Car Rental

MiamiDRGuy

Bronze
May 19, 2013
1,363
440
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I was browsing Enterprise and 2 weeks was at $267 but they require me to purchase nonsense insurance and it whipped up to $1,036.

I want to know what and where the best way and affordable? I'll be travelling in September.

Thanks
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
I was browsing Enterprise and 2 weeks was at $267 but they require me to purchase nonsense insurance and it whipped up to $1,036.

I want to know what and where the best way and affordable? I'll be travelling in September.

Thanks

Not sure what is the best deal but remember whoever you rent from will meet you at the airport, if requested, and drop off the car to you. Many rental companies will not rent the vehicle without you paying the optional insurance. They make extra money off you and are covered in full if you damage the car. Shop around on the internet. You should be able to find a better deal than that. Obviously is also depends on what size car you want. Where are you going to from the airport? It might be better to rent once you reach your destination.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,450
3,590
113
The biggest scam going all over the World with rental car companies is the "extra insurance". They will try to charge you somewhere around $20-30 per day. That would come to a one year rate of about $7,000-10,000.
 

irishpaddy

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,165
460
83
as much as I hate all car rental companys ...I would stick with the better known companys …...and if you have your credit card cover the insurance ...that should take care of that scam
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,450
3,590
113
as much as I hate all car rental companys ...I would stick with the better known companys …...and if you have your credit card cover the insurance ...that should take care of that scam

Yes, but some companies insist you take extra insurance no matter what. Especially in the DR. Best to avoid these.
 

MiamiDRGuy

Bronze
May 19, 2013
1,363
440
83
Answer to all posts above:

1) I was told Credit card compaines will not be accepted, I am required to purchase their insurance.

2) I am flying into SDQ, by the way.


Here what they quoted me as:

VEHICLE
Intermediate
Nissan Versa Or Similar - Automatic
$ 261.04
Unlimited Mileage Included

EXTRAS
Third Party Liability $ 126.00
Enterprise Protection Package $ 374.50
Collision Damage Waiver And Theft Protection $ 273.00

TAXES & FEES
Airport Fee 10 Pct (10.0%) $ 103.45
Veh License Recover Fee $1.25/Day $ 17.50
Value Added Tax (18.0%) $ 207.99

ESTIMATED TOTAL
$1,363.48

Crazy huh? I wouldn't pay for that much only for 2 weeks lol
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,450
3,590
113
I know someone that used to rent from Enterprise in the DR. He never paid any extras. Just refused and they rented it to him anyway. But this was about 10 years ago.
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
57
48
I was browsing Enterprise and 2 weeks was at $267 but they require me to purchase nonsense insurance and it whipped up to $1,036.

I want to know what and where the best way and affordable? I'll be travelling in September.

Thanks

Upon arrival find a taxi and ask him to get you to the the Rental Business near las Americas on the way out from the airport and there are a few also located across the elevado from Las Americas hwy.

Don't rent at the airport unless you are willing to be ripped off.
 

USA DOC

Bronze
Feb 20, 2016
3,158
753
113
...remember that size matters, big is not better in a car in RD...If you are used to the way people drive here(I think few are) then get that big Jeepeta... I have found that a small car is much easier in the insane traffic, and to park in tight places...save the big is always better for the chicas........Doc........
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
57
48
...remember that size matters, big is not better in a car in RD...If you are used to the way people drive here(I think few are) then get that big Jeepeta... I have found that a small car is much easier in the insane traffic, and to park in tight places...save the big is always better for the chicas........Doc........

Actually, IMO - bigger is indeed better here, with the high probabilities of an accident, I rather be in a Jeppeta than in a small Sedan.
 

jimmythegreek

Bronze
Dec 4, 2008
1,066
4
0
Actually, IMO - bigger is indeed better here, with the high probabilities of an accident, I rather be in a Jeppeta than in a small Sedan.

Not mentioned also is the fact that driving around in a sedan, you could fall into a hole literally with the size of pot holes on these roads here. Jeepeta all around is just better for driving here.
 

mofongoloco

Silver
Feb 7, 2013
3,002
9
38
The price sounds right to me. take video of the car in the lot before you move it. hood, roof, wheel wells. costs less than Colombia. In Mexico the car is often $1 a day, just an excuse to sell the insurance.
 

Dr_Taylor

New member
Oct 18, 2017
351
2
0
I was browsing Enterprise and 2 weeks was at $267 but they require me to purchase nonsense insurance and it whipped up to $1,036.

I want to know what and where the best way and affordable? I'll be travelling in September.

Thanks
If you insist upon renting from a well-established international brand, try Hertz. The counter is across the street from the terminal near the garage. I used it several times over the years, and only purchased the personal liability for me. AMEX takes care of the car. I also used Highway Rent-a-Car, which is an off-site company near the airport and will pick you up. It provides very good customer service, and assisted me when a moto hit me.
 

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
2,105
739
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Although you do not HAVE to take the various insurances some agents will claim that you do because they get commissions for selling it. Ask for a manager and you "should" get them to drop it from being mandatory. Many of the large rental companies are owned by the same person (this is not common knowledge and is against his franchise agreements with the franchisors in the states). Confirm with your credit card company before assuming every card covers you because not all do. Most cards have limits, i.e. won't cover larger pass vans and won't cover over 30 day period.
I was in that dirty business for TOO long. I ran Miami for one company with a 2,500 car fleet and I can tell you that yes the insurance is a profit center however there were many Monday mornings when I walked over to the maintenance lot to check out the wrecks from the weekend. Rental agreements were on the dashboards and the first thing I checked was insurance accepted or declined. If accepted (and no violation to the contract) we ate the damage. Not that uncommon to have a total wreck where we were on the hook for 100% of the damage. (no insurance company offers rental car companies collision (many not even liability) . - I vote for larger vehicle here in the D.R. I feel it is much safer. I own a Chevy Avalanche.
 

Texsan

New member
Sep 9, 2013
7
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0
I have read, I think on this site, that if someone is injured in an accident in the DR that you are automatically detained in preventive custody even if you have insurance. Is that correct?
 

PCMike

Active member
Aug 30, 2008
311
220
43
All this yap about "get a big vehicle. Not certain if many of you get out much, but I have logged 115,000km over the past 2 years driving all over the country... point to point to point. I have not seen many of those huge potholes some speak of. Sure, there are a few, but the same back home. I don't just stick to the main roads either. Yes, if you are off to the campo in the mountains, an SUV is best. But for everyday driving, do not expect to loose your car in a hole. BTW...the most common vehicle I see flipped over on the autopista..big SUV's.
 

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
2,105
739
113
All this yap about "get a big vehicle. Not certain if many of you get out much, but I have logged 115,000km over the past 2 years driving all over the country... point to point to point. I have not seen many of those huge potholes some speak of. Sure, there are a few, but the same back home. I don't just stick to the main roads either. Yes, if you are off to the campo in the mountains, an SUV is best. But for everyday driving, do not expect to loose your car in a hole. BTW...the most common vehicle I see flipped over on the autopista..big SUV's.

Have you driven up the Auto pista Duarte lately? FULL of holes. I too have driven all over the country and yes the roads are much better than they used to be but I still like driving a truck that is a bit high up. The other reason is the lack of drainage when it rains hard. How many cars drive can't drive through the streets when they turn into rivers? Some are foolish enough to let it get into their system and shut the car down but even if you get through and only have some water come through the floor boards that smell is not leaving anytime soon. I can slowly drive through with no problem.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,328
113
I have read, I think on this site, that if someone is injured in an accident in the DR that you are automatically detained in preventive custody even if you have insurance. Is that correct?

That can happen if you at the scene.....
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
1,535
512
113
All this yap about "get a big vehicle. Not certain if many of you get out much, but I have logged 115,000km over the past 2 years driving all over the country... point to point to point. I have not seen many of those huge potholes some speak of. Sure, there are a few, but the same back home. I don't just stick to the main roads either. Yes, if you are off to the campo in the mountains, an SUV is best. But for everyday driving, do not expect to loose your car in a hole. BTW...the most common vehicle I see flipped over on the autopista..big SUV's.

I've driven all over the country for the past 10 years. While I have also traveled long distances in a sedan occasionally, I do not prefer that in any way. Not sure which country you are from as you say that "sure, there are a few, but the same back home"... I'm European, and the quality of DR roads and the roads in my country is like night and day.

On the same mentioned Autopista Duarte, there were just up until a few months ago (I think), these huge repetitive potholes on the bridges crossing La Vega. I saw them always and made corrective movements, but I can only imagine how does a small vehicle react when it hits those holes at 50-60 mph...

Also what Garyexpat already said, it's not just the the potholes, it's the open water drainages on every street corner, blocked drainage spitting all the filthy water to the street... Just in June, I was in HOMS with my wife, we departed for Puerto Plata in the afternoon, in a heavy rain, and went through the circunvalacion. I saw some sedans stuck in the water, while we, with our full-size SUV as you would call it in the US, got home safe, dry, and quickly...

I too, only prefer large vehicles in the country, as another reason for this is to be slightly above of the headlights of at least some of the other vehicles, so that you see better forward in dark. Bear in mind, in my country, SUVs and more so full-size SUVs with V6 engines and above, are unheard of. Only small sedans, station wagons and other vehicles that consume almost zero gas. Then again, as said, the roads in my country and the DR do not compare in any way. Nor do the drivers.