Driving in Chile

[camarodrivenrs]

Planning to stay 2 nights pre cruise in Vina del Mar and wanted to rent a truck and explore the costal areas both north and south. Is it safe? I hold an international drivers permit and also speak decent spanish. Just by looking at google earth it looks like there is some amazing scenery along the coast.

[greatam]

Planning to stay 2 nights pre cruise in Vina del Mar and wanted to rent a truck and explore the costal areas both north and south. Is it safe? I hold an international drivers permit and also speak decent spanish. Just by looking at google earth it looks like there is some amazing scenery along the coast.

 

You don't need an international drivers license if you are a US citizen. Why do you think you need a truck (like a pickup)??? You should not be driving off road in a foreign rental. And you need to be able to drive a stick with a lot of rental cars. MAKE sure you know what transmission you are getting. You could have a HUMUNGOUS bill when you return the car if you take it off road. AND MAKE SURE you take pictures of all sides of the vehicle and interior when you rent and when you return. Just a little extra protection for YOU. They have your credit card number AND you are in a foreign country. Just an FYI.

 

Rosselot is the best car rental agency in Vina/Valpo if you want a one way rental-pick it up at the Santiago airport, keep if for your two days, then drop it off in Vina/Valpo. The website has an English translator BUT you really need to call them to make sure you are including ALL the fees before you rent (insurance is included in some part of the fees). Even on the English website, the prices are in Chilean pesos PLUS all the fees. http://www.rosselot.cl/

 

Hertz has ONLY trucks for rent in Vina. Diesel and manual transmissions.

[camarodrivenrs]

You don't need an international drivers license if you are a US citizen. Why do you think you need a truck (like a pickup)??? You should not be driving off road in a foreign rental. And you need to be able to drive a stick with a lot of rental cars. MAKE sure you know what transmission you are getting. You could have a HUMUNGOUS bill when you return the car if you take it off road. AND MAKE SURE you take pictures of all sides of the vehicle and interior when you rent and when you return. Just a little extra protection for YOU. They have your credit card number AND you are in a foreign country. Just an FYI.

 

Rosselot is the best car rental agency in Vina/Valpo if you want a one way rental-pick it up at the Santiago airport, keep if for your two days, then drop it off in Vina/Valpo. The website has an English translator BUT you really need to call them to make sure you are including ALL the fees before you rent (insurance is included in some part of the fees). Even on the English website, the prices are in Chilean pesos PLUS all the fees. http://www.rosselot.cl/

 

Hertz has ONLY trucks for rent in Vina. Diesel and manual transmissions.

 

Not planning on offroading but I just saw hertz and they only offered trucks will check out the other website though thanks. You consider the streets there pretty safe even in rural areas? Are you sure the prices are in Chilean pesos? The website says 49.00 per day.

[jpm19]

You don't need an international drivers license if you are a US citizen. Why do you think you need a truck (like a pickup)??? You should not be driving off road in a foreign rental. And you need to be able to drive a stick with a lot of rental cars. MAKE sure you know what transmission you are getting. You could have a HUMUNGOUS bill when you return the car if you take it off road. AND MAKE SURE you take pictures of all sides of the vehicle and interior when you rent and when you return. Just a little extra protection for YOU. They have your credit card number AND you are in a foreign country. Just an FYI.

 

Rosselot is the best car rental agency in Vina/Valpo if you want a one way rental-pick it up at the Santiago airport, keep if for your two days, then drop it off in Vina/Valpo. The website has an English translator BUT you really need to call them to make sure you are including ALL the fees before you rent (insurance is included in some part of the fees). Even on the English website, the prices are in Chilean pesos PLUS all the fees. http://www.rosselot.cl/

 

Hertz has ONLY trucks for rent in Vina. Diesel and manual transmissions.

 

Do you need an international driver's license if you are Canadian?

[greatam]

Not planning on offroading but I just saw hertz and they only offered trucks will check out the other website though thanks. You consider the streets there pretty safe even in rural areas? Are you sure the prices are in Chilean pesos? The website says 49.00 per day.

 

AMERICAN companies (Hertz) post in US dollars. SOUTH AMERICAN companies generally post in their local currency UNLESS you see USD behind the numbers. Rosselot's website is in Chilean pesos. And don't forget about IVA, which is all the fees and insurance per Chillean rental car companies. I don't know whether Hertz adds in all the fees when you get to the final online booking screen or whether they add them at the counter. But you will pay VAT + other fees. We have an Avis corporate account, so rarely rent from Hertz.

 

And one other thing, your American auto insurance is generally NO GOOD in South America. I highly recommend you purchase ANY and ALL additional insurance offered by the rental car company any time you rent a car outside the USA.

[greatam]

Do you need an international driver's license if you are Canadian?

 

That one I have no positive idea about, but I am making an educated guess-NO. Present your passport, DL and credit card.