Turo - Car rental

[stevelb]

Has anyone used Turo for a car rental? Experience.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I have not used Turo but I feel like I need to comment.

Turo has absolutely destroyed the parking situation at my local airport (KOA). The parking lots are full of illegally parked Turo cars. Everyone is furious, cops, airport employees, TSA agents, prosecutors. Because the idiots that support the criminals that rent their cars through Turo are thinking of no one but themselves. In many places renting through Turo could be a crime that gets you 20 years in prison once they perfect their cases.

It is illegal under local law to use airport property for a commercial business without a permit. When two people work together to break a law, that's conspiracy, even if one of the people is not aware they are acting illegally. Bring in multiple parties and you might be participating in a criminal enterprise and subject to RICO prosecution.

You really need to look into Turo more closely and the risks you are taking. Most likely you will get away with your rental but you'd be looking over your shoulder and being worried about getting arrested for years. Turo is a criminal enterprise and working with them makes you a criminal.

 

[JoeWras]

Perhaps this is what SecondAttempt is speaking of: https://www.mauinews.com/news/local...cking-down-on-illegal-car-rentals-at-airport/

This fresh post on Reddit also supports SecondAttempt's concerns about syndicates invading this sharing service, this time in Austin. https://www.reddit.com/r/turo/comments/16duwoa/anyone_in_austin_intrested_to_leasebuy_a_parking/

Now I'm not sure if you rent with Turo that the RICO agents will come to get you, but I am sure that I'm not a fan of Turo.

I've read enough experiences from both users and renters that convince me it is not for me. YMMV.

I mean, what could go wrong? You rent your car to your brother in law, he crashes it and you have a headache. You rent to a total stranger, what could go wrong? Turo promises all kinds of insurance. Users of the service respond that it doesn't work out so simply when crashes occur.

From a users perspective, you see a lot of users complain about getting cars without promised fuel levels, damage from the previous user that you have to then fight the owner or Turo to convince you didn't do, and so on.

I think anyone who is a seriously big fan of AirBnB will like Turo and tell me that I'm just a crank. Probably true. I'm sure most Turo transactions go great for both parties. But when it doesn't, have fun!

 

[SecondAttempt]

Perhaps this is what SecondAttempt is speaking of: https://www.mauinews.com/news/local...cking-down-on-illegal-car-rentals-at-airport/

This fresh post on Reddit also supports SecondAttempt's concerns about syndicates invading this sharing service, this time in Austin. https://www.reddit.com/r/turo/comments/16duwoa/anyone_in_austin_intrested_to_leasebuy_a_parking/

Now I'm not sure if you rent with Turo that the RICO agents will come to get you, but I am sure that I'm not a fan of Turo.

I've read enough experiences from both users and renters that convince me it is not for me. YMMV.

I mean, what could go wrong? You rent your car to your brother in law, he crashes it and you have a headache. You rent to a total stranger, what could go wrong? Turo promises all kinds of insurance. Users of the service respond that it doesn't work out so simply when crashes occur.

From a users perspective, you see a lot of users complain about getting cars without promised fuel levels, damage from the previous user that you have to then fight the owner or Turo to convince you didn't do, and so on.

I think anyone who is a seriously big fan of AirBnB will like Turo and tell me that I'm just a crank. Probably true. I'm sure most Turo transactions go great for both parties. But when it doesn't, have fun!

I completely agree. Most people who rent through Turo will be fine. A few unfortunate people will have an accident or get a ticket and find out they are fully exposed and end up paying for their stupidity. Not something for me!

 

[Midpack]

Evidently no picnic for decent owners either. More trouble than it’s worth for owners as well.

 

[Scuba]

I tried to talk DH into trying Turo. I’m a big fan of Air BnB and Turo is kind of a similar concept. DH isn’t going for it though. I agree with him that it’s riskier - a rental car company will just bring you a different car if there are any mechanical issues or you get into an accident that makes the car not drivable. So we are sticking with Hertz, at least for now.

 

[audreyh1]

I’ve never been comfortable with their business model, and from this thread it’s a lot more sinister than I ever imagined.

Don’t do Uber either.

I never tried AirBnB either but these days they aren’t any different from VRBO for the type of accommodations we use. Never would have gone for the room in a house type thing anyway.

 

[dixonge]

This fresh post on Reddit also supports SecondAttempt's concerns about syndicates invading this sharing service, this time in Austin. https://www.reddit.com/r/turo/comments/16duwoa/anyone_in_austin_intrested_to_leasebuy_a_parking/

That's my main concern, the people trying to run fleets. Like AirBnB Turo was intended for individual owners. Syndication ruins both AirBnB and Turo alike.

Having said that we had a very nice experience renting a Mercedes for much cheaper than even a small econo-box from one of the big rental companies.

In many places renting through Turo could be a crime that gets you 20 years in prison once they perfect their cases.
<snip>
Turo is a criminal enterprise and working with them makes you a criminal.

OH COME ON...

I’ve never been comfortable with their business model, and from this thread it’s a lot more sinister than I ever imagined.

Don’t do Uber either.

HUH?

 

[SecondAttempt]

OH COME ON...

Don't know how to include my original statement you are commenting on. I suggested there could be RICO prosecution against renters. Yes, I agree, that's a stretch, especially in Hawaii where the police actively avoid giving traffic tickets to tourists.

I'm not a lawyer but I read up on this and watched what is happening on the various islands. It IS a crime to use airport property for business purposes without a permit. On Oahu and Kauai they have done something about it by towing Turo vehicles from airport lots and various other measures. So Turo is aware it is actively participating in a crime by allowing car owners to use these lots.

If Turo is made aware that its contractors are acting criminally, and does nothing and if a renter is aware the owner and Turo are acting together to commit a crime, that is a racketeering organization by definition that includes the end renter who funds the organization.

I don't really think anyone will get prosecuted in Hawaii and certainly the focus would be on individual owners. But why take the risk to save a few $?

I've been in an accident in a rental car. I described it in an old post. Basically I thought I was at fault, we both told the same story, no citations but police said my fault. After law analysis by all insurance companies they determined I was NOT at fault. My insurance company was phenomenal in protecting me and it cost me $0. They even negotiated away the $250 administrative charge Hertz wanted to charge me! I am pretty sure with Turo they would have told me I was on my own!

Aside from my personal bias against Turo because of their behavior at my local airport, I've never seen that the benefit is worth the risk.

For the record, I do occasionally use Uber and I used to operate a vacation rental, not through AirBnB but through VRBO before they got swallowed by the demon.

 

[braumeister]

FWIW, I used Turo three times during the pandemic when it was the only way I could get a rental car in the places I was visiting. Expensive, but worth it to me, and all the interactions were excellent, both with Turo and with the car owners.

I would definitely use it again if appropriate.

 

[cathy63]

There's a 38 page thread about Turo over on TripAdvisor. Lots of stories there about surprise extra fees and what happens if something goes wrong with the car. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...views_for_Turo_com_Car_Rental-Road_Trips.html

Kyte has a similar operating model and similar stories about missing spare tires, maintenance issues where renters had to pay for tows and repairs and didn't get reimbursed, failure to pay out on insurance claims, etc.

 

[Out of Steam]

Turo seems like a reasonable method of getting a long test drive of a vehicle not commonly available from a rental company, like a manual transmission car or a used vehicle more than 3-4 years old.

I can't imagine using it instead of Enterprise or Avis for a rental while traveling or while my car is being repaired.

 

[Scuba]

Turo seems like a reasonable method of getting a long test drive of a vehicle not commonly available from a rental company, like a manual transmission car or a used vehicle more than 3-4 years old.

I can't imagine using it instead of Enterprise or Avis for a rental while traveling or while my car is being repaired.

It is substantially less expensive. For our upcoming trip, the price from the major companies is around $550 while the Turo price was just over $300 for a 2023 car similar to what we will be renting. Car rentals have gotten very expensive, but I do appreciate that there are more risks renting someone’s personal car vs renting a vacation rental apartment.

 

[2017ish]

Turo seems like a reasonable method of getting a long test drive of a vehicle not commonly available from a rental company, like a manual transmission car or a used vehicle more than 3-4 years old.

...

Agree. We had good results renting 4 or 5 Turo cars during a recent 10 day stretch when we were car hunting. Unlike rental agencies, we knew exactly which vehicle we were going to get (no "or equivalent"). That was critical, as we needed 150+ mile rentals to see how DW's back tolerated the front passenger seat on the cars we were considering.

My guess is that the experience is going to vary widely depending upon the rental location. Nashville is well stocked. Other cities, including Louisville, that we looked up out of curiousity had basically nothing.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Hawaii Police Department announced today a crackdown on illegal use of state property for commercial purposes. Hopefully this includes impounding hundreds of Turo idiots (hosts and renters.) I wonder how many tourists will be stranded late at night at the Kona airport when their illegally parked Turo is seized when they try to leave the airport parking lot.

 

[jtmax]

Turo is great

I saved alot of money using Turo and get to pick the car and color I want. It's usually 25% cheaper than Car Rental. I also see it as a good business to do when you retire. Turo covers insurance.

 

[jtmax]

Ratings and Review Mitigate risk

I tried to talk DH into trying Turo. I’m a big fan of Air BnB and Turo is kind of a similar concept. DH isn’t going for it though. I agree with him that it’s riskier - a rental car company will just bring you a different car if there are any mechanical issues or you get into an accident that makes the car not drivable. So we are sticking with Hertz, at least for now.

Turo has Roadside assistance included and I never have any problems because I read the reviews and look at rating before I rent the car. It's the same with AirBNB. Putting in 5 minutes of effort to look at reviews can save you lots of money and get you the car you want.

 

[easysurfer]

Have never used but read about Turo. Isn't it kind of like the Airbnb but for cars?

 

[Montecfo]

We used Turo on Kauai last year and it worked out extremely well. No issues and saved a few hundred. And it is nice to have an "island car", not one that looks like a rental.

 

[lajolla]

We have not used Turo, but our daughter and her fiance have used it many times on trips they have taken without any problems. I'm pretty sure my H would not try Turo.

 

[braumeister]

I'm pretty sure my H would not try Turo.

I was skeptical at first, but during the pandemic it was the only possible way I could get a rental car at a couple of the destinations I went to. Not a single car available at any price from any of the major companies.
As it turned out I had great experiences using Turo and would certainly use them again.

 

[Winemaker]

The guy I sold my rentals to belongs to Turo. He has 4 cars; 1 pickup, that he rents out. He said he makes a good deal of money, he leases the cars. He charges $80 for drop off and pick up at airport.

 

[NoMoW2]

We’ve used Turo half a dozen times or so. It’s always been a good experience. Whether or not it’s a better deal than going through a regular RentaCar agency is probably a function of which airport/location you’re looking at.

Based on my experience, I have no hesitations about recommending them to others or using them again myself.

 

[sengsational]

You can park for free at Hawaiian airports? Here, at $10 or $12 per day, that would destroy any profit margin.

 

[SecondAttempt]

You can park for free at Hawaiian airports? Here, at $10 or $12 per day, that would destroy any profit margin.

No, not free, $15/day in Kona. But the Turo idiots just pass the cost to the renters.

It's really infuriating to everyone here but the tourists and the Turo criminals operating illegally. I've talked to TSA agents forced to park on the street. They are close to getting the Feds involved.