To hire a car in Ecuador you need to be at least 25 years of age, hold a valid driver's license, and carry an internationally recognized credit card. Realize, however, that car rental in Ecuador is vastly different from that in the USA or Europe, mainly because there is no CDW (Collision Damage Waiver). Practices differ from company to company, so you need to make sure you understand fully the details of the contract and your responsibilities. Generally speaking, you can expect the following when renting a car in Ecuador...

The daily hire rate will not include 10% tax and insurance coverage - these are both extra. Read the details of the insurance coverage extremely carefully - it will not be as comprehensive as car insurance at home.

Even though you can pay with cash or traveler's checks, you will need a credit card to guarantee the booking. You will be required to put up around USD 2,000 which will be split between two vouchers: one to guarantee the rental, the other to guarantee against damage. After you return the car, any amount over the cost of the rental will be refunded to your card - a process that can take a few weeks.

Driving a rented car, you will be one of few people on the road who has any type of insurance coverage. Car rental companies require a police report in the event of an accident. If you are involved in a collision however, you may find that the other party is reluctant to involve the police - especially if they are responsible. They may prefer to come to an agreement, go to a local garage and pay for the repairs then and there. Note that car rental companies prefer to carry out the repairs themselves.

If the police are called and there is no agreement about responsibility, both parties may have to stay in the police station until an agreement is reached. Depending on the car company, you will be responsible for the first USD 1,000 - 2,000 in repair costs. If the other party is liable, legally they should pay. But since few Ecuadorians have that kind of money, you may end up covering these costs yourself.

The majority of Ecuadorian roads are of poor quality, so you can expect to lose a few tires if you are driving for a couple of weeks. So before leaving the car rental location, make sure there is a car-jack (gato) and a spare tire (llanta de repuesto) in good condition. You should also check the car thoroughly inside and out, since you will be responsible for any scratches or damage when you return it. Replacement of the spare tire is rarely included in your insurance, but you will find tire replacement centers (vulcanizadoras) on roadsides throughout Ecuador. In the case of mechanical failure, Ecuador is relatively small and you will rarely be more than five hours away from Quito or Guayaquil, so roadside rescue or car replacement is not too complicated.

Most rental fleets in Ecuador feature cars with manual transmission; automatics are rare. If you require an automatic, particularly in high season, you should request it in advance. Cars which run on unleaded gasoline are also an anomaly so you'll find that your car runs on either Extra or Super rather than the "greener" form of gas, Eco, which is in fact just a bit less leaded than the former two. Diesel is also available. Gasoline prices are similar to U.S. prices. Drop-off charges regularly apply.