Rent a car in South America [closed]

Rent a car in South America [closed] - Red Ford Mustang

We are thinking of renting a car from Buenos Aires to drive to Santiago. Has anyone done this and are the roads, towns encounter safe ?



Best Answer

In 2008, my wife and I rented a car in Buenos Aires and drove to Iguaçu (waterfalls) via the national park 'Esteros del Iberá' and back. We found Argentina safe to drive, but this depends on what you are used to.
The traffic is definitely more chaotic than in Northwestern Europe, but IMHO comparable to Southern European countries as Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece.

Some tips:

  1. Rent a car at a respectable company, best before you leave.
  2. Avoid rush hour in Buenos Aires (and probably other mayor cities). It's a nightmare. We left and returned on a Sunday.
  3. Try to avoid driving at night.
  4. Mayor roads are generally in good to fair condition. However, there are a lot of minor roads that are made of loose gravel, known as (caminos de) ripio. Some of these can be driven by a normal car (but drive carefully!), others only with a 4x4, also depending on the weather. Ask locals.
  5. Don't expect to cover large distances, you won't be able to drive from BA to Santiago in 1 day.
  6. Learn basic Spanish and take a Spanish language guide. Outside tourist locations not everybody speaks English.

As to other non driving related safety issues: Argentina is generally a safe country but I am no expert on this matter.




Pictures about "Rent a car in South America [closed]"

Rent a car in South America [closed] - Time Lapse Photography of City during Night Time
Rent a car in South America [closed] - Cars parked near mansions in city residential district in sunlight
Rent a car in South America [closed] - New Your City street with vast busy road between contemporary typical buildings on clear day



What happens if the car rental place is closed?

Please Note: A vehicle that is returned after hours will not be checked in until the next business day. If returning after hours when a branch is closed, the customer is responsible for the vehicle until the satisfactory check in of the rental vehicle the next business day.

Can you drive a rental car from Mexico to Belize?

You MUST have copies of the rental car contract, the driver's passport and the driver's license, and you have to have the affidavit from the rental car company. Make sure you get the affidavit back, as the Belizeans will want to see it when you return.

Can I drive a rental car from Costa Rica to Panama?

Rental Cars cannot be taken across the international borders to Panama or Nicaragua. Some agencies will allow you to drop one car off in Costa Rica, cross the border on foot and pick up a new car on the other side for a fee. Tickets\u2014Modern traffic enforcement exists in Costa Rica and you can expect to face radar guns.

Can you rent a car in Chile and drive to Argentina?

Rental car companies do not permit you to pick up a car in Chile and drop it in Argentina. Therefore, if you rent a car, be prepared to drive across the border twice.



Renting a car in South America Vlog 3 Small




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Pixabay, Nate Hovee, Enric Cruz López, Samson Katt