Questions and answers

Where is the best place to rent a car long term in Playa del Carmen?

Travelnation Cars rents a Mazda 3 for 10,000 MXN a month and a Nissan X-Trail for 15,000 MXN a month. Mexican liability insurance, unlimited mileage and free delivery are already included. That puts the sedan at the bottom of the local range and the SUV in the middle of it.

For stays of a month or more, a small local operator generally works out better than an international counter. The reason is not that the headline number is dramatically lower. It is that the headline number is what you actually pay. Franchise counters make their margin on airport fees, cover sold at the desk and daily-rate arithmetic. None of that applies when you rent by the month from the people who own the car.

One thing to check in any quote you compare: local monthly plans at this price usually cap your mileage. Unlimited mileage normally sits in a tier about 40% more expensive.

How much does a monthly car rental cost in the Riviera Maya?

A compact sedan costs 10,500–14,000 MXN a month from local agencies. An SUV costs 14,000–19,000 MXN. High season runs December to April and pushes prices to the top of those ranges. International brands cost more again, because compulsory cover is added to the quoted rate.

Our prices are 10,000 MXN for the Mazda 3 and 15,000 MXN for the Nissan X-Trail. Both are all-in and stay the same all year. Budget another 1,500–3,000 pesos a month for fuel.

Can I rent a car in Mexico without a credit card?

With us, yes. This is one of the most common obstacles in Mexico: international agencies require a credit card in the driver's name and place a hold of 15,000–35,000 pesos on it, and local ones often ask for a Mexican guarantor (aval) instead. We take a straightforward refundable deposit — cash, transfer or card — with no credit check and no guarantor.

Is insurance included in the price?

Yes. Mexican third-party liability insurance (seguro de responsabilidad civil) is included in both monthly prices. This matters more than people expect: liability cover is legally mandatory in Mexico, your home motor policy does not extend here, and the coverage that comes with credit cards is collision damage only — it does not satisfy the Mexican legal requirement. Driving without it is what turns a minor incident into a night in a police station.

Do you deliver the car to Cancún airport?

Yes, free of charge, to any terminal at Cancún International (CUN). Send us your flight number and we track it, so a delayed landing is not a problem. We meet you in the arrivals hall with the keys — no shuttle bus to an off-airport lot, no counter queue, and no upsell. We collect the car the same way when you fly out.

Should I rent a sedan or an SUV for Yucatán?

The sedan if you are one or two people staying on the paved corridor between Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum — it is 5,000 pesos a month cheaper and uses about 2 litres less per 100 km. The SUV if there are more than five of you (the X-Trail seats seven against the Mazda's five), if you carry a lot of luggage, or if you plan to reach cenotes, Cobá, Punta Allen or anything down a dirt road: the X-Trail's 210 mm of ground clearance against the Mazda's 155 mm is the whole argument, and unpaved access roads in Quintana Roo are common.

What driving licence do I need in Mexico?

Your national licence is valid in Mexico for tourists, provided it is current and you have held it at least a year — Mexican law asks for a valid licence, not specifically an international one. There is an important practical exception: if your licence is not written in the Latin alphabet (Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, Arabic, Chinese), bring an International Driving Permit. Most Mexican rental companies require one in that case as a matter of policy, and it also shortens any roadside conversation considerably. It costs very little to obtain at home. You must be 21 or older to rent from us, and carry your passport.

Is there a mileage limit?

No. Mileage is unlimited and we do not check the odometer. Long-stay renters typically cover 2,000–4,000 km a month, and driving to Mérida, Bacalar or Chichén Itzá as often as you like changes nothing about the price.

What is the security deposit?

A refundable deposit is taken at handover and returned in full when the car comes back in the same condition. We agree the amount with you in writing before delivery — there are no surprises at the door, and unlike the international agencies we do not place a large hold on a credit card.

Can I drive to Chichén Itzá, Bacalar or Mérida?

Yes, all included. From Playa del Carmen it is about 183 km and 2.5 hours to Chichén Itzá, and 289 km and just under 4 hours to Mérida on the toll road — tolls are paid in cash, run several hundred pesos each way, and are your cost. Bacalar is 277 km and a solid 4 hours: Highway 307 south of Tulum is single-lane, runs through villages and is full of topes, so allow more time than the distance suggests and set off early enough not to finish in the dark. Both cars handle these trips comfortably; the only planning needed is fuel, since Pemex stations thin out inland.

Is it safe to drive in the Riviera Maya?

Driving the tourist corridor is straightforward and most long-stay residents do it daily. The genuine hazards are mundane: topes (speed bumps) that are tall, frequent and often unpainted; unlit stretches of Highway 307 at night; and cyclists and scooters without lights. The standard local advice is to avoid long intercity drives after dark — not for crime, but because animals, unlit vehicles and unmarked topes are much harder to see.

What do I do if the police stop me?

Stay calm and polite, stay in the car, and hand over your licence and the car's papers, which live in the glovebox. Routine checkpoints on Highway 307 are common and usually end in thirty seconds. If an officer suggests paying on the spot, you are entitled to ask for a written ticket (infracción) instead — asking for it, politely, resolves most of these situations. Call us and we will talk to them in Spanish if needed.

How much is petrol in Mexico?

Magna 87 runs about 24–26 pesos per litre at Pemex, and Premium 92 a few pesos more. Both our cars take Magna. Stations are full-service, so an attendant fills the tank — the local habit is to check the pump reads zero before they start and to pay attention to the total. Tipping 10–20 pesos is normal.

Do I really need a car in Playa del Carmen?

For a week in a hotel on Quinta Avenida, no. For a month or more, almost certainly yes. Supermarkets, Costco and Home Depot are all on the highway side of town, the good beaches are 20–40 minutes south, and Playa taxis are unmetered with a tourist rate roughly triple the local one. For a couple going out regularly, a month of taxis costs about what a month of our Mazda costs — and the car is also there at 6am when you decide to drive to Bacalar.

What if the car breaks down?

You get one WhatsApp number answered in your language. If it is a mechanical fault on our side we fix it or bring you the other car at our cost — that is the practical advantage of a two-car fleet run by the people who own it. Punctures are the most common real-world event: there is a spare and a jack, and roadside vulcanizadoras are everywhere and charge 100–200 pesos.

Can I extend the rental?

Yes, and most people do. Send a message before your month is up and we confirm. From 3 months the rate drops by 10%. Ending early is fine too — tell us as soon as you know and we settle it fairly.

Why not just book with Hertz, Avis or a booking site?

Because the advertised price is often not the price. The standard pattern at Cancún airport is a very low daily rate online, followed by two additions at the counter: the compulsory Mexican liability cover the aggregator left out of the quote (genuinely required, and typically 5–12 USD a day), and then a hard push to buy full zero-deductible coverage on top at 20–40 USD a day. Add a credit-card hold that commonly runs 10,000–30,000 pesos and an hour in a queue, and a cheap booking stops being cheap. None of that is dishonest exactly — it is just not what you thought you were buying. Our number is agreed in writing before you arrive and does not change.

Are child seats available?

Yes, on request and at no charge — tell us the child's age when you book and the seat will be fitted before delivery. This is a legal requirement, not an optional extra: Quintana Roo law requires a child restraint for children under five, and federal law puts anyone under twelve in the back seat. In Cancún the local rule keeps under-sevens out of the front. The X-Trail is the easier car if you need to fit two seats.

Can I take the car to another state?

Yes. The whole Yucatán peninsula — Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Campeche — is included with no paperwork. If you are planning something longer, like Chiapas or Mexico City, just tell us in advance so we can line up servicing. There is no extra fee, we simply want to know where the car is going.

How do I pay, and can I pay from abroad?

Monthly in advance: cash in pesos, Mexican bank transfer (SPEI), or card by arrangement. We can agree the booking by message before you arrive and settle at handover, so there is nothing to transfer internationally before you have seen the car.

What languages do you speak?

English, Spanish and Russian. The same person handles your booking, the handover and anything that comes up during the rental, so you are never explaining your situation from scratch.

How far in advance should I book?

We have two cars, so availability is the real constraint rather than the price. High season here runs December to April, when both cars are usually spoken for weeks ahead. Message us as early as you can — if we are full for your dates we will say so straight away rather than string you along.