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Last Updated on December 18, 2022 by David
As we move deeper and deeper into the digital age, we see a lot of brick-and-mortar stores and services go 100% digital. Car rentals are no exception to that. Switching from a brick-and-mortar business structure to a digital one comes with a lot of savings that can be passed down to the user resulting in cheaper car rentals.
What is Turo?
Turo is a car-sharing platform. Similar to Airbnb, but for cars. Users(Hosts) that have a spare vehicle or a vehicle that they do not use often are able to list them on the Turo platform and rent them to others for a fee. Founded in 2010, Turo has been on a mission to change the way the car rental industry functions. As of 2021, they have had over 350,000 vehicles listed on Turo, operating in over 56 countries.
How much does it cost to rent a car from Turo?
This is a tricky question to answer as the price of vehicles on Turo are based on several factors.
- The host sets their own price
- Market
- Time of the year
- Turo Fees
Since the prices are set by the hosts, it is hard to put a hard price as they may change daily.
As of today, looking at prices in California, we can rent a 2022 Nissan Altima for as low as $32 a day or a 2021 Porsche Macan for only $82 a day which I think is a steal.
You have to keep in mind that these prices vary by location and market as well. In Maine during the peak Summer season, for example, you won’t be able to find anything cheaper than $120 a day not including fees.
The fees charged by Turo when booking are ultimately what determines if it will be cheaper to book through them or a traditional rental company. Nobody truly knows how the fees are calculated, but they are different for every person/vehicle. We know that the age of the driver booking plays a role in the fee as well as the type of vehicle they are trying to book. I have seen some fees as high as the booking price and some just being a couple of dollars.
In my case, a three-day booking came out to $259 with an additional $32.70 fee for a total of $278.75 which is a great deal. Your mileage may vary and is just something to think about.
Do I need my own insurance when renting from Turo?
Turo provides insurance coverage options for the renter and the host during the purchase. They offer three protection plans at different price points and different deductibles. In our case, the 2021 Porsche Macan, the Premier plan is an extra $160 for coverage with out-of-pocket costs, the Standard plan for $98 with a 500 out-of-pocket cost, or the Minimum protection for $61 with a whopping $3000 out-of-pocket cost.
You have the right to deny protection coverages, but you will be personally liable if anything happens to the vehicle.
My credit card provides insurance coverage. Does that work with Turo?
Credit cards like American Express Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve provide primary car rental insurance when they are used to pay for a car rental. The problem is that Turo is not classified as a car rental company. On June 28, 2022, the California Appellate Court found that Turo is not a car rental company, but rather a car sharing platform that helps car owners find people to rent their cars to. Your milage may vary and you should check with your card issuer, but from our experience and the experiences of others, Turo is not covered by the vehicle protections issues by credit card companies. .
Should I book with Turo or a traditional car rental company?
There are a lot of pros and cons to using Turo and it all depends on your personal situation. If Turo is a cheaper option and you’re comfortable trying something new then it might be for you. Something to keep in mind is that Turo does not maintain cars, that is the responsibility of the Host. With that being said, your experience may vary as a lot of the responsibility falls onto the host. Please be sure to read the reviews on the host to make sure all of their vehicles are maintained and cleaned.
How do I book are a vehicle on Turo?
Just visit Turo and sign up for an account and book your vehicle. It’s as simple as that.
