Car rental companies Costa Rica
 

I have a 4X4 reserved from Budget. Anyone have experience renting from Budget at SJO? Anything I should know? Any other companies better recommended? I got a pretty good deal at Budget.

I've had good luck with VAMOS. A little older cars but the price for a Montero Sport Diesel was less than a mini SUV through Budget. I go several times a year and have always had good luck with them. The one time I used Budget, i had a flat and there wasn't a jack handle or lug-nut wrench in the car, so be sure you check before you drive off.

We rented from budget. We pick up on Thursday, so I will post any issues or concerns we come across

Please do - I found a great rate on Expedia for Budget and I am hoping it isn't too good to be true ;)
Will you post what was in addition to their rates at final billing?

Have a great trip!

will do. I never even thought to check expedia! we prepaid through the budget website(and we have a confirmation number but I notice our credit card has not been charged yet).
I have noticed that sometimes with travel sites like expedia or the others(travelocity would be the other in our experience) that hotels can give you more of a hassel at check-in. I'm curious if a rental company would as well? I have never rented a vehicle through them before, only rooms and flights.
Our cost was five days (counts as 4- 24hr periods) for automatic 4x4 small SUV about $120 total without additional insurance. There was also a $12 airport fee included in that total

Speaking of- Does anyone know if the Budget counter is hard to find in SJO?

I just checked out car rental prices on Expedia and they are shockingly low. The taxes and fees are only $7.60? Is this for real? Then there is a statement that says:

*Includes estimated taxes and fees. Car charges are billed at time of rental.

I am worried that I will make the reservation, show up, and then find out that the taxes and fees are really $200. I am skeptical.

So far, with our reservation, I have found that there is an insurance that is mandatory within Costa Rica called the SLI (about 14 per day) that must be taken, even if your credit card covers insurance.
If anyone knows more or can confirm this, I would appreciate it.

Yes, if your CC covers your insurance then you are required to get the 3rd party insurance. Mine, with Solid, was $8 per day.

We rented with Budget last week. The rental counter in the airport would be hard to miss- it was with the other companies. The line was slow and it was the only company with a line. I think this means their basic price was probably the cheapest.

I rented through Orbitz and also paid extra for insurance through them.

We also paid Budget for the mandatory insurance ($14 per day). I didn't ask if our car insurance at home would cover that mandatory part. I was just happy that I'd taken the Orbitz insurance rather than the daily insurance that Budget offered. (something like $21 per day plus another $13 per day if you didn't want a $1000 deductible - I don't remember the exact prices)

We also rented a GPS and that was in the same ballpark (somewhere between $11 and $14 per day).

We just got back. I have heard that the "mandatory insurance" is not really mandatory, but they will insist that it is and I am not one to argue. We reserved through budget and paid for 4- 24hr periods. We did agree to their "required" insurance and our $118 total went up to $189. We did not have any problems with the renal or the return of the rental. There were no issues with damage to the vehicle. The charge has not appeared on my cc statement yet, so I am waiting to see that. The one thing I didn't really care for with Budget is that they didn't really put prices on what you were signing. They are a professional company so I do not believe we will have issues with that.
We reserved a 4X4 automatic and that is what we got. The vehicle did not say 4x4 anywhere on it but the title/registration did say it was 4x4. We never had to use it though. I did hear from a few people who got a standard/stick and they had problems driving with the roads. If you are not used to a stick on a regular bases, it will be alot of effort to drive one on the CR roads. I would say an automatic is well worth the money for anyone who is curious.
Yes, Budget counter is easy to find. They shuttle you to the car from the airport.
One other pointer- either you prepay for gas at budget (say you are bringing the rental back empty) or you say you will bring the vehicle back with a full tank of gas. IF you say you are bringing it back full, they expect it back FULL. They will not except it even if the needle is just under full.
We were sent to go fill it all the way up, and another couple behind us did the same thing.
When you leave budget, you take a right to get back to the main road (#1)
when you return the rental, drive past Budget about two miles to a gas station and fill up there to make sure your tank is full. This station is close and easy to find, if you fill up before that you might go under the full mark before you return the car!