With few international airports in Baja California and none near the 28th parallel, your transportation choices are fairly limited and most visitors today from the U.S. and Canada still make the trip down in a personal vehicle or RV. Visiting many of the more popular destinations in Baja California Sur however, requires multiple days of driving across long stretches of lonely desert with relatively few services available.
And not to mention that visitors driving down to Baja’s southern regions have to give up a minimum of four days of vacation time just to make the long drive down and back.
That helps to explain why most travelers to Baja Sur prefer air travel with over 80% of visitors to Cabo San Lucas in 2022 reporting to have arrived via the international airport at San Jose del Cabo. Finding a good deal on airline tickets on your preferred travel dates to Baja Sur, really isn’t all that difficult.
The real problems start when you begin searching for good, straight-forward information on car rental options available when planinng to visit the La Paz – Los Cabos areas.
Although Google provides links to many supposed cheap car rentals, advertising rates as low as 5 dollars per day, those amazing deals are usually no more than click-bait headlines to convince you to sign up for a car rental, giving them your personal data and your credit card info.
Here is just one such example…

All is well you think until you get off the plane and find the car rental booth/kiosk at the airport with your luggage in hand, only to discover that the cheap rental rate you were quoted online has suddenly transformed into a very expensive contract the agent is pressuring for you to sign.
Many of these car-rental agencies at some of the international airports down here participate in schemes involving switch and bait tactics, exorbitant security deposits, overpriced insurance / expensive collision damage waivers and other hidden charges in addition to fraudulent charges for pre-existing vehicle damage when turning the vehicle back in.
Before you lose hope and maybe even consider whether it would be best to just drive your own vehicle down instead, let me introduce you to the newest sponsor of TalkBaja.com – Eric Zhevel and Seahorse Rent a Car.
Eric is a young entrepreneur and member of our Talk Baja community who has been living as a resident down here in the La Paz area for a few years. He has a great story to share on how he found himself getting pulled into starting a business down here, where he would eventually create a much better car rental option for travelers to southern Baja.
Meet Eric Zhevel and Seahorse Rent a Car
Eric grew up in San Diego, California and began visiting Baja in late 2019 after graduating from college. A friend from University introduced him to kitesurfing in the La Ventana area of Baja California Sur and it wasn’t long before he became hooked.
Eric was still in La Ventana when the pandemic started in early 2020, changing all of his travel plans.
He had originally planned to return to California but made the decision to stay after considering the risks of potentially contracting and spreading the virus. What was initially planned to be only a few weeks delay would turn into months.
However, the longer he stayed in Baja, the more it began to feel like home.
Eric fell in love with the colors of the sea, the warm climate, the friendly people and the laid-back culture, but with only a bike for transportation, it quickly became obvious that he needed to have a vehicle if he was going to stay. He considered buying a car locally but found out that he could not legally register a purchased vehicle without temporary or permanent residency; something he had not obtained yet.

Eric also considered just renting a car from one of the nearby car rental agencies, but friends quickly talked him out of the idea, sharing some of their own nightmarish experiences of misleading and shady schemes that tourists often have to deal with down here when trying to rent a car.
A few months later, the travel restrictions were eased a bit and Eric flew back to San Diego. He packed some more clothes and other possessions he had left behind and drove his own vehicle back down to his new home in Baja Sur.
Once back in La Ventana, word soon got out that Eric now had a car and it was only a matter of days before friends began offering him cash, asking to use his vehicle from time to time. And what started out as once or twice a week “rentals to friends” soon grew into almost daily requests to use his car and before long, Eric was forced to buy a second car just so he could have a car to drive!
The requests to rent his vehicle steadily increased over time and before long, he was contacted by some tourists visiting La Paz who heard about a young Gringo who could rent them a car. It seems that the informal car rental side-hussle was beginning to look like a serious business opportunity!
Eric was highly resistant to the idea at first but as demand kept growing, he was feeling the pressure to purchase a third vehicle. At that point he gave in and began the process to become a permanent resident and formed a Mexican business – Seahorse Rent a Car
In his first year of doing business under the Seahorse Rent a Car name, Eric continues to grow his client base (mostly on referrals) as well as adding new vehicles to his growing rental fleet of passenger vehicles, SUVs and pickup trucks.

What Makes Seahorse Rent a Car Different?
It’s simple – good/dependable vehicles at economical rates with no gimmicks or hidden fees and great customer support!
At Seahorse Rent a Car, you will only be asked to provide a 100 dollar security deposit. The cost of auto insurance, roadside assistance and IVA are all included in the stated vehicle rental rates.
They also can deliver and pick up your rental vehicle from your location.
As the newest sponsor of TalkBaja.com, Eric is now making the next step to broaden his market reach as well as grow his brand recognition. But no matter how big his company grows, Eric has made a commitment to always be available to the Talk Baja community where he will respond to your questions and concerns.
With lower overhead than larger auto rental chains, Eric is able to offer you great rates on a wide selection of vehicles which include brand new models as well as some 10 year old vehicles that he personally selected – all in excellent condition and each well maintained to be able to offer you an economical rental rate on a great- car, with even better deals for longer term rentals!






Whether you are a short-term visitor needing a vehicle while on vacation or a temporary/permanent resident who perhaps did not wish to bring your personal vehicle down when you moved here, have a vehicle in the shop for several days or simply don’t want to deal with the responsibility of car ownership in Mexico, Seahorse Rent a Car is your very best bet when looking for a simple and honest, economical and drama-free car rental experience.
What His Customers Say…
Eric’s customers REALLY LOVE working with him and here are just a sample of some of his reviews…
I rented a SUV for 6 weeks from Eric. It was great! He’s a solid guy to rent from!
Amanda Merrit Smith
Eric is the best to deal with!! I have one of his vehicles right now and I am very pleased with the service and cost!! Super easy to deal with and he will take care of you, if it is needed! The cars are great too!!
Lela Phillips Remmick
Good morning! I just wanted to send a huge Shout Out to Eric Zhevel and his Team at Seahorse Car Rental!!! Thank you so much for your patience and go with the flow attitude!! If you ever need to rent a car I highly recommend them!!
Frances Cox
I just wanted to give a shout-out to Eric Zhevel and his staff. We rented a car with them last month, and somehow lost a set of Bose headphones with reading glasses in the case. We thought we left them on the flight, and had pretty much written them off. Out of the blue, we get a text asking if we lost them and they delivered them to our home! Excellent service and so very honest. Thank you!!!
Rob and Patty Cierly
I have had the opportunity to rent vehicles several times from Eric Zhevel recently as my Jeep needed some work then I was rear ended and it needed body work. What a great experience! Great customer service, very fair daily rates with no hidden fees. His rates include insurance and roadside assistance and his cards are clean, well maintained and reliable. Definitely call Eric if you need a rental car.
Lyanne Paddick-O’Leary
Was searching for car rental on this group and Eric Zhevel‘s name keep popping up so we contacted him. Sure enough, his service was great as many have recommended!!!
Norasiah Noor
Car rental feedback. HUGE shoutout to Eric Zhevel! My vehicle went in for brake pads and stayed for new suspension. My work schedule meant I needed a vehicle quickly and I reached out to Eric. I immediately had a great vehicle, fully insured, at an amazing rate. If you need a rental, Eric is the man. He gets my 100% enthusiastic endorsement. Thanks, Eric!
Ian Wilson


Service Area
Eric’s very first customers were his friends around the La Ventana area within the kitesurfing community who asked to rent his own, personal vehicle but today his company now offers a wide selection of vehicles to visitors and residents, based out of the La Paz area – currently his primary market today in Baja California Sur.
Seahorse Rent a Car can also provide rental cars to customers in the Los Cabos area and can usually deliver the vehicle to you there at your hotel or residence where you are staying.
Rentals for 2 weeks or longer are also available for the Loreto area.
Eric shared with us his ideas for future expansion that could possibly include offices in Cabo and Loreto at some future date. Stay tuned!
Visit Seahorse Rent a Car today: https://seahorsecarrental.com/

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