Increasingly, drivers in busy urban centres in the UK are actively considering signing up for car sharing schemes. Understandable, given the fact that private car ownership tends to be horrendously inefficient.
A car is an asset that most people use less than 5% of the time, yet pump massive amounts of money into. It’s also true to say that a sizeable proportion of car owners could quite easily get by with no car at all.
It’s a convenient luxury that’s nice to have on hand, but isn’t necessarily essential.
Precisely where car sharing schemes come into the mix, which enable you to drive on a ‘pay as you go’ basis. You open an account, you download the app and you gain access to a fleet of readily available vehicles in your area.
Best of all, you only pay when you use them – the rest of the time you pay nothing at all.
When you think about it, the benefits of car sharing schemes are relatively clear. Even if giving up private car ownership seems a ludicrous concept, it’s still worth thinking about how you could benefit by jumping on the car sharing bandwagon.
Reduced Costs
Depending on when, where and how often you use your car, switching to a car sharing scheme could save you a fortune. The overheads involving own in a car are extraordinary – monthly credit payments, depreciation, insurance, annual testing, repairs, maintenance, parking, roadside assistance and so on and so forth. The vast majority of which can be eliminated entirely, by giving a car sharing scheme a shot.
Fewer Responsibilities
Keeping a car in roadworthy condition can also be a surprisingly stressful experience. It’s up to you to organise the necessary repairs and maintenance, find a mechanic you can actually trust and keep an eye on your car’s condition. With a car sharing scheme, you’re technically driving somebody else’s car, so none of this applies.
Crime Risk
Owning a vehicle means finding somewhere safe to store it, so that it isn’t targeted by opportunist criminals. For most people, the only option available is to store their single most valuable possession on a public road. And in doing so, open the door to all manner of regrettable accidents and incidents.
Newer and Safer Cars
Joining a decent car sharing scheme means gaining access to a fleet of relatively new and safe vehicles in excellent condition. For some, this could mean being able to drive cars newer and safer than they would be able to afford to buy themselves. A safer and more comfortable driving experience, which also paves the way for significant savings.
One Way Journeys
Last up, it’s also worth remembering how car sharing schemes open the door to one-way journeys. Something that simply isn’t possible with your privately owned car, as you need to think of how you’ll get it home again. With a car sharing scheme, you simply take the car you need from Point A to Point B, where you can leave it and make your own way home however you like.
