Car rental

Simon Cosman

New member
Dec 28, 2016
37
0
0
Can anyone recommend a specific car rental agency in SD. I would like a fair price, with safe vehicles, and preferably not be forced to buy the most expensive insurance. Thanks.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
 

RV429

Bronze
Apr 3, 2011
1,574
1
36
I use Alamo and have for years. You will have to pay 3rd party liability of $9/day.

If you decline all the other insurances do one thing: Do not get into an accident!
 

Mcinbrass

Bronze
Jan 2, 2002
835
66
48
Can anyone recommend a specific car rental agency in SD. I would like a fair price, with safe vehicles, and preferably not be forced to buy the most expensive insurance. Thanks.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

This ought to be good wait till you hearl all the horror stories associated w renting a car in Santo Domingo
 
Last edited:

Plastichucker

New member
Sep 30, 2016
19
0
0
I just got back from DR and I used Alamo to rent my car. Do it online ahead of time but do not buy the insurance online do it when you land. I bought it online and then did it again at the airport. It was not nesscary to get the onlone insurance as it does nothing in DR. I spend close to 400 for a little chevy Aveo for 8 days. Video tape the entire car before you sign anything. Zoom in on every little dent and scratch also get the agents name and them saying everything is good on video. Be careful driving it is nuts!!!
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
I did it for a year without incident - rented at SDQ.

in/out several times while we were building.
I was very unseasoned

Flat tire once
Filled it at the station closest to SDQ, stood in front of it while car was inspected.
Drove away to the lot - almost flat again.

Broke a mirror - side mirror once.
Had a local fix it - no problem.

Sometimes you need to be proactive..... think ahead, solve your own problems.

That's life in the DR.....
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
Before we shipped in our own car, we rented in SD for decades.  Mostly Alamos I/national (they used to share a building on Independencia, maybe still do) but also Avis.  Never a problem, not once 
 

irishpaddy

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,166
460
83
some credit card companys pay for the insurance ...so no need to purchase it
most of the companys will try to force the insurance on you ...hertz do accept the insurance covered by the credit card company
I would advise against dealing with the smaller companys
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
some credit card companys pay for the insurance ...so no need to purchase it
most of the companys will try to force the insurance on you ...hertz do accept the insurance covered by the credit card company
I would advise against dealing with the smaller companys

I rented at El Catey from Sixt Car Rental. When I picked up the car I was told the optional insurance was not an option and had to pay an additional $12 a day. I rented using my American Express Card and they would have covered the optional insurance but the rental company said if I didn't pay for the "optional" insurance I didn't get the car. So I paid and sent American Express a letter and they ended up re-embursing me for the additonal insurance. In the DR these rental franchises can have their own set of rules that don't reflect the procedures used in the US. Buyer beware!
 

reilleyp

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2006
1,190
663
113
I rented at El Catey from Sixt Car Rental. When I picked up the car I was told the optional insurance was not an option and had to pay an additional $12 a day. I rented using my American Express Card and they would have covered the optional insurance but the rental company said if I didn't pay for the "optional" insurance I didn't get the car. So I paid and sent American Express a letter and they ended up re-embursing me for the additonal insurance. In the DR these rental franchises can have their own set of rules that don't reflect the procedures used in the US. Buyer beware!

I agree with both Harleysrock (who says buy the insurance) and LTSteve (who says don't). For years I used my credit card insurance with no problems because I never wrecked the car. Then another DR1'er cautioned me about this method. Think about rolling into the airport with only two hours before your flight is about to leave, and your rental car is bent in half, totally destroyed. Do you think you can just hand them the keys and tell them that your credit card company will take care of everything next week after you get back to the US? Most likely they will not let you leave the country unless you swipe a $20,000 charge on your credit card to buy them a new Chevy Aveo, and then YOU can fix everything next week with your credit card company and hope they honor their credit card car rental agreement. Also, you may be swiping a 70,000 SUV on your card as well if the accident is your fault, so you better have a high credit limit.

The insurance is somewhat of a scam, and expensive, but to me the extra $100 is worth it so I can enjoy the trip a little more knowing that I am covered. (hopefully)
 

Timotero

Bronze
Feb 25, 2011
689
29
48
I agree with both Harleysrock (who says buy the insurance) and LTSteve (who says don't). For years I used my credit card insurance with no problems because I never wrecked the car. Then another DR1'er cautioned me about this method. Think about rolling into the airport with only two hours before your flight is about to leave, and your rental car is bent in half, totally destroyed. Do you think you can just hand them the keys and tell them that your credit card company will take care of everything next week after you get back to the US? Most likely they will not let you leave the country unless you swipe a $20,000 charge on your credit card to buy them a new Chevy Aveo, and then YOU can fix everything next week with your credit card company and hope they honor their credit card car rental agreement. Also, you may be swiping a 70,000 SUV on your card as well if the accident is your fault, so you better have a high credit limit.

The insurance is somewhat of a scam, and expensive, but to me the extra $100 is worth it so I can enjoy the trip a little more knowing that I am covered. (hopefully)



Also check the fine print on the "rental car coverage" that's included with your credit card. Most only provide coverage in their home country. Those that do provide coverage outside the "home country" generallly have a list of countries where the coverage is excluded.
I have three credit cards.
One provides secondary rental card coverage only in the USA and Canada. 
The other two provide "world-wide coverage with certain exclusions".  Both list the DR as excluded.