HI. I rent every year, and have paid a lot in years past, but the prices have come way down. I recommend it if you have had a lot of experience in Jamaica, know the roads, know the driving patterns, and know how to leave tons of following distance. This past year I rented from Hertz and paid a total of $208 for the week. And the car was great. Nadia, at the Hertz counter, is good to work with. The reason my cost was low was that I used a World Master Card, Gold level. Anything less and it doesn't cover the CDW, which can be very expensive, and have a co-pay if there is an accident.
The roads aren't always clearly marked. And I have a few different ways that I go over to Negril. Usually I take the "new road" which is relatively fast, so I figure about an hour and a half with a couple of brief stops. Change money, get groceries, and all that. I'm not sure if a sat/nav works in Jamaica, or if it did, would keep you out of trouble. I won't use one here or in Europe, since they can get you into places you don't want to be, or simply get you on the wrong roads.
As far as diesel prices, I have no idea. I've always used petrol, and never spent more than $40 or $50 for the week, and we go a lot of places.
Whether the car company gives you a full tank or empty depends on the company. Prospective always gave us a vehicle with nothing but fumes in the tank, and we considered ourselves lucky to get to the petrol station at the airport, or the shell station in MoBay. Hertz gave us a full tank, and the car was spotless and everything worked correctly. Quite a change from when I was renting a Lada!
If you're cautious, know the runnings, and have a good credit card, or are willing to pay the CDW, I'd go for it!
The freedom it gives you is worth everything there.
Dave
