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Thinking about renting a car on Turo? My first try was a bust. Here’s what happened and the two things I’d do differently.
Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental service, kind of like Airbnb for cars, and I know Doug DeMuro uses it to get some cool cars. I needed a specific kind of vehicle, a seven-passenger car or minivan, so I gave it a try. It didn’t go well. Whether you rent from Turo or a counter, a phone mount you can move from car to car makes navigating an unfamiliar rental a lot easier, and that’s what the button goes to.
- Much cheaper than a regular rental counter (about 1/4 the price)
- Instant Book confirms right away
- Lots of interesting cars on the platform
- Customer service canceled and refunded me
- Owners can deny requests, especially on holiday weekends
- Instant Book charges you immediately
- The owner never answered emails, texts or voicemails
- I drove about two hours round trip and got no car
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Getting denied
I made an account and requested a seven-passenger vehicle. Like Airbnb, owners can decline or not approve your rental, or they might need the car themselves. I was requesting on a holiday weekend, which may have been part of it, but I put in a couple of requests and got denied on both.
Instant Book and the immediate charge
Then I found a Chevy Traverse with Instant Book. With Instant Book the owner doesn’t screen you; it confirms right away, kind of like renting from Enterprise or Budget.
At that point my credit card was charged the full price of the rental. I was fine with that, because it was about a quarter of what a normal rental car place would charge.
The owner disappeared
I was supposed to pick up the car that day, and it didn’t happen. Despite emails through the Turo website, texts and voicemails, the owner never got back to me. I knew where to go, but I couldn’t reach anyone to exchange keys.
I think that’s the downside of Instant Book: the owner doesn’t have to be active in the process, so they might be traveling or just not know you booked. I called Turo customer service, and they canceled the reservation and issued a refund.
Two tips before you book
1. Expect to be charged right away when you book, especially with Apple Pay or another electronic payment.
2. Book a car close to home. Mine was almost an hour away, so I burned two hours plus gas for nothing. If you can’t reach the owner, at least you won’t be far from home.
I’ll probably try Turo again. It’s a cool idea, and there seems to be a lot of cool stuff on there. If you want to try it, here’s my Turo referral link (referral link; it may give you a discount on your first trip).
FAQ
Does Turo charge you right away?
In my experience, yes. With Instant Book my card was charged the full price immediately.
Can a Turo owner deny your request?
Yes. Both of my requests were denied on a holiday weekend.
What if the Turo owner doesn’t respond?
Call Turo customer service. They canceled my reservation and issued a refund.
Is Turo cheaper than a rental car company?
For my trip it was about a quarter of the cost of a normal rental counter.
Any tips for a first Turo rental?
Expect an immediate charge, and book a car close to home in case you can’t reach the owner.
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