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I am a frequent visitor to Costa Rica as I own a cabin up in the mountains above Dominical. I want to alert all readers about a blatant ripoff car rental agency, Tropical Rent a Car out of Alajuela, whose incompetence could have cost me my life.
My Spanish is adequate and I explained my need for a reliable 4 wheel drive vehicle with good tires. I had made arrangements weeks before my trip through Travel Advisors and was told I would be renting a 2008 Vego. for an agreed upon price.
The morning I was to get the car, there was no Vego available, but I was assured that the substitute would be adequate. Tropical Rent a Car was 3 hours late getting the rig to me and I was anxious to leave as I had a 5 hour drive.
Imagine my dismay to discover that I had very dim front lights and no rear lights at all as I am driving at dusk over the “Mountain of Death”. I finally make it to the base of the mountain dirt road to my cabin and there is no four wheel drive.
Fortunately the road was dry and I made it to the top. Next morning, I call the agency and they state they will bring me a new car. I meet Louis who has arrived with a battered Kia sportage with lousy tires. I bitch a bit about the tires but was assured that the vehicle was mechanically sound.
Well, sucker that I am, I accept Louis at his word. As it turns out, the 4×4 icon on the dash is the only aspect of the 4 wheel drive that is functioning. There is no traction whatsoever and over the next 12 days, I spent alot of time hiking back to my cabin because the rig would not make the climb in wet weather.
I called the agency and was told that I was the “only gringo” they ever had a problem with. When I returned the car to San Jose, Louis was unavailable, the owner was out of the country, and I am out $450.00. They have refused to acknowledge any responsibility and are now ignoring all email. Readers beware of Tropical Rent a Car operating out of Alajuela
There are many secondary rental car companies like this in CR. We learned our lesson on our first trip years ago. It isn’t worth the savings; worth it to stick with the international or well known regional rental companies.
No, I shelled out cash.They had put $1000 on my card for a deposit. I called the credit card company and told them the story and they assured me I would not be charged for any future charges from Tropical.
I was sorely tempted a few times to go with the”secondary” rental companies in order to save a few bucks. But I resisted. I firmly believe you get what you pay for 99% of the time.
Unfortunately as tourism slows down here, a lot of fringe companies are going to find it tough to continue doing the proper maintenance.
I don’t know how big Tropical is, but smaller companies are going to run short of cash flow.
AlbertoI once rented a car fron Toyota. It was a fairly new 4runner. I got about 10 miles away and stepped on it and the auto trans slipped and whinned. I turned around, and when I returned I informed them that the trans was bad. Their reply “I know.”
I could not believe it. This kind of cavalier attitude does not endear Ticos to foreigners. The bottom line is they see us as spoiled brats. And we are. It’s the same with the crime issue. We are always using the Gringo world as a standard for Ticos to live up to. So, actually who is fooling whom.
Is it the rental car company delivering what we perceive to be inferior products – or is it our expectation that everything work right in Costa Rica – that is, be held to the Gringo standard. After all CR is not the US. I think it’s us fooling ourselves. A lot f this unrealistic expectation is marketing to try and make CR mainstream – so the real estate people can bring more volume to the market.
I think this applies to crime also. San Jose has always been crime ridden. I guess there are more guns now, but I have always operated with the mindset that when I am in San Jose – it’s dangerous. That’s been well over a decade now.
I’ve got two answers.
One, if they want to charge us North American prices, which they do, then yes, I think that we can expect the same services and quality.
Two, THE CRIME HAS GOTTEN WORSE.
In Manuel Antonio it used to be: just watch your bag at the beach.
On a recent visit it was having a gun stuck in your face and being mugged, there is surly an escalation in more serious crime now.Do you know where the expression “Pura Vida” came from? It was from a mexican comedian who used to use it repeatedly in his act. Whenever something went wrong, he would exclaim, “Pura vida!” Translation: S**t Happens.
I agree on the crime front it’s much worse. But on the service front I disagree with you.
Merry Christmas and Pura Vida!
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