Question Cancun Airport Rental Car Recommendations

[GF99/99]

Hi All,

Heading down to Tulum for a month of cave diving and I need a rental car. I usually use Hertz (which is not actually Hertz its just a Mexican company that has the license to use the Hertz logo and its actually multiple car rental companies all in one) but I noticed that a new company call Routes comes up on several rental car searches and the prices seems like one of those "too good to be true" scams. Has anyone every used Routes car rental or knows anyone that has?

Or does anyone have any recommendations for a good budget car rental company?

 

[Underwater Tourist]

I used Mex Rent A Car several times without any issues (I chose them because someone recommended them in a different SB thread).

Great pricing especially if you book in advance. I just came back 1 week ago from Mexico and rented a mini for 21usd/day including windshield + tires extra insurance. The only thing that wasn't covered is full theft that would have 10% deductible. You can choose it as an add on naturally

You will have to take a 3minute shuttle from the airport to their location.

Return/Pick was pretty quick

Also two trips ago I totally should have been charged for a scratch, but they were chill about it. And more generally they are not too anal when you return the car (maybe I was just lucky with the person, never know of course..)



As an fyi, there is an airport in Tulum now so you don't have to fly to cancun

 

[GF99/99]

Thank for the info on Mex Rent A Car. Ill have a look.

Yeah I know about the Tulum Airport but I am using United (Im 1K so I get 3 free 70lbs checked bags) and there connections are horrible to get to Tulum, ends up being almost 24hr travel time. Cancun has much better connections so I would rather just drive the 2hr.

 

[elgringoperdido]

I have used Budget, Alamo, and Europcar at Cancún. I prefer Budget, generally. Many years ago they had 5-speed VW bugs for $19 per day, unlimited mileage, at Budget. I haven't seen that lately. All my experiences were good except with Europcar. That was five years ago. They "upgraded" me because the cheap one I rented wasn't available and gave me a bigger car with only 4000 km on the odometer. When I returned it I saw they guy make a note "rayon" on the check-in sheet. I asked "¿un rayon, donde está?" and he pointed it out to me. I ended up paying $175 for a scratch. I have no idea how the scratch got there.

I did learn a valuable lesson this past summer. (Not in Mexico but perhaps relevant advice so I'll mention it.) My son and I flew into Paris and rented a car there for three weeks. Alamo. They didn't have the super-cheap small car I rented either so they "upgraded" me. I got a suburban assault vehicle. Not what I'm used to, but I accepted it. It was a Renault Arkana. It turned out to be grand. Automatic transmission (also not what I'm used to but easy to drive), a GPS, frigid AC, super clean with very few miles on it. I was very careful with it, even on the Mediterranean beaches and dive shops I was careful not to get any sand in the car.

When we returned it the woman found a big scratch ("rayure") that I had never noticed. I started waving my arms and complaining "J'étais très prudent!" (I didn't scratch this car. I don't know how this rayure got there, etc.) When she went to the Avis office to get some paperwork, my son pulled out his phone and showed me a photo. It was timestamped on the day we rented the car. He said he noticed the big scratch and photographed it. We showed it to her and she was satisfied that it was there when we rented it. I was so happy. He probably saved me several hundred dollars with that photo. I bought him a big steak and a bottle of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Well, I drank most of the bottle. But we both had a big celebratory dinner.

Moral of the story: Go over every square inch of that car and take photos.

 

[h2o_hamilton]

Hi All,

Heading down to Tulum for a month of cave diving and I need a rental car. I usually use Hertz (which is not actually Hertz its just a Mexican company that has the license to use the Hertz logo and its actually multiple car rental companies all in one) but I noticed that a new company call Routes comes up on several rental car searches and the prices seems like one of those "too good to be true" scams. Has anyone every used Routes car rental or knows anyone that has?

Or does anyone have any recommendations for a good budget car rental company?

I usually use budget around the world. I’ve tried that twice in Cancun and the shuttle flatly does NOT show. The Fox Rental Car and Europcar people float around the shuttle area, however, with “special promotions”. To be honest, I took them up on their offer and cancelled the Budget rental on the spot. It worked out well but makes me wonder if Budget is even real in Cancun.

 

[VikingDives]

I've used Yes rental car the last five or six times I've been in Mexico. Reasonable rates, they pick you up, and they aren't too bad about scratches and dings.

Do photo/video your car though. I had an instance where I did that and the video caught something the guy giving me the car, and I, didn't see. When I came back, the attendant found it, and I pulled out the video to see if the damage was new.

I didn't even have to argue, she saw the video and said, "Not your fault."

Also, FWIW, video your AirBnB before you leave. . . I had a guy claim that I left the door open and the AC on when I left. I won that, but now I do an exit video for every place I stay.

 

[BRT]

I've used Yes rental car the last five or six times I've been in Mexico. Reasonable rates, they pick you up, and they aren't too bad about scratches and dings.

Do photo/video your car though. I had an instance where I did that and the video caught something the guy giving me the car, and I, didn't see. When I came back, the attendant found it, and I pulled out the video to see if the damage was new.

I didn't even have to argue, she saw the video and said, "Not your fault."

Also, FWIW, video your AirBnB before you leave. . . I had a guy claim that I left the door open and the AC on when I left. I won that, but now I do an exit video for every place I stay.

+1 on Yes car rental. They have treated me the same way!

 

[GF99/99]

Thanks all for the info. I used Budget the first time I was down there and also Thrifty (but I don't think they exist anymore) and then I started using Hertz but Ill have another look at some of the others that everyone has listed.

I have used Budget, Alamo, and Europcar at Cancún. I prefer Budget, generally. Many years ago they had 5-speed VW bugs for $19 per day, unlimited mileage, at Budget. I haven't seen that lately. All my experiences were good except with Europcar. That was five years ago. They "upgraded" me because the cheap one I rented wasn't available and gave me a bigger car with only 4000 km on the odometer. When I returned it I saw they guy make a note "rayon" on the check-in sheet. I asked "¿un rayon, donde está?" and he pointed it out to me. I ended up paying $175 for a scratch. I have no idea how the scratch got there.

I did learn a valuable lesson this past summer. (Not in Mexico but perhaps relevant advice so I'll mention it.) My son and I flew into Paris and rented a car there for three weeks. Alamo. They didn't have the super-cheap small car I rented either so they "upgraded" me. I got a suburban assault vehicle. Not what I'm used to, but I accepted it. It was a Renault Arkana. It turned out to be grand. Automatic transmission (also not what I'm used to but easy to drive), a GPS, frigid AC, super clean with very few miles on it. I was very careful with it, even on the Mediterranean beaches and dive shops I was careful not to get any sand in the car.

When we returned it the woman found a big scratch ("rayure") that I had never noticed. I started waving my arms and complaining "J'étais très prudent!" (I didn't scratch this car. I don't know how this rayure got there, etc.) When she went to the Avis office to get some paperwork, my son pulled out his phone and showed me a photo. It was timestamped on the day we rented the car. He said he noticed the big scratch and photographed it. We showed it to her and she was satisfied that it was there when we rented it. I was so happy. He probably saved me several hundred dollars with that photo. I bought him a big steak and a bottle of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Well, I drank most of the bottle. But we both had a big celebratory dinner.

Moral of the story: Go over every square inch of that car and take photos.

I've used Yes rental car the last five or six times I've been in Mexico. Reasonable rates, they pick you up, and they aren't too bad about scratches and dings.

Do photo/video your car though. I had an instance where I did that and the video caught something the guy giving me the car, and I, didn't see. When I came back, the attendant found it, and I pulled out the video to see if the damage was new.

I didn't even have to argue, she saw the video and said, "Not your fault."

Also, FWIW, video your AirBnB before you leave. . . I had a guy claim that I left the door open and the AC on when I left. I won that, but now I do an exit video for every place I stay.

Yes very good points about doing videos when you rent a car or anything really.

I ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS do a full detailed video and make sure to get the rental car guys face in the video as well and also get down low and try and shoot some of the underside of the car as well as the rims/wheels/tires. I once had a company try and say I scratched up one of the rims and I needed to pay for a replacement rim. Also had another company tell me I damaged the tires. Also open the trunk and do a video of the spare tire, jack, tools in the back. I had a friend have a company charge him for the spare tire and tools because it was not in the back when he returned it but obviously when he rented it to being with there was nothing there but he just never looked.

Also do a very good inspection of the windshield for cracks/chips. And if your ever in Asia and you rent a scooter NEVER!! give your passport, drivers license etc. as a "deposit" It is amazing how many tourist I see just give up the passport when the scooter guy ask for it as a "deposit" and then come time to return the scooter they come up with all kinds of extra charges and they are forced to pay it since the guy has there passport and will not give it back until they pay.

My other pro tip is pick up a cheap tarp cut it in half and line the trunk with one half and the back seat with the other. When your hauling tanks and rebreathers around the jungle for a month it keeps the car a lot cleaner.

Also when it comes time to return the car stop by the car wash on your way and get it washed and vacuumed. Especially if you were just using it for a month of cave diving. When you return a shiny clean car the guys usually just do a quick over on it and sign off the paper work.