Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Usually rent when a vehicle is needed for longer than say 12 hours or whatever, but the idea of being able to run a quick errand then give the thing back is interesting. Overnight parking during the week is a PITA in my area so often don't want to be bothered holding onto a vehicle when I don't need it any longer.
I own my own cars, but also keep a ZipCar membership because I have needed some of the various vehicles offered. It works well, I find, and is not expensive, especially when you need a car for a short duration. With a longer trip, you would tend to do better with a conventional rental, out of the city, but I've always had a positive experience with ZipCar. One time when the requested car was over, I was given a credit for a future drive, and was rebooked into another car nearby.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
I've been a zipcar member for years. Financially you don't have to get the car for very long to be better off with a conventional rental - maybe 4 or 5 hours. But the convenience factor is off the charts - no paperwork, no surly employees, no need to take the bus (or a taxi) to the airport.
When petrol prices were higher it was actually sometimes a wash when it came to longer rentals. Especially with the included insurance and relatively cheap yearly CDW. The only PITA is that during the summer months there can be a dearth of local vehicles on short notice.
Had a Hertz 24/7 (aka Hertz Connect, Hertz on Demand) membership for a while and found once they got themselves sorted it was great for short period rentals. Once they raised the rates to nearly $10/hr. for the smallest cars it still was a bargain but yes, only for short periods. After three hours or so you could probably find a rental from Enterprise or someplace for the same or less money for an entire day, especially during the week.
Hertz 24/7 was not a picnic at first and sometimes could be aggravating but by and large the last year or so was pretty good IMHO. Have been reading the online reviews for Zipcar and Enterprise and quite honestly both seem just as bad or worse than Hertz.
Enterprise in particular as a huge list of fees and surcharges.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
