Need to rent a car in Santiago, what company has best service & price

richmex · #1 05-31-2008, 06:18 PM

I will be traveling to Santiago soon, and I understand that rental cars are expensive. Does anyone know more or less how much a compact car would be? by the day or week, and also who would you recommend. Thanks for your reply.

stanzamare · #2 05-31-2008, 07:55 PM

Hey,
Best is you search by google, just enter : rental car Santiago and compare.
I have been several years already to Punta Cana and untill now the best rental office for me was Europe Car. Best of luck.....

domingodeb · #3 06-01-2008, 02:42 PM

I always use Avis, mostly because it's the most convenient to where I stay in Juan Dolio.

If you have a credit card check with your card company before going. I just recently found out that if I use my Amex platinum card the insurance is covered. It saved me a large amount of money. I used to pay approx. $60 a day for a compact car after adding in all the insurance (and you MUST get full insurance). My last trip I used my Amex card and got the car for $28 per day. The rental agency knew all about the Amex insurance coverage, they even had a form for me to sign from Amex to decline the agency insurance and take the insurance through my card.

My advice is to use a reputable company (not Juan's cousins brothers agency

) and have fun and drive safe. Enjoy!

rbstoker · #4 06-02-2008, 03:15 AM

I have used Europcar several times. They have never let me down. The only thing is they hard sell the optional insurance. If you refused to buy it they put a hefty hold on your CC ($800 to $1500). But that does not bother me because I am covered on all my cards for insurance. They even give you a discount if you pre-pay before you arrive including all fees and taxes. I would recommend this option, because it keeps the salesman from trying to upsell you. I went on their website and they have cars for June starting at $167 prepay total for one week. Here is their link...

Rent a car with Europcar, Europe's Leading Car Rental Company

Reg

rbstoker · #5 06-02-2008, 03:37 AM

Just a thought... have you ever driven in the DR before? If not, I hope you have cut your teeth in Mexico or Venezuela. The Dominican drivers make those drivers look like pansies. Whatever you do check with your CC company to specifically make sure your covered there, if not, definitely take the optional insurance. My friend did this and the salesman at the counter gave him an upgraded car cheaper than his rez car. Those guys get some kind of bonus for the insurance so they will cut the price of the vehicle in a heartbeat for the insurance. If you take this option do not prepay, just make your rez and pay in person.

Reg

rio2003 · #6 06-02-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbstoker

I have used Europcar several times. They have never let me down. The only thing is they hard sell the optional insurance. If you refused to buy it they put a hefty hold on your CC ($800 to $1500). But that does not bother me because I am covered on all my cards for insurance. They even give you a discount if you pre-pay before you arrive including all fees and taxes. I would recommend this option, because it keeps the salesman from trying to upsell you. I went on their website and they have cars for June starting at $167 prepay total for one week. Here is their link...

Rent a car with Europcar, Europe's Leading Car Rental Company

Reg

Reg,
I have just used your link to have a look at some rates for my next trip and they are very competitive. As with all these rental companies they do and don't tell you the extra bits....
What is Collision Damage Waiver Plus at an extra 10.44 $ per day - is this mandatory or is this what you can opt out of if you have cover on your cards?
They say VAT is included but VAT does not exist in the DR per se - are any other taxes added on at pick up - that has happened to me before?
I suppose my bottom line question is Is the price they are quoting fully inclusive?
Rio

rubio_higuey · #7 06-03-2008, 02:38 AM

Usually in the DR, the regular CDW (collision damage waiver) (which you MUST purchase in case your card does not fully cover CDW AND that coverage can be verified by the rental car company) "gets you" a deductible of between US$800 to US$1,500 depending on the car type and rental period. This deductible is put on hold on your credit card. If your limit does not let the authorization through, they will NOT rent you a car unless you purchase premium CDW. To "waive" the deductible you may purchase a CDW. With this premium CDW, the usual deductible is only about 100 USD.

Also, be aware, if you do not prepay, you will have to deposit using the credit card hold 150% of your rental value (e.g. if your rental contract is US$500, they will authorize on your card US$750) plus any deductible applicable as per CDW/premium CDW.

You can prepay via many travel agents, or via Mietwagen, Autovermietung, Mietwagen Mallorca, Mietwagen Spanien, Mietwagen USA, Autovermietung Mallorca, Autovermietung Spanien, Autovermietung USA, Urlaub, Ferien, Fahren, or CHEAP CAR HIRE in the UK, Europe, USA and more - Holiday Autos Rentals or SIXT HolidayCars: Mietwagen buchen

The prepayment comes with fully inclusive packages, including CDW and TW (theft waiver), but usually not premium CDW. But with prepaid agency rentals, the car rental companies usually charge lower deductible (even without premium CDW) than walk-in or direct reservation rentals.

Also, if you want to rent a car rent in in an off-airport location. If you rent it at the airport location, you will be charged additional taxes (airport tax). You may save quite some money by renting off-airport. P.S. Off-airport does not mean that a car lot is located off-airport. It means you rent in a downtown office, instead of the airport office.

rio2003 · #8 06-03-2008, 05:07 AM

Thanks rubio,
Great wealth of info and easy to take in - so premium CDW or CDW plus as Europcar calls it is our equivalent of fully comprehensive in the UK?
Rio

rubio_higuey · #9 06-03-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rio2003

Thanks rubio,
Great wealth of info and easy to take in - so premium CDW or CDW plus as Europcar calls it is our equivalent of fully comprehensive in the UK?
Rio

I don't know what fully comprehensive stands for in the UK, but CDW and CDW plus gives you a very minimum liability (usually none to maybe 100-200 dollars, instead of 700 to 1500 dollars) and a very little or none additional hold on your credit card. Once I had to purchase premium CDW because my card did not have enough limit available at the moment.

That was back in the times I didn't have a car and to do week-long explorations I had to rent one.

One more thing - try to not use a Visa/MC debit card, but a true credit card. The hold sometimes becomes a charge on a debit card, depending on the card's setup. Visanet/Cardnet's fault. They support "hold" feature only on true credit cards. Most Visa/MC debit cards usually don't have problems (especially issued by US banks) but some do (have seen it myself) and I do not know about European or other banks' debit cards. So use a true credit card just to be on the safe side. But the same goes for hotels or other places that put a "hold" on your card.

rio2003 · #10 06-03-2008, 03:26 PM

Hi again rubio,
Last post - don't want to monopolise the thread (sorry OP) - this is so educational for us Brits, even me who has rented a vehicle numerous times!
In the UK - Fully comp is cover for damage to your own vehicle as well as the other one/s if you are liable, personal injury, theft, third party liability etc etc.
What you are calling liability, in terms of a monetary sum, is what we call excess - in other words the amount the policyholder pays in the event of a claim. Insurance covers the rest.
Thanks - I am going to print your posts off and put them in my DR reference book - invaluable.
R.Rio