This put up was written by Emily Becker, who’s a Mexico-based freelance author for BMTM.
Contemplating renting a automobile in Mexico? It may be a bit nerve-wracking should you’ve by no means completed it. In spite of everything, driving in a international nation comes with its personal units of guidelines, security issues, and potential scams. It doesn’t have to be a daunting concept, although. It’s really surprisingly straightforward to hire a automobile in Mexico, and this information will enable you to keep secure whereas avoiding getting ripped off.
Advantages of Renting a Car in Mexico
You have extra freedom to transfer.
This virtually goes with out saying, however having a automobile in Mexico means you get to go the place you need to, when you need to. You don’t have to fear about chasing down buses to get from place to place or excursions that solely permit a sure period of time at every cease.
Once I drove to the coast of Oaxaca from Oaxaca Metropolis, I cherished having the ability to cease in the little villages alongside the way in which. I had the liberty to do what I wished, which I wouldn’t have been in a position to if I had taken a bus.
You can get off the overwhelmed path.
Particularly should you’ll be flying into vacationer hotspots resembling Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, or Cabo San Lucas, it may really feel such as you’ve simply gone to a Mexican model of the US in some locations. If you’d like to get off the overwhelmed path in Mexico, a rental automobile may be obligatory.
Renting a automobile permits you the mobility to get to smaller cities and cities that might in any other case be a ache to attain through public transportation. You can even entry secret seashores, secluded cenotes, and different pure areas which are far much less crowded.
Take the Riviera Maya, for instance. In case you have a rental automobile, you may get to locations like Xpu-ha, Punta Allen, and different small seashore cities that different vacationers don’t go to as a lot.
You can see extra of Mexico.
If you’d like to journey from one metropolis to one other, renting a automobile is a nice possibility, as a result of buses that journey lengthy distances usually take a number of extra hours than driving by yourself would. Renting a automobile permits you to go additional, faster. You’ll give you the chance to see extra in a shorter period of time, taking in every second and really savoring the magic of Mexico.
It’s enjoyable!
My absolute favourite street journeys have all been in Mexico. I really like how the terrain right here adjustments drastically, making for a stimulating street journey whether or not you’re with a accomplice, pals, or solo. In the event you’re open to journey, you’re positive to discover loads of spontaneous stops alongside the way in which. You may encounter a roadside elote stand, a nature protect, or a pueblo mágico (“magic city”).
With a rental automobile, you get to really benefit from the journey with out a lot give attention to the vacation spot, which is such a enjoyable manner to expertise Mexico.
Drawbacks of Renting a Car in Mexico
It may be expensive.
Particularly should you go for full-coverage insurance coverage with no deductible (extra on this later), the day by day price to hire a automobile in Mexico can get fairly costly. Tack on the ever-fluctuating worth of gasoline and it may even be difficult to predict how a lot you’re possible to spend on a rental automobile.
Evaluate automobile rental costs in Mexico right here!
Overlook about metropolis driving.
I don’t suggest renting a automobile in Mexico Metropolis should you plan to use it throughout the metropolis. The site visitors is totally insane, and driving there may be not solely hectic however can really take longer than hopping on the metro. It’s additionally fairly harmful to navigate Mexico Metropolis should you’ve by no means pushed there earlier than, as many drivers don’t observe site visitors guidelines. It sound hectic as a result of it is hectic.
Smaller cities like Oaxaca and Mérida are far more drivable, however until you might be planning to go away town, a automobile isn’t completely obligatory as a result of most small cities in Mexico have respectable public transportation.
You’re restricted to driving solely through the day.
For security causes, it’s not a nice concept to drive your rental automobile at evening in Mexico. There’s no legislation or express rule that claims you possibly can’t, however I don’t suggest risking it.
For instance, the freeway between Tulum and Bacalar turns into harmful at evening, as organized crime teams are identified to create blockades and extort drivers. This occurs in different elements of Mexico as effectively, totally on poorly lit highways and in areas the place there isn’t a cell reception.
Inside a metropolis or city, it’s most likely no huge deal, however keep away from highways as a lot as doable should you completely have to drive after darkish.
Avoiding Hidden Charges
In the event you Googled “rental automobiles in Mexico” and noticed firms promoting charges as little as $5/day, I promise you that it’s too good to be true. Some automobile rental companies use these low base charges to lure clients to their website. That $5/day price doesn’t embrace any insurance coverage (which is necessary in Mexico) or different charges. In the event you fall for this, you’ll possible arrive to choose up the automobile you reserved on-line and be slapped with a invoice a lot larger than you imagined.
The minimal you possibly can anticipate to pay per day on insurance coverage alone is $7-10 for the naked minimal protection. See why $5 a day for a rental automobile is simply too good to be true?
To keep away from falling for this rip-off, take a look at numerous firms on-line and ensure to pay shut consideration to what the day by day worth consists of. Will you want an additional driver? How a lot is insurance coverage? Is there a deductible?
The place to Hire a Car in Mexico
On-line
One respected website that’s nice for shopping and reserving rental automobiles is Uncover Vehicles. There you’ll get a full image of what you’re paying for, with no hidden charges. The positioning permits you to see choices from a number of firms, making evaluating them simpler than ever.
A candy function of Uncover Vehicles is you could partially pay once you e book, and pay the remainder once you choose the automobile up on the airport or in city. (This function isn’t out there for all automobiles; some leases require full fee at time of reserving.)
On the airport
If you’d like to wait till you arrive to Mexico to e book your rental automobile, the airport is commonly one of the best place. Not solely do you might have a number of firms in one location for simple comparability, however you additionally received’t have to fear about transportation to and from the airport. In the event you’re flying in someplace like Cancún however plan to spend most of your time elsewhere, that is the best choice to save money and time.
One other perk of ready to get to the airport is having the ability to discuss to an precise particular person when deciding what automobile to hire, which insurance coverage to buy, and so forth. Most workers at these firms in the airport areas converse English as effectively and may reply any questions you might have.
Corporations I’ve used
I’ve rented automobiles in Mexico by way of Alamo, Avis, and Europcar with no issues in any respect. I discovered all three of those firms to be equally as useful and simple.
I rented a automobile with Alamo in Tulum with some pals, and it was tremendous fast to choose it up and drop it off. In the event you use Avis, I like to recommend reserving in particular person, as a result of usually folks reserve automobiles on their web site solely to arrive on the bodily location and be given a totally different (dearer) automobile. This didn’t occur to me, although, as a result of I rented on the airport in Tuxtla Gutiérrez.
The final time I rented a automobile, I went by way of Europcar at a bodily location in the middle of Oaxaca. It was one of the best expertise I’ve had to date, as a result of the workers went the additional mile to stroll me by way of the prices of all the things. In addition they have been tremendous responsive once I known as to ask questions whereas I had the automobile.
Value for Renting a Car in Mexico
Car leases in Mexico sometimes begin at $30 per day for primary economic system handbook automobiles and the minimal insurance coverage requirement (an additional $7-10 per day). Full-coverage insurance coverage runs about $12-20 per day, relying on the automobile, on prime of the bottom price of the automobile. Hold in thoughts that automated automobiles price additional and are tougher to come by than handbook ones. In the event you drive stick, that is your time to avoid wasting money!
Evaluate automobile rental costs in Mexico right here!
So as to add a further driver, you possibly can anticipate to pay round $10-15 additional, per day.
Bigger and 4×Four automobiles begin round $50 per day with primary insurance coverage. Since small automobiles are extra common, you may find yourself with a giant automobile should you don’t e book forward throughout excessive season (spring break and November to December).
Selecting the Proper Car
To decide on the fitting automobile to your Mexican journey, step one is deciding if you need a handbook or automated automobile. Within the States, it’s a on condition that the rental automobiles are automated, however that isn’t the case in Mexico, so be sure you double-check earlier than reserving.
You must also have a clear concept of the place you propose to go, as you may want a 4×Four automobile to get to sure locations. For probably the most half, 4-wheel drive isn’t obligatory in locations just like the Riviera Maya (between Cancún and Tulum). Nevertheless, should you plan to discover some distant Mayan ruins or hidden seashores, you may contemplate it.
For a winding street journey by way of the mountains in Oaxaca and driving from Bacalar to the ferry for Holbox, I discovered a primary economic system automobile to be simply advantageous. To get to many of the cenotes close to Tulum and Cancún, you don’t want a 4×Four both.
Rental automobiles in Mexico, just like the States, normally are newer fashions and have bluetooth, USB ports, and built-in navigation techniques. The makes and fashions of the automobiles are about the identical as you’d discover stateside as effectively.
What You Need Earlier than Renting a Car in Mexico
To be no less than 25 years outdated
Identical to in the US, you have to be 25 or older to hire a automobile in Mexico. Some firms like Europcar and Mex Car will make an exception and hire to drivers between 21 and 25 for an additional charge of $10-20 per day.
There are only a few firms that may hire a automobile to drivers between 18 and 21 years outdated, however they do exist.
A legitimate driver’s license
You don’t want a world driver’s license to hire a automobile in Mexico. You can simply use your legitimate driver’s license from house and be good to go. Nevertheless, if your own home nation’s official language doesn’t use the Latin alphabet, you have to a world driver’s license.
A bank card with no less than $1,000 of obtainable credit score
So as to e book your rental automobile in Mexico, the automobile rental firm will most probably want to place a maintain of no less than $1,000 USD in your bank card. Typically you may get round this by buying full-coverage insurance coverage, although I’ve by no means tried this myself.
I’ve been in a position to e book a rental automobile utilizing a debit card, however this isn’t at all times doable with each firm. It’s greatest to achieve this with a bank card, as they’ll place a maintain moderately than pulling out the cash out of your account and reimbursing you once you return the automobile.
Driving in Mexico
Obtain offline maps.
Even should you determine to seize a Mexican SIM card, there’s a likelihood you’ll drive by way of a useless zone throughout your street journey. To keep away from getting misplaced, obtain an offline map to use. To do that, you possibly can open Google Maps and search the world that you just plan to drive.
In the event you’re doing a lengthy journey, you possibly can zoom out to obtain your entire space. Even should you don’t have cell service, you’ll give you the chance to see your location on the map, which is able to enable you to navigate.
Fuel stations and potential scams
Virtually all gasoline stations in Mexico are serviced, which means you don’t have to pump your personal gasoline or go away your automobile should you don’t need to. One potential rip-off can occur on the gasoline station, although, should you pay with a card. I as soon as had an attendant overcharge me on the terminal by 100 pesos, pondering I wouldn’t discover. Once I noticed my receipt, I noticed the overcharge and pointed it out. He gave me my 100 pesos reluctantly, but it surely was a shut name.
I’ve since heard that that is fairly frequent, so be certain to verify the quantity earlier than you insert your card.
Typically the attendants will say that the terminals are offline, so you possibly can’t use a card. This may be true in some instances, so simply be sure you have sufficient money available to pay for gasoline to your entire journey.
Ask your lodging about parking beforehand
It’s not a on condition that your Airbnb and even lodge or hostel could have a designated parking spot. Ask your host earlier than reserving to be certain there’s a secure, ideally enclosed, area to park your automobile in a single day. I bumped into this concern as a result of I didn’t ask forward of time and ended up having to park on the road, which was dangerous. Nothing occurred, but it surely made me nervous to go away my rental automobile in the road in a single day. Stay and be taught, proper?
Velocity limits are in kilometers per hour
Do not forget that Mexico makes use of the metric system. You may suppose the “100” velocity restrict indicators are stunning till you understand that’s solely about 60 miles per hour.
It looks as if folks solely take these limits as a mild suggestion, however I at all times obey them for concern of being pulled over. It’s greatest to play it secure.
What occurs if I get pulled over?
Chances are high, you’ll solely be pulled over by Mexican police in case you are blatantly breaking the legislation. Sadly, bribing cops remains to be quite common right here. In the event you get pulled over, the officer may trace at a bribe to keep away from ticketing you, which could be very costly.
I don’t have a sturdy opinion on this a method or one other, as a result of I perceive that that is a difficult concern all over the world and never simply in Mexico. If handing over a couple hundred pesos for a bribe sounds advantageous, you do you. I’ve rented a automobile a number of instances right here and by no means been pulled over, so I’m undecided what I’d do. Ideas?
Pin me for later:
Prepared to buckle up and begin your Mexican street journey? I hope this helps you keep secure on the street and keep away from getting scammed.
Tell us you probably have any extra recommendation about renting a automobile in Mexico!
Click on to learn extra posts about
Mexico