The price of second hand cars is notable, especially once you consider all the various other costs that come with buying your own vehicle. Add in insurance, tax, maintenance and fuel and it starts to really add up.
It’s little wonder that there has been a growth in the level of noise around the concept of car sharing. Whether it is a super short-term rental arrangement or getting into someone else’s car for a lift, not having to cover the cost of running a car could prove beneficial for you and your fellow passengers.
There are several methods of car sharing. You can pay to access a car that is owned by a company via a car club, use an app that allows you to borrow privately owned cars or you can get connected to drivers that are likely to be going the same way as you. Of course, you could also sign up to be one of those drivers yourself, and let others hop into your car and contribute to your costs.
Tempted? Here are some of the reasons in favour of car sharing and some why it might not be for you.
Pros
You can pay for what you use and no more
If you only use a car for popping to the supermarket once a week and for the occasional longer trip, then owning one means you are paying for it to sit and do nothing a lot of the time. Companies like Zipcar allow members to rent a car for as little as an hour at a time. Why pay for what you aren’t using?
Go big when you need it
Plenty of car buyers shell out thousands of pounds to buy a bigger car than they need the vast majority of the time. Buying a seven-seater for an annual stint as a designated driver for a netball team for example. By not being committed to a particular model you can spend most of the year in a more affordable city car, then upgrade to a van or a people carrier when you need it.
Make a new commuting buddy
Apps like Liftshare will allow you to meet other people in your area who might be going the same way as you, whether you are a driver or looking for a lift. This could be for a one-off long trip or it could be for a daily commute. Hopping into a dry car with a new friend could be a much nicer way of whiling away the time spent getting to work each day. Equally, if you are doing the trip anyway, why not make the cost a little cheaper?
Community rated
As with many other such services like AirBnB or eBay, the people listing their car on apps such as HiyaCar and Getaround are all rated and reviewed by previous customers. Group verification means that you can hire someone else’s vehicle with confidence that it is what they say it is, and it won’t let you down.
Dip into electric
Committing to a new electric car could be an expensive investment, but car sharing means you could dip your toe in the water without taking one on full-time. Co-Wheels says a third of its vehicles are electric, while many more are petrol hybrids.
Cons
Good drivers only
Some clubs are rather tight on who they let in. Co-Wheels, for example, insists that you have to have had a licence for at least two years, be over 19 years old and that you don’t have any points on your licence. Been flashed by a speed camera in the last couple of years? Sorry, but you’re going to have to look elsewhere.
Neighbourhood specific
If you don’t live in London, or in a small selection of large UK cities, then the decision on whether you can join a car-sharing club might have already been made for you. Lots of these schemes and clubs are very urban-centric, so if you live in a small market town then your luck could be out.
Destination unknown
That perfect car-sharing buddy who lives five minutes down the road, works in the office next door to yours, and has similar attitudes towards conversation and music first thing in the morning is probably not going to crop up the second you fire up an app. You run the risk of having to walk to a convenient pick-up spot, destinations being not mutually ideal or ending up in a car with someone who insists on blasting out Radio 1 when you prefer to travel in blissful silence.