taking Zipcars into Canada
Jun 5, 2010, 4:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 45
taking Zipcars into Canada
I want to begin by saying that I've been a Zipcar member for about a year and a half and have been generally extremely satisfied with their service. I find them much more convenient than traditional car rental and at a highly competitive cost.
However I just talked to them about potentially taking a Zipcar into Canada (this would potentially be from Seattle), and they don't seem very well equipped to handle this. It seems to require that one get a special insurance card. There was a disconnect between the time frame their site claims this takes (3 days) and the time the person on the phone said (5-7 business days).
Firstly the time frame is way too long and secondly this kind of conflicting information is always a red flag for me to avoid a company's services.
This looks like it is going to be the first time since I became a Zipcar member that traditional car rental is going to be more efficient. Most major rental companies, especially in markets near the border like Seattle, are equipped to allow rentals into Canada with a minimum of hassle.
Does anyone know why it seems to be such a hassle to take a Zipcar into Canada, and why they don't seem to be able to do this up to their usual level of efficiency?
However I just talked to them about potentially taking a Zipcar into Canada (this would potentially be from Seattle), and they don't seem very well equipped to handle this. It seems to require that one get a special insurance card. There was a disconnect between the time frame their site claims this takes (3 days) and the time the person on the phone said (5-7 business days).
Firstly the time frame is way too long and secondly this kind of conflicting information is always a red flag for me to avoid a company's services.
This looks like it is going to be the first time since I became a Zipcar member that traditional car rental is going to be more efficient. Most major rental companies, especially in markets near the border like Seattle, are equipped to allow rentals into Canada with a minimum of hassle.
Does anyone know why it seems to be such a hassle to take a Zipcar into Canada, and why they don't seem to be able to do this up to their usual level of efficiency?
Last edited by dash1729; Jun 5, 2010 at 7:46 pm Reason: minor spelling correction
Jun 5, 2010, 7:44 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,103
I want to begin by saying that I've been a Zipcar member for about a year and a half and have been generally extremely satisfied with their service. I find them much more convenient that traditional car rental and at a highly competitive cost.
However I just talked to them about potentially taking a Zipcar into Canada (this would potentially be from Seattle), and they don't seem very well equipped to handle this. It seems to require that one get a special insurance card. There was a disconnect between the time frame their site claims this takes (3 days) and the time the person on the phone said (5-7 business days).
Firstly the time frame is way too long and secondly this kind of conflicting information is always a red flag for me to avoid a company's services.
This looks like it is going to be the first time since I became a Zipcar member that traditional car rental is going to be more efficient. Most major rental companies, especially in markets near the border like Seattle, are equipped to allow rentals into Canada with a minimum of hassle.
Does anyone know why it seems to be such a hassle to take a Zipcar into Canada, and why they don't seem to be able to do this up to their usual level of efficiency?
However I just talked to them about potentially taking a Zipcar into Canada (this would potentially be from Seattle), and they don't seem very well equipped to handle this. It seems to require that one get a special insurance card. There was a disconnect between the time frame their site claims this takes (3 days) and the time the person on the phone said (5-7 business days).
Firstly the time frame is way too long and secondly this kind of conflicting information is always a red flag for me to avoid a company's services.
This looks like it is going to be the first time since I became a Zipcar member that traditional car rental is going to be more efficient. Most major rental companies, especially in markets near the border like Seattle, are equipped to allow rentals into Canada with a minimum of hassle.
Does anyone know why it seems to be such a hassle to take a Zipcar into Canada, and why they don't seem to be able to do this up to their usual level of efficiency?
Jun 5, 2010, 7:46 pm
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
Not sure how much of a hassle it is.
You tell them you want to go to Canada
They issue you a supplemental insurance card for coverage in Canada.
It's their policy, it's always been their policy. They are equipped to handle it, but you don't seem to want to follow their procedures by letting them know a few days in advance. It may be stupid compared to other rental places that don't have the let them know in advance restriction, but it makes no sense for Zipcar to insure every car for Canada when probably hardly anybody actually takes them across the border.
The only issue appears to be how long it takes for you to get that card, one person says three days the other person says five to seven.
You tell them you want to go to Canada
They issue you a supplemental insurance card for coverage in Canada.
It's their policy, it's always been their policy. They are equipped to handle it, but you don't seem to want to follow their procedures by letting them know a few days in advance. It may be stupid compared to other rental places that don't have the let them know in advance restriction, but it makes no sense for Zipcar to insure every car for Canada when probably hardly anybody actually takes them across the border.
The only issue appears to be how long it takes for you to get that card, one person says three days the other person says five to seven.
Jun 5, 2010, 8:04 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 45
My guess is that since zipcar is designed for short (a couple of hours) rentals that very few if any people would want to do what you are doing. My suggestion would be 1) to rent from a "normal" rental company - frankly it would probably end up being cheaper then zipcar...
Yes, hourly reservations are a nice feature of Zipcar. However their daily rates are highly competitive as well. Often a Zipcar will be available per day for less than a traditional rental car--and the Zipcar rate includes gas and insurance, while the traditional rental car rate does not include gas or insurance. Plus as soon as you make your reservation you are good to go with a Zipcar--traditional car rental is usually more of a hassle even for preferred members.
Jun 5, 2010, 8:23 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 45
Yes, that is the primary issue. There is a big difference--a factor of three--between seven business days and three calendar days. You say they are equipped to handle it (in the part of your message I didn't quote), but when they seem so uncertain and vague about how long this process takes, it conveys to me a lack of confidence in their ability to handle this process at all.
Jun 6, 2010, 6:11 am
#7
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BWI/WAS
Programs: UA 1K, RCC, HH GOLD, SPG, OMNI, KIMPTON, A-CLUB
Posts: 216
Yes, that is the primary issue. There is a big difference--a factor of three--between seven business days and three calendar days. You say they are equipped to handle it (in the part of your message I didn't quote), but when they seem so uncertain and vague about how long this process takes, it conveys to me a lack of confidence in their ability to handle this process at all.
Jun 6, 2010, 1:15 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 45
Well that makes sense. I guess my main issue with Zipcar is that if I'd relied on the information on their site--which says 3 days, no more--I could have found myself in a lot of trouble. Usually the information on their website is extremely reliable. In this instance, though--apparently it can't be relied on.
Jun 15, 2010, 1:58 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: New York City
Posts: 4,002
Forgive me if I'm suggesting something that won't work, for whatever reason. As indicated above, there are ZipCars in Canada. So if you can just get across the border without a car, and there are several easy methods, then you can get a ZipCar there. Methods I know of: Greyhound (as cheap as $17 one-way), QuickShuttle (not too bad if you have a 50% off coupon from the Entertainment Book), Amtrak (a nice train ride if you sit so you can view the ocean, and the bus option is OK). Depending on what you are doing, it could well be cheaper to either use ZipCar or a rental car without taking either across the border.
And if you prefer to drive to Bellingham, and then take one of the above methods across, that works too.
And if you prefer to drive to Bellingham, and then take one of the above methods across, that works too.
Aug 20, 2015, 11:33 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1
I want to begin by saying that I've been a Zipcar member for about a year and a half and have been generally extremely satisfied with their service. I find them much more convenient than traditional car rental and at a highly competitive cost.
However I just talked to them about potentially taking a Zipcar into Canada (this would potentially be from Seattle), and they don't seem very well equipped to handle this. It seems to require that one get a special insurance card. There was a disconnect between the time frame their site claims this takes (3 days) and the time the person on the phone said (5-7 business days).
Firstly the time frame is way too long and secondly this kind of conflicting information is always a red flag for me to avoid a company's services.
This looks like it is going to be the first time since I became a Zipcar member that traditional car rental is going to be more efficient. Most major rental companies, especially in markets near the border like Seattle, are equipped to allow rentals into Canada with a minimum of hassle.
Does anyone know why it seems to be such a hassle to take a Zipcar into Canada, and why they don't seem to be able to do this up to their usual level of efficiency?
However I just talked to them about potentially taking a Zipcar into Canada (this would potentially be from Seattle), and they don't seem very well equipped to handle this. It seems to require that one get a special insurance card. There was a disconnect between the time frame their site claims this takes (3 days) and the time the person on the phone said (5-7 business days).
Firstly the time frame is way too long and secondly this kind of conflicting information is always a red flag for me to avoid a company's services.
This looks like it is going to be the first time since I became a Zipcar member that traditional car rental is going to be more efficient. Most major rental companies, especially in markets near the border like Seattle, are equipped to allow rentals into Canada with a minimum of hassle.
Does anyone know why it seems to be such a hassle to take a Zipcar into Canada, and why they don't seem to be able to do this up to their usual level of efficiency?
You cannot drive your Zipcar into Mexico. Our insurance policy does not cover driving in Mexico. Violation of this policy will result in termination of your Zipcar membership. (We definitely don't want that, so please keep your car north of the border!)
You can drive your Zipcar from the US into Canada, no problem.