Ace, Adobe, Alamo, Avanti, Budget, Dollar, Economy, Elegante, Europcar, Hertz, Hola, Mapache, National, Poas, Sol, Thrifty, Toyota, Tricolor

Some can provide (for about $50) a one-way rental so you can fly into San Jose and out of Liberia, for example, or bus/taxi to your hotel, relax a few days, then rent a car for exploration on the way to your departure airport. The other centres for car pick-up are La Fortuna near Arenal volcano, Quepos/Manuel Antonio and Jaco on Central Pacific coast, and Tamarindo on North Pacific coast. Be sure to check the opening and closing times for your drop-off in relation to your flight time. Sometimes the cleaning staff will arrive at the posted time in the morning, but the administration people that must process your paperwork come a bit later. It is a sad sight to see car renters waiting at the gates while their flight is loading for departure. Some seem not to require a deposit or credit card information,all the bookings we made over the internet were honoured exactly as advertised when we arrived. We experienced no 'bait and switch' situations, and there were no problems at the end of the term either. Your choice is to take a 4-wheel-drive vehicle or not. Some SUV owners appreciate the extra mass under any conditions, and there are lots of 'off-road' experiences to be had just getting to some destinations. 4WD is recommended in the wet season or if you are planning on very remote destinations, but in the dry, high season, most popular places are accessible with a regular car. Take the advice of the car company, but we would not reccommend the very smallest class of car, as their small wheels may not provide enough clearance to handle the occasional pothole. We always choose a white car if we can - they are more visible and stay cooler in the tropic sun. There are many different classes of rental cars: An "Economy" compact car is suitable for 2 to 3 people. These are usually 2 or 4-door, 4-seater cars, with enough trunk space for 2 large roller suitcases, and are well suited for 2 people. The "Compact" cars are almost always 4-door, 4-seater cars which can comfortably hold 4 adults, although luggage space is still limited to 2 large roller suitcases. These cars are often available with air conditioning, and an automatic transmission. "MidSize" and above cars are a good option for 4 adults. They are bigger and well-equipped to handle 4 people. Any specific questions about cars can be forwarded to the chosen company. It is always a good idea to have enough capacity to keep all of your luggage from concealed from public view.

Air Conditioning:

If you are travelling to either coast, then air conditioning is recommended. The Central Valley, encompassing San Jose, and the other mountain destinations are high enough to provide cool temperatures year-round, so you may not require air conditioning. You will likely find it is included in any case.

CDW: Collision Damage Waiver:

You can purchase insurance from your car rental company or from other sources which will pay the rental company for their costs in repairing (damage) or replacing (theft) the rental vehicle, plus for their loss for being without a car. You can also sign a CDW form to legally waive the insurance offer from the rental company. If you have a premium or 'gold' credit card, you may be excused some of the insurance premiumsas some credit card companies provide you with this insurance as one of the benefits of using the card. Generally the credit card insurer requires that you pay for the rental IN FULL on your card, which means also paying for any deposits or surcharges on that particular card. There may also be a maximum time period, often 45 days, as well as a vehicle type restriction. For example, some cards will cover a BMW but not a Porsche, even though the BMW may be faster or more expensive. CHECK WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY ON THE TERMS OF THEIR PROVISION OF C.D.W.

It is very important that you read the precise terms and conditions of your credit card agreement, most of which are available on-line from your credit card company's site. Provided you are familiar with the conditions of your card, this service can save you approximately 25% of the cost of the rental. Most Costa Rican rental car companies are very familiar with the various cards and what they do and do not cover, but it remains your responsibility.

If you do have an accident, the CDW insurer will typically require you to advise them within 48 hours. Make sure you take the telephone numbers of your insurer (credit card company) with you. You will also need to call the car rental company and give them details (location, time, events), as well as an official police report of the incident. It is important to keep a note of all the people you talk to at both the credit card company and rental agency, with names and dates.