EP54 - Renting a car to explore Aruba

When we visit Aruba, renting a vehicle is not an option.  For our upcoming vacation in July, we are just now going through the process of choosing an agency for our rental.  Normally, we rent a jeep from Royal Aruba but this trip we are switching things up a bit.  This time, instead of renting a Jeep we are looking to downsize to a compact car.  The last visit our Jeep needed to be repaired and our replacement was a Kia Picanto.  Driving that little matchbox car around the island was a very different experience but not unpleasant at all.  Also a couple of months ago, on a trip, we had a Chevy Spark as a rental and drove that 5 hours from Atlanta to Pensacola, Florida.  It was actually a lot of fun.  So this trip to Aruba instead of a big old gas guzzling Jeep we are going for the go-kart.

 

This episode is me exploring our options for rental car agency.  I went to visitaruba.com to look at their list of rental car agencies.  From that list, I eliminated the large chains like Hertz and Avis.  I didn’t have a reason for eliminating those agencies I just want to go with someone local.  The requirements I had was an agency that rented to vacationers not staying at a resort because some do have that rule.  I am also looking for a good combination of customer service and price.  Sending the email gives me a chance to test the service and I am using the prices listed on their websites for an apple to apple comparison.  Please note that the price listed on the website may not be the actual cost of the rental but was the only fair way for me to compare different sites.  Also, just because I do love tooling around Aruba in a big Jeep I also looked at the prices on Jeeps… you never know.

 

On this episode of One Happy Podcast you will hear about:

• A comparison between 10 different Aruba car rental agencies
• How a website glitch impacts customer service
• A rule some car rental agencies have that may keep you from being able to use them
• How much it will cost for us to rent a vehicle for 8 days
• A few reasons why you may want to consider renting a vehicle if you never have
• Us struggling with the decision of renting a small car over a Jeep

Our Aruba Car Rental Comparison:

• Amigo Car Rental
• • Nonresort rental okay
  • Email Response less than 3 hours
  • Cost of a Kia Picanto or similar vehicle 233
  • Cost of a Jeep 857
• Jay's car rental
• • Nonresort rental okay
  • Email Response less than 3 hours
  • Cost of a Kia Picanto or similar vehicle 205
  • Cost of a Jeep 514
• More 4 less Car Rental
• • Cost of a Kia Picanto or similar vehicle 228
  • Cost of a Jeep 600
• Optima Car Rental Aruba
• • Nonresort rental okay with a safe driveway
  • Email Response less than 3 hours
  • Cost of a Kia Picanto or similar vehicle 224
  • Didn’t see a jeep on their website
• Aruba Royal Car Rental
• • Nonresort rental okay
  • 204 Picante
  • 502 Jeep
• Super car rental Aruba
• • Nonresort rental okay
  • Cost of a Kia Picanto or similar vehicle 257
  • Cost of a Jeep 565
• Top Drive Aruba
• • Nonresort rental okay
  • Took nearly 24 hours (longest)
  • Cost of a Kia Picanto or similar vehicle 258
  • Cost of a Jeep 797
  • Special note not sure if the website has a glitch but it says renting a can-am UTV would cost me 7,260 dollars for the week.  
• Value Aruba
• • Nonresort rental okay
  • Took nearly 24 hours
  • Cost of a Kia Picanto or similar vehicle 251
  • Cost of a Jeep 680

 

Eliminated

• smart rent a car
• • The email got bounced back
• Easy car rental
• • The email got bounced back

 

On the next episode of One Happy Podcast

Make sure you tune into the next episode of One Happy Podcast as we discuss packing.  Learn what we take along on our trips and what we purchase after we arrive.  If you have never had a private rental and are looking into one, you’ll want to know what necessities you’ll have to purchase upon arrival.