Car Ownership can be a real pain especially when it comes to maintenance, buying or selling a car, the headaches can really hit you hard. Today we are taking a look at 5 ways you can drive a car without the worries of ownership.
Month-to-Month Car Rentals
Month-to-month car rentals or long-term car hire is a great way for those who need flexibility. Depending on your needs and requirements, you can rent a car for as little as one month (our best prices are based on a minimum qualifying period of 90 days plus) and will roll on until you give notice to return the vehicle.
We call these flexible car contracts or car subscriptions, with the latter including maintenance and servicing as well. Both contract types are ideal for both business and personal users.
We offer vehicles from a wide range of manufacturers and we can offer a specific make/model unlike car hire firms that offer a group of cars.
Traditional Car Hire
Using a traditional daily rental company will get you a car quickly and without the faff of a credit application, but in exchange for this you won’t be able to guarantee the car make/model, the car will have been used and the prices are generally higher if you need the car for 1 month plus.
These types of car rental are ideal for those needing a car from 1 day to 1-month but not beyond. Downsides to this is that you pay for a group of car, so the company could advertise a Ford Focus, but when you turn up it could be a Kia Ceed, Vauxhall Astra or a VW Golf.
Some companies also offer car rental by the hour, which is ideal if you need to run any last minute jobs or errands.
Car Clubs
For those that live in a city such as London, Manchester or Birmingham a permanent car may not be necessary as the public transport is sufficient for your daily commute to the office or the school run is on your doorstep.
But you may find there are times that you need a car that isn’t covered by the tube or bus system. This is where car clubs can prove handy and they are rolling out across many cities and towns.
You will need to join a car club before you get access to any vehicles. Driving licence checks are usually carried out and you may need to pay a joining fee and/or a monthly subscription.
But then the cars are charged by the hour and many of the electric car clubs also include charging.
Borrow from a Family or Friend
Borrowing a car from a family or friend is a great way of borrowing a car short-term. It is a great option for those who need occasional transportation but you don’t want to join a car club.
Insurance shouldn’t be too much of an issue as there are short-term insurance providers that can be arranged via an app or a website.
It also might not cost you anything being someone you know, but it’s never good to take advantage.
Car Leasing
Car Leases are a great and affordable way to run a car over a period of 24 to 48 months. Agreements can be taken out with major funders or car leasing brokers.
You choose a car, its colour and specification, then choose how many payments you want to put down as an upfront payment. You also need to realistically select the correct mileage per annum so that you don’t get charged any excess mileage.
There are pro’s and con’s to car leases, the pro’s are that you can sometimes get a much better car on a car lease per month vs. a PCP. The con’s are that car leases do not offer any flexibility, unlike car subscriptions. Once you sign a contract, if you want to end it before the end date, you will have to pay early termination charges.
If you need a car for less than 18 months and you don’t mind commitment, a short-term car lease may be more beneficial. Contracts can be taken for 6, 7, 9, 12 and 18 months but the vehicles are tied to the contracts and specification cannot be changed.
If you are in the market for a car lease, we offer a Find A Car Lease service where we can compare quotes with no less than 12 different funders. It’s free, takes 3 minutes and you are under no obligation to go ahead.
Conclusion
There will be more way of driving a car without the ownership headaches and we’re here to help you with your short-term solutions utilising car subscriptions and short-term car leases for your business or personal requirements.
If you need our help, we are here. Just drop us a line on the ENQUIRY FORM below or speak to the team on 01332 290173.
