Archive for the ‘Cars’ Category

Driving And Renting A Car In Costa Rica

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Driving in Costa Rica is not for everyone. So make sure you know what you’re getting into before getting behind the wheel of a car in Costa Rica. The following are the 7 most frequently asked questions about driving in Costa Rica. These questions come in from my popular podcast about Costa Rica from folks from the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

1. What type of cars are available for rent?

Renting a car in Costa Rica is more expensive than in the U.S. so most people rent the smaller more compact cars that are a little cheaper.

Prices vary and during the high season you will pay more. Around $20 or more per day. Renting during Christmas/New Years will add another $50 or more per week. I looked at five car rental company cars in Costa Rica and the average for renting a small car like a Toyota Yaris will cost around $205 per week. Please note this doesn’t include the required by law insurance which will add at least $10-20 per day. So you’re looking at $250-300 to rent a small car per week.

You will find all the major car rental Costa Rica agencies such as Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Budget, and others.

2. Is driving a good idea?

It depends. Driving in Costa Rica compared to other countries can be a very scary proposition for most. Costa Rica has one of the highest vehicle accident rates in the world. Traffic laws and speed limits are often ignored. Crazy and illegal turns across lanes of traffic are common. Turn signals are rarely used and dangerous passing is common. So you might driving on your lane when all of a sudden here comes a car in your lane going the wrong way because they’re passing on a blind spot. The roads are in poor condition, and large potholes which could cause serious damage to your car is common.

Although the road conditions in the beach areas are worse the actual driving isn’t as scary since there is less traffic and since the roads aren’t the best people tend to drive a little slower.

I like to have my own transportation so renting a car is something I like to do but it all depends on your comfort level. I’ve had friends and family who had never driven outside of the U.S. they found driving to be scary but a fun adventure. So just take it easy and slow and you will be fine. Don’t worry about the other drivers, just do your thing.

3. Do I need car rental insurance?

By law you will need the INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros) liability insurance regardless of your own car insurance coverage or credit card coverage. The insurance required by law is known as TPL, SLI, SLC or API. The cost ranges from $10-20 USD per day depending on the vehicle. This insurance only covers damages to other people, cars, or property. You will need to buy supplemental coverage to cover damages to the rental car or yourself. However your own car insurance policy or credit card might cover that so call your insurance agent at home before leaving for Costa Rica and ask him or her if your insurance policy covers you for damages in Costa Rica. You might also want to call your credit card issuer and ask them the same question. If your own policy covers you in Costa Rica you’re set and you don’t need the supplemental coverage. If they do not cover you, then I suggest taking out a supplemental policy offered by Costa Rica car rental agencies.

Optional-CDW or LDW – collision damage waiver which covers the cost of the car’s deductible amount which varies depending on the type of car and agency. The cost will range between $10-20 USD per day.

Optional-Zero Liability – This will reduce your liability to zero against theft and vandalism, for example, the cost for this insurance is between $5-20 USD per day depending on the agency and car.

As you can see the supplemental insurance cost can add up fast so it’s important that you check with your insurance agent and your credit card company since you might not even need the optional/supplemental coverage.

If your insurance agent gives you the thumbs up do me a favor and get it in writing! You don’t want any surprises.

4. What are car rental requirements in Costa Rica?

Requirements may vary depending on the car agency you use so check with them. Most require a valid driver’s license (one from your home state or country is fine), a valid passport with your entry stamp, the Costa Rica mandated liability insurance, and you must be at least 21 years of age.

5. Is it safe to drive at night?

The problem driving at night is not crime, it’s just the unsafe driving and poor road conditions which are compounded even worse when you have poor visibility. The roads are not lit up well and it gets pitch dark after 6:00 PM making it unsafe to drive for an inexperienced driver.

6. What are road conditions like?

The road conditions are very poor compared to the super highways of the United States or the Autobahn in Germany. Drivers have to contend with unsafe driving habits of motorists, huge potholes, and even the highway is a two-lane road. The roads get worse during the rainy season since road washouts from the mudslides from the mountains are common.

7. What side of the road do they drive on in Costa Rica?

On the right hand side, like in the U.S. and Canada.

One final tip

Make a copy of the profile page of your passport and your entry stamp and carry that with you along with your car rental papers. You might get stopped by police and you will need to show this to them. Do no carry your passport with you just make copies. The Costa Rican government now allows you to carry copies instead of your actual passport.

Use Dealer Chat Software to Generate Auto Sales Leads

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

The internet is an incredible source for people to find the things they want or need. In today’s fast paced world, the internet is usually the first place people begin their search. That’s why the internet is one of the best sources a business can use to capture more customers and increase sales considerably.

Automotive dealers benefit substantially by presenting their merchandise and services on the internet. Having an attractive and comprehensive website is a great start, but it takes more than a static website to engage visitors in an effort to increase auto sales leads. Dealers are realizing that adding Dealer chat software to their website helps increase auto sales leads.

Studies show that most dealers convert less than 2% of their website traffic to auto sales leads. Dealer chat can increase the dealer’s current lead conversion by up to 60%. Dealer chat is proven to generate more auto sales leads from unique website visitors and improve customer satisfaction. This increase of auto sales leads is over and above the leads already being generated by quote and ?contact us’ forms.

Many dealers depend solely on Third-Party auto sales leads to drive showroom traffic. The majority of the time, it takes a salesman 2-3 attempts to contact the customer. After contacting the customer, it takes another few attempts to script the customer into an appointment. There are some leads that you will never reach.

In other very common instances, customers from third-party lead sources realize that they were on a website that had nothing to do with automotive sales and their ?lead’ was obtained. By targeting a dealership’s own website traffic and engaging in conversation using Dealer chat software, the chance of an ?invalid? or ?dead? lead is nearly eliminated as the consumer has already made their way to the dealerships site. They’re already interested in what the dealership is selling.

Regular advertising and marketing techniques work to drive traffic to a website. Auto dealers invest large amounts of funds to attract visitors and to increase traffic. Driving traffic to the website is just not enough. Dealer chat software, on the other hand, engages visitors and generates more auto sales leads from already existing site traffic. Dealer chat software helps maximize the dealers return on investment. The cost of implementing dealer chat software applications on a dealer’s website is well outweighed by the benefits of increased sales.

Once a customer finds themselves on a dealer website, they’ll spend some time browsing the available vehicles and different specifics. A large amount of internet visitors find their way on websites late at night ? often after normal dealership business hours. Unless dealers have 24/7 salesmen on staff, they will lose countless opportunities to answer customer questions and address issues that may arise during their online shopping experience.

Numerous auto dealers from all over the US and Canada are experiencing the benefits that Dealer chat software has to offer. Adding Dealer chat software is the best way dealers can improve their lead conversion, sell more vehicles, and maximize their return on investment.

For more resources please review http://www.carchat24.ca

Inexpensive auto insurance for you

Monday, March 1st, 2010

There are several amounts of people who find themselves desperate to find an vehicle insurance policy that will be of fantastic use for their objective. There are lots of varieties of auto insurance policy which have been accessible and hence it is required to choose the insurance variety that will be of fantastic use to your car.

The auto insurance are staying provided by different insurance policies providers and thus it is necessary to select the provider that could be delivering you with utmost place of benefits. You will discover also some folks who will likely be greatly enthusiastic about purchasing an car insurance policy that should be furnished at low high quality costs but at the same time is going to be offering good coverage. The car insurance calculator will probably be of fantastic use fro calculating the advanced rates to the insurance level which you’re desiring to acquire. You’ll find some insurance policies that will be customized according for your choice.

The high risk auto insurance is going to be a fabulous choice for all individuals people who find themselves suing an old fancy auto and for drivers who are subjected towards rash driving.

Affordable auto pieces for efficient replacement

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Despite the fact that there are repeated and repeated news that the scientists have created specific alloys that possess the capabilities of protecting themselves from different wears and tars by rejuvenation there has never been even a single car which has been with that ability.

It is quite popular that some of the automobile elements get repaired regularly and there arises a must substitute it. The auto parts the cheap vehicle stages can be availed in two approaches, it can either be portion in some shops or perhaps a second hand car be bought and also the spare pieces is usually utilised on your objective. Right here within this on the web store you can be ready to find assortment of spare components that may be of good good quality as well as the price of these car stages is going to be of extremely low assortment. Surely there won’t be any troubles for replacement alternative due towards fantastic character of this vehicle components and the precise design with which these are being created.

There will be list of several auto components which might be obtainable within this on-line internet site which will just serve to be a virtual catalogue. You possibly can check out this site to get wide variety of products and the items shall be shipped in rapid period of time.

How O2 Sensors Fight Pollution?

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

As the name suggests, oxygen sensors are used to monitor the level of oxygen in the engine of the car. An oxygen sensor is fitted on the exhaust pipes of almost every car that was made after 1980. It is mounted between the catalytic converter and exhaust manifold. This sensor monitors the presence of oxygen in the emissions from the car and sends signals to the car’s management computer about it.

This sensor is one of the least known, yet most important parts of the car. Most O2 sensors use a zirconium ceramic bulb as the sensing element. The bulb is coated with platinum on both sides. The internal part of this bulb is vented through the body of the sensor and the external part bears the hot gases coming out of the exhaust pipe.

After sensing the amount of oxygen in the emissions, the sensor generates a voltage which is used by the car’s computer to detect the imbalance in the fuel/oil ratio in the engine. As we all know, gasoline engines run on a mixture of oxygen and fuel. In order to work efficiently, the ration between oxygen and fuel should be 14:7. Any imbalance in this ratio can not only damage the car, but also create a lot of air pollution.

Thus, we can say that having a good and perfectly working O2 sensor in our car can help us fight pollution and global warming. Let’s see the ways in which oxygen sensors help curb pollution:

Besides environment, air fuel ratio sensor also helps you save money. More mileage and efficient usage of fuel naturally results in more savings. You save hundreds of dollars on your monthly bills because of the oxygen sensors in your car. Don’t believe us? Then, ask any expert mechanic to give you an estimate on how much will your car’s mileage will be if you remove the oxygen sensor. The answer will shock.

It is a fact that cars cause pollution. But there are some parts which help decrease this pollution to certain extent. It is your moral and social duty to maintain those parts in perfect condition.

What’s the easiest way to sell a car?

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

Selling a car is a real headache for most people. Tyre kickers, advertising costs, day trippers, test-pilots, dealers and dreamers are all issues for anyone selling a car.

Let’s assume you are buying another car – new or slightly used.? If it’s a private sale then the seller is not likely to want to take your old car in part-exchange.? If you are buying from a dealer a part-ex may appeal, but it can leave you out of pocket.

A private sale is usually a testing and time consuming experience.? Firstly you have to advertise the car – maybe in Autotrader, on Ebay, in another online directory, or maybe advertise it in your local paper.? Secondly you have to photograph the car, and make sure it’s attractive in the pictures.? Usually that means when it’s not raining (or snowing!) – and when it’s light. Finding an hour to take pics of the car in Britain isn’t always as easy as it sounds……

You have to wash it first.? Take your car to the nearest car wash and give it a through cleaning, both interior and exterior. Remove every thing from the boot, back seats, and floor.

Don’t spend money fixing the car if it has any mechanical and electrical faults, unless it’s very minor like replacing the fuse or a bulb. If it has any more major faults you need to be honest to the buyer if they come to view.

You have to pay to advertise.? Advertising doesn’t come with money-back guarantees, but you’ve paid the money, uploaded the pictures and you’re sat waiting by the phone.?? Sadly the most frequent callers for advertised cars are other advertisers trying to get you to advertise with them instead.? When you do get an interested caller you have to make sure it’s clean (again), and arrange a time for them to view the car. ? Maybe they will turn up, maybe they won’t.

The next problem – do you really want strangers coming to your home? ? It’s OK for bright, young confident men to show their car to prospective buyers, but what if you are a single lady, or perhaps not confident with strangers?

And what are you going to do if the potential purchaser wants a test drive?? What about the insurance?? What if they want the car inspected and you have to take more time off work?? If the sale does go through, how are they going to pay for the car?? Is the cash real money or have they printed it at home?? Will the Banker’s Draft turn out to be a forgery?

So what about a part-ex with the dealership? Unless you really know the market you’ll be like Geoff Boycott on Day 5 of a test match – always on the back foot.? It’s the dealer’s job to beat you down on price.

Most car dealerships specialise.? They are called dealer franchises.? Let’s say you have got a Focus and want a Mondeo.? The Ford dealer might give you a decent part-ex offer because they know what your Focus is worth.? They might even resell it on their forecourt.? If you’ve got a Ford though and want an Audi or a Fiat you won’t get the best price for your Ford because the dealer will have to resell it within the trade.? Why is that a problem?? It’s a problem because the Audi dealer doesn’t really know what your Focus is worth, so they will build in a margin for error.? That means they will offer you less than it’s worth just in case they make a mistake.

Even if your dealer is a main franchised dealer and you are buying the same make again, you get either a good part-ex price or a discount off the price of your new car – not both.

And what if you aren’t changing your car?? What if you are emigrating, going travelling for a year or getting a company car?? Then you are back to a private sale….and we know the problems that involves!

There is now another option.??That Car Buyer offer a quick, no fuss alternative.

Our aim is to make the selling process simple and free, all you need to do is go to?That Car Buyer and enter the registration number and current mileage of your car along with some basic information and you get an instant no obligation offer for your vehicle.

This solves the problems of selling your car without trying to sell it yourself, and puts you in pole position with the dealer if you are buying a new car.? You can take the money and negotiate a discount off your new car, or if you don’t need another car just leave the money in the bank.

When you accept the website offer, we will arrange to pick up your car when it’s convenient, free of charge. We pay the money direct into your account before we take it away. Selling online with?That Car Buyer is really easy!

Columbus Ohio Auto Insurance Quotes

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Safety is one of the vital and essential things in human life. It is difficult to drive the auto by following all the rules and regulation framed by traffic organization. No one provide assurance for accident free trip, because accident occurs unexpectedly. Even small accidents can cause more loss to the owner. There are some organized procedure is there in Ohio to get auto insurance. The process is normal and very clean to the users. There is no trouble in getting the auto insurance in Ohio. Auto insurance not only includes physical harm to the auto, it also includes failure of some component, breakdown, etc. The insurance money is very much small compared to other states. If you want to get the auto insurance immediately then it is superior to contact the insurance brokers. Some of the car companies offer free brokerage for the valid consumers. This kind of offers attracts most of the people in Ohio. If you like to live a safety life then quickly get the insurance for your auto. Your family safety mainly depends on your safety and how you protect your assets. The unexpected circumstances comes to life for every human being, so we require to face that situation effectively.

If your on the look out for Auto insurance you should browse to Dayton Ohio Auto Insurance Quotes if you are from Dayton Ohio or for the best quotes in the Columbus Area browse to Columbus Ohio Auto Insurance Quotes for the best Quotes and get your insurance premium down.

Tips to Get the Best Discount Car Rental

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Contrary to popular belief, car rental rates are not set in stone. Often, discounts can be found by doing your research, and simply asking for them. Rental companies are eager to rent out cars they are not using. Cars sitting on a lot are not making them any money.

Here are some tips to get best discount car rental rates

Do your research. Costa Rica Car Rental research can be done online, on the phone, or by reading newspapers magazines or even your mail. It is important to compare the rates from various car rentals. Most car rental companies web sites, where they will show you rates for various locations. Also check the travel comparison web sites to compare companies against each other.

You can also get on the horn to the car rental companies, but this takes more time. Check the business and travel sections of your local newspaper and check the inserts in your credit card bills. Often, you will find discount coupons in those places.

Book early. If you are planning your trip several months in advance, check car rental prices available at that time. If you find what you consider fair, go ahead and lock it in. You can change it later, if you find a better rate. Many times, car rental companies will give deep discounts to early renters.

Book late. As the time for your trip approaches, Car Rental Costa Rica discounts may be found as car rental try to unload their excess inventory. Like I said, cars that are just sitting around aren’t doing anyone any good.

Pick your car in town. You pay a price for the convenience of picking up your car at the airport. Ask your rental car company, about how much it would cost to pick up your car in town. Normally, free shuttles are provided from the airport to the car rental location.

Get the smallest car available. Determine the number of passengers traveling with you and the amount of their luggage, and then get the smallest car that you will all comfortably fit in. Ideally, the car rental will be out of this car and will upgrade you for free to the next higher class. You can also ask about complementary upgrades.

Ask about discounts. Ask your car rental if there are discounts for a weekly versus a daily rental, or if there are discounts for memberships, or other organizations. If you work for a large company, ask about corporate rental rates.

Gas up your car before returning it. I remember when car rental would charge more than three dollars a gallon to gas up your car up on return. These days, that would almost be worth it. However, car rental are charging a whole lot more than that for a gallon of gas. You can save a lot of money by putting the gas in yourself on your way to return the car.

By following these tips, you can get a better rate on car rentals just about anywhere in the world. Have a great trip!

Tips and advices about car shipping

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Each of us is preoccupied about shipping his car safely, so this job should be made by an experienced auto shipping company. So if you want your vehicle moved from A to B all you have to do is call an auto shipping company. It is both cheap and safe. Before you do that, you should search some information about the company that will ship your car, like how long they have been in business, what services can offer you and at what price.

There are many companies that offer very good car transport services, and you have the possibility to choose the ones that provide the fastest car shipping service or the cheapest one. Many car shipping companies provide special rates depending the distance you want your car being shipped, but pay attention and choose an auto shipping company that is licensed, in this way you don’t have to worry if something wrong happens with your vehicle.

Before your car is shipped you must be sure the alarm system is disconnected and the trunk is empty. Also, if outside is a frosty day, make sure you secure the car by adding antifreeze. Usually, the companies are not responsible for all the goods you let in the car. The car should also be washed before being shipped, so you can notice at the end of the transport if it is in the same state as before. Also the tank should contain as small gas as possible.

If you are looking for auto shipping quotes and you have multiple cars of the same model, you should complete the form for two of the cars and then let the auto shippers know you have more. Many auto shipping companies offer a discount if you have more than a car to ship. Auto shipping quotes are different for each type of vehicle, for instance a shipped motorcycle is cheaper than a car and a car is cheaper than a boat. It’s recommended that you consult the auto shipping quotes taken from different auto transport companies and compare them, in order to find out the best offer.

Most of the auto shipping companies are willing to ship your vehicle even if it does not run. Most of them will charge a fee for this, but you have to specify from the very beginning to the company the state of your vehicle. When you have to transport a heavy equipment try to have precise dimensions and weight for the transporter in order to help him know what type of trailer needs and prepare the proper equipment.

When you think of car shipping, you want, besides a qualitative transport, a quick one. Some companies will promise you an unrealistic shipping time, but if you are shipping your vehicle coast to coast it will take 7-14 days. Time in this case depends on the origin and the destination locations. You should contact an auto shipping company with 1-7 days ahead so that you can be scheduled and they can find you a truck. The company can offer you the auto shipping quotes, or you can take them from sites in order to compare rates.
Payment for the shipping can be made with credit cards by submitting your Visa Card, MasterCard number, but you should ask the company before, each auto shipping company has its own rules.

If you found our resources interesting and want to gather more info please visit our website at http://www.acecarshipping.com

Cheapest Car Insurance

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Car Insurance Quotes are present in kind and the people likes the most is the price at which it can be insure if in future a beneficiary of the same else will go for a simple and inexpensive procedure. Auto Insurance Quotes are in hand in varieties that one can put test to go enhanced in hand readily. Auto Insurance Deal elaborates about the complete procedure of taking the insurance and any further track up in that. Auto Insurance is a must if any one is having the vehicle in hand and so the selection would be found for a superior treaty and range of deals was given according to patrons vision. If they are to meet us through internet or phone the method will start and end up effortlessly and fast. Car Insurance also does the identical thing as similar to that of auto insurance. It is supplied lots of Cheapest Auto Insurance and Cheapest Car Insurance options. If the Car Insurance Cost is checked with extra givers we give a very excellent charge according to one’s own desire. Cheaper Auto Insurance Rates are also available which when benefited is given. The more flexible organization at our side is an asset and that is why most of the vehicle owner are to advance us.