http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/01/13/zipcar_i_have_a_nother_bone Comments On: Zipcar: I Have A(nother) Bone To Pick With You by Erica C. Barnett en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by Tom]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:33:05 -0800 The Stranger Posted by montex]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:15:06 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Sharon]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:16:16 -0800 The Stranger Posted by And another thing...]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:59:11 -0800 The Stranger Posted by tictoc]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:20:06 -0800 The Stranger Posted by tictoc]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:18:46 -0800 The Stranger Posted by K]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:06:47 -0800 The Stranger
ZipCar, forget it.

The whole model is flawed though (well, maybe not so much for the company). How many people really know that they will need to make a car trip a couple days from now and that it will only take X hours? That rules out most meetings, shopping trips, or doctor visits. For trips longer than 6 hours it's not cost effective compared to a regular rental.

Yeah yeah, the *idea* is that you need a car NOW and there's one right near you and you go and reserve it, but that's really optimistic, because the cars are either already reserved, or reserved during some portion you'll need it for. So you need to have advance notice of time and length of your needs.

It was fun getting to drive a hybrid though (which are premium rate under ZipCar). A Mini, not as much.
Posted by K]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:24:21 -0800 The Stranger
I reserved a compact car and when I went to go pick it up, they don't have any late fines, they didn't have any cars but instead offered me a cargo van.

Umm...yeah...drive an empty cargo van on icy roads in cross-wind conditions...I think I'll pass.


I agree zipcar isn't as flexible or nice as flexcar was, but it beats some of the alternatives.
Posted by Michael Snyder]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:27:22 -0800 The Stranger Posted by dkl]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:52:47 -0800 The Stranger
So it sucks that you found yourself in a position where you had to turn in the car late and was assessed a fee, but I think the policy is smart.
Posted by la]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:52:20 -0800 The Stranger Posted by NaFun]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:21:39 -0800 The Stranger
That being said, if your own car was sideswiped in a hit-and-run, and you wanted to fix it...guess what? You'd still have to pay the insurance deductible.
Posted by Bill Rutherford, Princeton Admissions]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:33:37 -0800 The Stranger
3. For times when ECB wants to ride her bicycle, park a police motorcade outside ECB's place. Have them leave three minutes before her ride to clear the street and block all traffic on sidestreets.
Posted by grizzly madames]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:26:41 -0800 The Stranger
1. Park a snow removal truck outside Connelly's house. Operate vehicle in continuous loop between home and Seattle Times headquarters.

2. Park a van with driver outside ECB's place. Slap a magnetic Metro sign on the side and call it a bus.
Posted by oneway]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:16:19 -0800 The Stranger Posted by for a short time i was a player]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:15:52 -0800 The Stranger
Buying a cheap car even is such a ridiculous expense in comparison. Add up your car, gas, insurance, parking, maintenance, and repairs and you're throwing away thousands of dollars a year.
Posted by Clallum the hybrid]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:57:39 -0800 The Stranger
S'Klallam (The Native American Tribe near Sequim)

Clallum (Not a word)
Posted by Max]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:50:11 -0800 The Stranger
Naming a car Clallum (a pseudo ripoff of the Indians across the water from Seattle) is almost as cool as Jeep naming their 4X4 a Cherokee.

Why is it that such a fervent feminist thinks mascot-style racism is "adorable" ?

Please diversify your politics, EBC. All movements are interrelated. Racist feminists aren't feminists.

Posted by Morgan]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:00:55 -0800 The Stranger
Erica: if you purchased a $5,000 used car(with no down payment), 1998 Honda Civic or a 2000 Toyota Corolla or a 2003 Ford Focus, you could have monthly payments, including tax and insurance, of about $200.
Posted by pragmatic]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:24:34 -0800 The Stranger homegrocer.com, and Kozmo.com, we need to fight hammer and tong to stop them sell out to a national chain. We aways get srewed
Posted by elswinger]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:53:09 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Andrew]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:25:09 -0800 The Stranger Posted by McG]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:23:35 -0800 The Stranger
They tell you little, then, when there in person, try to jump the price - add insurance, etc.

I have rented cars for years and have never seen such a shabby shark rental place.

Make reservations on the phone, you do not need to buy the insurance, they have a master plan, make sure they note the gas TOO.
I rented a car with 1/2 tank, returned it with the same, but they charged me for full even after my big time objections. In the end, I paid, as do most. BUT no more business at that rat trap.

I think the manager gets a per cent of gross, thus, the full press to get every dime.... and the guys are cute, damn.
Posted by Tom]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:54:36 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Ben Woosley]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:43:41 -0800 The Stranger