It sounds like the way to go if you are going to rent a car, is to make reservations to have someone pick you up from the SJO airport and take you to their rental agency (to avoid the 12% tax). In my case, I also need to drop off my car in Samara. Sounds like a lot of stuff to try to reserve online. How do you guys do it? I might also be somewhat limited as to which agency to use since I need the drop off to be at the airport near samara. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Contact the rental agency online and establish e-mail with one someone to help you with your arrangements. We have used Dollar and Tricolor both numerous times with excellent experiences.

For your special arrangements, Dollar might be able to accomodate you easier, but do check with Tricolor as I think the offer among the best rates in the country. Both are near the airport. Dollar actually has an office in the airport, but a shuttle comes to take you to their off airport property.

We've booked by working with Ivan Segura for Dollar--www.dollarcostarica.com

Cynthia Segura (suppose they're related with Tricolor. E-mail is [email protected]

It's as simple as that. Others probably would cringe, but I send my credit card info by e-mail, and they send me a confirmation number.

I'll do some checking and see if I can locate Ivan Segura's e-mail address.

[email protected]

My goodness, so many typos--I really should proof more often!

Also thought to mention--Tricolor (and all the others) will request your flight information. They will have someone there to meet you out in front of the airport with your name on a placard. Works like a charm. We were through the airport and out of the rental agency on our way in 45 minutes last week. No checked luggage helps!

How did we do it? We took a taxi to our San Jose area hotel (Finca Rosa Blanca)on arrival and asked the ladies there to help us rent a car the next morning. The car was delivered to us at Finca right after breakfast, and the drop off was at the international airport.

If you are dropping off in Samara in conjunction with taking a Nature Air or Sansa flight, you will just drop it off at the airstrip. You may incur a drop fee for Samara, though. Some car rental agencies waive the drop fee for closer/heavily travled destinations like Manuel Antonio, etc.....

You guys rock. I contacted Cinthia at Tricolor. (Dollar was sold out) Her price was $466 for the cheapest 4wd. The drop off fee is $55. I hope that is not too much... Is it?

I guess I should have specified that the price she gave me was for 8 days. Do you think I could do better????

This is probably about right for the high season. We rented the cheapest 4X4 from them in March for one week at a cost of about $300, so it does seems a little steep to me. Are you sure it is one of the small SUV's? Drop off fee is always about $50. That's reasonable. Remember her prices will include all taxes, fees, and insurance.