Most of us are familiar with AirBnb and some are even familiar with RVShare. But, the peer-to-peer market is taking off in many directions. Turo is a prime example.
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Rental car prices and availability have become astronomical, unreliable, and time-consuming. That’s where Turo has entered the marketplace and filled a real void. In this post, I will discuss some of the pros and cons of Turo based on my several recent experiences.
How Turo Works
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace. What does that mean? Basically, just like Airbnb is individuals renting out properties and RVShare is individuals renting their RVs, Turo is individuals renting their cars. You can access the platform online or via app. However, the app is highly recommended–and often necessary–for rentals (as explained later).
Just like any other peer-to-peer platform, you have to enter some personal details and have your account approved prior to actually commencing your first rental. It is a relatively simple and straightforward process. Turo doesn’t charge an additional driver fee. But in order to be approved, each additional driver has to have their own Turo account.
Once you have an account set up, you can search for cars based on location and dates. You can filter by make, model, capacity, etc. One of the downsides here is that you can’t communicate with the “host” (as owners are referred to) until you have made a booking request. Therefore, you don’t have a chance to ask any questions or clarify anything. However, Turo does allow free cancellation until 24 hours before your rental begins. So, if you are unsure, or want to communicate with the owner, go ahead and book since you can always cancel. However, keep in mind that you are only allowed to hold one reservation for any given date at a time.
The check-in and check-out process is done by you and the host through the app and allows both parties to upload photos of the vehicle.
Convenience
Over the last couple of months, my husband and I have used Turo several times. We have rented in various cities and with various pick-up and drop-off arrangements. All have worked out well and for our convenience.
I rented in Los Angeles and the car was waiting for me in the terminal parking lot at the airport upon my arrival. The host messaged me with the exact location in the parking lot and I unlocked the car through the Turo app. The keys and parking ticket were in the glove compartment and he reimbursed me for parking at the conclusion of my trip. (Parking reimbursement is not always included, sometimes you’ll have to cover it.) At the end of my trip, I left the car in the airport parking lot for him. I never met him and we communicated only through the app.
Similarly, my husband had a car waiting for him in the Newark airport parking lot. However, since he wasn’t flying out of town, his host met him at the house he was staying at and picked up the car from there. This saved him from having to return to the airport and get a ride back from there.
Most recently, we were on an RV trip. Since we don’t travel with a car (aka “toad”), when we want/need to make short trips and don’t want to drive the 34-foot motorhome, we usually use a rideshare of some sort. However, we wanted to make a day trip to an area that’s not so accessible to larger vehicles. So, because of the duration, we wanted to have our own car. Also, we were in an area with limited rental car options.
So, we turned to Turo. In this case, we each reserved a car in two different nearby cities. Based on our communication with the owners and the reviews that had been made in the interim, we decided which to cancel. Also, at the time we made the reservations, we were not sure exactly what our plans would be. So, we were able to adjust the timing of our reservation as needed through the app. We picked up and dropped off the car at the owner’s home which was on our way to where we were going. Again, super convenient and accommodating.
Often times when using a car rental agency, you have to walk and take a shuttle to the complete other end of the airport. Or, even out of the airport. Furthermore, you often have to wait in lengthy lines and then they don’t even have the car you had booked. Using Turo, you know what you’re getting and you can save several hours of waiting and frustration.
Location
As alluded to above, Turo is not limited to rental agency locations. So, you can often find cars available in places that you wouldn’t otherwise. And, they can often come to you (sometimes for an additional fee; sometimes not).
Variety
Since it’s individuals renting out their cars, you can find almost anything. For my trip into LA, I rented a Tesla Model Y. I did the math and it was cheaper (and definitely more convenient) than taking a rideshare to my house, paying for the gas I would need while in town, and taking a rideshare back to the airport. But, there are older cars and newer cars; bigger and smaller; luxury and blasé, all-wheel drive and handicap accessible. Read the reviews and look at the pictures. (And, like any other peer-to-peer platform, read between the lines.)
Pricing
Pricing is set by the hosts, so it varies widely. Look for what works for you. Generally, there is a surcharge if you are under 25 (or more for certain models). But, there is no charge for an additional driver. Many owners offer discounts for early booking or multiple days (or return customers), and include an e-zpass. There are various levels of insurance options–all of which include roadside assistance–so check with your insurance company to see what they cover so you don’t pay for something you don’t need.
But, we have found that renting through Turo has generally been much less expensive than renting through a car rental agency.
There are benefits of renting through a car rental agency, though. The cars are generally near new and you know that they have regulated maintenance records. There is a corporate reputation that they want to maintain. And, Turo is not [yet] available worldwide.
We still use Hertz since we have the elite Presidents Circle status as a benefit of my Venture X credit card. Since this benefit is available to authorized users as well as account holders, my husband has this elite status as well at no extra charge. Use this link to sign up for your own Venture X and access this and many other benefits.
Turo has been a game-changer when traveling. Whether it’s needing a car for a day or a week, it has become our go-to source for rental cars.
Let me know what your rental car experiences have been like.
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