Is there a general consensus on this "air bnb" for cars model?
The prices seem absurdly cheaper than the rental shops (like 1.4k vs 4.5k), are these risky proposals?
I'd be looking at QLD, and while the Turo site appears to be very heavily US based, they do seem to have AUS prices on the web site.
How does insurance work, what happens if they cancel a car on us? are they likely to do frivolous damage claims?
its a 7 seater SUV
https://turo.com/us/en/suv-rental/australia/mackay/ldv/d90/2…
For 3 weeks over xmas.
It does say "price before taxes", I'd check the final cost (I don't have an account to check it). But yeah, seems like someone who runs their own rental company through Turo so either it's a really long, ongoing scam that hasn't been shut down or it's pretty legit.
I could see making it work, $30k vehicle, claim back GST, try clear $400 a week on it, 25 weeks a year for 3 years then sell it for $15k. Extremely low effort if you have the parking space.
do you have any access to corporate discounts or are willing to sleuth for coupon codes? That'll get you close to Turo pricing with a great degree of certainty.
For example I can get a Kluger (7 Seat) for the same dates for $1700, with unlimited km and standard reduced insurance (Excess of $1500).
At that price, I'd take the secured rental option than Turo
0.o those prices are amazing. we have a rewardsgateway site that gets discounts but I've been unable to replicate anything like that price.
I used turo in Hawaii maybe 7 years ago and it was significantly cheaper than any of the car hire companies. Had no issues booking, picking it up and dropping it off. Ymmv
I've used Turo extensively in Hawaii - highly recommended and never had any issues. Not sure what the differences are between the implementations between US and AUS but as suggested above not sure about the insurance.
having a look at a drive article -
'All protection plans through Turo include protection for theft, loss, or damage to the host's vehicle, provided by Turo Travels Mutual. When booking a car on Turo, there are three levels of coverage: Premier, Standard, or Minimum.'
https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/turo-australia-honest-rev…
tldr - turo adds their own insurance.
It's really important to read the PDS in this situation, it's not insurance, it's "discretionary risk protection". You become a member of a mutual fund that pools costs to pay out the damages on vehicles. They have absolute discretion to deny payment.
You also take full responsibility for the damage, even if you're not at fault. It doesn't include internal damage to the vehicle or mechanical damage (how that works I'm not sure). You're not covered if anything is stolen from the car. They'll try claim through your personal insurance before paying out of their own pocket too.
Considering the price (30% of the vehicle cost), the insurance is a scam. But there's no real way around it because no one will insurance a car you borrowed off an online platform.
I used it in LA 7 years ago for a 2 week period. It was fine. Though when i returned the car to the drop off point i noticed (whilst cleaning out under the front seats) that the car had weld marks across the car/frame as if it had been a rebirth of 2 cars. Or the pilar had been replaced. I.e. significant repair.
Also as Turo is a "car sharing " platform, rather than a "car rental" platform then your standard travel insurance problem wont cover you.
Turo is very much an Air BnB vs. Hotel experience.
Some things to consider, if you return a Turo car a little messy, the host may charge you additional cleaning fees.
The pickup location may be inconvenient to you as you are likely going to someone's house to pick the car up - though some may be willing to drive to you for an additional fee. Some cars have a maximum number of kms that you can travel before additional fees charge. Complementary credit card insurance won't cover you as this is not an agreement with a rental car company, for insurance purposes, it is considered peer-to-peer rental and not in the scope of most travel insurance coverages.
All in all, the more competition and consumer choice the better, just make sure you are making an informed decision.
The insurance is always going to be messy, should it arise. Odds are whoever owns the car hasn't insured it for putting on platforms like Turo (it costs a fortune), so it's relying on whatever Turo offers in way of insurance, which probably is questionable as they're not an insurance company. They're not a car rental company, so your credit card insurance or buying extra insurance might not work.
$3k difference seems nuts though, how long are you renting for and what kind of car? Is it a one off vehicle you found with a low rate, or is it the normal price for a similar vehicle on Turo? I'd be worried someone has an issue and is trying to get it covered by you if it's too cheap.
Beyond that, do the normal stuff, look for good feedback, take photos of the car first, make sure it's mechanically fine. Financial stress, a lot of WFH and interest rates staying high means earning extra income from a car is a big thing for some people.