Are you fed up with big rental agencies charging you ridiculous fees?
What about their poor customer service and inconvenient pick-ups?
Due to logistics, there haven’t been many other rental options providing convenient and affordable services, even from who we know as the best rental car services.
Personal car rentals, or peer-to-peer rentals, have changed that.
Don’t wait in long lines or pay exorbitant fees and deposits.
These new and innovative services allow you to book cars in your area with the push of a button.
Find out how personal car rentals work, available vehicles, platforms, and pricing.
Table Of Contents
- Can You Rent Someone’s Personal Car?
- Personal Car Rental Companies
- Kinds of Personal Cars and Requirements
- How Do Personal Car Rentals Work?
- Are Personal Car Rentals Safe?
- How Much Do Personal Car Rentals Cost?
- Is it Worth it to Rent Out Your Personal Car?
- How to Sign Up to Rent Out Your Car
- How to Sign Up to Rent a Personal Car
- Wrapping Up
Can You Rent Someone’s Personal Car?
Yes, you can rent somebody’s personal car using a variety of different services.
Our economy is swiftly transitioning to subscription-based and sharing models.
One emerging example of this is the rental car industry.
Rental agencies dominated the market and required you to pay hefty deposits, and credit card holds while driving up their prices.
Peer-to-peer car rentals allow you to rent cars from local owners for affordable prices.
These platforms integrate with the latest technology making it seamless to pick out a car, pay online, and unlock the vehicle remotely.
Personal car rental platforms also provide full-coverage insurance and secure ways to pay and interact with owners or hosts.
Personal Car Rental Companies
There are several trustworthy and well-known peer car rental platforms available.
Renting cars for personal use doesn’t have to be hard – look below to find a car rental company that provides this service.
1. Turo
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing company based in San Francisco.
Private car owners can list their vehicles on the mobile interface, and interested renters can choose which car they want.
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing company based in San Francisco.
Private car owners can list their vehicles on the mobile interface, and interested renters can choose which car they want.
Turo has a wide selection of vehicle makes and models.
You can choose to ride in anything from a Toyota Corolla to a Tesla.
The app is easy to use and allows you to upload all your documents straight from your phone, like your driver’s license.
You can easily filter through cars you like, pay for one, arrange a pick-up with the owner, and be on your way.
Turo provides cheap car rental insurance, 24/7 customer support, and roadside assistance.
2. Getaround
Getaround is another car sharing service based in San Francisco.
Like Turo, you can rent cars from private owners by the hour, day, or week.
You can find a varied selection of vehicles and prices on the platform.
Getaround has a network of 5-million users and operates in hundreds of US and European cities.
Turo and Getaround are similar in that they both allow the owners to set their prices.
Every city and state will have different cars and price points.
The Getaround app also functions in almost the exact way as its competitor, and it provides insurance and roadside assistance.
3. Hyrecar
Hyrecar works similarly, but it is exclusively for rideshare and delivery drivers.
Gig drivers can rent any car they want on the platform and return it whenever they like.
Hyrecar works similarly, but it is exclusively for rideshare and delivery drivers.
Gig drivers can rent any car they want on the platform and return it whenever they like.
The daily rates are between $30 and $45, and weekly rates are $200 to $300.
You get all the documents you need to drive on any driver platform, plus insurance coverage.
Hyrecar also has roadside assistance and will get you in a new car if something goes wrong.
It has locations in major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Phoenix.
Kinds of Personal Cars and Requirements
While personal car rental apps provide a wide selection of vehicles, makes and models vary by location.
These platforms are also not held to the same strict requirements as traditional rental car companies, so you may have an older vehicle.
Kinds of Vehicles Available
Are you heading to Denver and looking for a 4-wheel drive?
Rent a Ford Expedition or a Jeep Wrangler.
Do you care about the environment and want to style out at your high school reunion?
Book a Tesla.
You can find every car imaginable to fit your style, budget, and general needs.
You can sort by make, model, features, number of seats, transmission, and green cars.
Narrow your search until you find the perfect match for your adventure.
If you’re looking to save money, pick the Toyota Corolla for $40 a day.
Or you could spend $400 on a Cadillac Escalade.
The choice is yours.
For an even better idea of what you can rent, check out the best cars on Turo.
Vehicle Requirements
- Must be an eligible passenger vehicle that is registered and meets all state legal requirements
- Valid permanent or temporary plates
- Cars on one platform cannot be on another platform (check out the exclusivity policy)
- It cannot be more than 12 years old (unless a specialty or classic car)
- Have fewer than 130,000 miles unless in excellent condition
- Have a clean title (not branded or salvage)
- Never been declared a total loss
- The vehicle’s value cannot exceed $200,000 (due to insurance coverage limits)
How Do Personal Car Rentals Work?
Once the platform approves the owner’s car for renting, it will appear in local listings.
Interested renters will submit a booking request indicating how long they will need the vehicle.
Owners have a specific time frame to accept or deny the booking.
The owners can deny booking requests for any reason they like, including inconvenient rental dates and low renter ratings on the platform.
Once the owner approves the request, you will pay for the rental with a debit or credit card.
You will then coordinate pick-up arrangements with the owner.
Every person will have different instructions for picking up and dropping off the car; some may even offer to deliver the vehicle if needed.
Some apps will have remote unlocking features, so you don’t have to worry about getting keys.
You will also need to do a pre-trip inspection and take pictures.
When your trip is over, return the car to the agreed-upon location. Perform another inspection and take your post-trip photos indicating any damage (if any).
Taking pictures of the vehicle may seem like a hassle, but it can work to your benefit in case of any discrepancies.
Are Personal Car Rentals Safe?
Sometimes when things seem too good to be true, it’s because they are.
While personal car rentals are ultimately safe, they do have some drawbacks.
Peer car rentals are safe to drive on most platforms as the vehicles must meet safety conditions and pass annual inspections.
However, these rental apps are less strict with age requirements, and you may drive a car with particular quirks.
While personal car rental apps provide you with insurance options, they may not cover you for everything, and you could be holding a hefty bill if something goes wrong.
There have also been complaints amongst renters with hosts falsely claiming damage to their vehicle and demanding you pay.
If the company takes the owner’s side, there is little you can do for recourse.
How Much Do Personal Car Rentals Cost?
A personal car rental varies drastically in price depending on your location and available vehicles.
Because each owner can set their pricing, you will never get a fixed price for any car.
However, these rental car companies make it easy to filter results and browse for vehicles that fit your needs and budget.
Average Prices for Personal Car Rentals
In most cities, you can find car listings for as low as $30 a day and up to $500.
The price will vary greatly depending on what you choose.
Most cars on these platforms are around $50 to $60 a day on average.
This price does not typically include taxes, fees, or insurance.
You can expect to pay more fees if you need a car sooner than later (early booking saves you money).
You may also have to pay a fee for being under 25 years old.
Before you checkout, you will need to select an insurance protection plan, or you can deny protection – however, this is not recommended.
The insurance protection is typically tacked to the daily rate and not included in the price.
If you book a deluxe car, the company may also charge you a security deposit.
Is it Worth it to Rent Out Your Personal Car?
Renting your personal car on platforms like Turo and Getaround can be very profitable, but they are not without risks.
Pros of Personal Car Rentals
- Pre-screened renters can give you peace of mind
- Most companies have anti-theft technology that lets you track your vehicle
- You can choose if you want to meet the renter in person or if you’d rather monitor things virtually
- Your car gets comprehensive insurance and collision coverage
- Earn extra money. Many owners make at least $700 to $900 a month just by letting others use their car
Cons of Personal Car Rentals
- You must keep your vehicle properly maintained and clean at all times. You can also be responsible for the increased maintenance
- If your car is damaged or stolen, you may not be able to use it for an extended period and will lose out on money
- You will have scheduling chores like responding to email requests and reservations
- Your personal insurance can revoke your coverage if they find out you are participating in car sharing
Conclusion: Are Personal Car Rentals Worth It?
Renting out your vehicle on car rental apps can be an excellent source of income, but it can turn sour quickly if you’re not prepared.
Like any business, you will have to take risks to see a reward.
How to Sign Up to Rent Out Your Car
Follow these steps to rent out your car on platforms like Turo, Hyrecar, and Getaround.
- Start the process by creating an account with the company of your choice. You can enter your email address or use Facebook and Google.
- Enter information about your location and car, including make, model, color, VIN, and odometer.
- Verify your identity by providing information like name, date of birth, driver’s license number, last four of your social, current address, and answers to verification questions.
- Enter your vehicle location and license plate number.
- Finalize your listing by uploading photos of the car, adding a description, setting availability, and adding pricing.
How to Sign Up to Rent a Personal Car
Follow these steps to rent a personal car.
- Create an account on the platform of your choice with your email address.
- Go to your account page and get approved to drive. You must be approved before you can book a ride. The process takes around 24-hours.
- To be approved, you must provide a profile photo, a phone number, email address, current address, and driver’s license.
- Once approved, you can browse vehicles, select the one you want, and request a booking.
Wrapping Up
Renting a car doesn’t have to be a hassle requiring long wait times, rude customer service, and inconvenience in general.
Personal car rentals are not perfect, but they provide a seamless and easy way to get a car exactly when you need one.
Simply book through the app, unlock the car remotely, and drive off.
