20 Tips to rent a car in Cancun and how to save money in your trip.

One of the problems that can arise when renting a car in a city or destination like Cancun, is the price of the service and vehicle that we will acquire, since it is a city with high tourist demand as far as the means of transport, same that can cause that some of our options are slightly affected by the increase of the costs, this depends on some factors like the season, the occupation and availability of the units. However, you don't have to worry about it anymore. This post will help you understand most of the problems and opportunities you may have when you reserve a Cancun car rental service.

1. Compare prices between car rental Cancun agencies.

You can compare the prices of the agencies online, knowing this will help you also know what the advantages you get when you book a car rental at Cancun airport.

Of course, this does not end here, since, in addition to obtaining information by visiting the websites of Cancun car rental, you will be able to compare and know which are the final prices with VAT included because, to how many it has not happened that when renting a car in Cancun or looking for a service that meets their needs is with the typical price of less than a dollar that makes you want to reserve a car immediately with these agencies although at the end of the procedure will end up paying up to 60% more than what the original publication offered.

2. Discard extras you don't need in your Cancun airport car rental service.

The first point takes us directly to this one, since, at the moment in which you are checking prices, you can also eliminate the additional ones that some default pages add to your reservation, making the price of this one rise and shoot considerably above the estimated cost that it had for the same one. Many times, they are things that you do not need, if you have any doubt, you can call the agency to clarify any extra charge.

3. Get to know the insurances of your car rental at Cancun airport.

Is it possible to contract basic car rental insurance in Cancun? Yes, it is. You only have to look for a car rental agency that offers basic or comprehensive coverage for the vehicle and passengers, which you can book at no cost when searching with the agency indicated, so you must keep corroborating that this is possible with the agency that will provide a car, because no matter if your visit in the city is one day or for several months, it will always be essential that you are aware of which coverage is offered, because your safety is first.

Next, we will show a table that will give you information about the necessary insurance that you rent a car in Cancun service must have according to the traffic laws of Cancun. When you rent a car at Cancun Airport, it is necessary to have comprehensive basic insurance coverage. Otherwise, there is no way for the vehicle to circulate in the city; all this is stipulated in the article No. 157 of the Transit Law of Quintana Roo:

"Article 157.- Private and public transport vehicles must have at least a civil liability insurance in force to cover damages caused to third parties in their person and their property.

In the following table, we will show you which are the sanctions according to the foreseen violations.

Therefore, you should avoid companies that do not include the cost of insurance from the initial quote; an example is agencies that offer car rentals from $ 1 USD a day because once you decide to add protection or coverage, the cost per day will increase exponentially.

As we saw in the previous table, the total coverage insurance is the most recommendable to avoid paying a lot of money in case of loss; we recommend asking about the price per day of this type of coverage in your Cancun car rental, so you can move from one place to another not only comfortably, but securely.

4. Book in advance your car rental Cancun service.

When you travel, you're not just thinking about staying in your hotel room, going out to buy goods at a nearby store, and then returning to spend an entire day in your room. We know that when you visit a beautiful city like Cancun, you want to see the destination ultimately. That's why it's essential that as soon as you plan the places you'll visit, keep in mind that you must have the necessary resources to make your experience beautiful, this includes the reservations you have to make before you leave on your trip.

Bookings a Cancun airport car rental will help you to facilitate your visit to the city exponentially because, in addition to having a secure car rental service, there are agencies that from 7 days of reservation offer special promotions or discounts. You can also enroll in programs for loyal customers if you are interested in continuing traveling, and in a hurry, you will need to book again with an agency.

If you make your reservation long before your trip, you can get considerably reasonable prices and discounts, in addition to avoiding staying without a vehicle available, because you will have your car set aside for the day you require and can ensure that the rental of your car will be guaranteed, some agencies ask as a deposit guarantee of 15 to 20% of the total value of your rent to schedule the reservation in your calendar and thus have your vehicle ready for the agreed day.

5. Investigate the terms and conditions of each car rental Cancun airport agency.

Each one of the car rental agencies in Cancun airport with which you can hire a vehicle, has terms and conditions that each customer has to know. It is better to take a minute to investigate which are the most convenient for you, since many car rental companies in Cancun, have hidden charges at the end of your booking process, so, discard those that most affect your economy, such as prepaid mileage, gasoline, parking, delivery time of vehicles, among others.

The free mileage is something significant, since, in case you want to travel throughout the Riviera Maya, it is likely that you will be charged a greater amount of money for the length of distance you will travel, so make sure that the company you hire, has free mileage on your reservations, so you will not have problems traveling long distances in the city and its surroundings.

6. Pick up and drop off point for your rent a car in Cancun airport.

Many agencies deliver vehicles far away from the airport, and this may or may not be a problem depending on what each agency offers, for example, you can rent a car in Cancun. However, the agency can provide transportation from the airport to your delivery point at no additional cost, or you may have to solve this problem yourself by getting a taxi to take you to the offices or delivery point, this can certainly take a lot of time (and money) and can be complicated and tedious, so we recommend that you get a car Cancun car rental service that offers transportation to the place where you receive the vehicle, or to take it wherever you go. This way, you will not have to spend more money to get to the collection point of the car on your own and will save a considerable amount in transportation to get to the place of delivery of the vehicle.

7. Car rental Cancun prices may vary.

Depending on your place of search and type of currency, you can vary the price of the Cancun car rental, many times there are significant differences between prices, but do not be frightened by that, you can investigate on the exchange rate that has the country to which you are going to travel compared to its currency of origin, in this case in Cancun are the Mexican pesos, so you can quickly investigate doing a search on the amount we want to convert to dollars or any other currency that is required, and based on that know if it is equivalent the price of one currency to another, for example:

Another interesting example of taking into account are the seasons in which you will travel, because thanks to Cancun is a tourist destination with massive influx of travelers during the holidays, here is what we know as the effect "Supply and demand" during the holiday season, this may cause an extremely high rise in the prices of reservations both car rental Cancun airport and hotels, recreational activities and tickets to attractions in the city.

8. Check out local Cancun airport car rental rates.

Many times, we believe that our problems end when we receive the car at the agency where we decided to rent a car in Cancun, but that is false, as many factors can affect your budget significantly reduced if you do not prevent many situations in time. Gasoline can be one of them, cities like Cancun have more than one distributor of fuel services (gas stations), so prices may vary depending on where you go or are, if you go to the outskirts of the city is the same, because there are many establishments that offer this type of service, so you have to investigate which are the most convenient gas stations, this way save money while you are traveling through Cancun.

When you make your trip, the places close to those you are going to visit near the city will have payment booths where you will have to pay a toll. In them, you will be charged from 100 to 300 pesos MXN to move from one city to another. This is a point you must take into account, as this can vary a lot what you had estimated for general expenses.

The food is also an important factor, because if you stay within the hotel zone you will find luxury restaurants with extremely high costs compared to those in the city center, for this you can search in the search engines about cheap restaurants or popular with local people, we assure you that you will know more dishes and save money, which you can use for products or activities in the city.

9. Avoid infractions or stops during the car rental Cancun airport service.

One of the strongest expenses that can be presented during your car rental Cancun is to pay a fine with the authorities of Cancun, avoid any additional cost by following the recommendations below:

One of the most current expenses that can arise during your Cancun car rental is to pay a fine with the city authorities. Avoid any additional costs by following these recommendations:

• Do not allow unauthorized persons to drive the vehicle for any reason. This is perhaps the most crucial point in staying exempt from the authorities, since the lease usually includes a designated driver, unless you add driver, and this, in most cases, will have an extra cost per day.
• The use of seat belts is mandatory and for no reason should exceed the capacity of the vehicle. The number of passengers must be the same as the one specified on the circulation card, so it must be taken into account; at the time of making the reservation, it is necessary to check that the information of the vehicle is clear so as not to have problems based on it.
• Drive the vehicle according to the regulations in force in Quintana Roo, which can be provided in writing or orally. Observe all applicable traffic laws, ordinances, and regulations (you can also search the Internet for the PDF document, which can be downloaded and will be of great help if you are unfamiliar with driving and signage).
• Do not drive the unit under the influence of toxic substances or alcohol; this could cause some accidents and give rise to become a creditor to officiate a fine and in the worst case, the vehicle restraint. In Cancun, transit agents are generally alert to points like this, since most people who visit this destination often frequent nightclubs or establishments where alcohol and harmful substances are present.
• Do not transport illegal substances, objects, or animals in any rental vehicle. This could lead to problems with the authorities.
• When you park the vehicle, remove the keys and activate the insurance, make sure you know where you parked it, this to prevent theft of the unit, so not only will have a problem and economic impact, but you will have to pay for the if you do not have insurance to cover these incidents and risk their belongings.
• Driving at all times within the speed limits because most transit agents correctly localize the speed limit to which you must drive on the roads or avenues of the city. We assure you that this will save you more than a fine as you will also be able to avoid accidents and collisions with the vehicle.
• Do not use a cell phone when driving unless you have a hands-free kit. If you do not have one and you must answer a call, you will need to park on the side of the road to answer.- Do not drive the vehicle in inappropriate places or "off the road", unless it is necessary, for example, if you are going on a field trip or to an estate outside the city through which you have to pass through a dirt road, take precautions, as this can cause damage to the vehicle, which will affect a considerable discount on the deposit of the rent of the same.
• Before leaving, make sure that the accessories of the vehicle are in good condition and at adequate levels to prevent the car from failing during your trips, as this may cause you to have to move the vehicle from one place to another to a workshop or agency wherein the worst case, you will have to pay a considerable amount.
• Make proper use of lights, turn signals, and directional. This avoids many accidents and also the detention of the vehicle by the authorities, which can infringe by not taking the necessary precautions while driving.
• Be sure to park the vehicle in the right place, respect the areas forbidden or exclusive for disabled people, pregnant women, or the entry and exit of vehicles to avoid incidents or discomfort.

10. Compare the reputation and read reviews about airport car rental Cancun companies.

The most infallible way to know if an agency is the right one to rent a car at Cancun Airport or not, is to investigate about the criticisms that other users have written to find out the advantages and disadvantages they have had during their experiences regarding the quality of services, for example, you can investigate in forums or travel applications where users generally publish about the skills they have had with different agencies, so from there you can discard the agencies and get more ideas that can benefit you.

In addition to all that, you can consult online price comparators, which shows the complete list of Cancun car rental companies, where you can find the lowest price and the type of insurance that includes each service.

Once you have everything ready, you can start booking because you will know which company offers the best prices and the best services.

11. Plan your routes during your car rental Cancun.

Downloading your routes from your favorite map application is something that can help you avoid having to pay more for a GPS service. Plus, you can print it out. Or, you can buy a phone chip in the city so you can have a phone signal and get to your destination quickly and safely. This will help you not have to pay for extra service in the hotel for Internet consumption (although many already include the free service).

12. Share expenses when renting a car at Cancun airport.

Travel with your friends, family or partner and share the cost of renting the car, we all agree that dividing the expenses is much easier to travel than paying everything on your own, so talk to your friends or companions and share equally the rate of renting the car, this will help you save up to 3 or 4 times what you would typically spend when hiring a Cancun airport car rental, with this you will have free use of that money for other activities.

13. Look for agencies that offer additional discounts to your car rental Cancun

When you book a car rental service in destinations like Cancun, you can check the website of the agency with which you get the service or ask for promotions or agreements of other agencies to save enough money when traveling, in addition to helping you know which are the best places to visit, since usually, car rental agencies have agreements with tourist attractions, shows, restaurants or significant theme parks in the city.

14. Organize your activities and avoid the late delivery of the vehicle.

When delivering or picking up a vehicle you have to take into account two factors, the schedule and the requirements that the agency has asked you to reserve the car, you can use an application to help you plan your trip, this will help you have more transparent schedules and activities that you can do without running the risk of having a setback with the time of delivery of the vehicle, which can generate extra costs depending on the Cancun car rental agency you choose because these are usually charged by the hour or until the full day for the delay in delivery of the same.

15. Save on extra expenses.

Select the places you will visit, compare the distances and prices of all the areas you will enter as many of these sites, charge entry fees for vehicles, you can get to pay from 50 to 300 MXN. Also, many parking lots in commercial plazas charge 20 pesos per hour, so you should take into account this type of expense if you want to book a rent a car in Cancun service.

16. Make a detailed check of the vehicle you rent.

When you rent a car, the first thing you have to do when you receive it is to make a detailed check of the vehicle, from the lights and the exterior to the fuel, motor, general engine, and interior. This way, you will avoid extra charges when you return the vehicle, as well as inconveniences on the road and so on.

17. Don't get carried away with the cheapest option.

Many times, during your car rental search, you will find thousands of agencies that promise to offer a car rental in Cancun for a really attractive price. However, the reality behind these agencies is that you will end up paying up to triple what you would pay in an agency with taxes and insurance included.

Usually, these agencies offer cars for one dollar, which at first sight looks very good to rent a car during your trip to the city. It may not always be the best option. The best thing you can do before renting a car is to read the reviews of the agency or agencies that are your prospects to acquire a vehicle during your visit to the city. Also, make sure that your rental includes TPL/PLI insurances.

18. International Driving Permit is NOT required in México, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have it.

Obtaining an International Driving Permit (IDP) may not be essential to your visit to Cancun since car rental agencies will not require this document at the time of booking. However, it is advisable to have one of them, because usually, outside the city, you can find a police checkpoint and this document, no doubt, can get you out of many troubles.

The international driver's license is actually a translation that backs up your local driver's license wherever you travel in America.

This type of document is valid for approximately one year, and you should do your paperwork at least one month before you travel outside of your country.

19. Toll booths at the exits of the city.

During your trip to Cancun, you will surely want to visit water parks or take a tour near the city. However, we recommend that you bring cash, preferably Mexican pesos, because, on the outskirts of the city, you will find booths where you will have to pay a specific amount according to the size and type of vehicle in which you are moving.

You can also get routes from one point to another, as well as information about the estimated amount of fuel you need to reach your destination on pages like the one below:

Poin to Point routes

20. Where to leave your car if you travel to one of the nearby islands from Cancun.

You can leave your rental car where it suits you before traveling to any island near Cancun. For example, if you plan to go to Cozumel, the best place to leave your car in Playa del Carmen, on or near the Ferry, you can find parking, or if you wish, you can also take your car with you. However, this has a slightly higher price.

Suppose you are going to travel to Isla Mujeres. In that case, you can leave your car in the parking lot of the Ferry from Cancun to Isla Mujeres located in Puerto Juarez; this has one of the biggest parking lots, with two floors so that you can leave your car without any problem. The island is so small that you will find golf cars to visit the city when you arrive. You will take approximately 25 minutes to tour the entire island.

Visit this post to read more about Mobility tips in Cancun