Renting a Car in Ecuador: Just Don't Do It!

In the above example, the professional driver wanted $60 a day.

Earlier this week, I asked a Quito taxista what he would charge me to drive us to the Pacific Coast for a few days, including a visit to the popular beach town of Bahía de Caráquez.

He told me $80 a day.

If you hire a driver, you may want to discuss in advance whether you are paying additionally for his meals and hotel room or other hidden costs.

cccmedia in Quito

Motorcycle rental is starting to catch on, though.

I have lived and driven in many countries all over the world and Ecuadorian drivers are not the best but far from the worst. Not renting a car limits you to never going where you want when you want.
I have rented various times with different companies, and while it is expensive I am never worried or scared. God forbid you take a bus and think you are safer.
I am in the process of buying a new car and have read your blogs on this also. Why are you here if life is so dishonest. . I am here to enjoy the experience what ever it may be or bring, good or bad.

Cave Ronald

So you are admitting that you have not actually lived in Ecuador nor have you driven a vehicle here. But you do feel worthy of comments on those who both live here, have driven here and therefore have first hand valuable knowledge and experience.

That being clarified, I would lie to weigh in on the side of hiring a driver.

First, most roads in Ecuador are unmarked and therefore require local knowledge to know where you are going if you have recently arrived. Granted, electronic devices now exist that may assist but they do not pronounce the locales correctly nor with the commonly known names so the use of these gadgets is less the value.

Next, the security and insurance issue. Any damage to a rental vehicle will be assessed whether or not it occurred during the leasehold and proving otherwise is difficult and costly. Any accidents whether or not at fault will be assessed to the driver leading to immediate arrest in the majority of cases and a fine to cover the costs of any actual or perceived injuries or damages to be paid in full prior to being released from the carcel.

To continue: the benefits to having a local driver includes having a translator and intermediary of sorts for negotiations and haggling from lunch to shopping to lodging to dealing with the local constabulary.

Having another person at the wheel allows you to have your eyes on the scenery, to take photographs, to say "stop!" And turn off here! That looks interesting! It actually gives you greater freedom, not less.

Also having another person at the wheel let's you grab some zzz's from point A to point B, and keep to your schedule.

In closing, I urge you to set aside that North American mentality of big man/big car = all powerful conqueror. This is Ecuador, we live life differently here.

Of course, these are just my observations after nearly a decade both with and without a vehicle, working in the hospitality industry, and interacting with literally tens of thousands of expats and would be expats. So take my advice as you deem fit.

Susan

Cavenronald1 wrote:

I have lived and driven in many countries all over the world and Ecuadorian drivers are not the best but far from the worst. Not renting a car limits you to never going where you want when you want.
I have rented various times with different companies, and while it is expensive I am never worried or scared. God forbid you take a bus and think you are safer.
I am in the process of buying a new car and have read your blogs on this also. Why are you here if life is so dishonest. . I am here to enjoy the experience what ever it may be or bring, good or bad.

This post must have been edited, because when I read it yesterday, it exhorted our expert CCCmedia to GO HOME. So the question is who edited the comment?

That aside, I would imagine our expert's position has changed on driving cars (rental cars or otherwise) considering he purchased a car and has driven it between Quito and Colombia.

But I can tell you this, I am not getting in car with any Expat at the wheel on a out of town trip,  without a GPS device of some sort available in the car, whether it be a dedicated device on the dashboard or a SMARTPHONE.  (Yes, there are expats who don't own smartphones, and that is not too smart of them).

Nards Barley wrote:

This post must have been edited, because when I read it yesterday, it exhorted our expert CCCmedia to GO HOME. So the question is:  who edited the comment?

The repetitive "GO HOME" references were removed by expat.com's Home Office in the Mascarene Islands, Nards.

To my knowledge, only the folks at the Home Office have the power to edit out portions of an errant poster's remarks.  The exception, of course, is that a poster may edit his or her own remarks shortly after posting.

As you know, the guidelines for posting on this forum do not allow for negative personal remarks, including shouting at a member repeatedly in 'all caps' to "GO HOME" simply for having expressed one's views or experiences.

cccmedia

cccmedia wrote:

Nards Barley wrote:

This post must have been edited, because when I read it yesterday, it exhorted our expert CCCmedia to GO HOME. So the question is:  who edited the comment?

The repetitive "GO HOME" references were removed by expat.com's Home Office in the Mascarene Islands, Nards.

To my knowledge, only the folks at the Home Office have the power to edit out portions of an errant poster's remarks.  The exception, of course, is that a poster may edit his or her own remarks shortly after posting.

As you know, the guidelines for posting on this forum do not allow for negative personal remarks such as telling a member repeatedly to 'go home' simply for having expressed his or her views or experiences.

cccmedia

I figured that was the case, but was confused since they usually offer up an explanation for the edit such as "No Flaming".

Nards Barley wrote:

I would imagine our expert's position has changed on driving cars (rental cars or otherwise) considering he purchased a car and has driven it between Quito and Colombia.

Although I bought a car in Ecuador in late 2015, I make a distinction between owning and renting a car in Ecuador.

Renting a car to tour Ecuador is a questionable call for reasons mentioned in this thread.

Before driving to Colombia, I used my car exclusively for errands and trips within metro Quito.  That's obviously a big difference from theoretically driving it all over the country through unfamiliar areas or night-time danger zones.

cccmedia from Medellín, Colombia

I believe they were sanitizing that post as I was writing my reply. I looked back to reference if he had in fact driven and saw the post "...editing.. "

It is refreshing to be participating from time to time in an environment that is kept at a level of civil discussion. Certainly a more calming reading experience for the participants. We all know it does not reflect the more gritty, vitriolic side of the expat community, that does exist. For those readers who require proof of that, it exists in ample example in the "lower forum" of another expat site for those interested. You are welcome to visit but do bring your protective gear ... hip waders, goggles, and cups for you gents 😉

cccmedia wrote:

Before driving to Colombia, I used my car exclusively for errands and trips within metro Quito.  That's obviously a big difference from theoretically driving it all over the country through unfamiliar areas or night-time danger zones.

cccmedia from Medellín, Colombia

True, but I wouldn't hesitate to rent a car to drive from Cuenca to say Vilcabamba, assuming I didn't find riding a bus much more in line with my budget.

I have rented in every country I have visited and  Ecuador is by far better than most. To get the most out your experience anywhere driving gets you the most bang for your buck. If you think taxi drivers or bus drivers have your best interest in mind, go for it. But for me I want to be behind the wheel. Once again my advice is stay 2 blocks from your hotel or put yourself in someone else's hands.
Ecuador is a great place with many locations you can never experience without your own vehicle, don't be shy go for it. I will double down, go home if this isn't for you.

Cavenronald1 wrote:

I will double down, go home if this isn't for you.

You hear that everyone. If renting a car isn't for you, you should go home.  No matter whether you have bought property here, lived here for years, whatever.  If you don't rent a car, go home.

And I can say with certainty that the majority of expats in Cuenca have not rented or driven a car in Ecuador.   So many will need to be going home soon to satisfy Ronald who speaks for the entire community.

Let's be clear:

A person who visits a location, fliers in on a plane and rents a car. Does not know the area, the language, the culture of transitory y colas, etc.

That is the topic. And that is the post to which answers are being written in response.

Very different from the matter of having lived in an area for a period of time. That distinction is important to keep in mind for anyone reading these posts in the future.