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Driving And Renting A Car In Costa Rica

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.

in Cars on March 07 2010 » 0 comments

Use Dealer Chat Software to Generate Auto Sales Leads

The internet is an incredible source for people to find the things they want or need. In today’s fast paced world, the internet is usually the first place people begin their search. That’s why the internet is one of the best sources a business can use to capture more customers and increase sales considerably.

Automotive dealers benefit substantially by presenting their merchandise and services on the internet. Having an attractive and comprehensive website is a great start, but it takes more than a static website to engage visitors in an effort to increase auto sales leads. Dealers are realizing that adding Dealer chat software to their website helps increase auto sales leads.

Studies show that most dealers convert less than 2% of their website traffic to auto sales leads. Dealer chat can increase the dealer’s current lead conversion by up to 60%. Dealer chat is proven to generate more auto sales leads from unique website visitors and improve customer satisfaction. This increase of auto sales leads is over and above the leads already being generated by quote and ?contact us’ forms.

Many dealers depend solely on Third-Party auto sales leads to drive showroom traffic. The majority of the time, it takes a salesman 2-3 attempts to contact the customer. After contacting the customer, it takes another few attempts to script the customer into an appointment. There are some leads that you will never reach.

In other very common instances, customers from third-party lead sources realize that they were on a website that had nothing to do with automotive sales and their ?lead’ was obtained. By targeting a dealership’s own website traffic and engaging in conversation using Dealer chat software, the chance of an ?invalid? or ?dead? lead is nearly eliminated as the consumer has already made their way to the dealerships site. They’re already interested in what the dealership is selling.

Regular advertising and marketing techniques work to drive traffic to a website. Auto dealers invest large amounts of funds to attract visitors and to increase traffic. Driving traffic to the website is just not enough. Dealer chat software, on the other hand, engages visitors and generates more auto sales leads from already existing site traffic. Dealer chat software helps maximize the dealers return on investment. The cost of implementing dealer chat software applications on a dealer’s website is well outweighed by the benefits of increased sales.

Once a customer finds themselves on a dealer website, they’ll spend some time browsing the available vehicles and different specifics. A large amount of internet visitors find their way on websites late at night ? often after normal dealership business hours. Unless dealers have 24/7 salesmen on staff, they will lose countless opportunities to answer customer questions and address issues that may arise during their online shopping experience.

Numerous auto dealers from all over the US and Canada are experiencing the benefits that Dealer chat software has to offer. Adding Dealer chat software is the best way dealers can improve their lead conversion, sell more vehicles, and maximize their return on investment.

For more resources please review http://www.carchat24.ca

in Cars on March 04 2010 » 0 comments

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in Cars on February 22 2010 » 0 comments

How to Save Time & Money on Car Rental

Many people approach car rental as a lowest-price-possible contest rather than to concentrate on the value of the best deal they eventually would get, in terms of what type of car, what’s included (air conditioning, automatic gear shift, air bags, navigation) as well as what type of service they are going to buy.

The thing is, the car rental market has become a very competitive one and rates differences for comparable quality and service are relatively small, sometimes as small as $10 to $20. These minute price differences are going to vanish in the wind when you consider the long lines and lost time at the cheapest renter counter, drop charges for remote destinations, late return fines, and gasoline inflated rates as well as other service charges you didn’t think about when you shopped for the “best deal”.

Don’t get us wrong, we don’t like to pay higher prices more than you do. We do recommend shopping around and checking the various rates available, especially when it’s so easy to do it via the Internet at comparison sites.

All we say here you need to consider other things beside the price and when you compare please make sure you compare apples to apples and not apples to pears.

Things to consider when ordering a Car Rental Costa Rica

Who is using the car, are you by yourself on a business trip or you are traveling with the whole family? How much luggage are you going to have, does the car you are thinking about is big enough to have you all plus all your hand luggage and big suitcases? If not, consider to change to a mini van or a car with extra large trunk.

Do you need an Infant seat or a child booster? Make sure it is mentioned clearly with your order, usually there is a shortage of these seats and they are provided for extra charge.

Do you actually need the car in the town or city at the first few days? If not, consider to take a taxi, a bus, a train or the hotel shuttle into the city and when it’s time for you to go out of town and travel around, then, rent the car from the city location and by that save up to 15% on Air-Port charges as well as on city parking fees.

Are you going to a very warm and humid destination? If yes, it’s recommended to order a car with air conditioning, usually the price difference is negligible, and the problem is that it’s not available in all destinations like in some tropical countries.

Most major Costa Rica Car Rental companies allow for unlimited mileage, but it’s a good idea to check their policy before confirming. Many smaller local independent companies charge mileage after 100-200 free miles per day.

As mentioned before price is not the only factor to consider when choosing a car rental company? If you choose a very small, no-name company, don’t expect them to provide you with service across all country, what would you do if the car is needed to be replaced or serviced for some reason?

Frequent or preferred renter programs and affiliations

Frequent renter programs, like airlines and hotels, major car rental companies track their customers’ rental histories and offer preferential service to loyal customers. Most of the major companies offer frequent renter programs that are similar to airline frequent-flyer programs and hotel frequent-guest programs.

Preferred renter clubs, most major car rental companies also offer preferred renter programs or clubs. When you belong to one of these clubs, you get preferential treatment, including automatic upgrades when those cars are available. You can join these programs at any time, even if you are a first-time renter with that company.

In addition, always check for corporate rates if applicable to your situation. That’s how you will be able to save a lot of time and money when you rent a car.

in Cars on February 17 2010 » 0 comments

How O2 Sensors Fight Pollution?

As the name suggests, oxygen sensors are used to monitor the level of oxygen in the engine of the car. An oxygen sensor is fitted on the exhaust pipes of almost every car that was made after 1980. It is mounted between the catalytic converter and exhaust manifold. This sensor monitors the presence of oxygen in the emissions from the car and sends signals to the car’s management computer about it.

This sensor is one of the least known, yet most important parts of the car. Most O2 sensors use a zirconium ceramic bulb as the sensing element. The bulb is coated with platinum on both sides. The internal part of this bulb is vented through the body of the sensor and the external part bears the hot gases coming out of the exhaust pipe.

After sensing the amount of oxygen in the emissions, the sensor generates a voltage which is used by the car’s computer to detect the imbalance in the fuel/oil ratio in the engine. As we all know, gasoline engines run on a mixture of oxygen and fuel. In order to work efficiently, the ration between oxygen and fuel should be 14:7. Any imbalance in this ratio can not only damage the car, but also create a lot of air pollution.

Thus, we can say that having a good and perfectly working O2 sensor in our car can help us fight pollution and global warming. Let’s see the ways in which oxygen sensors help curb pollution:

Besides environment, air fuel ratio sensor also helps you save money. More mileage and efficient usage of fuel naturally results in more savings. You save hundreds of dollars on your monthly bills because of the oxygen sensors in your car. Don’t believe us? Then, ask any expert mechanic to give you an estimate on how much will your car’s mileage will be if you remove the oxygen sensor. The answer will shock.

It is a fact that cars cause pollution. But there are some parts which help decrease this pollution to certain extent. It is your moral and social duty to maintain those parts in perfect condition.

in Cars on February 07 2010 » 0 comments

What’s the easiest way to sell a car?

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!

in Cars on January 30 2010 » 0 comments

Compare Auto Insurance Rates On Professional Websites

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

in Cars on January 29 2010 » 0 comments

Tips For Finding Cheap Auto Insurance Deals

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

in Cars on January 29 2010 » 0 comments

Cincinnati used cars

Cars have always been a daze for many of the people. But only well-off live there dream while the deprived and the middle class people long for the dream to come true one day. The truth being that news cars cost a large amount of money so that normal people won’t tend to buy them.

Here is the solution for the much expected wait for the normal people. One can just walk to New Hampshire Ford Dealer to book a used car and make it their own. Some would keep their fingers crossed to opt for a used up cars. But there is no need to concern in buying used cars. The cars offered by the above said dealer really pays off its value. Cincinnati used cars have a brand new look to the cars. Many are taken aback by the eminence of the used up cars they present.

This makes many to pot for a used up car to save the money and also to have a luxurious life. Automotive online marketing is a place where the used cars can be booked online according to our necessity. Through e-booking one can get a straightforward view of the car price.

in Cars on January 24 2010 » 0 comments

What Is The Worlds Most Expensive Car

Most men, regardless of age and background have always had an innate attraction towards cars. Men love cars because they pieces of technology that are incredibly intricate. The most sought after cars are not as you might expect the cheapest or the most nature friendly, but instead most online searches and topics for TV shows covering this field are directed towards the worlds most expensive cars. There are very few people that have never dreamed of owning or at least just once driving an absolute super car, such as Lamborghini Murcielago, Ferrari Scaglietti, Porsche 911. Even women seem to be attracted to great cars.

When it comes to talking about the worlds most expensive car, everyone tends to automatically think of cars such as Ferrari Enzo, Lamborghini Reventon, Bugati Veyron, and they are right, but there is no specific order set for the top 10 of the most expensive car. Moreover, the car that is the worlds most expensive car this month will probably change soon as new additions make their way to this list, even despite the global economic crisis which has affected even the richest people in the world. But not even a crisis, which has already drove millions of companies worldwide out of business, cannot determine the manufacturing processes of some of the most expensive car in the world.

The latest additions to this highly exclusive list that is reserved for highly successful business owners and A class celebrities. While regular people, when dreaming of owning the worlds most expensive car only think of ways to raise the incredible amount of money needed, the millionaires that purchase the worlds most expensive cars, already start to of other additions that would make their collection of cars more famous and appreciated. I have been talking about Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s as some of the worlds most expensive cars, and while that might be true to some degree, the reality is that the cars for which people pay most money are those that are truly exclusive. In fact, this is what gives the worlds most expensive car their price tag. Of course performance has a large importance, the biggest importance is that presented by the ease with which someone can purchase that specific car.

Good examples of cars which would make even the most avid collectors jealous include great car manufacturers such as Duesenberg, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Maserati, and many others. It is worth mentioning that a Ferrari currently has the title of the worlds most expensive car as a Ferrari was sold at an auction, a few years ago, for over 25 million dollars. Sure, candidates for the worlds most expensive car are all sports cars with terrific sports performances but the thing that makes them stand out from each other, and most importantly what gives these cars their price tags, is the renown and the number in which they are manufactured. For those who have purchased the newest supercar, the Bugati Veyron, the main attraction surely wasn’t the fact that the car could easily do 400 km/h but that in 10 or 20 years it would be worth at least a few times more.

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

in Cars on January 22 2010 » 0 comments

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