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Renting a Car in Mexico
Renting a car in Mexico can provide an excellent way of exploring the landscape and seeing local features and attractions.
Renting a car in Mexico is more expensive than renting a car in the USA, and there are a number of additional considerations to take into account.
Notwithstanding the extra costs, car rental in Mexico can offer you the flexibility and freedom that other forms of transport simply cannot provide...
Blog Articles: Transportation in Mexico
Car Rental in Mexico
Driving across Mexico can be a rewarding experience as it gives you the choice and flexibility to visit remote areas which may be inaccessible using public transport, and enables you to do so at your chosen pace and convenience.
A rental car can provide the freedom and flexibility that public transport cannot when you're traveling longer distances, especially outside of Mexico City. If you want to see some of the outlying towns and villages "off the beaten track", then taking a car is the most efficient way to accomplish this, unless you have the patience, time, and temperament to deal with local transport.
To Rent, or Not to Rent?
In Mexico City, car rental is probably not a very good idea, unless you're familiar with the city and plan to do a lot of traveling about from place to place inside the capital. Public transport in towns and cities across Mexico is excellent and travel by taxi in Mexico is affordable.
Car rental in most colonial cities is not a good idea either. Most colonial towns and cities are best experienced on foot, using taxis to travel longer distances between major attractions, or back to your hotel after a long day's exploration.
Instances where car rental is a good idea is when you are touring a region(s) of Mexico and need to get from city to city (and the towns and villages in-between) without being beholden to public transport schedules. For example, if you were touring the Yucatan, and staying at various Hacienda Hotels located in that region, renting a car would be an excellent choice.
Another good way to rent a car in Mexico is to rent a vehicle from the city or town you are based at, using the vehicle to venture out on day trips and explore rural areas which may be poorly served by public transport and/or are too far away to take a taxi.
Mexico's Car Rental Business
Renting a car in Mexico is more expensive than renting in a car in the USA, principally due to the insurances which, although optional, are advisable to buy in case of an incident on your journey.
This guide shows you how the rental car business works in Mexico and steers you through the mechanics of successfully renting a car in Mexico and at the best price.
Rent a Car in Mexico using Mexperience
You arrange your Mexico car rental using Mexperience -- we offer online reservations for car rental in Mexico from most of the country's principal airports.
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Requirements for Car Rental
Most car rental agencies in Mexico operate strict criteria for car rentals.
Minimum Age of Driver
In some exceptional circumstances, and usually accompanies by a hefty deposit and hefty excess charges for damage and accidents, car rental agencies may accept drivers below the age of 25, but most require that the driver(s) of the vehicle are at least 25 years of age and some even stipulate that the person must have held a full driving license for a minimum time period, between two and five years. Ask the sales agent or check the small print on the rental agreement for details.
Credit Card
Most car rental agencies will attempt pre-authorize an amount from your credit card before they will rent a car to you. If you don't have a credit card then you will not be able to rent a car. You must proffer a valid credit card for this procedure as debit cards are not accepted.
Driving License
You will need to present a full, current, driver's license showing the renter's name and photograph. If your country's driving licence does not display your photograph another form of photo ID will also be required. Your own country's license is accepted provided that it is printed with "Western Characters". If you have, for example, a Chinese, Japanese, Greek or Russian document, you may be asked to produce an international driver's licence, which you can acquire from your home country.
Acceptance of Terms
The precise terms of rental vary from agency to agency. The small print is always complex, presented in Spanish only, and absolutely in favor of the rental agency (this is true in all countries). The main things to check are your liabilities in the event of an accident or total loss of the vehicle, matters which are most often related to the insurance policy associated with the rental. Ask the rental agent for clarification if you are unsure about anything in relation to the rental agreement.
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Car Rental Services
Car rental agencies in Mexico sell much more than car rental services these days. Some of the most profitable services have nothing to do with car rental and are sold (or offered) to you at the counter, not at the time you make an online booking. They include:
Insurance Policies
All rental agencies sell a range of car insurance policies to protect the driver, the passengers and the vehicle in the event of an accident. See the section about car rental insurance on this guide for more details.
Satellite Navigation
Some rental cars in Mexico come equipped with satellite navigation, but this will only work in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. SatNav is not commercially available across all of Mexico at this time. Some rental companies charge extra for this service.
Comfort Add-Ons
Child seats, roof racks, DVD players, et al, may come as standard or be charged as optional extras. Check with the agency for details.
Cell Phone Rental
Some agencies offer cell phone rental for a small extra daily fee. The service comes with the 'hook' that all calls to and from the mobile phone are free; some even offer free international calls. Check with the agency and the small print for details and conditions.
Drivers for Your Car
If you want to add additional drivers to your rental agreement, you will need to name them on the agreement and pay an additional daily fee for each additional "authorized driver" of the vehicle. If the car is involved in an accident whilst driven by someone not authorized to drive the vehicle, the insurance will usually become invalid, leaving you exposed to the repair or replacement cost of your rental vehicle AND any third party damages.
Don't want to drive? Most rental agencies will, by prior arrangement, rent the car with a driver, for an additional fee. This may be ideal if you want to take a day trip somewhere out of town, but don't know the way and/or don't want to drive -- but it is considerably more expensive and you should consider the cost of hiring a local taxi instead -- especially for shorter trips.
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Car Rental Charges
Car rental charges in Mexico are higher in comparison with those in the US, and about on par with those in Europe, once all of the "full cover" insurance fees are added to the price.
Rates for Car Rental in Mexico
Rates vary depending on the location, duration of the rental and how many miles you'll clock up.
Standard quotes sometimes exclude sales tax (IVA) - so check when you're buying whether your quote is inclusive or exclusive of sales tax, because sales tax is relatively high in Mexico thus adds a significant amount to your final price.
Many policies now include unlimited miles, others charge per mile (or per kilometer) after a certain mileage is reached. Mexico is a big country so if you plan to do a lot of driving, try to find a rate that is all inclusive.
The longer you rent for, the cheaper the daily rate will be. Usually step discounts kick-in when you rent for more than 3, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days.
Also check to see that the insurance cover you need is included in the rental price. "Full cover" insurance fees oftentimes add up to more than the price of the car rental.
Location Premiums
If you rent from an airport or a hotel, you are likely to pay a small premium in addition to the rental charges. The premium is usually itemized on your quote and bill, but not always -- so check if you are unsure.
One-way Car Rental and Drop-off Charges
If you will not be taking the car back to the same place where you rented it, expect hefty "drop-off" charges to be added to the account... These are usually between 20-40% of the actual cost of renting the car - and possibly much more, especially if you only need the vehicle for a couple of days, as the fee is fixed. One-way car rental is particularly expensive in Mexico.
Go Online for the Best Rates
The most expensive way to rent a car in Mexico is to show up at the counter when you arrive or rent from an airport, hotel or travel agency in person.
If you plan to rent a car in Mexico, go online and book your rate in advance. You'll usually get a better deal, a lower price, and know exactly what you're paying for.
If you're in Mexico and decide to rent a car, you may want to consider going online for a quote before walking-in to a rental or travel agency in person. Many hotels have WiFi hotspots if you are carrying a laptop; otherwise, most hotels offer internet access on a desk computer or you can find an internet cafe usually no further than a few blocks from where you are staying.
You can arrange Car Rental in Mexico with Mexperience. We offer car rental services from most of Mexico's principal airports.
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Car Rental Insurance
Related Blog Article: Car Insurance in Mexico
Using Your Own Insurance
Although you may have a personal insurance policy that covers car rental services, perhaps via a credit or charge card, you should check that it is valid in Mexico. You can sign the agreement to say that you are covered by a third party but in the event of an accident, you will be totally exposed if it turns out that you were not covered for some reason.
Ensure You're Insured!
The quote you get from a car rental agency (online or in person) usually does not include "full cover" insurance. Most "basic" car rental insurance covers third party risks -- i.e. covers the costs of any third party damages including other vehicles, road damage and in the event that other people are hurt.
Some rental agencies offer a damage waiver which, for an additional daily fee, will reduce or eliminate the damage premium you have to pay in the event that the car is damaged (this is called "taking full cover" -see Damage Premiums, below, for more details). This fee is an additional insurance product and you will need to weigh up the additional waiver fee against the damage premium in relation to your perceived risk of having an accident.
Accident Damage Premiums and Excess Fees
The amount you pay for any damage, regardless of your insurance cover or whether or not it was your fault, varies greatly from agency to agency.
If your vehicle is damaged, lost (e.g. by engine fire) or stolen, you will need to cover the vehicle's repair or replacement as set out in the agency's agreement. Usually, the excess damage fee is calculated as a percentage of the vehicle's commercial value "as new".
For example, if the vehicle's value is US$10,000 and your excess fee is 10% of the vehicle's value, then you will be billed $1,000 in the event of any damage (however slight) or loss of the vehicle. This fee can be waived by purchase of a top-up insurance giving the vehicle "full cover".
If you are not absolutely sure that you are covered by a separate insurance policy you may carry (e.g. through a credit or charge card policy), ask for "full cover" insurance for the car rental when you get to the counter: buy it, and check it's there to make sure you're covered. It's expensive and will add a significant cost to your rental. However, you need to weigh up the additional cost against the hefty charge you will be billed in the event of the car becoming damaged or written-off.
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Rental Car Inspections
Rental cars are inspected diligently in Mexico when you return them to the agency -- so you should make a thorough inspection before you leave, especially if you have not taken out "full cover" of the vehicle through the agency's own insurance policy...
Check Your Rental Car Before Leaving
Inspect your rental car very carefully before you sign the exit form. Ensure that the exit form documents all existing damage, and add any other damage you see not mentioned on that piece of paper -- no matter how small or 'insignificant' you think it may be.
Also, check underneath the car before you drive it away; this is because Mexico's speed bumps and road surface holes can do major damage to a car's underside and rental companies here are steadfast in checking under the vehicle upon its return.
Return Inspection
Your car will be thoroughly inspected when you return it, and checks will also be made underneath the car to check for any damage caused by Mexico's notorious speed bumps and holes in the road surface.
If you did not purchase the "full cover" insurance option from the agency and the inspector finds any damage, your credit card will be charged the excess (damage) amount, or a fixed damage fee, as specified on the rental agreement.
If you used your own insurance, you may need to pay for the damage and then get reimbursed by your insurance company or (charge card company if the policy was arranged through that means) afterwards. Check with your insurance provider for details about dealing with excess damage payments.
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Renting a Car in Mexico
You may now organize your Mexico Car Rental with Mexperience. We offer car rental services from most of Mexico's principal airports.
Blog Articles: Transportation in Mexico
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