There was a time when getting into a car with a stranger and relying on them to safely deliver you to your destination seemed ludicrous. But since the rise of the gig economy, people have opened their homes as hotels, turned hobbies into tourist experiences and are now offering their cars, all in the name of improving your vacation – and making a quick buck.
One of the latest borrow-something-that-belongs-to-a-stranger apps, Turo is a car sharing service in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and other major cities. The app lets users list their car or rent someone else’s for a daily rate. Select your location and dates, then choose from an array of vehicles that belong to local hosts.
The most obvious way to use the app is to get a discount on your usual car rental, but we always like to take things to the next level – especially when it comes to our travel experiences.
Filter your search by features like heated seats, a bike rack, all-wheel drive or Bluetooth connectivity for a drive that’s decked-out just the way you like it.
Instead of taking your next road trip cooped up in a snore-worthy sedan, breathing in your partner’s stale breath, cruise down the highway in a convertible with the wind in your hair and the sun on your face.
Three different insurance levels let you pick the best coverage, with options like paying a lower rate with higher physical damage deductibles. Turo also provides 24/7 roadside assistance so you can feel safe wherever your journey takes you.
Swish whips
Visiting a swank spot like Miami? Rent one of Turo’s luxury cars so that you can hit the strip in style. Step out of a BMW i8 with dihedral butterfly doors or roll up in a brand new Maserati GranTurismo – it packs a punch with plenty of torque and can rev up to 7,500 rpm.
Point A to Breeze
Unlike other car rental companies, there’s no waiting in line with Turo. Have your vacation vehicle dropped off at the airport, the train station, your hotel or wherever is most convenient for you. Available in select cities, Turo Go lets you find and book cars, then unlock them remotely without any human interaction.
Where we’re going, we do need roads
Turo offers a number of specialty cars. Sit back and soak up all the attention you’ll get sailing around in a Chevy El Camino or a Cadillac DeVille. Or live out your time-travel fantasies in a 1981 Delorean DMC-12, outfitted to look just like the one from Back to the Future.
