The zip car

Note that the Zipcar membership fees cover the cost of gas and insurance, so make sure to take those into account when figuring out if Zipcar is worth it. Zipcar also offers a calculator on their website to help you estimate if using their service would be cheaper than owning a car. To sign up for Zipcar, visit the official application page and select a pricing plan monthly or yearly. The Zipcard is what you use to lock and unlock Zipcars, and it typically arrives within three to seven business days.

Once your Zipcard arrives, you can activate it at the Zipcard activation page. You can also select the type of cars you want to see by default, Zipcar will show you all available types of cars. To see a visual demonstration of this process, check out our complete guide to renting a Zipcar , or watch the video below:.

To use a Zipcar, simply walk up to the vehicle and hold your Zipcard up to the card reader in the corner of the windshield to unlock it make sure the number on the Zipcar matches the number on your reservation.

If you find any dents or scratches larger than your Zipcard, call the number on the card to report them. In some cases, yes. If the car is available for extension, tap on the appropriate time slot to add time to your reservation.

No, smoking is not allowed in any Zipcar, and Zipcar will charge you for the cost of cleaning the car if they find you doing so.

Yes, as long as you keep the pet in a locked pet carrier and clean up any pet hair left in the vehicle. Service animals are exempt from this requirement, though Zipcar requests that you contact them beforehand if you are going to bring a service animal into a vehicle so that they can clean up any pet hair before the next reservation. Zipcar allows trips between the U. Yes, you can. Learn more about how to apply with a foreign license. Sure, just visit the Zipcar for Business page to get rate estimates and apply.

Zipcar vehicles range from practical Honda sedans to Subaru SUVs to luxury vehicles and even truck rentals. We hope this article has given you a better understanding of how Zipcar works, as well as the benefits the service offers. For other alternatives to car ownership, check out our guides to Uber and Lyft. I would leave 0 stars if I could. I got a parking violation, which was a mixup from the parking lot and got it cancelled right away.

I sent all the documentation proof to Zipcar immediately and for a month and a half - and counting I called 10 times maybe and got 0 response, except that they have a queue. The supervisor of their customer support dept refused to take my call and I have filed a chargeback via my bank now. The worst customer experience of my life.

Never do business with them. Worst company ever. Looters, falsifiers. They looted the money on the name of non-refundable application fees. All the documents requested were submitted as they says application approved in minutes. After 30 minutes they replied, "Sorry your application is rejected because you did not meet the eligibility criteria. I provided all. They are big liars. They are just to loot your money. It was a nightmare from the start.

I ignored it and opened an account to rent a car to get me to a half marathon I was running and had been training for months. Looking back, I should have just had a friend drive me to an actual dealer. It would have been less "convenient" but would have saved me money and been much safer. The car was awful when I got in it. The driver-side floor was all torn up, there were smashed pretzels on the passenger side and the outside of the vehicle was all scratched up.

I rationalized this in my head because it was a rideshare and still got in the vehicle. I started driving on the freeway and noticed the window was difficult to see through so I tried to use the wipers to clean it but they had no fluid in them. It quickly became clear to me the car had not been brought into maintenance in a while.

A few minutes out from where the race was going to start the check engine light, car maintenance light, and low tire pressure light had all come on. I called the company at 20 minutes before the race was going to start to let them know about the issues and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. They told me I needed to drive it back to the location I picked it up from and get a new car for the rest of the trip Finished the race, got water, and called them back when I got back to the parking lot with the vehicle at am.

Retold them all the things that were wrong with the vehicle and they told me I needed to get in it and drive it back to the place I got it from - putting my safety at risk. Basically, they have said that because I didn't return the vehicle the first time I called it is all on me and they take no responsibility for not maintaining their vehicles.

This is a company that puts profit over people - and not just in small ways. Their cars are unsafe and they don't care if you end up in an accident or dead due to their lack of responsibility as a company. I would never want anyone to end up harmed because of this company's lack of regard for human safety and life. Do not use them - actual rental cars might be more difficult to get initially but at least they will offer roadside assistance and maintenance their cars often so you know you will be safe.

Absolutely horrible. Get started. Join now. We're proud to make car sharing a part of responsible city living for communities all over the world. Learn more. Reserve Choose a car nearby that suits you best. Spoiler alert: they all have funny names. Drive Unlock your car with your phone, do your thing, and return it where you found it.