Zipcar: cars on-demand 12+

I have been using Zipcar since they first started out as Zipvan and absolutely love this service. This is a honest review based on being a long term user, the app works really well and rarely you need to refresh, close and restart the app to see your upcoming booking.

The only negatives with Zipcar is that some of the vans, which is what I mainly use are abused by members and can be in poor condition with so many defects that it would take you 30 mins of a 1 hour booking to check them all against the defects log. My most recent booking had me in a vehicle where the fuel cover was held in place by sellotape and I actually had to secure it with more robust black gaffa tape to hold it shut.

That said whenever I have had cause to contact customer services they have been exceptional on every occasion doing whatever they can to help me with my booking especially recently when my booked van was not available and finding me an alternative vehicle nearby.

As a Zipcar member it is critical to bring the vehicle back on time and also please check that you have left the van clean, empty of your stuff and with at least a quarter of a tank of fuel.

This is a great service which is only as good as the members, Zipcar needs to be more strict with vehicle damage and late returns to ensure that we have good quality, roadworthy vehicles.

I have used zip car for almost 1 year . Out of nowhere I parked in one place that I was always parking and got a fine ( even there were 10 more cars parked and non got a fine ) . Everything was ok when after 2 months I get a message that zip-car tries to take 145£ from my account . I contacted costumer service and this lady answered like she just woke up and after I told her the situation her answer was : you need to pay because the fine came to us and we have paid , but the last that drive the car that day was you . First , in that place on the map was green to park ( if was red you were not aloud to park because the app makes a noise and you can finish the ride ) ,second the maximum amount of money for parking and taking a fine there would be 30£ not 145 £ . When I told this to the lady she said “I am not in charge with this “ and gave me an email ,that nobody never answered .
Nobody came back to me and now I cannot drive zipcar anymore because of one unprofessional woman that doesn’t know how to do her job . Working with people is very difficult I understand but I will not pay for other or with extra charge for nothing . The guy or woman that came after me just put the paper in the bin . I didnt received nothing on my name and on the police site was shown that the fine was 30£ .
I would’ve pay that amount of money with no problem but you charge me 145£ just because . Very disappointed !!!!!!!

For a future-facing, decentralised ownership-concept, the app is just shockingly shockingly bad. The sign-up process is terrible: the app redirects you to a web version of the interface, which on mobile does not work. No one tells you that it does not work, you have to figure it out yourself through painful trial and error. Once you have figured it out you have to go on a desktop browser, emailing yourself photos of your driving license and face so you can jankily input them there. Once this has been you might think that you’re ready to go, as you can deposit credit, search for flex cars (which aren’t visible without an account), and get to the very final step of booking a trip. But not quite! At the last possible moment you’ll get a cute notification saying “oops! Something went wrong”. You will not be told what went wrong but you’ll be left to infer. At every painful juncture the app directs you to call help. If you press this it will dial the helpline, where you’ll listen to long and annoying automated messages; a voice will then tell you that no one is available to take your call, and hang up on you. All in all terrible experience.