You can buy a car cash, finance your purchase, or lease it. So far so good. But now there is an entirely new way of becoming a car owner: subscribing to one! Today we will take a look at this exciting new model of car ownership and find out if it is a great option for you!
Car subscriptions are probably the easiest way to get your hands on a brand new car. The new model is especially interesting for those of us that need quick access to a car for a limited amount of time. This means that for the first time, putting a $40,000 vehicle in your driveway may just be as easy as streaming content on Netflix and Spotify!
You simply pay a monthly fee that includes basically everything except fuel. That means, car insurance, MOT, maintenance, taxes and other expenses are already included in your monthly rate. Very convenient!
Booking a car subscription is almost as easy as renting one. Those of us that are familiar with booking a rental car from Hertz, Avis or Sixt (the later two also offer car subscriptions in some countries by the way), should have no trouble at all with the booking process.
You may have already guessed it: car subscriptions are especially relevant for urban dwellers that may not always have a need for a car, yet have ‘outgrown’ traditional car-sharing models like zipcar. Maybe a new family member has arrived, maybe a new job requires you to commute a few miles extra each day. Whatever the reason, relying on a shared car is no longer doing it for you, yet spending a large amount of cash on a new vehicle is also not in the books. This is where for a lot of people car subscriptions can offer a welcome alternative: Access to a car long-term, while retaining a large degree of flexibility because at the end of the subscription term the vehicle can be kept or simply be swapped out for a better suited vehicle upon contract renewal.
Another benefit of a car subscription is that you spend virtually no time on – the sometimes arduous – selecting process of a new car, no haggling with aggressive sales people at the dealership, and virtually no time on other administrative tasks and paperwork relating to getting the car registered and insured. It’s plug-and-play really for most users!
Now, it’s of course your choice how much time you want to spend on selecting the right car. You may just want to have a look at a few reviews from car magazines, to ensure you are not ending up in a poorly put together tractor with four wheels. If you are on the lookout for attractive deals where you get the best bang for the buck, you may want to have a look at price comparison sites like AboPiloten, that find the best cars subscription deals for you. Your mileage (no pun intended) may vary here, but car subscriptions at least give you the option to periodically switch cars according to what your lifestyle demands. Single ready to mingle? How about a sleek Coupé or convertible? Just got kids? How about a big SUV with plenty of space for your offspring?
The beauty is that with car subscriptions, car ownership really tailors around your life, not the other way around!