Car Subscriptions
With many of our customers calling us about Car Subscriptions, we thought it would be a good time to re-visit this short-term product and look into a few of the recent questions we have had.
Questions & Answers
What is a Car Subscription?
A Car Subscription is a way individuals or businesses can subscribe to a car in exchange for a monthly fee.
Do I have to pay a joining fee?
No, unlike other Car Subscription Providers we do not charge a joining fee for our Car Subscriptions.
How is a car subscription better than a lease?
Its flexible and there is no long term commitment, you don’t have to sign in to a long contract, you just run it month-to-month.
What is the minimum term?
The minimum term for a Car Subscription is just 1 calendar month, to terminate you complete an online returns form giving us 5 working days notice and take the car back to the specified de-fleet centre.
Does the subscription reduce the longer we take it?
No, unlike other Car Subscription businesses in the UK, we only ask you to commit to 30 days to get the best price, you can then keep most of our cars for a minimum of 12 months, without the need to swap every 2-4 months.
Do you deliver the car?
Yes, we can deliver the vehicle, the cost of this would be from the fleet centre to your home or business postcode. If you don’t want to layout for delivery, then you can collect this from our specified fleet centre.
Whats included in the monthly subscription fee?
In the monthly fee, you get included the rental, maintenance, road fund licence, breakdown assistance and the manufacturers warranty. All you have to do is provide fully comprehensive insurance and fuel it.
How many miles are included?
We offer a minimum of 1,000 miles per month with our car subscriptions, this is generally more miles than our car subscription competitiors. You can add more miles on our website by choosing the correct tab, with a choice of 1,000 miles, 1,500 miles and 2,000 miles.
Do you offer longer, short-term contracts?
This depends on your lifestyle, business or circumstances. But if you can commit to 90 days or more, then the Flexi-rental short-term option might be a better option, especially if you need more miles.
If you don’t mind committing to a fixed short-term car lease, we offer a range of 6, 7, 9 and 12 month contracts on a wide range of cars.
In fact, we have a huge offering of short-term car lease vehicles and options and includes manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen.
How old are the cars?
The majority of the cars are brand new and come with delivery mileage, some maybe pre-registered but will still only have a very low mileage.
Where is your Fleet Centre?
This depends on your manufacturer and the car you are looking to take on car subscription. The majority of our fleet centres are based in the Northern region of the UK with easily accessible transport links.
Are there any other charges?
We like to be upfront and honest, thats how we work here at Cocoon. We do have charges if you were to get a PCN or Speeding Ticket and this needed representing, bounced Direct Debit Fee’s apply and certificates for taking your car abroad. This can all be found on the advice of charges page.
Can I hand the car back?
Should you need to terminate your car subscription, we just require 5 working days. If the car is returned mid-month, then you will only pay for the time in the vehicle and our accounts team will prepare a credit note and where required, a refund when the end of contract has been done.
Can I change my car?
Yes, the beauty of a car subscription is that you can cancel, upgrade or downgrade with ease. If you really wanted to, you could change your car every 3-6 months without any hassle. Many of our customers like the idea of running something like an SUV over the winter and something sporty for the summer.
Can I use my own insurance?
Yes, we’re totally for all of our customers to provide their own fully comprehensive insurance or fleet policy for their car subscription service.
If you do wish to use your own insurance, we will provide you with the information of the vehicle. This includes the registration number, the vehicle’s value and any other relevant information.
We always recommend either transferring an existing insurance policy or insuring the vehicle for 12 months to get the best prices, especially when compared to short-term car insurance providers.
It really important to tell the insurance company that you will not be the registered keeper or the owner of the vehicle. In the case of a total loss, your insurer must compensate the owner of the vehicle for its market value directly.
What happens at the end of a vehicle subscription?
Whether you take another vehicle or you need a break for a while, the process is the same. The car must be returned on the agreed date to our specified de-fleet centre.
At the point of return the car will have a basic walkaround inspection and any visible marks will be noted. The car will then be subject to a more thorough inspection by qualified inspectors. This is to pick up any previous poor repairs or damage that is not apparently visible.
Any damage or excess mileage along with rental credits is then calculated and debited either from your account or your refundable deposit.
We don’t want to charge you for any work, so we really do ask that you read our return standards. We include these within your contract and send you a copy out in the post, we’ve got nothing to hide and would rather you ask questions about this before you take a car.
Do you follow BVRLA Fair, Wear and Tear?
No, as this is a short-term car lease product, we do not have to follow the BVRLA fair, wear and tear guides. However, we are honest and upfront and we do follow the BVRLA code of conduct and we’re proud that should their be any issues, we can resolve these quickly.
To be totally clear, Wear and Tear happens when you drive the vehicle. This is not to be confused with damage resulting from impact, negligence or accidents. To be transparent, please see the following link to our return standards.
Is a Car Subscription more expensive than traditional leasing?
Not really, if you look at the overall costs including the 6+ or 9+ initial rentals that traditional leases advertise. Plus, you also have the benefit of handing the car back, flexibility you just don’t get from a 2 or 3 year fixed contract hire or lease.
Do I need a credit check for a Car Subscription?
Yes, we carry out Credit Checks on all customers using Experian and Transunion. This is part of our compliance. In addition we will ask for a form of ID and a Utility Bill dated within the last 3 months, as a minimum.
If you don’t have perfect credit or you are an Expat Customer, then get in touch with our team as we can still help. We have specialist underwriters who can look at your application and offer affordability/stability checks.
How do I apply for a Car Subscription?
Its really easy to set-up a credit line, you can peruse our car subscription offers and complete an enquiry form. Or you can apply online using the highlighted link and wait for your email from our underwriting team.
More Information
If you need any futher information on our Car Subscription Service, please get in touch with the team on 01332 290173 or complete the ONLINE FORM below.
The post A few Q&A’s on Car Subscriptions appeared first on Cocoon Vehicles Ltd.
