Zipcar, Inc.

Charles D.
1 review
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NOT a good option if you want a clean, safe vehicle. And it costs more.

Dirty cars, and often scary - if you are lucky enough to get one, even though you have been forced to prepay for the month. Price is generally more than you will pay with Alamo, Enterprise or Budget. Terrible customer service.

Jesse H.
2 reviews
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Zipcar

I use it, and hate it. Ain't what it used to be. It's getting too expensive, the marketing is very annoying, and not moving forward with ideas that could make the business better.

Check out the last three questions in this article, about Zipcar's hypocrite founder...

http://www.wired.com/cars/energy/magazine/15-06/st_chase

Jesse's keywords: Zipcar hypocrite founder

Jonathan L.
3 reviews
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Just right for a big city dweller

Choosing to live in a large city comes with its own set of compromises. One of the larger ones: transportation.
Where I live in San Francisco, I only have a handful of options for getting around town. However, when it comes to getting groceries or going out of town, I pretty much have to take a car. So I can either buy a car to sit mostly unused most of the time, take a taxi (expensive), or I can just share some cars with other people in the same position and make use of it only when it's needed.
This is where Zipcar comes in.

Zipcar is a fleet of vehicles placed in different parking lots throughout the city. From there users reserve a car online, use it, and bring it back to the same lot.

Getting set up with the service is dead simple. Sign up online using your drivers license with which Zipcar checks your record and sends you an email to let you know that you're approved. From there, you prepay a set amount each month according to your account plan. After you've signed up, you'll receive a plastic card with an RFID wafer inside called a "Zipcard". This is used to lock and unlock cars you've reserved.

When you're ready to drive somewhere, the process is straightforward. You call or go online to reserve the use of a particular car. Zipcar informs the car from remote to unlock the car when you use your Zipcard. When you get to the car, you just hold your Zipcard over a reader behind the windshield which either unlocks or locks the car. The keys to the ignition are kept inside, so you can just hop in and take off.

One of the biggest pluses for more regular users is that the cost of all gasoline is included. There's a gas card kept inside that you can use at the pump to pay. With gasoline prices well over $3 in California, this one feature alone can make it more cost effective to use a Zipcar over owning one's own car.

Jonathan's keywords: transportation city living cars

Stephanie P.
200 reviews
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don't forget I-GO

I think car-sharing is great for the environment and applaud anyone who uses that service. But I want to remind everyone who lives in Chicago, and at least 8 other states, that I-GO (part of the Flexcar network) is another choice. I personally am a member of I-GO and chose them because they were first in Chicago, but keep my membership because of one crucial difference - they are non-profit. Zipcar is not. I prefer the values of a non-profit, maybe you do as well.
PS- IGO doesn't charge more for hybrids, in fact some of those cars get discounted regularly!

Update: In Chicago, Zipcar is buying up the volunteer spots that I-Go has secured for their cars, they are not playing fair or nice. What is Zipcar afraid of? Maybe it has to do with the "minimum" insurance Zipcar provides - http://carsharingus.blogspot.com/2007/02/zipcar-insurance-coverage.html

Stephanie's keywords: car-sharing non-profit I-GO Zipcar Flexcar

Tina C.
10 reviews
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zip car needs GPS

zip cars need some sort of tracking device to help aid members locate cars that are not parked at the appropriate parking space. I spent 30 minutes arguing with a zipcar representative trying to convince her that the car I reserved was not in its proper parking space....at the end of the call, she still seemed to doubt I was at the correct location. a gps device on the vehicle would have solved this problem in a few seconds.

Tina's keywords: Zip Car

Jack N.
1 review
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If Zipcar really cared about being green and not just green backs....

..then they wouldnt charge more for renting their hybrids. While yes, the maintenance cost for these vehicles is slightly more, its obvious that they are trying to milk every dollar they can under the guise of caring about the environment. All these other reviews here are written by them. Just look at the 'witty and hip' yet obvious marketing style of the writing here that is so common on their web site and periodicals also. Dont get me wrong, car share IS good for the environment, but charging more to use the hybrids is gouging and they know it.

Jack's keywords: Green zap car

Susie S.
50 reviews
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The Car Alternative for City Dwellers

If you're not one to spontaneously take off in your car on road trips or need to commute in a car, check out options like Zip Car. My friend in DC generally takes public transportation, and when he needed a car for an evening we got a Zip Car. It was so convenient, reserving online, choosing the car he wanted and the pick up location, and arriving to get it. Plus it was a Prius which was a nice opportunity to try the car out in a real situation.

Unlike with your own car you can pick a car model that fits with your errand, like a van or larger car, or smaller one for better mileage.

Currently they're in San Francisco, Boston, New York, DC, London and a few other cities.

It can get a little expensive if you're renting for more than a few hours which is why I gave it only 4 stars. Other than that it's a fab service.

Susie's keywords: city car car rental cars autos transportation rental cars

David K.
26 reviews
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ZipCar Makes Me Feel Like James Bond

ZipCar is simple to use and is also really cool! I just reserve a car online, swipe my ZipCard on the windshield, and the door unlocks. The keys to the car and a card for paying for gas await me inside. I can get a truck for moving furniture, or a Prius for taking me on a hike, or even something with a little more power if I fancy. With ZipCar I don't have to worry about maintenance, gas, parking, insurance, or having an expensive depreciating asset. All I pay is a reasonable hourly rate (about $9-$13/hr).

Stacey M.
3 reviews
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One less car...

Zipcar offers car sharing service in a variety of locations around the world. Here in Washington, DC, they started the service with one or two cars in a few locations. It has exploded, with a variety of cars (sedans, station wagons, pick-ups) available for car less individuals such as me, who do need a car on occasions to get to places that public transportation doesn't reach. It's also great when you want to make a large shopping trip. I used a Mini Cooper yesterday to get to Thanksgiving dinner! Cars are reserved online. You go to the location, use an access card to get into the car, and off you go. It's a great service!

Stacey's keywords: automobile car share

Laura O.
1 review
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Zipcar is good for me and my community

I so love Zipcar. Being able to live car free is so wonderful -- yet if I want to hike, get a load of mulch for my garden or just do a big trip to the grocery store I can easily choose and get the right car for the job. It is convenience, environmentally friendly and FUN. I so encourage anyone to try it. Doesn't matter what your motivation...want to save money ditch the car and try Zipcar, want to make your contribution towards reducing greenhouse gases, ditch your car, walk more and use Zipcar when you need. Or maybe you just had the bother of owning and maintaining a car. Zipcar is perfect -- that is all their responsibility. You just choose the car, drive and return it. I found going car free and using Zipcar encouraged me to walk and bike more too.

Laura's keywords: carsharing transit transportation

Rob G.
1 review
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I love the idea of Flexcar

I just learned about Flexcar, and I know already that I'll be a future customer. I think the idea of the company is great and long overdue. What a convenient and affordable way to use a car for a couple or hours - or a couple of days. I rented cars plenty of times, and now I know that I have other options. They've reinvented the concept, by not making it a so-called rental car but a shared car, and their prices and services are better than the ones I got from big-name rental car companies. Thanks.

Rob's keywords: I love the idea of Flexcar

Mario B.
1 review
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Flexcar carbon neutrality

Flexcar is a wonderful, multi-city car-sharing company, and apart from all the many benefits found on their web site, they have an impressive green track record. Apart from having many Honda Civic Hybrids in its fleet, they also became the first carbon neutral company in the country by planting enough trees each year to offset their fleet's carbon emissions! Helping to solve transportation problems and providing a great service to consumers while erasing any damage they cause... how amazing is that?

Mario's keywords: Flexcar carbon neutrality

Dana F.
1 review
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Why Flexcar?

My girlfriend and I have used Flexcar for about six months and have been duly impressed. Even if we exceeded the subscription allotment, we find that the expense is far less than owning and maintaining a conventional car. We prefer Flexcar to Zip car because it utilizes hybrid technology. Not owning a vehicle has also resulted in more biking on both our parts.

Joy R.
1 review
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Zipcar

I live in the middle of downtown San Francisco, where parking is nearly impossible. In some ways living in an urban environment makes my life easier: I walk to work, use public transportation to visit friends and family in the area, and shop at local stores. However, when it comes to getting out of the city, or buying in bulk, the coordination gets more difficult. Since joining Zipcar, the community car-share company, I've been able to enjoy the many beautiful natural locations around the Bay Area and transport bigger items--all for a reasonable fee. Gas, parking, and insurance are included in membership dues and Zipcar has become an essential component in my life.

Joy's keywords: Zipcar car-share community

Brian M.
1 review
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Zipcar is My Friend

I walk everywhere; when I'm not walking, I'm riding the bicycle. When I'm not riding the bicycle, I'm on the bus. When I can't do any of those things, I stay at home wishing I could go somewhere. But those things can only get you so far.
I don't want to own a car. I think car insurance is basically a scam, wasting all the money you haven't already spent on fuel, parking tickets, and parking garages.
But then Zipcar came along, and changed everything. Because they take care of insurance, gas, and everything else except the driving, I can feel like a car owner (i.e., I can get out of town when I want to) without all the attendant hassles of car ownership. I can see my family without being told by rental car people that the weekly rate is much better; I can go see friends who live across the bay without spending 2 hours on a gas-belching behemoth city bus. And I can do this in a small, hybrid-electric vehicle that makes me feel good about personal transport.
Now if Zipcar would just expand into cheap, pre-insured sailboat rentals, everything would be perfect.

Brian's keywords: hybrid automobile rental car

John W.
1 review
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It's great!

FlexCar is the most convenient and reliable car rental agency around. I'd recommend it to anyone!

John's keywords: Car Sharing

Chris S.
1 review
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Recommend Flex Car

Every time I have used Flex Car it's been easy and accessible. In Washington, DC, they have locations throughout the city that are easy to get to and one is always available and convenient. Highly recommend using this service.

Chris' keywords: flex Car Washington DC