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 auto insurance to suit your needs

Monday, March 1st, 2010

There are lots of numbers of people who are desperate to locate an auto insurance plan that could be of good use for their objective. There are numerous types of auto insurance plan which have been offered and hence it truly is required to select the insurance policies kind that may be of great use for ones car.

The auto insurance are becoming provided by several insurance policies companies and so it is important to select the assistance that will be delivering you with maximum level of advantages. You can find also some folks who is going to be significantly enthusiastic about purchasing an automatic insurance that may be supplied at low quality rates but in the same time is going to be furnishing beneficial coverage. The car insurance calculator are going to be of fantastic use fro calculating the premium costs for your coverage point which you’re desiring to get. You will discover some insurance policy that will be customized according for a choice.

The high risk auto insurance will be a fabulous selection for all individuals people who are suing an old fancy car 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.

Inexpensive automobile elements for successful replacement

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Even though you’ll find repeated and repeated news that the scientists have designed exclusive alloys that have the capabilities of protecting themselves from numerous wears and tars by rejuvenation there has in no way been even a single car that has been with that ability.

It can be incredibly popular that a few of the automobile pieces get repaired commonly and there arises a need to substitute it. The cheap auto parts the low cost auto stages can be availed in two means, it can either be component in some shops or even a second hand vehicle be bought along with the spare elements may be utilised for the objective. Here within this online shop you’ll be capable to uncover wide range of spare components that will be of excellent high quality as well as the expense of these auto components is going to be of incredibly small variety. Undoubtedly there is not going to be any problems for replacement alternative due towards wonderful character of this vehicle components and also the precise layout with which they are getting designed.

There is going to be list of several auto parts which are accessible in this on the internet web page that should just serve as a virtual catalogue. You are able to pay a visit to this web page to buy wide range of products and solutions and the goods will be shipped in rapid period of time.

Acquire income via automatic written content

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

On this digital globe there can be a good level of passion among persons inside subject of internet site. There are many people who write about many topics in web page. Just one of the most famous parts getting emerging from a swiftly fashion is auto contents.

Auto Content Cash provides you a wonderful possibility to generate big total of funds inside a very short period of time. This includes quite a few posts about various features of automobiles such as engines, clutches, brakes and other essential and minor characteristics of automobiles. The Auto Content Cash Review may also assistance you to make excellent quantity of dollars. You just should say some thing which can be closely related towards the area of automobile. The resource of earning is as a result of advertisers who might be tremendously considering this regard. You will find also a lot of those who have identified this web site to be of good use in knowing about numerous points.

There is also Auto Content Cash Bonus which gives you beneficial volume of benefits for wide variety of tasks which you execute in this internet site. It also guides you in numerous problems which you encounter by delivering appropriate treatments. This internet site will undoubtedly furnish you with ideal chance that lets one to receive huge quantity of funds in an exceptionally short time.

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.

All The Info You Need In Order To Find Cheap Auto Insurance Deals

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Anyone interested in getting quality auto insurance quotes should know that meeting with an insurance agent is not the best way to get a cheap auto insurance deal. Sure, that insurance agent will try and give you the best deal, but it is the best deal only from the standpoint of the company he or she is working for. If you really want to find a cheap auto insurance offer then you must do much better than that. This traditionally involves meeting with numerous insurance agents, and as many of us know this would take up a long of our time. Many people give up after just two or three meetings as it takes too much time and even money, if you consider travelling from one insurance company to the next.

The single working alternative to the option presented above, is going online and searching for cheap auto insurance quotes. The internet has seen many advances, both in the technologies involved, and the people?s way of looking at online services. The only requirements you need to meet in order to be able to go through the internet in search of cheap auto insurance quotes, are a working computer or laptop and a connection to the internet. Nowadays, there are a large number of insurance companies, most of them really, that have taken the decision to create online websites where they could welcome their visitors with information and details about all their services.

Many insurance companies have special deals for many categories of vehicles, even sports cars and luxury vehicles. But navigating through the large number of websites would also take a large amount of time, and it is not a viable alternative to professional websites that allow visitors to compare auto insurance quotes from a large number of insurance companies. You can?t expect to find every detail about a single company, so it is a wise idea to also do further check-ups by searching for reviews for those specific companies on discussion forums and even blogs. Always have a list of personal preferences and expectations when searching for cheap auto insurance deals. When visiting auto insurance quotes compare websites, it always helps to find what you are looking for much easier and faster if you know exactly what you expect to get. Also, it is a very wise idea to check whether or not the auto insurance quotes you are leaning towards will change or not in the future.

You should know that many companies offer cheap auto insurance deals because of the global economic crisis, and there will surely be insurance companies that will try to increase the rates after the crisis is over. Make sure that you read each and every line of the contract, in order to make sure that a specific insurance company will keep true to its promises, and the auto insurance quotes will perfectly reflect you deal. The large number of insurance companies presenting companies with cheap auto insurance special deals pretty much ensure that you fill find more than one quality auto insurance quotes.

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

Looking For Auto Insurance Quotes?

Friday, January 29th, 2010

The internet is filled with a large amount of information, so you can easily find pretty much anything you might be looking for. Companies presenting their services and products have to get much more competitive and welcome all their potential customers with better offers than the competition. Auto insurance is one of the best online service sectors as there are numerous insurance agencies now operating on the internet also. Not many of us enjoy having to search for quality auto insurance quotes by visiting insurance agencies and making endless calls.

For those that might find themselves in this category will be happy to find out that with just a few simple clicks they can find a multitude of auto insurance agencies and get a large number of auto insurance quotes in very short period of time. With such a large number of insurance companies now presenting their services on the internet, chances are that if you look well enough, you will find the best possible auto insurance quotes. Most people searching on and off line for good auto insurance quotes are fed up with having to pay large auto insurance rates.

If we factor in, a poor orientation towards customer service and overall customer satisfaction on the part of a large number of auto insurance companies, then there is really no surprise as to why more and more car owners decide to search online for auto insurance quotes. As we all know auto insurance is not to be disregarded, as for most of us auto insurance rates can amount to large sums that we need to pay each year in order to have peace of mind if we have car accidents. No one is planning to have car accident, but if they do, then anyone would sure prefer to purchase an auto insurance policy from a company that knows how to treat its customers with care and respect after any unfortunate incident involving their cars.

Besides the most common reason why people get auto insurance for their cars there is also another fact to be considered, and more precisely the fact that getting auto insurance is mandatory by law. The fines for anyone lacking auto insurance can amount to pretty large sums, which could end up costing car owners far more than any auto insurance rates. Since the positive aspects of getting auto insurance are reason enough for the vast majority of people doing just that, the common thing to do would be to search for the best auto insurance quotes available.

The internet is not only an alternative for people who don?t have the time to track down auto insurance companies, but it is in general a great alternative, as it allows internet users wanting to find quality auto insurance quotes, to find a multitude of companies offering the same services. Consequently, the chances are that you will find the best offers if you look well enough. Visit the websites of some well established auto insurance companies, and just go from there.

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

Wouldn’t You Like To Own The Most Expensive Car In The World?

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

“Most expensive” is used to describe the most exclusive products in the world, including watches, boats, cars, personal jets, and anything else that would make pretty much everyone dream. I say pretty much everyone because there are people who can afford to buy luxury jets and boats, and cars that can do over two hundred miles per hour. These types of cars are what kids dreams are made of. I don’t think there is one man out there that has not contemplated at least once raising the money to buy one. Many of them even try to save lunch money as a way of pursuing their dream.

When we grow up we know though that the world’s most expensive products are reserved for the richest people in the world. This however does not stop us from dreaming to sometime own the most expensive car in the world. A correct distinction needs to be made between what the general public considers to be the list of the most expensive car, and what the reality actually is. Cars have an appeal to people which surpasses any desire to show off, or to try and make a buck in a few years after re selling the car. The world of private collectors is comprised by some of the richest individuals and royal figures from countries and cultures from all over the world. When thinking about private collectors people tend to automatically think of rare paintings by Picasso, Rembrandt and so on.

Cars, however, have also been at the center of focus for many rich collectors. You might think that the Bugati Veyron is the most expensive car in the world with a price tag that is close to 2 million dollars, or the Koenigsegg, even the newest addition to the supercar world which is the Lexus LFA. This is true, except only if you are referring to new cars that just rolled out of a factory. If we are talking about the all time most expensive cars in the world, the situation changes dramatically. If you think cars like the Ferrari Enzo, or the Bugati Veyron whose prices range between one and two million dollars, then what would you think if you knew there are cars whose prices ranges close to 30 million dollars. Like I said, these types of cars resemble paintings when it comes to considering the passion of collectors.

When you think about it, there are paintings that sell for prices in excess of 100 million dollars, so it is really no surprise whatsoever to find out that there is a person out there somewhere that has paid over 28 million dollars to receive a highly sought after Ferrari 250 GTO. The price comes in part from its exclusivity, because there are presently not more than 39 cars of this type in existence. The price is also given by the huge impact this car had on car lover since it was first introduced decade ago, it being voted the most beautiful car in the world repeatedly, so it is really no surprise that it is know the most expensive car in the world.

For more resources please review http://www.newluxuryitems.com

Car Air Condition Recharging - Right Guidance

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

The air conditioning unit of a car is one of its most sophisticated parts. But most of the car owners, especially those who don’t have particular interest in mechanical engineering, don’t know much about the car’s air conditioning system. This makes it difficult for them to take care of the unit. Thus, they are left with no choice but to call a mechanic and pay hefty amount for his service.

But people don’t know that they can recharge their car AC compressor on their own. All they need is the right guidance to do it and the necessary equipment. Components like the right kind of refrigerant are very important. If you want to personally recharge your car AC then make sure that you only use the suitably pressurized refrigerant. You can refer to your car’s user manual to know which kind of refrigerant is most suitable for it. Never, ever mix different kinds of refrigerants because it won’t recharge the AC compressor effectively. Make sure that you don’t use any of flammable refrigerants as they are extremely dangerous.

Once you have gathered all the equipment and the refrigerant, you can start the process of recharging the AC. But before that, cover your eyes with protective goggles and wear thick gloves on your hands. Make sure that you wear full sleeves and most of your body is covered. This is because car refrigerant may cause burns in case of some kind of mishap.

You can purchase a recharge kit from any local car AC parts shop or your mechanic. Make sure that the kit has a pressure gauge which helps in the recharging and helps you keep track of the quantity of refrigerant inside the AC system.

First of all, you should find out the level of refrigerant in your system. For this fit the charging pipe in low pressure on the port. If there is no refrigerant in the system, then make sure that you get rid of all the moisture. The absence of any refrigerant is a sign that there are some leaks in your system. To detect the point of leakage, spray soapy water is the fittings.

After this, check the A/C compressor and clean any debris, dirt or dust in the condensing coil. Then, connect the refrigerant can, recharge valve and hose together. Turn the valve to puncture valves. This will ensure that there is no moisture inside the system. Then, start the engine and turn the AC. Open the valve so that the refrigerant can reach the hose.

Don’t remove the can’s cover and then close the valve and disconnect the hose. If you have done this right and the refrigerant is enough for your system, then your car AC will give great performance.

Now that you know how to recharge you car’s air conditioner, stop spending money on expensive mechanics and do it yourself.