Have you ever needed a rental car for just a few hours? I saw Zipcars on a college campus and did some investigating to see how the service works. I have a daughter in college who is under age 25 and it is very difficult for her to rent a car the traditional way. With Zipcar, there is no surcharge for being under the age of 25. You do need to have a clean driving record and be over age 21.
Zipcar is a car sharing company where you can rent a car for as little as one hour.
From the Zipcar website:
“Zipcar is the world’s leading car-sharing network with more than 730,000 members and over 10,000 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car.”
There is an annual fee and an application fee so you will need to do the math when you compare this to a more traditional car rental. The price when I checked was a $50 annual fee plus a $25 application fee.
Depending on the model of car you select, the rates start at $8 an hour and $66 per day. Prices are $9 an hour on the weekend and $72 a day on weekends.
Get more information and a discount from their website here:
** Important factor— gas, insurance and up to 180 free miles are included.
Zipcar offers a trial membership:
Before you sign up, check to see if your company has an existing membership, you may qualify for a discount. If you are a college student, you can rent a Zipcar without paying a surcharge for being under age 25.
The next time you need to rent a car, especially for a short time, take a look at Zipcar and see if this will to save some money. If you are considering a new car purchase, you may be able to rent a Zipcar in your desired model and drive it around for a few hours before you decide.
