Living Car Free - renting? zip car? car share? what are your experiences and most economical tips?

from what I gather, for multiple day trips, it is still cheapest to rent a car (without adding extra insurance) than doing a car share service. This is with some mileage in mind. the car share/zip cars get pricey after a certain mileage mark is reached.

what are your thoughts here? I am fine until I want to get somewhere (and have a car to piss around with) for a 2-6 day trip then I am stuck contemplating pricing options. seems like car share is ideal for single day holds.

Car share is great for 1 day or less, in my opinion. You're paying for the convenience of getting a car that's stored near to where you are or where you need it and for the convenience of being able to get it on your schedule. For a multi-day trip, it can be more economical to trudge out to the airport (or wherever regular rental cars come from) and to grab a cheapy from there.

it is still cheapest to rent a car (without adding extra insurance)

I haven't looked into it but my assumption has always been that if one is car-free then they'd have to get their extra insurance. The only way I've been able to decline that in the past (back when I owned a car) was by signing their forms saying "I'm declining Company X's insurance coverage and instead choosing to use my own car insurance policy in the event of damage."

So I would assume that as car-free people we wouldn't have the option of declining. But like I said, I've not actually looked into it.

o I would assume that as car-free people we wouldn't have the option of declining [the rental car insurance].
In my state, I think the basic rental includes the legally required liability insurance. (But I am not a lawyer.) However, the policy limits are low and there are many things this insurance does NOT cover, for example collision, theft, medical costs where you are at fault, etc.

If a piece of gravel dings the windshield and you haven't bought the collision damage waiver, you will owe the rental company around $500. Your own insurance policy, if you have one, may offer partial reimbursement. Don't ask me how I know -- you can probably guess.

another thing to consider is that zip car includes the cost of gas (i guess provided you don't go more than a full tank). So if you're traveling 300 or so miles, zip car can save you 40 dollars that the rental company won't since you have to return the rental with the gas gauge at the same level you rented it at.

I founded Austin CarShare so I know a little bit about this. Carsharing is designed and priced for short distance trips and trips that last less than 12 hours. Anything longer than that, a traditional rental car is going to be a better deal. You might check and see if there is a membership deal with any of the rental car companies. As an Austin CarShare member, I get a discount on rentals from Hertz.

Commauto in Quebec is the only carshare organization I know that has come up with pricing for multiple days (geared toward contractors with short term projects.)

I go through budget they have one way with out extra $.


Then I can catch a bus or ride my bike :) keep the insurance cost down 32 $ daily.

Commauto in Quebec is the only carshare organization I know that has come up with pricing for multiple days (geared toward contractors with short term projects.)

I'm not sure, I think PhillyCarShare might have a plan like that in the works. As best I can tell, they don't have a multi-day rate available at the moment though.

I'm not sure, I think PhillyCarShare might have a plan like that in the works. As best I can tell, they don't have a multi-day rate available at the moment though.

Your right, PhillyCarshare does have day rates. They are a little more expensive than renting a compact from a traditional car rental agency, but then comprehensive insurance and gas is included and you can pick up the car close to you without having to go to a rental car lot and check in.

another thing to consider is that zip car includes the cost of gas (i guess provided you don't go more than a full tank). So if you're traveling 300 or so miles, zip car can save you 40 dollars that the rental company won't since you have to return the rental with the gas gauge at the same level you rented it at.

That doesn't quite work out as you want. Zipcar has a 180 miles/day limit, so you better be renting for 2 days if you want to travel 300 miles or be prepared to pay through the nose for overages. If you want to do 300 miles in one day, it's probably more convenient and cheaper to rent at a traditional rental company.

When I was car-free, and needed a car for a weekend, I rented from Enterprise. Good company. And I always got the extra insurance.

If I wanted to do a longer trip, I'd go with another rental company. Enterprise is great for short distance stuff, not so good for cross-country stuff.

I go with Enterprise which is half price on the weekends. Saturday morning - Monday morning costs me $16.00 per day ($32.00) total with no mileage restrictions for the economy car.

Most every car I've rented has gotten over 40 mpg if driven properly. If you use a Visa card there is no need to purchase the collision insurance but I do purchase the expensive liability insurance since I do not have regular auto insurance (car free.)

I did use the visa coverage once when a rock cracked the windshield. It worked like a charm with no if's, and's or but's so I would not worry about relying on it.

On other tip - If you book online its cheaper than calling your local office and booking...dont ask me why.

So, since I was in Portland this last weekend, I checked out a Zipcar for 4 hours. I picked the least expensive class of car and the price was $38. This is no where near as good a deal as my local Austin CarShare and is awful close to an economy car with full insurance from one of the regular rental car companies. So, I think it all depends on your carshare company. (Austin CarShare and a lot of the single city programs are non-profit so they can provide services at a lower price.)