Autoblog

FlightCar offers free airport parking in exchange for renting out your car

John Neff — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Three young entrepreneurs from California have come up with an idea that could earn you free parking at the airport. What's the catch? You let them rent out your car while you're gone.

The start-up, called FlightCar, is the brainchild of three barely out-of-high-school business-minded individuals. The idea is to realize the possible synergy of people arriving for a flight with a car they need to put somewhere, and people arriving on a flight who need to rent a car.

The benefit to the car owner is that his or her vehicle is whisked away from the airport upon their arrival and then given back to them at the curb upon their return, free of charge. The car is cleaned and gassed up to pre-trip levels, and the owner even gets a gas card worth at least $10.

How about the renter? That person, who in this case wouldn't be a renter so much as a member of a car-sharing service (like ZipCar or RelayRides), gets a vehicle to use while in town at a much cheaper rate than a normal rental car. One example given by Boston.com, which published an article on the start-up recently, was a Volkswagen Touareg that FlightCar could rent for $30/day, compared to a BMW SUV from Avis that cost $210/day.

FlightCar is still in its infancy and only operating at the San Francisco International Airport, but that shouldn't dissuade you from participating as either a renter or owner. Each car is covered by a $1,000,000 insurance policy for liability, comprehensive collision and theft, and renters must even meet eligibility requirements. The company also only accepts cars with less than 150,000 miles that are model year 1999 or newer. Plus, the selection looks more interesting than what's offered at your average rental car counter, including a nice 2003 Mercury Marauder that's available to rent next week.

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FlightCar offers free airport parking in exchange for renting out your car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hertz pays $2.3B for Dollar Thrifty

George Kennedy — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Earnings/Financials

Car rental giant Hertz is in the process of purchasing Dollar Thrifty. The deal is said to be for $2.3 billion, according to an Associated Press report. As a result, Dollar Thrifty stock increased by seven percent in trading before the market opened today.

According to the report, Hertz has been eying its rental car rival for two years now. Additionally, Avis Budget Group was also interested in purchasing Dollar Thrifty. Hertz made the move, though, at a price of $87.50 per share, representing an eight-percent premium over Friday's closing price for the stock of $81 per share.

In a statement, Hertz Chairman and CEO Mark P. Frissora said that the buyout will give his company two more well-known brands and make the company more competitive in Europe and other international markets.

While both parties have agreed to the deal, the Federal Trade Commission must approve the acquisition. According to the report, Hertz has maintained an open line of communication with the FTC throughout the process.

Hertz has roughly 8,650 locations of various types in 150 nations throughout the globe. Dollar Thrifty has about 280 locations in the U.S. and Canada and 1,300 franchise locations worldwide. The two corporations when combined fulfills Dollar Thrifty President and CEO Scott Thompson's assertion that the "transaction is not only compelling for stockholders, but also will help broaden its reach." In addition, the deal is also projected to save Hertz $160 million each year.

Hertz pays $2.3B for Dollar Thrifty originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3 of 4 major rental car outfits won't pledge not to rent or sell recalled vehicles

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety

In 2004, Raechel and Jackie Houck were killed when they were in a fiery accident in the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser they had rented from Enterprise. The girls' mother, Cally Houck, sued Enterprise when it was discovered that their Chrysler was the subject of a recall to repair a power steering hose leak over a potential fire issue, yet the car hadn't been reparied before it was rented. The five-year trial concluded in 2010, with Enterprise admitting negligence, at which point it was ordered by a jury to pay $15 million in damages.

That hasn't stopped Cally Houck from campaigning. There is no law that requires rental car companies to repair recalled cars before they are rented or sold; companies have their own policies about how recalls are handled, but as one Enterprise manager testified during the Houck trial, getting cars repaired is balanced with getting cars rented. A report in the The Detroit News offered conflicting data about how quickly cars are repaired, but the real issue is that even if, as Enterprise says, "90 percent of recalled vehicles have completed or required inspections within 30 days," those cars might still be in the rental pool during those thirty days.

Senators Barbara Boxer (D) and Charles Schumer (D) are working to change that, having introduced rental car legislation last July called the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act, but nothing has come of it yet. Rental car companies were asked to sign a pledge not to rent or sell vehicles that hadn't been repaired, but only Hertz signed; neither Enterprise (which owns Enterprise, National and Alamo) nor Dollar/Thrifty would sign, with Enterprise writing its own letter saying that it wouldn't do so and Dollar/Thrifty saying it would fix cars "as soon as practically possible." Boxer has made it clear that she will continue pushing for federal legislation.

3 of 4 major rental car outfits won't pledge not to rent or sell recalled vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exotic car rental company owner uses GPS to thwart international auto theft ring

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, China, Etc., Government/Legal, Videos, Ferrari, Luxury

Watching television news can be depressing. Between the political rancor of election season and the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality of most news directors, positive stories are scarce. But here's one that should make any lover of fine automobiles pleased.

The story, as reported by CBS This Morning, starts when the owner of a Los Angeles-based rental car company that specializes in exotics and luxury cars noticed that one of his vehicles was uncharacteristically sitting still for a few days after being rented. The $2,000-per-day 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia was equipped with a GPS tracking system, and the Italian Stallion's lack of use made Eric Blumberg suspicious. So he notified the police, who eventually found the car - in Hong Kong. It had been shipped through the Port of Los Angeles, labeled as "used fitness equipment," according to the Los Angeles Times.

It seems that the would-be joyrider who had "rented" the Ferrari was part of an international crime syndicate worthy of a screenplay, according to the CBS report. When the police investigated further, they found between 15 and 20 other vehicles that were being loaded into shipping containers and exported to Asia, a total of $1.5 million worth of four-wheeled loot.

The investigators told CBS that the vehicles can command up to twice their value overseas. While no arrests have yet been made in the case, at least these cars now have a chance of being returned to their rightful owners.

Scroll down to watch the full report.

Continue reading Exotic car rental company owner uses GPS to thwart international auto theft ring

Exotic car rental company owner uses GPS to thwart international auto theft ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Translogic tackles how Parisians share transportation

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:11:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Technology

This week, our sister site Translogic heads off to Paris to check out the Vélib' bike-sharing and Autolib' electric-vehicle sharing programs.

Vélib' boasts 20,000 bikes and 1,800 stations throughout the city, where anyone with a credit card can check out a bike on the fly. More exciting is the EV-sharing program, which uses Pininfarina-built Bollore Blue Cars that are available to subscribers for rental at rates ranging between €9 (around $12 USD) and €16 per hour (@ $21). The program was launched in December 2011, with 250 cars and 250 stations, and though it has faced some problems, the number of cars is expected to increase to 3,000 by next year.

Click past the jump to watch the full episode.

Continue reading Translogic tackles how Parisians share transportation

Translogic tackles how Parisians share transportation originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SF luxury car-sharing service shuttered after falling victim to theft ring

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Government/Legal, Luxury

HiGear was a peer-to-peer car rental service that began in San Francisco six months ago, had opened up shop in Los Angeles, and was in the process of expanding to to other West Coast cities. Specializing in luxury cars under $100,000, members offered their cars up for rental to other locals at rather excellent rates. Cars above six figures were included after being vetted by the service - members were vetted as well - and the service provided comprehensive insurance to protect owners and renters.

According to TechCrunch, that apparently didn't stop a car-theft ring from targeting HiGear and making off with four cars worth between $300,000 and $400,000. The thieves created verifiable identities and paid with stolen credit cards, bypassing all of HiGear's safeguards. So as of January 3, 2012 HiGear was forced to shut down, citing untenable costs due to the thefts.

It's a shame, since the peer-to-peer social-networking nature of the service meant that you could rent cars you'd be severely challenged to find as easily anywhere else: a 1971 Eldorado could be had for $100 a day, a 1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was $300, and a 2006 Bentley Flying Spur was $400. Although this idea didn't survive, we hope this isn't the last we hear of HiGear CEO Ali Moiz.

SF luxury car-sharing service shuttered after falling victim to theft ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda placing QR codes on rental cars to spur sales

Zach Bowman — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Mazda

Mazda is hoping to entice rental car customers into a new Mazda6. The company is supplying the sedans to around 1,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations, and each vehicle will come with a Quick Response code stuck to the dash. Renters can scan the code for more information on the Mazda6, including specifications, links to local dealers and more, says Automotive News. You won't find these particular four-doors in the standard airport fleet, however. Enterprise has reserved the Mazda6 models for the company's insurance replacement offices, which means drivers will receive the vehicle when their own car is in the shop for repair due to an accident.

The result is effectively an extended test drive for owners suffering a low point in their relationship with their own vehicle. Sounds like smart, ultra low-cost advertising to us. Enterprise calls the program OnRamp, and is hoping to lure other automakers to supply nicer rental fodder in the future. Mazda hasn't said exactly how many Mazda6 models will be part of the program, but did say that the company would be building the vehicles over the next few months to cover the rental agencies.

Mazda placing QR codes on rental cars to spur sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Budget experiments with discounted ad-covered rental cars... would you? [w/poll]

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Earnings/Financials

Everyone is looking to save a buck these days. Still, there are expenses that you just can't avoid, and whether traveling for business or pleasure, a rental car is often included in the budget. According to USA Today, an Atlanta Budget car rental office is trying a new tactic to help bring down the cost of renting a vehicle, and it involves you becoming a mobile billboard.

A handful of cars in the fleet are getting the vinyl wrap treatment courtesy of Wrap Media Group, and the result is a rolling advertisement available to customers at a greatly discounted daily rate. How much of a discount? One customer secured a weekly rental that usually costs $400 for a mere $88.

That's $312 off for you bean counters at home. Quite a bargain as long as they don't get pushy with the insurance options too. So, would you be interested in saving some bucks in exchange for turning the car you're renting into a rolling billboard? Have your say in our poll below.

View Poll

Budget experiments with discounted ad-covered rental cars... would you? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New kit enables you to rent your car out with an iPhone like Zipcar

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology

Getaround Car Rental System - Click above for high-res image gallery

A new startup called Getaround is looking to jump into the car rental business by following a similar path laid out by Zipcar. Getaround is a bit different, however, because the fleet of rentals are comprised of customer-supplied personal vehicles. This is peer-to-peer car rental, and we're intrigued.

Getaround co-founder Sam Zaid states that vehicles in the United States sit idle for an average of 22 hours every day. By signing your car up for use as a rental vehicle, you (and Getaround) can turn an idle situation into one that makes money.

The car sharing system works by creating a network of users that are connected via iPhone app and the Getaround website. Those wishing to rent their vehicles will receive a car kit that sits on the dash. When a customer has selected a car they wish to rent, you locate the car on a map and use your iPhone to unlock the vehicle. That gets you inside the car, where you can have access to a key hidden somewhere on the inside.

Rates vary by car, but the prices we've seen listed on the Getaround website seem quite reasonable. A Mini Cooper will cost you $5.50 per hour, a BMW Z4 can be had for $15 and you can tool around San Francisco in a Tesla Roadster for $50 per hour. The rate structure is a good incentive to keep people from putting serious mileage on your vehicle, but it also provides a fair deal at an hourly rate. Insurance is covered by Getaround thanks to backing from an unnamed provider, and it's full coverage.

Rental fees are broken down so that Getaround takes in 60 percent of the profit while the car owner receives the other 40. If you're interested in joining beta testing of the program, Getaround is currently offering the program to residents of San Francisco and San Diego.

If you don't mind the having to re-adjust your seat every time you get in your own car and you've got faith in your fellow motorists, this seems like a potential win-win situation for those looking to earn a few extra bucks.

New kit enables you to rent your car out with an iPhone like Zipcar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hertz offers $2.24B for Dollar-Thrifty

Chris Shunk — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

Hertz and Avis have been fighting to get their hands on Dollar-Thrifty for over a year now, with the latest volley coming from the Hertz camp. According to Bloomberg, the world's largest airport rental car company has offered $72 per share for Dollar-Thrifty, or 24 percent more than a recent offer from Avis. The offer consists of of $57.60 in cash and .8546 Hertz shares per share of Dollar-Thrifty.

In September, Dollar-Thrifty rejected an offer from Hertz that added up to about $1.44 billion in cash and stocks. Avis had countered the last bid with an offer of $45.79 per share and .6543 of its shares. The two companies had decided to delay a deal while seeking regulatory approval, but we're guessing Dollar-Thrifty is no longer interested in that deal. And since the bidding war seems to be escalating, some analysts feel that the Hertz bid is likely not the last to come from the competing rental car companies.

While both Avis and Hertz have so far come up empty in their bid to snap up their rival, the biggest winners so far have been Dollar-Thrifty shareholders. The stock has reportedly gone up 79 percent since Hertz first bid for the rental car giant back in April, which has worked to drive up the buy price for the company. A share of Dollar-Thrifty stock was worth only 63 cents early in 2009.

Hertz offers $2.24B for Dollar-Thrifty originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 May 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Rental companies drag heels repairing recalled cars

Aaron Richardson — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

General Motors and Chrysler have informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that cars sold to rental companies aren't getting repairs done on recall for months at a time. NHTSA then started monitoring three million units from the two manufacturers in rental fleets to see how long they went unrepaired.

One month after a recall, NHTSA says that between 10 and 30 percent of cars had been repaired. By 90 days, the average was just 30 percent. According to the administration, it takes a year or more for rental companies to get more than 50 percent of their cars repaired.

According to The Detroit News, there aren't any laws on the books that say a rental company has to get a car repaired before it rents it to a customer. What's more, hundreds of recall notices go out a year, and rental cars move around a lot, making it difficult to nail them down for repairs.

According to Bob Barton, president of the American Car Rental Association, most companies place a hold on models that have been recalled, preventing them from being rented until repairs are made. The hitch, according to Barton, is that it can take months for the company to realize a recall has been issued.

NHTSA says its investigation is ongoing, and the administration noted a statement that dealerships aren't allowed to sell a recalled vehicle until repairs have been made. That said, NHTSA also doesn't have the authority to legally require that customers - including rental companies - have recall repairs made.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Hertz Rent-a-Car]

Report: Rental companies drag heels repairing recalled cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Rental car companies increase customer satisfaction, Enterprise tops

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:27:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Economists and talking heads argue endlessly about our economy on a daily basis. "It's back!," "It's almost back!" and "It's never coming back!" seem to be the leaders among the varied viewpoints we hear and read about. One sector that has apparently begun to rebound is the car rental business. Not necessarily in financial terms, but from the standpoint of customer satisfaction, America's rental car companies are returning to to a position last seen in the pre-recession days.

J.D. Power has released its annual North American Rental Car Satisfaction Study, and the results are positive for every company included in the survey. Now in its 15th year, this J.D. Power study examines customer satisfaction with the airport car rental process, and it looks at six specific factors: Costs & Fees, Pick-Up Process, Rental Car, Return Process, Reservation Process, and Shuttle Bus/Van. The highest score possible is 1,000 points and, for the 2010 study, the average Overall Satisfaction score is 750. This is up from 733 in 2009 and 734 in 2008. Every company in the survey has improved year-over-year in the survey.

This year's big winner, however, is Enterprise, which received the industry's highest rankings in customer satisfaction. Enterprise is no stranger to this award, and getting the nod in 2010 makes it seven years in a row for the rental car company. Following behind Enterprise, Hertz and National also performed quite well in the survey while Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Dollar and Thrifty rounded out the results. You can see how each one performed over at the J.D. Power results page.

[Source: J.D. Power]

Continue reading Study: Rental car companies increase customer satisfaction, Enterprise tops

Study: Rental car companies increase customer satisfaction, Enterprise tops originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Hertz reportedly buying Dollar Thrifty car rental rival for $1.17B

Zach Bowman — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Earnings/Financials

Good news, rental car fans - Hertz has managed to expand its operations by over 1,500 locations. The company has reportedly just agreed to snatch up Dollar Thrifty car rental in a $1.17 billion deal that included both cash and Hertz stock. According to USA Today, that figure values Dollar Thrifty shares at a 5.5 percent premium over what the company's stock had been trading for recently.

Once the deal goes through, Dollar Thrifty will be completely owned by Hertz, which means we'll likely be seeing a lot more yellow at rental counters across the country. Hertz also said that it has its eye on around $180 million in potential cost cuts as a result of the merger. Odds are that means nixing locations where Dollar Thrifty and Hertz had previously competed against one another.

While that's all good news for Hertz, rental customers will also likely benefit from a larger rental network. Who knows, maybe we'll see a few more rent-a-racers crop up along the way, too.

[Source: USA Today]

BREAKING: Hertz reportedly buying Dollar Thrifty car rental rival for $1.17B originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Dollar Thrifty to cut percentage of Chrysler products from as much as 76% to 30%

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Earnings/Financials

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, known in the retail world as Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental, will be buying about 40,000 fewer Chryslers than it did last year. Previously, the company was contractually bound to ensure that 75% of its fleet was composed of Chrysler vehicles. After the bankruptcy kerfuffle, the contract has been revised to compel Dollar Thrifty to purchase a new minimum number of vehicles, and the company is using the freedom to increase its model mix.

Instead of being so Pentastar-heavy, from now on, Reuters says that Dollar Thrifty's fleet figures to be 30% Chrysler, 34% Ford, 20% General Motors, 6% Nissan, and 10% left over for Hyundai and Kia. The model mix transition should also help Dollar Thrifty stabilize the income from fleet sales; the company took a beating when the residuals market took a dump, especially due to the fact that it was trying to flog so many products from a company thought to have a dubious future.

All three domestics have talked about getting away from low-margin fleet buyers for some time now. Still, the 40,000 hit to Chrysler's sales still probably isn't the best of news - Chrysler didn't want to get this far away from fleets.

[Source: Reuters]

REPORT: Dollar Thrifty to cut percentage of Chrysler products from as much as 76% to 30% originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche Panamera already going to fleets, rent one from Avis in Germany

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Europe, Porsche

2010 Porsche Panamera - Click above for high-res image gallery

Aside from four primary entry portals and four wheels, Porsche's new Panamera certainly doesn't have much in common with the Ford Taurus of earlier this decade. However, like the former queen of U.S. rental fleets, Porsche's latest will soon be available for visitors to Germany to sample. Avis locations throughout the fatherland will be offering the Panamera for hire starting October 1st. Both of the normally aspirated versions, the S and 4S, will be on hand at major airports and inner city outlets.

The rental rates will start at a surprisingly reasonable €189 per day from Monday to Thursday. If, on the other hand, you plan to hit the autobahn for a weekend getaway, the tariff goes up to a more Porsche typical €567. No word on whether the rental agreement explicitly prohibits visits to a certain race track in the Eiffel mountains...

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Porsche Panamera

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche Panamera already going to fleets, rent one from Avis in Germany

Porsche Panamera already going to fleets, rent one from Avis in Germany originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Prepare to shell out a lot more for your next rental car

Chris Shunk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Earnings/Financials

Hertz Fun Collection Chevrolet Corvette ZHZ - click above to enlarge

The economy is in one of the deepest recessions in decades, and one pleasant side-effect of fiscal woes is that many companies are offering huge discounts to get you off the consumer sidelines. One industry that hasn't gone that route so far is the rental car industry. Abrams Consulting Group tells The New York Times that the cost of a week-long rental went from $199 in May 2008 to $345 this year; a 73% increase. The news hasn't gotten much better for June, as the prices went up 65% from $210 to $347. If car rentals are down 15% on the year, why the increase?

The reason for the jump in prices is that there are fewer vehicles to rent, as companies like Hertz and Avis have cut back on the amount of vehicles that they're buying. They're also selling vehicles to used-car starved dealerships. The result of smaller fleets is customers paying more for the cars and trucks that are left. And since customers have become accustomed to getting their rentals at the last minute, some aren't getting a rental at all.

To beat the car rental blues, The New York Times suggests that you start your search earlier. Not getting a rental from companies at the airport is also a good idea, as off-airport companies don't have as much demand. Sites like Priceline and Expedia also generally offer discounts over retail.

[Source: New York Times]

REPORT: Prepare to shell out a lot more for your next rental car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get your grubby hands on a Bugatti Veyron for just $25k

Noah Joseph — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Bugatti, UK

Bugatti Veyron - Click above for a high-res image gallery from our first drive

Not all of us have over a million to spend on a new car, otherwise we'd all be driving Bugatti Veyrons, right? Or at least most of us would. So how about $25,000 - that's a bit closer, right? Well now you can get your hands on a Veyron for just that amount. Unfortunately the twenty-five grand will only get you one day behind the wheel of the super-fast, super-expensive supercar.

Holders Vehicle Contracts, an exotic rental company in England, has got a Veyron on its hands that it's willing to rent out to anyone who can shell out the £16,000 (about $25k). Oh, and did we mention would-be renters will need to put down a $160,000 deposit? That's a little bit steeper than the typical contract down at the your local Hertz, but then that Chevrolet Impala or Ford Mustang convertible isn't going to get you up to 250 miles per hour, now is it?

[Source: Top Gear]

Get your grubby hands on a Bugatti Veyron for just $25k originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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P1 reportedly following other British supercar clubs into bankruptcy

Noah Joseph — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Government/Legal, Supercars, Earnings/Financials, UK

While the idea of the supercar club has yet to take hold here in The Colonies, across the Atlantic in jolly old England, the notion developed into a popular alternative to the costly prospect of owning and maintaining high-priced exotica. The idea, in a nutshell, was to provide customers with the opportunity to occasionally borrow vehicles from a stable of supercars. Since most privately-owned supercars sit around unused most of the time, membership in a supercar club seemed - and, for a while, was - a logical alternative, offering most of the benefits with none of the hassle.

Unfortunately, the weakened global economy has meant that many of these supercar clubs have had to close down. With membership dropping and fleets of supercars losing their value, these businesses haven't been able to stay afloat. Over the course of the past year, Seagrave, Group 20 and Club Velociter - all supercar clubs based in the UK - shut down, and now the grand-daddy of them all, P1, has gone into court-administered bankruptcy.

P1 International was the first such club, founded in 2000 by former F1 world champion Damon Hill and business partner Michael Breen, and it was arguably the most successful, with 300 members and a fleet of 40 supercars - including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Aston Martins and Bentleys - in two locations. Hill, now the president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, withdrew from the company three years ago, but claimed he was still owed money. A legal battle ensued, resulting in the club being put into bankruptcy by local courts. What this will mean for the club's members remains to be seen, but with used supercar values in the dumpster, it is reasonable to think that some well-used Astons and Ferraris will be up for grabs in short order.

[Sources: F1-Live and Car]

P1 reportedly following other British supercar clubs into bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exotic car rentals get organized

Damon Lavrinc — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:24:00 EST

There are a myriad of choices available to the average traveler when four-wheeled transportation is required. But to the discerning car connoisseur, the prospect of being trapped within a Caliber, Impala or other nondescript people mover is as unconscionable as choosing Denny's over Per Se.

Enter rentexoticcars.net, a website whose sole purpose is to provide the automotive world's most elite rides, for a price. Surprisingly, the cost of such exotica may be within reach to those of you who can afford the rental fees, insurance and have a sizeable chunk of change available on your credit card to cover the security deposit.

The website allows users to select their destination city and then lists what high end machines are available for rent. The choices span the range from Mini Cooper drop-tops to Hummer H2s to Ferrari 360 Spyders. Whatever the taste, they have the flavor.

The interface is easy to work, provides hours of day dreaming entertainment and, our favorite feature, has an RSS feed of anything dealing with supercars from yours truly, Autoblog.

Enjoy, but make it a point to keep you credit card out of reach, preferably in the next time zone.

Exotic car rentals get organized originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kentucky man upset over rental car with bad coil

Chris Paukert — Mon, 29 May 2006 17:07:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Over the years, we've frequented some fairly seedy rental car places, and have found more than a few unsavory items in our vehicles' nooks and crannies, doubtlessly left by previous customers-everything from a calcified cheeseburger to a headless Barbie doll. That said, Dan McBride, assistant athletic director at Eastern Kentucky University has us beat. The rental whip he picked up on Tuesday in Paducah came complete with a complementary two-foot-long ball python. McBride apparently thought the wayward snake was a rubber toy, which must've made for quite a shock after went to pet it.

Sadly, no word on what kind of car McBride was renting. Our guesses? Why, a Dodge Viper, Ford Mustang Cobra, or an early-to-market Chrysler Aspen, of course.

[Sources: The Associated Press via News-Leader; StrangeZoo]

Kentucky man upset over rental car with bad coil originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 May 2006 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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