Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Yup, Imagringo, I will be flying into Guadalajara in mid april, and will want to rent a car for a week, to make a circuit of Mexico, up to Victoria, then down the coastal area, then accross to the Pacific side, up the coastal area to approximately south of mexico City, then back up to Guadalajara. ( Looking for a place to move to)

Who knows the best most reasonable and safest approach to the Car rental/insurance problem. I will be grateful for any and all info. either here, or by Email to dwaldo29@msn.com Thank You,

Don K

Mar 27, 2006, 6:13 PM

Post #2 of 32 (3231 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Sounds like a great trip if you want to drive 24 hours a day for a week or have three weeks available. Driving in Mexico is much different from driving in the States. It takes almost twice as long to go the same distance. This is particularly true in the areas that you plan to travel. You just have to go slow and easy. You will be going through numerous totally gridlocked cities and having to find your way on streets and hiways that are not well marked. Driving either through or around Mexico DF is a nightmare. Neither alternative is the least bit appealing and each takes a long time.

If you want to get any idea of the places that you are visiting, you should plan to drive no more than eight hours a day. Finding a good place to stay takes a good deal of time (Even if you have reservations, you are likely to have a great deal of difficulty finding your hotels). Then getting oriented takes some more time. This will leave you little time to find out about the area as to desirability for living. Then it is time to go to bed, sleep, get up and start all over again.

As to your specific question. If you plan to travel for a whole week, you might as well check the various national/international companies (Hertz, Avis, etc.) You'll get a good car and their rates are competitive. Careful shopping will help you find the best deal. Be sure you have full insurance. It is expensive, but necessary.

Rent-a-wreck equivalents or other local companies are not a good idea if you are going to travel as far as you plan. You will be in the car a whole lot and really don't want it to break down on the open road. Furthermore, local companies are very unlikely to have representatives outside their own area of operations.

(This post was edited by dlyman6500 on Mar 27, 2006, 6:29 PM)

Rolly

Mar 27, 2006, 6:22 PM

Post #3 of 32 (3224 views)

Re: [dlyman6500] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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I agree with Dick. Your schedule is, forgive me, crazy.

Rolly Pirate

Mar 27, 2006, 6:55 PM

Post #4 of 32 (3215 views)

Re: [Rolly] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Wow, I'm with Rolly and Dick on this one. Time for a major rethink of your plan.

...and will want to rent a car for a week, to make a circuit of Mexico, up to Victoria, then down the coastal area, then accross to the Pacific side, up the coastal area to approximately south of mexico City, then back up to Guadalajara. ( Looking for a place to move to)...

Even if you could do this circuit in a week (I don't think you can) you wouldn't have any time to "look for a place" to live. Pick one place (two max), not too far apart, travel by bus, spend a couple or three days in each place. Repeat next vacation, or as often as required, to find your place.

Regards

E&F

Bear

Mar 28, 2006, 7:36 AM

Post #5 of 32 (3184 views)

Re: [Ed and Fran] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Give up the car idea and take a bus. You will have less heartache and headache and a much more relaxing time. There are no traffic laws in Mexico. (or rather, people that obey them)
It is not like the USA. Bear

skye22

Mar 28, 2006, 11:05 AM

Post #6 of 32 (3159 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Check with your credit card company to see if they cover a rental car in Mexico. I agree that you should only use a well known rental company in case you break down. If and when you rent go over the car with a fine tooth comb and notate every flaw down to tar stains and make sure you get a signature. I had VISA fax me a copy stating that I was fully covered and I was glad I had done so. Hertz, in Oaxaca, did not believe that I was covered and tried to make me buy the insurance. Expect to be charged a deposit as well.

esperanza

Mar 28, 2006, 4:33 PM

Post #7 of 32 (3132 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Count my voice among the throng crying out that your plan is simply not do-able in a week. Distances are much longer than you think and driving time is as well. For example, it's a seven hour drive from Guadalajara to Mexico City, if you are familiar with the roads and know every step and turn of the way.

You'd be lucky to do your proposed route in three weeks, but a month would give you a better shot at completing your suggested drive. Even in a month you'd be hard pressed to learn the things you want to know about a town in order to decide whether it would be a good place to live or not.

A week divided between Guadalajara and Lake Chapala is about as much as you'll have time for. Take it from an old Mexican hand.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Papirex

Mar 29, 2006, 12:24 AM

Post #8 of 32 (3104 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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I will add my voice to all the others too. One week is just not enough time for the trip you propose to make, it just isn’t do-able in one week.

Another thing to consider is whether you have ever driven in Mexico before. If you haven’t, it will take some time to transition to the driving laws and signage, and the goofy, dangerous driving methods down here, including the unconventional uses of turn signals. To avoid tickets, you must know which lanes are for trucks, which are for autos, and which are for passing only.

Do not expect to find frequent and logical road signs in all areas. If you don’t speak some Spanish to ask directions, your proposed trip will be even harder. You will get lost.

Learn what a tope is.

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

Mar 29, 2006, 4:04 AM

Post #9 of 32 (3098 views)

Re: [RexC] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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To avoid tickets, you must know which lanes are for trucks, which are for autos, and which are for passing only.

Oh come on Rex, you know that all lanes are for passing! Even the oncoming ones on the other side of the solid lines, and the shoulders too.

Learn what a tope is.

He will, it's just a matter of when...

Regards

E&F

Mar 29, 2006, 4:51 AM

Post #10 of 32 (3096 views)

Re: [Ed and Fran] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Especially blind curves at high speeds. That's the best passing lane as there are actually a few - gringos usually - who won't challenge you and pull out ahead of you as you are passing or race up behind you and try to pass you while you are passing someone else.

sfmacaws

Mar 29, 2006, 10:17 AM

Post #11 of 32 (3065 views)

Re: [dlyman6500] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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I love those triple passes. The cab passing the Suburban which is passing a double trailer gas truck. Oncoming traffic driving on the shoulder of course.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Mar 29, 2006, 10:27 AM

Post #12 of 32 (3063 views)

Re: [sfmacaws] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Oncoming traffic driving on the shoulder of course.

Shoulders?!? You must have fancy highways out there in the Yucatan. We're so poor we ain't got no stinking shoulders here in Veracruz. Well, maybe they do up near Xalapa. That's where all these kms of new highways they're always bragging about must be under construction. Nothing near here.

Regards

E&F

sfmacaws

Mar 29, 2006, 11:06 AM

Post #13 of 32 (3056 views)

Re: [Ed and Fran] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Well yes, but the fact that this silly gringa calls them shoulders should not confuse you. They are really the 'slow lane' and the courtesy lane where the polite and the very slow drive so the rest of the fast traffic can have the wider lane. It's also where you retreat when there are 3 cars abreast coming at you. I generally drive about half in and half out of it, moving over as needed. I like to give those buses as much room as they need when passing me.

We do have one long, good road over here and it is not a toll road which amazes me. Hwy 307 that runs from Cancun to Chetumal is excellent divided 4 lanes in some areas but it still has sections that are 1 narrow lane each way and no shoulder. They are widening and rebuilding it in many places along the length and in a few years it will be the length of the state. They keep it in pretty good repair as well, guess its the wages of tourism. We also have what I think must be the most expensive toll road in Mexico, from Cancun to Merida.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Mar 29, 2006, 11:12 AM

Post #14 of 32 (3052 views)

Re: [sfmacaws] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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...but the fact that this silly gringa calls them shoulders should not confuse you. They are really the 'slow lane' and the courtesy lane where the polite and the very slow drive so the rest of the fast traffic can have the wider lane.

Yeah, I've actually seen that type of road. It's a real wakeup for an NOB type who's driving along in his lane minding his own business when there's suddenly a phalanx of traffic coming right at him.

They keep it in pretty good repair as well, guess its the wages of tourism.

There you go. That's what we're missing here.

Regards

E&F

Mar 29, 2006, 6:25 PM

Post #15 of 32 (3020 views)

Re: [Ed and Fran] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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In Sonora and Sinaloa on Hiway 15, they have shoulders. The only problem is that they are 10 feet below the driving surface and the only way you reach them is to roll over - and over - and over.

MUGAWUMP

Mar 29, 2006, 6:25 PM

Post #16 of 32 (3020 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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To dlyman, Rollo, Ed & Fran, bear, skye, esperanza (pant) RexC,sfmacaws Yuz Guys is all spoilsports. No fun at all. It's almost like you don't want me to come (Put smiley here)
Now that I've Got that out of my system----"TANKS for the WARNINGS"
Response in general(as I come to it) Although you have given me a lot to think about, and some changes. Let me point out that altho I am looking for a place to settle. It is lay of land, climate, and social clim I am looking for. not a house or abode at this time. (about a year) so this will be sort of a purveiw of the situation for later decision But I am looking to settle in native areas rather than an expat anclave
Aside from Guadalajara airport, (and Cuidad Victoria,) I intend to stay as far away from bigger cities as is possible, driving side roads, etc. I'm 77, but I have been driving about 69 years, and I am no slouch-- I drove from Newberry Springs, Cal to Oklahoma city, and back on just over 50 hours, last year. and by myself ( that's abput 2200 miles) and I have only been involved in three accidents. two occured while I was standing still.. I am a defensive driver, and those slow lanes will suit me just fine.
I have been reading other accounts, and if possible, I will be sleeping in my car as much as possible _obviously in safe areas. otherwise in "Native" Hotels. ( These are things I will learn as I go along) As for time. I can take as long as I need.

(to ED and Fran This ain't a vacation, it is more like a quest)

REX. There are numerous meanings for the word "tope" Stop. Barrier, bumper, Limit. etc. Which one do you mean??

In any event, I'm one of those "fools rush in (slowly) where angels fear to tread" types, and you've given me much to think about.

Thanks Loads.

Da Mugawump.

(This post was edited by MUGAWUMP on Mar 29, 2006, 6:30 PM)

Mar 29, 2006, 6:34 PM

Post #17 of 32 (3015 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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I knew he'd respond just as he did. This man lives in never never land. I really worry about him, but guess that nothing we can say will bring him to his senses.

I originally responded to his posting in a very conciliatory and positive manner, knowing that he would ignore what was said, but wanting to give him information.

This is the same idiot who wrote several weeks ago, presenting absolutely impossible scenarios and totally ignoring the advice of a lot of people who know of what they speak.

Being 77 does not give you wisdom if you don't use any iota of common sense. I can't begin to comprehend how he got to be this old without learning anything.

If you think this is too harsh, please read my original posting to this idiot. I really did try to be positive and helpful. Now, I want nothing to do with the horrible mess he is absolutely 100% sure to get into if he follows up on his plans.

My final comments are: In Mexico there is only one kind of tope when driving. If you don't know about them, you should not be on our roads.

Good luck, God speed, and I hope we are all wrong, even if we have all experienced exactly what we say and know you are an absolute idiot. I hope it is true that God protects idiots.

I guess I am a spoil sport. I worry about you, but don't want to be sharing my roads or even my living environment with anyone so completely out of touch with reality. There are enough idiots (starting with me) without an absolute space cadet (even an old space cadet) joining our ranks.

(This post was edited by dlyman6500 on Mar 29, 2006, 6:49 PM)

Mar 29, 2006, 6:38 PM

Post #18 of 32 (3012 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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As for time. I can take as long as I need. (to ED and Fran This ain't a vacation, it is more like a quest)

My bad. I assumed because you were flying in and spoke about renting a car for a week for this circuit that you were time constrained (such as being on vacation from work). If you can take as long as you need, a) why fly? b) why rent a car. Why not just drive your own car down here?

There are numerous meanings for the word "tope" Stop. Barrier, bumper, Limit. etc. Which one do you mean??

Speed bump........

...I intend to stay as far away from bigger cities as is possible, driving side roads, etc....

In that case, allow a lot more time.

Regards

E&F

Mar 29, 2006, 6:48 PM

Post #19 of 32 (3007 views)

Re: [dlyman6500] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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I apologize to MUGAWUMP and everyone else. I guess, we can all make whatever mistakes we want. I'm just so worried about him that I went ballistic. I guess it's really none of my business.

If M has more than the week he indicated at the start, maybe it will be OK and his quest will result in a lot of happiness.

I could delete my previous posting, but I won't. I feel strongly that what I said was correct. I only hope that I am wrong - and as above, it's really none of my business.

thriftqueen

Mar 29, 2006, 8:39 PM

Post #20 of 32 (2991 views)

Re: [dlyman6500] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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In Sonora and Sinaloa on Hiway 15, they have shoulders. The only problem is that they are 10 feet below the driving surface and the only way you reach them is to roll over - and over - and over.

And now for the latest Sonora road report for those of you who have visited Alamos and driven on the narrow, no shoulders, 30 miles of two lane road running from Navojoa to Alamos. First let me bring you up to date. Alamos is now a Pueblo Magico. The powers that be are now hoping to get a UNESCO recognition as a World Heritage Site as well as an International Airport.

So--- in preparation for all of this, the above described road is being replaced with soon to be four lanes. This construction is a driver's worse nightmare with miles of the narrow 2 lanes with the ghost shoulders cut down to a 5' drop for many miles. Try meeting a bus or some of the local autobahn types on these stretches! One has to remember that the road has always been this wide, just don't look down and speculate.

julian3345

Mar 29, 2006, 11:08 PM

Post #21 of 32 (2982 views)

Re: [Ed and Fran] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Topes??? that's just another word for "sleeping policeman" the charming Jamaican term. Joan

Papirex

Mar 30, 2006, 1:30 AM

Post #22 of 32 (2979 views)

Re: [MUGAWUMP] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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A tope in Mexico is a speed bump. Often they are speed bumps on steroids, huge and very hard on your car if you don’t almost stop for them. The topes installed by a government agency will sometimes have signs warning that there are topes in this zone, and they may even be painted with stripes so you can see them.

Many topes are not installed by a government agency, but by individuals, with no engineering at all. I have seen topes that were simply stones that were laid and mortared together. The homemade topes will have no warning signs, and will seldom if ever be painted. They are probably installed because of the lack of effective traffic law enforcement as the only way to control speeders. You will also often find many of them where there are many roadside businesses. They want you to slow down so that maybe you will see something worth stopping to buy.

About ten years ago I was driving at night in The City of Puebla. I ran over an unmarked tope I didn’t see at about 25 miles per hour. My wife and I had our seat belts buckled and it shook us up a quite a bit. The passengers in the back seats of our van were not buckled up. Every one of them was thrown up off their seats and hit their heads against the roof of the van. We have found it is almost impossible to get Mexican people to buckle up voluntarily. Always watch out for unmarked topes.

If you intend to drive the back roads, which are generally called Libres (free roads) here, you will encounter many, many topes. If you are looking at a map and estimating how long it will take you to get from point A to point B, on the back roads, there is no way to factor in the time lost by the topes unless you are very familiar with the road.

There are no reliable figures for the percentage of homemade topes. The former mayor of Mexico City estimated that 40% of the topes there were not installed by the city. I think that was probably a low-ball figure.

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

Mar 30, 2006, 5:06 AM

Post #23 of 32 (2973 views)

Re: [julian3345] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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Topes are like wine. They come in all types and qualities. My favorite, of course, is the one put up by the really poor pueblos. A sign that says tope and then there is no tope. It's probably as effective as the ones that seem like small Alps and launch you into space. Those I don't mind if they are well marked. When they sneak up on you, it's not fair.

The only good thing about a tope is that it allows you to pass slow trucks as they inch over the tope.

Mar 30, 2006, 5:14 AM

Post #24 of 32 (2971 views)

Re: [thriftqueen] Rental Car plus insurance. Guadalajara

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One of my goals has been to visit Alamos. Somehow, it is just a little too far after a five hundred mile day and I have not made it yet. I guess I better get there fast before progress hits and ruins it.

It reminds me of the time I was sitting in a big Edith Ann (Lily Tomlin) rocking chair on the porch of a little place on the Mississippi at Natchez Under The Hill, just a-rocking, a-thinking, drinking a beer, and contemplating the peace and beauty of the place. Suddenly a honking big river boat was towed around the bend and docked about 100 yards away.

A television reporter came over to me and asked for my comments on the great historic day - the arrival of the first gambling boat in the area. The only thing that I could think of to say was "It's sad, this place will never be the same again." Needless to say, I did not get to star on the Natchez TV evening news

MUGAWUMP

Mar 30, 2006, 9:27 AM

Post #25 of 32 (2945 views)