Rental car in Merida

I am planning to rent in car at Merida airport (MID) in November.

Does anyone have any advice on rental cars in Merida or Mexico in general? I rented a car in Cancun about two years ago from Avis and everything worked out fine, except for the huge hold on my CC.

So how do Alamo, Avis, Hertz and National compare in Mexico? I checked prices online and it seems they are not that far apart.

buy the full insurance. If you wreck, they will put you in jail until you can prove that you are financially able to pay all damages. Also, risk of damage to car with normal driving-pot holes, stars in the window. If you mess up the car, you are at the rent a car co.'s mercy.

I never buy in the US but always in Mexico

Herts, Avis etc.. large co.'s are very expensive compared to regional. You may want to make reservations (that you can no show without penalty) and when you get to the airport, bargain with everyone. I have had a confirmed reservation for 35$ a day and was able to rent the same car for 13$.

How long you renting the car for? What kind of car are you looking for? I noticed that the airport rental agencies have an extra 10% fee versus the car rental places at the Fiesta Americana. I went to the Fiesta Americana and walked around to the various agencies (There was about 5 places all next to each other) and asked for their best price.

Every place I went to included the full insurance in the price. In the end, we got a new Jetta (auto, AC, unlimited milage, etc) for 500 pesos/day (~$50/day) including all taxes which we kept for 4 days. This was from National Rental agency. Don't forget your frequent flyer number because most agencies will get points into other programs (I know Onepass does)

Here is something I wrote on Tripadvisor:
I just got back from Merida and driving was an experience, it would be similar to driving in NYC with smaller cars and lots of small motorcycles. Driving the highways was fine, no problems there.
Driving tips:
- In the city watch out for speed bumps, they seem to be everywhere with little warning except a sign on the side of the road.
- Don't expect to see much use of turn signals.
- Watch out for motorcycles and people walking, sometimes they just expect you to watch out for them. (I saw two accidents in one week both involving motorcycles)
- When getting gas make sure they reset the gas meter before pumping yours.
- If you are doing highway driving, ask them to check the tire pressure for it (because it gets so hot they usually lower the pressure to prevent blowouts.
- About the toll booths. I noticed that they accepted dollars and pesos, but the exchange was horrible. One toll road was 75pesos or $10 US. Not even close to 10:1

I am looking to rent a car for about 5-6 days. Online, I reserved a stick shift compact car with Avis (airport) but I did not provide any credit card or personal details so I can cancel anytime without penalty. Cost is about $400 for 6 days including all taxes and insurance. I also checked Alamo, Hertz and National. Prices are about the same.

A compact or midsize car is ok with me as long as it has AC, unlimited mileage and decent space for luggage. I do not care so much for frequent flyer miles on rental cars if I have to pay extra to get them.

I am not sure if I should forgo a reservation and try my luck when I get to Merida.

You can do much better. At that price you should be in a full size or suv. Try expedia or similar. Or see my advice above to bargain once you get at the airport.

I tried expedia, similar price. The cost is in the insurance, not so much the car itself. Insurance (LDW + ALI) is about $30 a day!

You can get the rental car down to about $10 bucks and then add the insurance.

Reserve what you have, and then when you arrive, bounce around from counter to counter and they will negotiate big time. They will beat each other's prices. It is almost comical. When they see what you are doing they will actually come up to you and grab your arm to come with them.

Make sure the insurance is full coverage.

Over the years, it's been my experience in Mexico that I could hire a car w/driver to be on call during my stay, ready to pick me and mine up and haul us about smartly if not in luxury during my stays. If you're not going to be in the car every day, a little planning can get the price well below what a rental car (with an over-priced insurance/ripoff policy) gathering dust and dents in the parking lot most of the time will run you. Besides, you can learn Spanish, absorb directions and locations, bone up on local folklore, find shopping easier (although often patronizing near and distant relatives of your driver). The downside comes if your driver is disliked by one or more members of the local policia, rurales, federales, parquedores, or the guardia de la noche.

Besides, do you really want to drive with all those crazy, often borracho turistas at the wheel of other vehicles?

BTW-This would be the best option. What I generally do is befriend the cab drivers that are contracted at the hotel. Hire them first through the hotel, then work out a direct arrangement with them on future trips in cash. I have made many long lasting friendships this way. I have even been invited to their homes for dinner.

IMO, you won't really need a car in M�rida itself, but it will come in handy for excursions to nearby archaeologial sites (the Puuc Hills sites, Chich�n Itz�, etc.) If you have a car rented on Sunday and stay in a downtown hotel, you may not even be able to drive it - "M�rida en Doningo" sees many street closures so pedestrians can enjoy the very active scene. I make it a point to show my visiting friends M�rida on Sunday - actually, the entire weekend is very nice!

As others have advised, arrive at the airport (you already have a reservation to fall back on) and troll for cheaper car rentals. Be sure you get comprehensive insurance: Mexico follows Napoleonic Code in its laws, meaning the insurance company is your bailor, and if you do not have one, you may be presumed guilty until you can get off the hook in the case of an accident (there is no presumption of innocence.)

Also be aware theft insurance will not cover items stolen from the car (like side mirrors,) and there is no coverage available for broken windows. If you have a digicam, it can't hurt to photo the vehicle you choose as well as be sure every missing item (jack, etc.) and ding is listed on the check sheet.

And do watch the "topes" (tow-pays) - the humps in the road that may or not be well marked, especially near villages (called "sleeping policemen" in some countries.) They can create serious havoc taken at any speed at all.

You may also be able to make a good deal with a taxi driver with a decent vehicle for your automotive needs - meaning the taxi driver / owner takes the risks and buys the gasoline, you have someone to watch your goods in the car, and to be dropped / picked up by at various locations. Consider it, at least.

we rented a dodge stratus for 5 days. Including babyseat and ALI (extra liability insurance), it cost us about $300 US with taxes. The babyseat was 25 dollars for the 5 days and the insurance was about 14 dollars per day. The actual cost of the car was not bad. Taxes are significant however.

Also note that if caught speeding, the police will take your license plates away and you can reclaim after paying a fine. We narrowly escaped this fate (not sure if we would have just had to abandon the car on the highway or not?)

Lorna

They only take one of the plates (at least my experience). You just go to the municipal police or whoever gave you the ticket, pay the fine, and they give it back. Last time I was pulled over and paid the fine it was 20pesos (2$)for running a stop sign.