T5 ZipCar Flex
May 14, 2018, 10:31 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold, LH SEN , A3*G & others less exciting that don't fit in my wallet
Posts: 1,657
None available at 10.30 this morning in T5 though ( was passing through, but just looking out of curiosity more than really needing to use it )
May 17, 2018, 1:57 pm
#17
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
Has anyone managed to pick up a car from Central London, and drive to Heathrow for the low price?
M
M
May 17, 2018, 6:19 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: London, UK
Posts: 281
Just to add I used this yesterday from LHR T5 to SW12 ... overall very impressed
Pickup couldn't be simpler .. the cars are located in the Avis area on Level 4 of the Terminal 5 car part ( it's at the North end ) .. Booking in the app was no problem, there were a couple of them lined up there ready to go ... You just use the phone app to unlock the car, jump in , grab the keys from the glove compartment and drive off ... Number plates are recognised at the T5 car park barriers so you just drive out
Compared to the frequent messing around that is involved with getting an Uber pick up from T5 it's much smoother and almost certainly quicker exit from the airport.
Main drawback is the only cars are VW Polos which have very little luggage space ... The boot would fit two hand luggage size wheeled bags and a rucksack or one larger checked bag and some hand luggage ... You could fit four adults comfortably enough in the car, but not with their associated luggage !
As I live in the 'drop zone' then I could just park the car outside my house ( where I'd guess it will sit for days, not sure Zipcar Flex gets used too much! ) , put the keys in and lock it up. Overall including loading / unloading and a bit of traffic it took just under 1 1/2 hours and the trip cost was around £19 , plus their £5 airport fee .... At £24 it's not much more than half what an Uber would have cost.
So as long as you are travelling to the 'Drop Zone' and don't have too much luggage ( but a bit too much to use the tube/train) then I'd thoroughly recommend
Pickup couldn't be simpler .. the cars are located in the Avis area on Level 4 of the Terminal 5 car part ( it's at the North end ) .. Booking in the app was no problem, there were a couple of them lined up there ready to go ... You just use the phone app to unlock the car, jump in , grab the keys from the glove compartment and drive off ... Number plates are recognised at the T5 car park barriers so you just drive out
Compared to the frequent messing around that is involved with getting an Uber pick up from T5 it's much smoother and almost certainly quicker exit from the airport.
Main drawback is the only cars are VW Polos which have very little luggage space ... The boot would fit two hand luggage size wheeled bags and a rucksack or one larger checked bag and some hand luggage ... You could fit four adults comfortably enough in the car, but not with their associated luggage !
As I live in the 'drop zone' then I could just park the car outside my house ( where I'd guess it will sit for days, not sure Zipcar Flex gets used too much! ) , put the keys in and lock it up. Overall including loading / unloading and a bit of traffic it took just under 1 1/2 hours and the trip cost was around £19 , plus their £5 airport fee .... At £24 it's not much more than half what an Uber would have cost.
So as long as you are travelling to the 'Drop Zone' and don't have too much luggage ( but a bit too much to use the tube/train) then I'd thoroughly recommend
If you want to try them out and get 20% off your first journey, PM me for a referral code and I get 20% off my next journey too!
May 18, 2018, 4:22 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,076
Yes, no problem with that. I'd just note that ZipCar separately adds an extra GBP 5 charge for pick-up/drop-off at Heathrow a few days later. Still around GBP 20 from central London.
May 18, 2018, 6:13 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: BAEC bronze
Posts: 52
Signed up to and used Zip car for the first time last week for a local journey; my car was still at the in-laws out of town so it was a good time to try it. I found it a shame how battered the Polo was considering it was only 1,100 miles old.
Having looked at their Careers page out of interest (Fleet stuff interests me :-)) I see they have a site in Bracknell so I imagine the LHR presence will work well for them as it may mean employees spend less time taking new cars into London but dropping them into the system at the airport instead.
Having looked at their Careers page out of interest (Fleet stuff interests me :-)) I see they have a site in Bracknell so I imagine the LHR presence will work well for them as it may mean employees spend less time taking new cars into London but dropping them into the system at the airport instead.
May 18, 2018, 7:43 am
#23
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold, LH SEN , A3*G & others less exciting that don't fit in my wallet
Posts: 1,657
If you live in SW12 the way to get to Heathrow is via the Wheely app. £40 fixed fee private car hire, all Mercedes E or C class fleet. Drivers always professional and amazing. Bookable in advance and the guy stands in arrivals with your name on a board.
If you want to try them out and get 20% off your first journey, PM me for a referral code and I get 20% off my next journey too!
If you want to try them out and get 20% off your first journey, PM me for a referral code and I get 20% off my next journey too!
Sounds a bit too good to be true ( that's about the same cost as UberX with no traffic ) , but I'll keep it in mind
May 18, 2018, 2:56 pm
#24
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,546
"There's a zipcar not far from where I live.."
That's sounds like a 'normal' zipcar, which has a dedicated bay and must be returned to that same parking bay.
This is flex, where the cars don't have a permanent space, and (if the system works in the way Avis hopes it will) any car parked near you now will be gone shortly.
That's sounds like a 'normal' zipcar, which has a dedicated bay and must be returned to that same parking bay.
This is flex, where the cars don't have a permanent space, and (if the system works in the way Avis hopes it will) any car parked near you now will be gone shortly.
Jun 6, 2018, 1:27 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 214
Used Zipcar flex today. £18 Dulwich to T5 vs £50 Uber. As a bonus someone had kindly dropped a car off directly outside my house overnight. There were lots of cars avail for collection at T5. Game-changer for me at least.
Jun 6, 2018, 3:48 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,634
Used Zipcar Flex for the first time this week, Balham to Heathrow for £17 (including the £5 airport charge). Super easy and an absolute bargain compared to the £77 that Addison Lee charged me to come home later that day.
Only minor criticism is the drop off in the "clearly branded area" near to the Avis / Budget drop off area. "Clearly branded" is a single flag on a stand in a parking bay - nearly drove past it, although maybe that was also because it was still only 6am
Only minor criticism is the drop off in the "clearly branded area" near to the Avis / Budget drop off area. "Clearly branded" is a single flag on a stand in a parking bay - nearly drove past it, although maybe that was also because it was still only 6am
Feb 16, 2020, 10:34 am
#29
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Surrey
Programs: BA Gold, VS Gold, Eurostar CB, IHG Spire, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz President Circle
Posts: 435
The app has been showing cars available for pickup at T3&4 Avis office during the last 2 days when I've checked, rather than T5 blue zipflex area on the map.
Is that a bug and should I still go to T5 Level 4, or have things changed now and need you to get shuttle to the T3&4 Avis office?
Is that a bug and should I still go to T5 Level 4, or have things changed now and need you to get shuttle to the T3&4 Avis office?