Rental cars in Puerto Vallarta

[long_shot45]

anyone been there, done that? Any advice will be helpful. Thanks

[dakrewser]

The advice is not to as there are numerous reports of criminal activity - even kidnapping of tourists - once you get away from the city.

 

I've rented cars and driven around in the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Grand Cayman, Australia, New Zealand - but I'm not going to do it in Mexico.

[Ine]

We have been to Puerto Vallarta various times. When driving around in and outside the city the driver is either my blond dutch daughter or my mexican son in law. Also my other blond daughter with blond husband often rent a car and drive in and out the city.

We NEVER had any problems. Sometimes outside the city were stopped by military who inspected the car for drugs or weapons, they were very friendly

As far as I know problems with tourists have been far more north on Baja California.

 

I think carrentals are near the airport, a few miles north, not near the port.

[dakrewser]

As far as I know problems with tourists have been far more north on Baja California.

 

I think carrentals are near the airport, a few miles north, not near the port.

 

There have been many problems in the Acapulco area, also - which is much closer to PV than Baja is. And, of course, your daughter and SIL live there - they know which places to avoid. A tourist doesn't know that. So my advice would be for the OP to get in touch with your daughter and plan an outing that way rather than try to do it themselves...

[pvlover]

Well, let´s see. Distance from Sunnyvale, California (Dakrewser) to Tijuana...475 miles,

Distance from Puerto Vallarta to Acapulco...slightly more than 1,000 miles. Opps, looks like it´s twice as dangerous to go to Sunnyvale due to its proximity to a dangerous area as it is to go to Puerto Vallarta. :eek:

 

I live in PV and read both the Spanish and English language papers daily. There have been absolutely no such incidents reported, and believe me, considering the sensationalist nature of some of thses papers, any such incidents would be headline news.

[dakrewser]

I'm just encapsulating what the US State Department has to say about tourists in Mexico:

 

"CRIME: Crime in Mexico continues at high levels, and it is often violent, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey, Acapulco, and the state of Sinaloa. Other metropolitan areas have lower, but still serious, levels of crime. Low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals contribute to the high crime rate. U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are encouraged to report the incident to the nearest police headquarters and to the nearest U.S. consular office.

 

A number of Americans have been arrested for passing on counterfeit currency they had earlier received in change. If you receive what you believe to be a counterfeit bank note, bring it to the attention of Mexican law enforcement.

 

Personal Safety: Visitors should be aware of their surroundings at all times, even when in areas generally considered safe. Women traveling alone are especially vulnerable and should exercise caution, particularly at night. Victims, who are almost always unaccompanied, have been raped, robbed of personal property, or abducted and then held while their credit cards were used at various businesses and Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). U.S. citizens should be very cautious in general when using ATMs in Mexico. If an ATM must be used, it should be accessed only during the business day at large protected facilities (preferably inside commercial establishments, rather than at glass-enclosed, highly visible ATMs on streets). U.S. and Mexican citizens are sometimes accosted on the street and forced to withdraw money from their accounts using their ATM cards.

 

Kidnapping, including the kidnapping of non-Mexicans, continues at alarming rates. So-called express kidnappings, an attempt to get quick cash in exchange for the release of an individual, have occurred in almost all the large cities in Mexico and appear to target not only the wealthy, but also the middle class. U.S. businesses with offices in Mexico or concerned U.S. citizens may contact the U.S. Embassy or any U.S. consulate to discuss precautions they should take.

 

Criminal assaults occur on highways throughout Mexico; travelers should exercise extreme caution at all times, avoid traveling at night, and may wish to use toll (“cuota”) roads rather than the less secure “free” (“libre”) roads whenever possible. Always keep your car doors locked and your windows up while driving, whether on the highway or in town. When in heavy traffic or when stopped in traffic, leave enough room between vehicles to maneuver and escape, if necessary. In addition, U.S. citizens should not hitchhike with, accept rides from or offer rides to, strangers anywhere in Mexico. Tourists should not hike alone in backcountry areas, nor walk alone on lightly-frequented beaches, ruins or trails.

 

Street Crime: Armed street crime is a serious problem in all of the major cities. Some bars and nightclubs, especially in resort cities such as Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Acapulco, and Tijuana, can be havens for drug dealers and petty criminals. Some establishments may contaminate or drug drinks to gain control over the patron.

 

All bus travel should be during daylight hours and on first-class conveyances. Although there have been several reports of bus hijackings and robberies on toll roads, buses on toll roads have a markedly lower rate of incidents than buses (second- and third-class) that travel the less secure "free" highways. The Embassy advises caution when traveling by bus from Acapulco toward Ixtapa or Huatulco. Although the police have made some progress in bringing this problem under control, armed robberies of entire busloads of passengers still occur."

 

Yes, some of those things could be said about other places - but, and this was the point I was making, my opinion is that Mexico is one of the less safe places in the world for a cruise passenger to rent a car and go off on their own. That's my opinion and it has nothing to do with which city it is in Mexico that we're talking about. For someone living in the country, of course, the circumstance is very different. And others might feel perfectly comfortable renting a car in Mexico and driving hither and yon. But, as someone who has rented cars and driven hither and yon in many different parts of the world, I don't agree.

[Ine]

If somebody rents a car in a well visited area like P. Vallarta, I donot think he drives that far out from the city and will stick to major roads with more traffic.

Besides crime is not just in Mexico, you will find warnings like that for more countries.

Again I have been to many places/regions all over the country, riding the metro in Mexico City etc. and never had any trouble.

 

I cannot guarantee the safety of others, but that also goes if I give advice to friends who will be driving around in the USA and ask me where to go or not. Sometimes those bulletins make people more anxious then necessary.

I remember a couple that hardly dared to leave their hotel in Amsterdam, convinced it was one big and protitute scene....

And yes I have been robbed, once in Amsterdam, once in Istanbul.

[mickeyfitz]

The simple fact is that there is a crime problem in general in Mexico and in particular in some areas. Tourist areas are generally safe, but no where is 100% safe and so caution is appropriate. In my opinion, the prudent thing to do is to rely upon local expertise in this regard, such as by using a tour or a local guide or perhaps a taxi driver( if they are adequately regulated). Jamaica and Cartagena, for instance, have poor reputations, but if approached with some prudence are wonderful destinations. Using a rental car on ones own in any questionable location, however, leaves one without any local protection.

[ine2]

Ok, here is my two pesos worth: PV is a VERY safe city, so much safer than most US cities. And is you drive out of town there is absolutly no reason to be afraid for kidnappings orso. I never heard of that before, and have been in Vallarta since '99.

 

To rent a car, if you want a comfortable car for a day (all major carrentals are here too) with full insurance it will cost you about $100 us. The checkin takes a while,and so does check out. Will you be able to see many things? Yes, but it takes a while to find out where the attractions are. Parking in downtown is getting more and more diffucult every time.

 

So, I do agree that if you are only one day in town, to rent a private driver might work out better for you. There are many very good guides on town, with Vans, and very affordable.

 

Just Google Vallarta Private Tours, you will see several coming up.

[hybrn8]

There were 3 of us in PV in January on the Oosterdam....we got off the ship and there were several licensed drivers with vans waiting for customers. We talked to a couple and made a deal with a great guy who spoke perfect English and only took us to places we wanted to go......I think we paid him about $90 for 5-6 hours of touring and waiting while we had lunch at an out of the way spot called Los Arbolitos......

[OldCodger73]

I really think ine2 and hybrn have the best advice. Leaving aside the question of crime, there's a certain macho way many of the people drive there which can be upsetting. I'd enjoy your time there and let someone else do the driving.

[casavaha]

Since I live in Mexico, I can talk about this with some authority.

I think you can negotiate a better price from someone

who knows the area. After you factor in insurance, gas, taxes, and

inconvenience at check in and check out (car). I think you are better off.

 

I have rented many cars in PV but that is when I was there for a week.

Even then, I think I would have been better off with taxis.

 

I think the crime issue is a non-starter. I have lived in the Rosarito Beach

area for 22 years. Never ever had a problem. Of course I have a sign

in the back window that says "I will not tolerate robbers, kidnappers or

hijackers" I guess it has worked all these years.

 

Greg

[nchank]

We have driven about 4 weeks in Mexico, 3 in Cabo and 1 in PV. No problems at all. Things are not so safe all around the US either. Be alert and don't venture off into the great unknown.

[betonic]

I live in Cancun but have also rented a car in PV and Cabo. I have never had a problem in any place driving. That being said, I think for a day trip it's easier and cheaper to hire a driver for the day.

[dakrewser]

What I really find amazing is a) how many Mexican residents have discovered this thread and b) how many assume I was making some blanket statement about Mexican crime. I wasn't. People who live in the country have no more problems than any of us do IN THE PLACE IN WHICH WE LIVE!

 

But that's neither here nor there when it comes to a tourist driving on their own.

 

Still, the best advice is to not get a car and, instead, book a reliable driver. That's how we've done our best "touring".

[hybrn8]

The old part of PV has very limited parking and I wouldn't want to hassle with a car and trying to find a spot to park! Having lived many years in Venezuela, I can assure you that the traffic ebb and flow in Mexico is very much like it is in most of the USA as long as you stay in populated areas and off the highways in the night. Hire a van and driver and enjoy your day. I took a taxi as well and it was uneventful. The ships dock directly across the street from a Wal-Mart and Sams (!!!) so city buses which indicate these stores as a stop would be reasonable options, as well.

[nchank]

The old part of PV has very limited parking and I wouldn't want to hassle with a car and trying to find a spot to park! Having lived many years in Venezuela, I can assure you that the traffic ebb and flow in Mexico is very much like it is in most of the USA as long as you stay in populated areas and off the highways in the night. Hire a van and driver and enjoy your day. I took a taxi as well and it was uneventful. The ships dock directly across the street from a Wal-Mart and Sams (!!!) so city buses which indicate these stores as a stop would be reasonable options, as well.

 

Is there some particular reason to shop at Sam/Wal-Mart? :confused:

[dakrewser]

Is there some particular reason to shop at Sam/Wal-Mart? :confused:

 

Stop at Walmart, not shop at Walmart - it's where the bus stops....:)

[nchank]

Stop at Walmart, not shop at Walmart - it's where the bus stops....:)

Oh, I see.:) Thank you.