidents. Thank you for your tips on choosing the right rental car.
You are very welcome! We agree that even though it costs a bit more being well insured is the best option. At the minimum we always recommend adding Third Party Liability insurance packages, to be sure you are not left paying for large medical bills or property in the event of an accident.
Many travelers opt public transportation facilities to butter up. But the fact of the matter is, renting a speed machine offers a number of advantages that other modes of transport can never provide. I would like to reveal some facts in the following, going through which you can know why renting an automobile on a stopover is the best choice for you.
1)It is economical.
2)It gives the desired level of comfort that you want throughout the trek.
3)It lets you travel at your own leisure.
However, renting the right car from the right service provider is a demanding job. It needs some groundwork. Apart from that, it is also essential to inspect the functionality of the car while leasing it.
Yes, public transportation is certainly cheaper. However the amount of freedom and comfort you gain from renting your own vehicle can not be compared!
Thanks for the rental car tips! I really liked your advice regarding the size of the car you are considering renting. I’d never really thought about how you might need to get a smaller car if you are visiting a country or an area with smaller roads and little parking. I’ll keep these in mind when I go to rent my next vehicle for a trip.
Hey Rachel, you are quite welcome. This is absolutely true, in areas like San Jose it is very hard to find parking and the roads are so narrow that a large SUV for example will be very difficult to drive. It may even prove impossible to find a location to park. It could be a very important factors in making your decision of which car to rent.
I agree that you want to ask about the penalties and late fees for a car rental before choosing them. Finding someone who charges a fair price would probably be a safe bet to pick. My husband and I are looking for a rental car service while we go on vacation, so we’ll have to consider their late fees first.
Hey Katie, yeah this could be a big issue for some people. Especially if you do not have exact dates for your trip, or just want to remain a bit flexible. When you do not know 100% when you may need to return the car, this is very important. Also consider that some rental car companies will not give much or any of your money back for returning a car earlier than you date as well.
I like your advice to know exactly what you need for your travel before figuring out what car to rent. Once you know what you need, it would probably help to research the companies in the area to find one that is reliable and can provide the vehicle you want. While you do this, it might help to call them so you can ask questions and ensure you choose a car hire company that offers quality customer service.
Thank you! Yes another thing to consider is how much luggage you have. We find it is a common issue when people rent large SUVs and find that the trunk space is a limited. It is best to plan ahead for this and consider getting luggage that will be weather resistant to attach to cargo racks on top of the vehicle, or inquire about a different model of vehicle. Sometimes the smaller vehicles have larger storage space.
Great tips! I am really happy I’ve this information. Thanks!
You are welcome, thanks for the compliment!
The tips were awesome helps me to choose the right car rental service for my trip. Thanks for sharing the post.
You are welcome, we are glad you found some of our tips to be useful.
Awesome resources!
Thanks for sharing such good article. This is really helpful.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog. It is a pleeasure to serve you.
Wonderful article. Thanks for sharing this grateful tips.
Thank you. It is great to know that you consider these tips helpful.
It makes sense that you should consider renting a comfortable car if you will be traveling a long distance. My wife and I are planning on going on our honeymoon now that we are married, but we do not currently own a car that is capable of traveling long distances. Maybe we should consider finding a car that will allow us to travel comfortably.
Absolutely, renting a car is always an option that must be considered.
I didn’t think about how larger vehicles would be more difficult to maneuver so I’m glad you brought it up. My friend wants me to visit him so I’m going to be flying out to him in a few days. I’ll need a way to get around though so I’m going to rent a car. A small car will fit our needs just fine.
Excellent decision, It is good to know that the post helped you making the choice.