A friend ("S") JUST gave up living in Costa Rica (for Latvia) & returned a car she had been leasing from Budget Car Rental at SJO Airport (they also have one in Liberia Airport).
When "S" told me she was paying around $650/month (prices have since gone up) - my first reaction was “That seems quite high” but when you consider how EXPENSIVE buying a car is here, to say nothing of what a pain in the tush maintenance (finding let alone installing new parts!!), YOU don't need to do the marchamo or retive, maintenance - NADA!!!! To me, those things ALONE would make it WELL worth leasing!
Here’s what I pulled together after speaking to Helen in the office a few minutes ago:
MINIMUM PERIOD OF LEASE:
12 months
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Maintenance (they even include pickup/return &/or switch out the new car), inspections, marchamo & retive are covered PLUS THEY do it for you - PLUS - going on a trip? You can leave the car at their SJO or Liberia Airport location when you’re traveling & they’ll check out the car while you’re away!!! plus they provide you with an airport shuttle. It includes Deductible Coverage (meaning you only pay the deductible which is $1,300 for an Accident & $2,000 for a Theft), normal wear & tear, insurance (3rd party coverage), etc.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Foolish driving (drunk, drugs, fools [like driving across rivers, dirt/off-road, pot holes - these are my words/thoughts not Budget’s]).
MONTHLY RATE:
Varies on if it’s a new or used car & for new cars, length of lease.
Used: $720 (Toyota Yaris) to $1,602 (Toyota Prado-automatic, seats 7).
New: 12 months $728- $2,231. The price goes down on 24/36/48 month leases. (all subject to change)
PERK: When leasing a NEW vehicle, you get a FREE GPS (MUCH MUCH MUCH NEEDED in Costa Rica!!!)
DEPOSIT:
Used Car: 1 extra months deposit.
New Car: 2 extra months deposit.
(of course you loose this deposit if you don’t honor your contract)
WHAT’S NEEDED:
Individual/Private: Credit CARD (NO Debit Cards), Copy of all driver’s Passport, each Driver’s License & last 6 months credit card statements.
Corporate: Cedula Juridica, last fiscal period statements & Driver’s License of all who are driving it (extra drivers are free but you’ll need their driver’s license).
CONTACT:
Helen Esquivel speaks GOOD English & is at Budget’s SJO airport location (2-436-2000 / HEsquivel@Budget.co.cr).
***Make sure to tell Helen that Vicki with Costa Rica Resource Guide sent you & she’ll take GOOD care of you!!!***
Vicki in Escazu
http://CostaRicaResourceGuide.com
You say $650. per month. Here in Canada a low end car leases for $169. per month,plus your insurance. Something is very wrong in Costa Rica, mostly due to the excessive taxation which is imposed by the elite families that control the government in that country. For example: The import taxes on a refrigerator (a necessity of life) is over 80% I hope some day this rediculous excessive taxation vanishes, so that the people of Costa Rica can start living in some degree of prosperity.
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