Year with Europcar

 
Old Feb 6, 2014, 5:06 am
  #1  
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: Amex platinum, LeClubAccor Plat, Club Carlson gold, Hilton HHonours Diamond
Posts: 318
Year with Europcar

For a variety of reasons (working in london, using a bike for short journeys, environmental concerns) at the beginning of 2013 I sold my car and decided to experiment withy renting when needed - some weekends, holidays, or business where I need a car. Having a Europcar office not too far away helped in the decision.

I have just done a quick review of the year 2013 to see how much it cost me, and a rough comparision with owning a car. One of the advantages of renting is that you can rent what you need - small car if its just me to a larger car is needed.

Rental days - exactly 100.

Total rental cost. 1823

Miles driven 7818.

Petrol - not sure - (it would have been the same with my own car) but say 1092

CDW insurance - nil - as I always book on my Amex platinum.

Ancilliary benefits

Avios earned - 19500
MR points - 1823
Topcashback 145.84

In the course of this, I have also qualified as Europcar Elite tier for 2014, which gives a 30% dicount of rentals for next year, upgrades, a free weekend rental, as well as a free second driver.

So my rough calculation, based on 1p per avios, is

net Rental cost 1463
Petrol 1092

Total 2555.93

Cost per mile 32.75

________

I havent looked in detail at costs of owning a car yet - but I think the depreciation alone would be getting on for 20% pa in the first couple of years. So the cost of renting is more than covered by depreciation, and of course then there is no servicing, maintenance, tyres, road tax, insurance, RAC cost.

So:

Advantages - flexibility of vehicle, cost savings.

Disadvantages - inconvenience of having to pick up and drop off vehicle, loss of spontaneity.
PeterT1953 is offline  
Old Feb 6, 2014, 6:54 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: UME 🇸🇪 / NWI🇬🇧
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Posts: 1,680
Thanks for sharing. Did you consider joining a car sharing club like Streetcar or CityCarClub? I was a member of both for about a year, but relocated to a city without any vehicles. There's an indy car club here in Norwich with a Golf round the corner, but the rates and regulations weren't so handy for my spontaneous trips to family and friends 30+ miles away.

By the way, for any of our American cousins balking at the cost of unleaded in the UK in PeterT1953's calculations - according to petrolprices.com the average today 1.29/litre, or about $8/US gallon.
jamesbrownontheroad is offline  
Old Feb 6, 2014, 1:11 pm
  #3  
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: Amex platinum, LeClubAccor Plat, Club Carlson gold, Hilton HHonours Diamond
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by jamesbrownontheroad
Thanks for sharing. Did you consider joining a car sharing club like Streetcar or CityCarClub? I was a member of both for about a year, but relocated to a city without any vehicles. There's an indy car club here in Norwich with a Golf round the corner, but the rates and regulations weren't so handy for my spontaneous trips to family and friends 30+ miles away.

By the way, for any of our American cousins balking at the cost of unleaded in the UK in PeterT1953's calculations - according to petrolprices.com the average today 1.29/litre, or about $8/US gallon.
Yes I did investigate car clubs, but there are none nearby. I looked at one of the london ones but it was a bit more expensive than Europcar.

I know they do get a bit of stick, but personally I have found them to be excellent (I use the Stevenage branch, mostly).

And yes, you are right about the cost of fuel.
PeterT1953 is offline  

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