Why I Use Turo to Save Money When Renting Cars
You may have heard of the car-sharing program called Turo. Think of it like Airbnb, but instead of using someone’s owned home, you use their vehicle vs. a rental agency to enjoy your holiday/travels. I’ve been using TURO for years, and I can attest that I have always enjoyed the cars I rent for my holidays. When I get my delivered to the airport after I land, it also feels like concierge service vs. the hassle of long lines waiting for my rental and often not knowing the exact car model I will get. Moreover, I save 25–50% every time compared to airport rental agencies! Here’s why:
- Most Car Rental agencies list vehicles that are less than four years old. Meaning your options are more limited, and the cost of the rental most likely will be higher than a vehicle in good condition but less than 10 years old. I often book my Turo vehicles 4–8 years old and see that I can save a decent amount compared to agencies like Enterprise, Budget, or Thrifty, as the owners compete for their older vehicles to outprice the newer cars. This often is the number #1 reason why I get cars from Turo to be more affordable than agencies.
2. Cost of car rental insurance — Most Car rental agencies will ask you to pay for third-party rental insurance that can sizably increase your rental rate. Turo bakes in their rates at default to cover all their rentals with Travelers Insurance Company. So often, you will save more, including insurance protection. Don’t want rental insurance with Turo? Your rental price will only be lower!
3. Turo will deliver the car to you for free or a fee — Many TURO car owners offer free delivery or will charge a fee to deliver the vehicle. Not only is this a big time saver, but you don’t need to deal with long lines at the airport.
4. The cars can get VERY fun — I love the rental choices about TURO. You can rent exotic cars like Porsches, Mercedes, Off Road Jeeps, etc. So the experience of a vehicle is often much better than rentals. Also, are you not sure if you want to buy a specific car yet? Chances are, you can find the exact make and model in Turo, and you can rent it for a few days to decide if you want to buy the car later at a dealer! I also sometimes get higher-end cars for the same price as small sedans at a rental agency. For example, for the price of a Mid-size car at an agency, I got a 4 door Mini Cooper for a wedding event in the Washington, D.C. area.
5. Car Rental fees can be expensive because they cover unlimited mileage. But most people don’t need an excessive number of daily miles for rental. In fact, the average Car Rental consumer drives 100 miles a day. Most TURO vehicles cover their rates with a 200-mile daily allowance, so it should cover most car renters’ distance needs.
Not sure if Turo can save you money? Well, let’s do at least three market benchmarks! We’ll cover three cities, dates, and vehicle types to see how the prices compare.
Benchmark 1
Location: Austin, TX (AUS Airport)
Dates: June 1–4, 2023
Seeking: Mid Size Sedan
Carrentals.com Prices: $262 with Payless or $287 Renting via Budget (Images Below)
TURO Price Options with Insurance: 2014 Nissan Altima for $191 or 2019 Ford Fiesta for $217
Savings Percentage Range compared to Agency: 24–27%
Benchmark 2
Location: Los Angeles (LAX Airport)
Dates: July 13–16, 2023
Seeking: SUV
Carrentals.com Prices: $274 with U-SAVE or $402 with Alamo
TURO Price Options with Insurance: 2018 Mazda CX-5 for $200 or 2022 Hyundai Venue for $215
Savings Percentage Range compared to Agency: 27–47%
Benchmark 3
Location: Washington D.C. (DCA Airport)
Dates: August 3–6, 2023
Seeking: Luxury (BMW 3 Series)
CarRentals.com Prices: $353 via Sixt
TURO Price Option with Insurance: $278 for 2015 BMW 3 Series
Savings Percentage Range compared to Agency: 21%
In Summary, Turo can be a great option for Car Rental seekers on a budget. If you’re comfortable driving someone’s car and gently used — You will almost always find an option where you are headed that will beat the price of a car rental agency. I hope you enjoyed the content, and I wish you safe and cost-effective travels!
