Are car sharing services a good way to save money when you’re traveling? Whether you’re on a business trip or a family vacation, you’ll always need a way to get around. Although many cities have public transportation, taxis, and Ubers, you can’t beat the comfort, convenience, and freedom of a personal vehicle. Let’s compare car rental vs car sharing services to see how they stack up for convenience and cost.
What is Car Sharing vs Car Rental
Car sharing apps are an alternative to the traditional car rental system. They operate similarly to ride-sharing. However, instead of getting a ride in someone else’s car, you are renting someone else’s car for a set period of time. Car sharing is designed for people who want extremely short-term car rentals. The average rental period on a car share is only a few hours at a time.
Many car sharing services have an app or a membership program. Like on AirBnb, you can select from a list of vehicles in your area that have their hourly price displayed. From there, you book through the app and pick up your car. After you’re finished, you can leave the car at a designated drop point.
The Drawbacks of Car Sharing
Car rental and car sharing both are in the same industry, but fill different niches. Car sharing becomes very costly after the first day. This is especially true if you plan on driving a lot. The cars typically have a low allotted daily mileage. Going over this limit will increase your bill every extra mile. The daily rate when car sharing can quickly wind up being much higher than a traditional car rental.
You’re also limited to the cars in your area. If you aren’t in a city center, it can be hard to find a quality car share. Even with enforced regulations around cleaning, you’ll often wind up in a dirty car if you book a cheaper car. You also have to make sure there’s the same amount of gas in the tank when you return the vehicle. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay a steep fee.
The Pros of Car Sharing
If you only need a car for a few hours, it’s hard to beat the convenience of car sharing. Many car rental agencies require that you rent a vehicle for at least a full day. It’s better than getting into a ride share too. It grants you the freedom and convenience to conduct your affairs on your own schedule. Also taxi and ride share services get very expensive if you need to drive further than a few miles.
Car Sharing is great on short notice. If you need to rent a car in a hurry, it’s hard to beat an app that shows you the closest car to your immediate location that’s available. By the same token, many car rental agencies let you book instantly online and pick up a short time after.
The Benefits of Car Rental
Although car sharing is new and exciting, traditional car rental is already economical and flexible. In most cases, there are more requirements for using car sharing apps than getting a regular car rental. You’ll still have to pass a credit check to start using a car share service. If you’re looking for a debit card car rental, you’re better off working with an independent rental company. Most car sharing platforms completely forbid people under the age of 25 from participating. Depending on your location, someone as young as 18 can go out and rent a car from a local agency.
Looking for Affordable Los Angeles Car Rentals?
At Value Rental Car we want to help you get to your destination quickly and safely. We offer clean and affordable rental cars for local driving in LA and Pasadena, with complimentary pickup and drop off service within seven miles of our two locations. If you’re a college student, we want to help you get on the road. We rent to drivers under the age of 21, and we offer cash and debit card car rentals. Check out some of our other articles to learn more about how car rental works!