All the car I'll ever need!
I absolutely love car sharing, and there's no better car sharing co-op in the country than Vancouver's own Co-operative Auto Network.
They have around 150 cars of all types around Vancouver, the North Shore, and 6 other cities, an online booking system, a partnership with the Victoria Car Co-op, and a rate plan that can't be beat.
There are more than three cars within a 5 minute walk from my front door. In my neighborhood alone I have cars, vans, and trucks to choose from, depending on the nature of my errand.
Each time I drive I get to see the whole-system cost of my trip; my hourly and per-kilometer charge includes gas, insurance, usage, depreciation, and maintenance! I need only multiply the number of hours and the number of kilometers I drive by the hourly and per-kilometer charge to know how much that trip to the Home Depot actually costs.
There are perks galore… great rental rates at Discount, Thrifty/Dollar, and Enterprise for long-term trips, no hourly charge after 11pm, and free permit parking.
Hey, if you decide to become a member yourself, be sure to tell them I sent you ;-)
http://www.cooperativeauto.net/
http://www.thecompanycar.ca/
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stevel...
- Goodwill: I think I'm in love
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Thank you lovely CAN member!
CAN works hard to make the argument between owing a car by yourself and owning one (or 155+!) with others a really easy win.
Save money Save time Save the environment!
Join us with Promocode: SM3271 and get $20 of the cost of registration. Online Orientation at www.cooperativeauto.net
Totally agree. I use a CAN car approximately once a week and its very easy. Usually cars available close to home and pleasant to drive.
great for the consumer, great for the environment, great all round.
Ok, I WAS in love with CAN until the latter half of this year. I think they may be a victim of their own success, because they appear to be not adding cars fast enough to meet demand in busy areas like Kits, where I live. Here's what I've noticed:
Cons:
Pros:
Thing is, there's a new player in town named Zipcar.ca. And that means CAN had better pay attention or they will start to lose market share. Has anyone tried this service? The cars look clean and shiny and tend to have multiple vehicles available in the same spot. I'd like to hear how expensive/convenient Zipcar is compared to CAN.
I was part of CAN for a few years, and I thought it was great - even if you have your own car, the measly monthly payments is worth it when you need a van or want to try out a mini or a hybrid!
I think having some more competition like zipcar will only make this kind of non-profit service more and more popular, and more useful.
Like the last guy mentioned, however, make sure you live in an area where there are enough cars. Living in the west-end for example is ideal, as there are numerous cars within walking distance...
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