Archive for the ‘Cars’ Category

Driving And Renting A Car In Costa Rica

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Driving in Costa Rica is not for everyone. So make sure you know what you’re getting into before getting behind the wheel of a car in Costa Rica. The following are the 7 most frequently asked questions about driving in Costa Rica. These questions come in from my popular podcast about Costa Rica from folks from the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

1. What type of cars are available for rent?

Renting a car in Costa Rica is more expensive than in the U.S. so most people rent the smaller more compact cars that are a little cheaper.

Prices vary and during the high season you will pay more. Around $20 or more per day. Renting during Christmas/New Years will add another $50 or more per week. I looked at five car rental company cars in Costa Rica and the average for renting a small car like a Toyota Yaris will cost around $205 per week. Please note this doesn’t include the required by law insurance which will add at least $10-20 per day. So you’re looking at $250-300 to rent a small car per week.

You will find all the major car rental Costa Rica agencies such as Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Budget, and others.

2. Is driving a good idea?

It depends. Driving in Costa Rica compared to other countries can be a very scary proposition for most. Costa Rica has one of the highest vehicle accident rates in the world. Traffic laws and speed limits are often ignored. Crazy and illegal turns across lanes of traffic are common. Turn signals are rarely used and dangerous passing is common. So you might driving on your lane when all of a sudden here comes a car in your lane going the wrong way because they’re passing on a blind spot. The roads are in poor condition, and large potholes which could cause serious damage to your car is common.

Although the road conditions in the beach areas are worse the actual driving isn’t as scary since there is less traffic and since the roads aren’t the best people tend to drive a little slower.

I like to have my own transportation so renting a car is something I like to do but it all depends on your comfort level. I’ve had friends and family who had never driven outside of the U.S. they found driving to be scary but a fun adventure. So just take it easy and slow and you will be fine. Don’t worry about the other drivers, just do your thing.

3. Do I need car rental insurance?

By law you will need the INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros) liability insurance regardless of your own car insurance coverage or credit card coverage. The insurance required by law is known as TPL, SLI, SLC or API. The cost ranges from $10-20 USD per day depending on the vehicle. This insurance only covers damages to other people, cars, or property. You will need to buy supplemental coverage to cover damages to the rental car or yourself. However your own car insurance policy or credit card might cover that so call your insurance agent at home before leaving for Costa Rica and ask him or her if your insurance policy covers you for damages in Costa Rica. You might also want to call your credit card issuer and ask them the same question. If your own policy covers you in Costa Rica you’re set and you don’t need the supplemental coverage. If they do not cover you, then I suggest taking out a supplemental policy offered by Costa Rica car rental agencies.

Optional-CDW or LDW – collision damage waiver which covers the cost of the car’s deductible amount which varies depending on the type of car and agency. The cost will range between $10-20 USD per day.

Optional-Zero Liability – This will reduce your liability to zero against theft and vandalism, for example, the cost for this insurance is between $5-20 USD per day depending on the agency and car.

As you can see the supplemental insurance cost can add up fast so it’s important that you check with your insurance agent and your credit card company since you might not even need the optional/supplemental coverage.

If your insurance agent gives you the thumbs up do me a favor and get it in writing! You don’t want any surprises.

4. What are car rental requirements in Costa Rica?

Requirements may vary depending on the car agency you use so check with them. Most require a valid driver’s license (one from your home state or country is fine), a valid passport with your entry stamp, the Costa Rica mandated liability insurance, and you must be at least 21 years of age.

5. Is it safe to drive at night?

The problem driving at night is not crime, it’s just the unsafe driving and poor road conditions which are compounded even worse when you have poor visibility. The roads are not lit up well and it gets pitch dark after 6:00 PM making it unsafe to drive for an inexperienced driver.

6. What are road conditions like?

The road conditions are very poor compared to the super highways of the United States or the Autobahn in Germany. Drivers have to contend with unsafe driving habits of motorists, huge potholes, and even the highway is a two-lane road. The roads get worse during the rainy season since road washouts from the mudslides from the mountains are common.

7. What side of the road do they drive on in Costa Rica?

On the right hand side, like in the U.S. and Canada.

One final tip

Make a copy of the profile page of your passport and your entry stamp and carry that with you along with your car rental papers. You might get stopped by police and you will need to show this to them. Do no carry your passport with you just make copies. The Costa Rican government now allows you to carry copies instead of your actual passport.

Reasonably priced car insurance for you personally

Monday, March 1st, 2010

There are several amounts of people who find themselves desperate to uncover an auto insurance that will be of wonderful use for their purpose. There are numerous sorts of car insurance policies that are offered and therefore it can be essential to choose the insurance policy sort which will be of great use for ones car.

The auto insurance are getting furnished by several insurance policy providers and so it is important to select the service that will be offering you with optimum stage of positive aspects. You will discover also some folks that will likely be enormously enthusiastic about purchasing an automobile insurance that could be supplied at small premium prices but at the very same time will likely be supplying excellent coverage. The car insurance calculator is going to be of wonderful use fro calculating the advanced rates for the insurance point which you’re desiring to get. You’ll find some insurance policies that may be customized according for your choice.

The high risk auto insurance will be a fabulous choice for all those people people who find themselves suing an aged fancy automobile and for drivers who’re subjected in direction of rash driving.

Beat car rental prices: a step by step guide

Monday, March 1st, 2010

When renting a car several things are required. You need a credit card to make the deal, a reservation and confirmation. You can do this on the internet if you have the time. You might find that you get a really good deal and save some money this way. Besides, there is no risk in checking around for the best deal.

With a little bit of training and a little bit of vigilance, you can spot the good deals. The technique described here is easy and absolutely legal and abides by all the rules. Pay careful attention and learn how to save yourself a bundle when renting a car!

1. Planning a trip? Make a reservation ahead of time, and find the hottest deal you can without any penalties for cancellation. Most agencies don’t have these, unless it’s peak season or for a specialty car. If this is a last minute booking, skip this step.

2. Wear a pair of comfortable walking shoes, bring along your laptop and a good book to read while you wait!

3. Once you arrive at the car rental agency, access a discount website from your laptop. Prepare for last-minute delays as most of these sites prevent you from placing car rental reservations within two hours of pick-up time. Choose a reservation from the website, indicating the amount of time you decide upon. Then, select the class of car that is just below your preferred class.

4. Take your car rental Costa Rica reservation price, your discount site estimate, and shop around. Walk from agency to agency and negotiate. Smile, be polite, and be cunning, whatever it takes to get a price lower than what you have. You see, the more people who walk up to a car rental agency in the airport, the better location that agency gets. They have a reason to give you a good price as a walk up. They want your traffic. They want you to come back.

5. Make sure you check out all available deals before deciding on one. Also remember to ask for discounts from one company if another has offered the same. The companies are in competition for your business and many will want to match or top the other deals.

6. The few minutes it will take to do this are worth the time and energy involved, even if you find that your original reservation is the best deal. There is always the chance that you will find a better Costa Rica car rental deal, in which case you can simply call to cancel the original reservation in preparation of accepting the better one.

7. As a final attempt to sweeten your deal, tell the agent that you’ll only accept the deal if they upgrade you to the next class of rental car for the same price. This is actually the easiest thing for the car rental agent to do. It’s usually the agent’s decision. Obviously, however, this won’t work if they are sold out.

You can get a great deal on a rental car if you make time to use this method. It is important to not give up and take the first deal you find. Make sure and not be intimidated by the car rental agency.

Simple steps to help you draw car

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

You’ll find lots of people who will be looking and exploring for some fascinating methods to full their desire of drawing a vehicle. If you happen to be one particular in the people who are drastically annoyed by looking at the numerous prime models of motors which are on screen through the automobile shows and eager to replicate them in a very dazzling process then the application that is being furnished right here is going to be of wonderful use to fulfill your hope in a incredibly effortless method.

The Draw A Car tool might help you to incorporate various sorts of models such that you simply are going to be capable to pull the auto of the desire from a precise process. Also there are amazing functions which will automatically assist that you attain proportions that could make your automobile to seem a lot more appealing and feasible. The a href=”http://drawacarsecrets.com/”>How To Draw A Car application will also be providing you with some stunning aid features to help that you understand this application in the rapid manner.

There are currently many individuals who are already really satisfied by this program. The How To Draw A Car Step By Step will unquestionably be 1 in the greatest methods that may inspire you inside a greatest doable manner to assist you to pull the motors.

Tips For Finding A Good Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance Company Online

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Whenever we buy a car we only think about the pleasure of driving it or how it will help us in our day to day lives. No one thinks about accidents because many of us wouldn’t drive our cars as often as we do. While no one plans for an accident we all must get auto insurance as that gives us peace of mind when driving on icy roads, for example. Finding a good Port Orchard WA Insurance Agent that is able to provide you with a beneficial and profitable Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance that not only offers the right coverage but is also cost effective is not always the easiest thing to do. Searching for a Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance agent through traditional channels can prove to be quite time consuming. If you factor in the costs for the numerous phone calls you would make, you can easily see that it is not really a good choice, especially when there is an alternative that is much more effective.

With the constant advances made to internet related technologies it is now possible to find virtually anything within a very short time. Searching and finding a Port Orchard WA Insurance agent on the internet is really quite easy and will not require more than five or ten minutes of your time. Every piece of information related to Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance, such as personalized quotes or transaction information, is now much more easily obtainable. It is not really advisable that you choose the very first result you get. Instead, it is wise to compare at least three or four Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance companies, and check their services and offers to see which one suits your needs and possibilities best. There is also a warning that comes with searching for a Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance agent over the internet. You should be aware that like in the case of any other field or sector, there are scams you need to stay well clear of.

At first glance, when visiting the website of a Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance company or Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance agent, you will not see any signs that would let you know about any risks. The solution is research. You only have to spend a few minutes searching for a few reviews about a certain company. You should not be looking for positive or negative reviews, as all of us are subjective, just make sure that there are no people claiming a certain Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance company is a scam. Once you come across a trustworthy online website, you will be required to fill out a form with certain information about yourself and your vehicle, like car make and model, year of fabrication, engine size, and so on. The advantages available to you when searching for Port Orchard WA Auto Insurance companies on the internet are numerous, and those worth mentioning include lower prices, a significantly larger variety of offers, time effective, and more.

Tips on How to Rent a Car

Friday, February 12th, 2010

If you are planning to do any traveling, either business or personal, you’ll likely want to rent a car upon arrival at your destination. Most airports have car rental agencies onsite for your convenience. These tips on how to rent a car will help you get the best deal.

The major international car rental agencies have offices all around the world. There is no such thing as Costa Rica Car Rental the best company in this industry. It really does pay to look around for the best offer. Rates will depend on the type of vehicle, the time period, and things like agency specials. You can easily compare prices online and you can reserve your car online too.

Almost all rental cars have automatic transmission, radio, and air conditioning. Even if you request a manual transmission, chances are it won’t be available upon arrival. If you are traveling with children that will require car restraint seats, make sure to request them when you book your car.

If you are renting a car in Costa Rica, an international license can be helpful in proving to the agency that you have a valid license especially if they aren’t familiar with the licenses from your country.

Rental companies have different rules about who they will rent a car to. Some will not rent to anyone under the age of 25 while others won’t rent to anyone over the age of 70. Other rent to drivers under 25 but charge a premium. Check with the agencies for restrictions before you book.

The Car Rental Costa Rica business is extremely competitive so prices change frequently. That’s way is best to try to see all the options before you make a choice. Some companies offer regular advertised deals; others have a lot of special promotions that might be vrey interesting. If business is slow you are likely to be able to get a better rate than if you are trying to rent during peak seasons. No one agency has the monopoly on best prices. It just depends, so do your homework and don’t be afraid to try to barter a better price! You can always get some great deals!

Sometimes if you booked through a travel agent, you might get a better price on your rental car. Some packages even include the rental fees. Compare these offers to see which is best.

The car rental insurance is where many agencies really soak you. The collision damage waiver and theft insurance they attempt to sell you is priced ridiculously high. But you also cannot risk driving without it. Some auto insurance companies have a rider that covers you and some credit cards also provide you with free coverage. See what you can do to avoid purchasing the rental agency’s insurance because it almost double the price of your rental.

Now that you know how to rent a car and get the best deal, you’ll have a few extra dollars in your pocket to start planning that next vacation.

Car Insurance Dayton Ohio

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Insuring a product has become one of the primary requirements which every one knows while buying precious products. These days there are assuring for a range of products such as Cars, two-wheelers, and lot more things.

One of the most general things among the list is the insurance for automobiles. This contains all types of automobiles. There are a range of issues to consider before going in for insuring a product. They are the period of insurance, the price of insurance, the customer check and many more like this. Canton Ohio Auto Insurance takes care of all the above factors into explanation and provides the best client satisfaction. The assorted aspects of the insurance are coverage offered, proof requirement, and other additional detail requirement. Columbus Ohio Auto Insurance offers the best coverage during the accidents which is very obliging for the individual as well as their family members. The verification requirement is only during the accident and is not required during registration. Car Insurance Cleveland Ohio gives better way of insuring the automobiles.
They provide both offline and online ways to acquire the insurance. although online method makes the process simple, getting it done offline and in person will assist to clear all the queries related to the insurance.

What’s the easiest way to sell a car?

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

Selling a car is a real headache for most people. Tyre kickers, advertising costs, day trippers, test-pilots, dealers and dreamers are all issues for anyone selling a car.

Let’s assume you are buying another car – new or slightly used.? If it’s a private sale then the seller is not likely to want to take your old car in part-exchange.? If you are buying from a dealer a part-ex may appeal, but it can leave you out of pocket.

A private sale is usually a testing and time consuming experience.? Firstly you have to advertise the car – maybe in Autotrader, on Ebay, in another online directory, or maybe advertise it in your local paper.? Secondly you have to photograph the car, and make sure it’s attractive in the pictures.? Usually that means when it’s not raining (or snowing!) – and when it’s light. Finding an hour to take pics of the car in Britain isn’t always as easy as it sounds……

You have to wash it first.? Take your car to the nearest car wash and give it a through cleaning, both interior and exterior. Remove every thing from the boot, back seats, and floor.

Don’t spend money fixing the car if it has any mechanical and electrical faults, unless it’s very minor like replacing the fuse or a bulb. If it has any more major faults you need to be honest to the buyer if they come to view.

You have to pay to advertise.? Advertising doesn’t come with money-back guarantees, but you’ve paid the money, uploaded the pictures and you’re sat waiting by the phone.?? Sadly the most frequent callers for advertised cars are other advertisers trying to get you to advertise with them instead.? When you do get an interested caller you have to make sure it’s clean (again), and arrange a time for them to view the car. ? Maybe they will turn up, maybe they won’t.

The next problem – do you really want strangers coming to your home? ? It’s OK for bright, young confident men to show their car to prospective buyers, but what if you are a single lady, or perhaps not confident with strangers?

And what are you going to do if the potential purchaser wants a test drive?? What about the insurance?? What if they want the car inspected and you have to take more time off work?? If the sale does go through, how are they going to pay for the car?? Is the cash real money or have they printed it at home?? Will the Banker’s Draft turn out to be a forgery?

So what about a part-ex with the dealership? Unless you really know the market you’ll be like Geoff Boycott on Day 5 of a test match – always on the back foot.? It’s the dealer’s job to beat you down on price.

Most car dealerships specialise.? They are called dealer franchises.? Let’s say you have got a Focus and want a Mondeo.? The Ford dealer might give you a decent part-ex offer because they know what your Focus is worth.? They might even resell it on their forecourt.? If you’ve got a Ford though and want an Audi or a Fiat you won’t get the best price for your Ford because the dealer will have to resell it within the trade.? Why is that a problem?? It’s a problem because the Audi dealer doesn’t really know what your Focus is worth, so they will build in a margin for error.? That means they will offer you less than it’s worth just in case they make a mistake.

Even if your dealer is a main franchised dealer and you are buying the same make again, you get either a good part-ex price or a discount off the price of your new car – not both.

And what if you aren’t changing your car?? What if you are emigrating, going travelling for a year or getting a company car?? Then you are back to a private sale….and we know the problems that involves!

There is now another option.??That Car Buyer offer a quick, no fuss alternative.

Our aim is to make the selling process simple and free, all you need to do is go to?That Car Buyer and enter the registration number and current mileage of your car along with some basic information and you get an instant no obligation offer for your vehicle.

This solves the problems of selling your car without trying to sell it yourself, and puts you in pole position with the dealer if you are buying a new car.? You can take the money and negotiate a discount off your new car, or if you don’t need another car just leave the money in the bank.

When you accept the website offer, we will arrange to pick up your car when it’s convenient, free of charge. We pay the money direct into your account before we take it away. Selling online with?That Car Buyer is really easy!

Compare Auto Insurance Rates On Professional Websites

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Battling to counteract the effects of the global economic crisis, many of us feel that even the most typical financial habits have become hard to bear. When speaking about auto insurance rates, most people know that they are absolutely necessary for those owning any type of vehicle, and even though auto insurance rates seem to be high in the context of the global recession, they are still needed in order to have peace of mind and security after unfortunate incidents involving automobiles. During this harsh period most people find it difficult, if not impossible, to think about making any type of savings. However this is just an appearance, as companies operating in most sectors are presenting their customers with a large variety of special offers and deals in the hopes of being able to hold on to their customers.

The insurance sector, and more precisely companies that offer auto insurance services, seem to be the most customer oriented as auto insurance rates seem to get lower, as more and more people cannot afford to keep paying their auto insurance rates. Because people are used to work with the same supplier, once they have found a company which offers professional and relatively cheap services, auto insurance companies that want to attract new customers come up with numerous special deals. This is why it is a great idea to scout the market from time to time and consider switching to another insurance company. The internet is the best way for people interested in finding the cheapest auto insurance rates from companies that also treat their customers well.

Most companies operating in the insurance sector now have online representation websites where they present their auto insurance rates and special deals, thus making it easier for potential customers to review their services. Apart from the websites presented by auto insurance rates companies, there are also service websites which compile all these special deals and allow their visitors to compare auto insurance rates and deals with a few clicks of the mouse. These websites with compare auto insurance capabilities are designed in such a way that even inexperienced internet users can easily navigate their way through the options and the results.

Tens of thousands of people from the US and other countries from all across the world are already using these websites, which offer visitor the option to compare numerous auto insurance rates from a large number of auto insurance companies, as they are a fast and efficient alternative to searching for cheap auto insurance rates by using the traditional channels. The most important details you need to know about your car when you are going hunting for the lowest auto insurance rates, include the make and model and type of the vehicle, the fabrication date, engine size, and more. More valuable cars, and especially sports cars and luxury vehicles, will always have auto insurance rates larger than those required for regular cars, but it does not mean that you cannot find cheaper auto insurance rates on websites which give you the option to compare auto insurance deals.

For more resources please review http://autoinsb.com

Tips For Finding Cheap Auto Insurance Deals

Friday, January 29th, 2010

The internet is the most exhaustive source for information we currently have access to. People and companies from all over the world are constantly adding new information to this wide network each day. Regardless, of the scope for which the internet is used by the large number of people going online each day, the resources come in a great variety, thus ensuring internet users have the best chances of finding exactly what they are looking for. This is the case for auto insurance companies. People can now find quality and cheap auto insurance online with just a few click of the mouse.

Because there are numerous cheap auto insurance companies offering a large and diverse offer of auto insurance online quotes, people should know very well what their needs are and what they will be expecting from their auto insurance online company. Believe it or not, even when it is common knowledge that getting auto insurance is mandatory by law, there are still a large number of car owners who decide not to get auto insurance policies for their vehicles. Finding cheap auto insurance online is becoming increasingly easier as more and more insurance companies decide to present many of their services including auto insurance online. The risks which may be encountered by vehicle owners that don?t get auto insurance for their vehicles make it a poor choice for people not getting insurance for their vehicles, and thus potentially ending up having to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars out of their pockets.

Because the effects that the global economic crisis has had on companies from the US, and all other countries in the world for that matter, cheap auto insurance policies are now widely available as many auto insurance online companies have been forced to reduce their expectations, after losing large numbers of customers that were not able to pay their monthly rates anymore. Usually, auto insurance online companies offer the best offers for cheap auto insurance, and with the great variety of such companies presenting their services on the internet, chances are that anyone will find cheap auto insurance, regardless of the size of their vehicles? engines or more importantly the price tags. Standard policies have started to have a much greater success with general public because of the financial difficulties they encounter due to the effects of the global economic crisis.

Full auto insurance online is still the best possible choice for people using their automobiles often, and even though rates are higher than for standard auto insurance online policies, it is still possible to find cheap auto insurance that would cover the vehicle for any type of accidents, legal liability and more. It is very important that you know exactly what of auto insurance online you need for your vehicle. Most auto insurance online companies present customers with free auto insurance quotes and with professional experts that are capable and trained to offer them all the assistance needed in order to make the best choice.

For more resources please review http://autoinsb.com