Anonymous
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Car Rentals
Has anyone tried to rent a car on the Mexico side of the border? Curious about costs and if the hassle felt worth it? Any information appreciated.
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#1
Junior Nomad
Posts: 46
Registered: 12-26-2003
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Mood: Rings
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If you are thinking about renting in San Diego vs. Tijuana check out Avis at SD airport. Last October(2003) we rented a minivan for one week
w/insurance for $400.00. At that time I checked prices, availability etc. and that worked best for us. The minivan rental was an online special,
made the reservations online after I called the airport location directly and verified the van could be driven throughout Baja California. Prices in
Tijuana were higher and would involve getting us and our stuff to the van or vice-versa.
Don't know what your plans are but I hope this helps.
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Tommy A
Nomad
Posts: 221
Registered: 5-19-2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, Ca
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Rented a car in Cabo,used Advantage rent a car compared prices and there's were the best. Not sure if they have TJ location. No hassel at all.
[Edited on 11-16-2004 by Tommy A]
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Keri
Super Nomad
Posts: 1393
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: La Mision, Baja Norte
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Mood: muy contento
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Make sure
you factor in the insurance. It's expensive I was quoted $25.99 a day on a $25.00 rental. It might work out better if you get your car in TJ and don"t
have to buy the mexican insurance required by the CA car agencies. k 
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BajaGrrls
Junior Nomad
Posts: 68
Registered: 7-9-2004
Location: Chicago
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I agree about the AVIS at the SD airport. We rented a car there in September and had a really good experience. Yes, the Mexican insurance is
expensive, but we were able to get a Pontiac Vibe for a week for $109, so it still worked out to be a better deal then renting in TJ. Another thing I
figured out is that A/C doesn't seem to come standard on cars rented in Mexico the way it does in the US. This may or may not be an issue for you.
One final thing to consider is what time of day you need to pick up/return the car. The airport locations in both SD and TJ are open 24 hours, but
the downtown location has limited hours. If you end up having to drop it off at a different location than the one you picked it up at, the surcharge
is insane. 
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Kell-Baja
Nomad
Posts: 360
Registered: 1-18-2003
Location: San Diego
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Try www.cabaja.com Mention this group & receive a discounted rate
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clevenhagenjs
Newbie
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Registered: 12-23-2004
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Be CAREFUL...I had a friend who had a US Rental Car and Bought Mexican Insurance and still was targeted by the stupid Police in Mexico! Just praying
on people like predators...
The cop told him NO Rental cars were allowed in Mexico and they extracted $200 out of him to let him go back to the USA with the car.
They told him if he did not pay that they were going to confiscate the Vehicle
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64859
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by clevenhagenjs
Be CAREFUL...I had a friend who had a US Rental Car and Bought Mexican Insurance and still was targeted by the stupid Police in Mexico! Just praying
on people like predators...
The cop told him NO Rental cars were allowed in Mexico and they extracted $200 out of him to let him go back to the USA with the car.
They told him if he did not pay that they were going to confiscate the Vehicle |
You said "stupid police"... after reading this, I would say stupid friend!
Always insist on going to the police station and speaking to them. You will be let go before reaching the station (if you didn't break any law).
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lot
Newbie
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Registered: 1-7-2005
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SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON CAR RENTALS IN MEXICO
Following a search online with the established rental car agencies, I settled on a quote from National Car Rental, and made the appropriate
reservation. My rental quote for 15 days ( two weeks and one day), for a compact 4 door car with automatic transmission and AC, came to $234.00 (base
rate) plus Airport Fee of 23.40 (10%) and State Tax of 25.74 (11%) for a grand total of $283.14.
I thought this was a good price for a two-week rental. Knowing that driving a car in Mexico may involve securing Mexican car insurance, I researched
online what the requirements were, and came up with a lot of confusing information. I confirmed that my U.S. car insurance is not valid in Mexico.
However, I confirmed that my credit card company, with whose card I was paying the rental, WOULD cover me for Car Rental Loss and Damage in Mexico.
Some sources also indicated that car rental quotes in Mexico did include medical liability coverage although many Mexican rental agents may not
volunteer that information, so you have to ask for it. It was also suggested to me by a National Car rental agent in the U.S. prior to the trip that I
decline all additional insurance coverage in Mexico because it is not necessary
So, upon our arrival, I was less than assured of what I would run into at the car rental desk in Mexico.
It is here that the plot thickens. At the National Car Rental counter at the San Jose del Cabo airport in Baja California, insurance options and
coverage are immediately put before me. When I ask three specific times whether the original quote included any kind of insurance coverage including
medical liability, I am told it does not. When I inform the agent that my credit card covers me for damage and theft coverage, he informs me that it
is not valid in Mexico.
Having set the hook, he offers me two types of coverage:
PARTIAL COVERAGE ($16.00/day)
Includes coverage on third parties involved in the accident (collision and medical); medical coverage for the driver and passengers; and coverage on
the rental car (driver pays all damage costs if under 10% of the value of the car; or if damage is over 10% of the car value, driver only pays the 10%
deductible).
NOTE: Partial robbery or losses are not covered. In case of total theft, client pays 10% deductible.
FULL COVERAGE ($19.00/day)
Same as above except car is fully covered for any damage due to collision. No deductible.
NOTE: Deductible DOES apply in cases of partial or total theft.
In that the information that I was being given differed from the information I had received in the U.S., I questioned what I was being told. The
alternative was to assume responsibility for all possible medical, personal injury, damage and collision, legal, and court costs, etc., etc. according
to Mexican law, and to sign a waiver.
At this point in the dialogue, a man standing next to the agent behind the counter spoke up and inquired if we were timeshare owners. He indicated
that he was willing to defray some of the insurance costs by paying us $125.00 if we were willing to attend a timeshare presentation. All of this is
at the end of a very long day of traveling, in the evening, with still some distance to go to our lodgings for the night. When we said we were not
interested, and turned our attention back to the agent still expressing our dissatisfaction with the situation, the rental agent offered to reduce the
cost of the full coverage to $16.00/day. Under the circumstances, and because of our degree of potential liability, we begrudgingly accepted.
The total rental bill at this point came to $573.54 (234.00 base rate + 240 insurance + 99.54 airport fee and state tax) ? over TWICE the original
quote of $283.14 !!
Surprisingly, we were not charged any additional fees upon returning the car. I paid for it with the credit card paying 6,664.54 pesos which the agent
said equaled the exchange rate of 11.62 pesos per dollar or $573.54. However the final bill on my charge card came to $603.61 ( all in all, 213%
higher than the original quote).
IMPORTANT POINTS OF THIS LONG STORY:
DO NOT believe the online quotes you get for car rentals in Mexico, particularly with National Car Rental. Quite often, in my opinion, they are
low-balling you to get your upfront business, and then they work you over.
No matter what you hear in the U.S. about insurance coverage for a car you rent in Mexico (and this will vary greatly based upon who you talk with),
plan on purchasing insurance in Mexico.
Plan and budget for paying AT LEAST DOUBLE for car rental (including insurance coverage) in Mexico compared to the quote that you receive online in
the U.S.
Take copies of your online reservation including quote with you. During the rental process, ask for copies of your rental agreement (with the agreed
upon rental rate and totals noted), and your insurance coverage plan (with daily rates noted) before you sign on the dotted line, and drive away.
If possible, pay in pesos or dollars at the end of the rental period rather than using your credit card to avoid the exchange rate fiasco tango.
Enjoy Mexico. It is full of beautiful people and places!
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