When traveling someplace new, the best way to get out and explore with freedom and flexibility is by renting a car. With travelers venturing back out into the world, there have been shortages in car rentals leading to a lack of vehicles and an influx in overpriced options. The solution? Turo!
What is Turo?
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing service. In the same way people use Airbnb in lieu of a hotel stay, Turo is an alternate option when you’re looking to rent a car. Prefer a specific make? Need all wheel drive? The easy to navigate website makes it simple to search for exactly what you need.
Cancellation Policy
All vehicles listed on Turo have free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your reservation. This is beyond convenient as it affords you the flexibility to lock in your best option, with the comfort of knowing you’re not going to lose money if your plans change.
Mileage
Mileage varies from host to host. Some cars will have unlimited mileage while others will have a cap. This is something to note before you make your reservation as there is usually a per mile charge if you go over your allotted mileage. In our experience, mileage limits are generally pretty reasonable and far exceed our planned trip mileage; however, it’s something to note before booking.
Pick-Up and Drop Off
If you’re not taking a shuttle to the car rental agency, how are you getting your car? This varies from host to host. All hosts have a pick-up location that it automatically select as this is likely most convenient for the host. For some Turo listings, this is the only option; however, for others they may be able to offer you additional flexibility. Convenience can cost ya… an airport pick-up/drop off may be complementary or it may cost you anywhere from $25-$100.
Extras
Extras are never guaranteed, but always worth checking out! An ‘extra’ is an item or service the host offers as an add-on to the car rental. When we were checking out options in Hawaii, it was common to see people offering beach chairs, snorkel gear, or beach towels for a nominal trip fee. When looking at options in Alaska, various rental’s ‘extra’ options included camping equipment, coolers, car seats, strollers, and more. If a host offers any fun extras, they will be noted in the description, with their associate price. If you decide to utilize an offered ‘extra’, they are easily added when you check-out.
Insurance & Liability
Since Turo is considered a peer-to-peer car sharing service, the rental car insurance provided by some credit card companies will not cover you in the event of an accident. What are your options for insurance? Turo provides the option to include coverage from Travelers when you’re checking out. This is offered at three different coverage levels or price points.
That being said, before you opt into the coverage, check with your car insurance agent. Between the five of us, we are on three different car insurance plans, and they all cover a Turo rental! When you’re booking your car for a trip, it’s certainly worth knowing if you’re already covered. It could save you hundreds of dollars!
Young Driver Fees
Renting a car can be quite the headache if you are under 25. When booking through Turo, you must be 18 or older to book a trip. Also, if you’re age 18-21, you can’t decline a protection plan or choose Premier protection. This hold true regardless of what your car insurance policy covers. You must choose either the Minimum or the Standard protection plans.
If you’re age 18-20, you’ll pay a minimum young driver fee of $50/day, and if you’re 21–25, you’ll pay a minimum fee of $30/day. A peculiar wrinkle, but renters must be 21 or older to book a car valued over $20k.
As a note, the age requirements are based on your age at the time of booking, not the age you’ll be when the trip takes place.
You can read more about the age requirements for drivers here.
Pros & Cons
When you rent a car, you have a general idea of what you might end up with, but you never really know until you arrive and someone hands you the keys. When you book through Turo, you know exactly what you’re getting. Additionally, the options for ‘extras’ may be a streamlined way to rent items you were struggling to figure out how to pack (i.e. camping supplies or beach chairs).
While this doesn’t necessarily benefit you specifically, when you rent through Turo, part of your money will always goes to Turo but the majority goes to the person or family you are renting your car from. As such, renting your car through Turo can be a unique way to support the local economy.
The cons? Turo does not guarantee you an alternate option if the vehicle you rented become unavailable last minute. For example, if the Turo you rented needs to be taken into the shop because the radiator broke, you may be out of luck or scrambling to find a last minute replacement. We usually aim to mitigate this by sticking to newer models of cars as they should theoretically have less wear and miles.
Overall Impressions
Turo is an awesome option for your next trip. Whether you’re planning on zipping through the city, car camping in the back of a truck, or yearning for breezy rides with the top down, Turo has a wide array of options to choose from.
Cheers to your next adventure! Let us know how your first Turo experience goes!
written by Hannah
Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest. Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin, Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.
