Renting a Car and Driving 

Renting a car is a necessity when adventure surf fishing.   You will be flying into one of the large resort towns and there will be many rental agencies to choose from.  The various well-known car rentals such as Avis, National, Hertz, etc. will be there.  However, these are independently owned and operated with little consistency in service and quality from location to location.  It’s going to be a throw of the dice on your part when you make a car reservation via the Internet.  In general, the prices will be remarkably consistent from the various agencies.  If you find one that is significantly lower in price, beware!  It is likely a shady operation with bait and switch tactics and poorly maintained cars or very inflated insurance costs.

It is VERY prudent to purchase insurance from the rental agency.  If you purchase zero deductible damage/loss insurance they will not try to claim damage to the car when you return it.   You will be returning the car just prior to your flight departure and delays due to issues of damage can cause you to miss your flight.  To me, it makes little sense to have damage/loss insurance with a $500 - $1000 deductible as this is the most likely “found” in the form of dings and windshield chips.  Just buy zero deductible damage/loss insurance and have a happy carefree trip!  It is also important to purchase liability insurance.  Heaven forbid you injure someone without it.  You will be held in foreign county and be subject to legal proceedings.  Examine your personal medical insurance carefully and make sure you would be covered in the event of a medical emergency.  If you are not, personal medical insurance is available from the car rental agencies.  Examine all these insurance costs carefully.  Frequently their costs will determine your choice of rental agencies.

It is extremely important to carefully go over the vehicle for prior damage BEFORE you depart the rental agency.  They will have a form that documents and locates this.  Do not be distracted or hurried.  Make them document every small dent, scrape, and windshield chip.  Also make sure the jack and the spare tire are present and the gas tank level is noted.  Make note of and keep the car rental agencies telephone number.  If your car breaks down you will need to call them.  Most small villages have someone who can fix a flat tire.  I also recommend you try to purchase a can of “Fix-a-Flat” before departing the arrival city and bringing a tow strap is not a bad thing.

Your choice of a car type will be determined by your destination.  If you will be traveling hard surfaced roads only any small sedan will suffice.  If you will be traveling gravel or dirt roads you should try to determine their level of maintenance and up keep.  Many times a sedan will still suffice.  If you are traveling gravel/dirt roads of unknown condition and/or are truly poking around off the beaten path then rent a four-wheel drive vehicle.  The most common and affordable of these is the Jeep Wrangler however it will cost significantly more than a compact sedan.

Driving in Mexico is not a lot different than driving at home.  You will likely encounter very busy four lane traffic with aggressive drivers while trying to depart the city of arrival.  The blacktop roads outside of the cities are not much different than at home but watch out for “topes”.  These are speed bumps that seem to arise from nowhere and they can launch you into the air if unseen.  Watch for these as you approach intersections and villages.  The main difference is when turning left.  You do not turn left from the lane you are driving in.  You should pull off the road to the right and check for traffic before turning left.  On highways, there will frequently be a right pull off lane to be used when turning left.  Do not stop in the lane of traffic before turning left.  This is the source of many accidents.

Gas stations are found in larger towns.  Get out of the car and verify that the attendant zeros the counter.   It is wisest to ask for a specific peso amount of gas and make the attendant verify the denomination of the bill before you hand it to him.  Asking him to “fill it up” and then handing him a large bill for change will create the possibility of slight of hand and claims that you gave him a bill of lesser denomination.  Gas is usually available at small stores in the villages.  You might have to ask the locals in order to find it.  The gas is kept in 55-gallon drums and siphoned from buckets into your car.  Don’t let your car get near empty.  It’s not uncommon for these small stores to run out of gas for a week at a time and you might have to search the next village or two to find gas.

Mexico is much more tolerant and accepting of small bribes and this can extend to the police force.  If you are stopped for a “violation” by a local policeman they are more than likely seeking a $10 -$20 bribe.  You have two options.  You can loudly claim you speak no Spanish and you don’t understand them.  If you keep this up long enough they might get frustrated and allow you to leave.  Taking their picture might intimidate them.   Or, you can pay them their small bribe and depart feeling like it is a small price to pay to continue on.  If you have truly violated and it is not a trumped up thing, I would pay the bribe.

If you are stopped by a highway patrol looking fellow, cooperate with him fully.  They are the real thing.  Treat them with all the resect you would give to a state trooper back home.

Soldier looking fellows with AK-47s might stop you.  They are harmless and mostly looking for drugs and fulfilling a stint in the armed forces.  Cooperate with them and you will soon be on your way.  Do not take their photographs.  They will not appreciate this.

Do not leave things in the car when fishing away from it.  This is an invitation for break-in and theft.  Hide all items not to be carried in the nearby brush.  Keep EXTREMELY good track of you car key.  Keep it in the same safe place every time you leave the car.   Losing your key will mean trudging your way to a village and calling the rental agency.  You will lose a day or two to all this and be begging a local for assistance.