Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Do you use Zipcar or Enterprise, or any other car share scheme?
If so, what do you think of them in terms of cost, availability, insurance etc?
Tags for Forum Posts: car sharing
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Robert Pike on
-
I have recently returned to ZipCar having been let down by Drive Now. Drive Now was more convenient than Zip Car on account of the fact that a ZipCar has to be returned to it's parking space whereas Drive Now can be parked anywhere in the borough. However on 2 occasions the technology that allows Drive Now cars to operate has failed. I was unable to operate the car when parked up at a DIY store and was simply told to make my own way home. On the second occasion the whole system crashed leaving users unable to use any car. The customer service was again a case of Computer Says No! So make your own way to your destination! I never had an issue with Zip Car other than with the designated parking space. They were also really helpful when I needed a car after the Drive Now failure. Great customer service.
-
Permalink Reply by Antoinette on
-
I hadn't appreciated that you could park anywhere (within the designated zone) and literally do bookings on the spot. I was sufficiently interested to take a look at their website, and somehow found myself signing up! They've got a one off sign up offer at £4.99 with free driving time worth £7. I can't help but think that's it's worth signing up as a back up. They charge by the minute not the hour, good for shorter "hop" journeys. ZipCar is cheaper is you need a car for more than half an hour, but they also charge an annual membership fee.....
-
-
Streetcar then zipcar user, from way back when Haringey council didn't have streetcar bays so the area only had one car (it was on a private drive by Sainsbury's)
Their customer service is great. I belted off a wing mirror (don't ask) and also blew a tyre, both sorted out quickly and no extra charge (I don't pay the excess either).
It's a lot more expensive than it used to be but still handy, and so many cars now that other than bank hols etc there's usually one free reasonably locally.
Big plus is being able to hire vans as well.
-
-
Thanks everyone, your comments have been very useful!
Antoinette, I did wonder how much it would cost compared to owning a car. Our 17 year old' banger' went to the big car park in the sky at the beginning of the year and I have been surprised how much I have spent on delivery charges for example. It certainly takes more planning!
-
-
I use drivenow occasionally, when they first came out there were some issues but it seems to have settled and the last few times I haven't had any issues. The price can be a bit high compared to public transport (it's 29p a minute) but there are loads of cars and you can just park it wherever you want and finish, then rent another or the same for your way back.
You also get 20 minutes free driving if you fill the car when it drops below 25%. On the app you can see the fuel levels of all the cars so you can select one of those if a petrol station is on your way and get some free minutes.
-
-
Like others here, I've been with Zipcar from the start, after its predecessor Streetcar. It suits me, because my need for a car is infrequent and I'm fairly happy to accept the insurance excess of £750 without paying a monthly fee to reduce it. There are lots of cars and vans around, and I don't usually have to go far to pick one up. The exceptional times are bank holidays when available cars are like hens' teeth unless you book a long time in advance.
The bonus given by Streetcar for washing the car no longer applies, but Zipcar seem to wash the cars themselves frequently so there is not so much need for us users to do it too.
The main source of annoyance is when another user has left the car interior dirty and full of rubbish! I usually just get on and clean it in the hope of shaming them into doing the same next time.
-
-
A problem that you can get with car clubs, hire cars, leased cars etc is PCN (yes I know don't get one in the first place & you won't have this problem) is some companies pay the PCN and then add an admin. charge and won't transfer liability to you to fight the PCN if you so wish.
I am advising someone who managed to do the no right turn on Highgate High St twice (it is badly signed) and the car club run by Entreprise (used to be City Car Club) gave him a letter saying he could challenge and then paid both PCN which kills the process. Fight ongoing.
I looked at putting my car on ZipCar when it came out but no-one seems to have considered the tax implications. Is there an element of profit which should be declared?
-
Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on
-
I got a few people who rented out my car (WhipCar and then EasyCar) and attracted PCNs - the car company paid for them and charged the users. I could have challenged the PCN (so could the user who incurred it) I suppose.
Tax is no different than for any income - declare it. What would help is to know what an allowable expense was though - I don't bother but I suppose you could make the case that hiring out your car is a loss-making activity (as you have to buy and maintain a car to do it) and so you're not liable for any tax. With AirBnB-type rentals, the govt recently increased the tax-free earnings allowance so maybe they should do the same for car-sharing?
By the way, if you're the hero who helps people with PCNs I salute you - it's an honour!
-
Permalink Reply by matt on
-
Seems he is Chris. See link to his blog below. But he is on twitter etc too.
-
-
He's a gentleman and a scholar :)
-
-
http://lbbspending.blogspot.co.uk/
Mr Mustard!
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
