Turo: Complete Guide to Peer-to-Peer Car Rentals
Turo, the “Airbnb” of Cars
Turo has taken the Airbnb concept (apartment rental between private individuals) and adapted it to the world of car rental.
This service started in the United States and has been present in Canada since 2016.
The TURO Booking Platform
TURO ‘s booking platform is simple and user-friendly. You can search by city and then filter the results according to a multitude of criteria:
- Daily price scale
- Type of vehicle (car, minivan, SUV…)
- Vehicle make, model and year (Audi, Toyota, Porsche…)
- Fully electric or not
- Number of seats, etc.
Once you have chosen the vehicle of your dreams, you will then have the option to find out if the owner can deliver it directly to your location (airport, train station, hotel, etc.), with or without an additional fee.
In the following case, airport delivery is free of charge at Montreal-Trudeau YUL international airport:
My TURO Booking Experience
A few days before our trip to Las Vegas, a friend introduced me to this platform, which he uses very regularly, especially when he travels to the United States.
I explained that I wanted to rent something fun for a one-day road-trip with Audrey (without the kids, for once!) and that, unfortunately, all I could find were exorbitant prices from traditional rental agencies for cars that weren’t fun at all.
Otherwise, for exceptional cars, this was only possible for a few laps on a track… several hundred US dollars for about twenty minutes of driving on a closed circuit… no, thank you!
Searching for a Car on TURO
Arriving in Las Vegas, I decided to consult the TURO app by the pool to visualize my possibilities.
Just like on Airbnb, I prefer to place my trust in listings with the highest number of positive reviews.
And I came across this….
USD 140 for 24 hours in a Jaguar F-Type S? The vehicle was immediately available. So I made the booking.
Booking a Car on TURO
The process is very simple. After entering your driver’s license, address and credit card details, you can reserve the vehicle.
In addition, the TURO platform offers supplementary insurance and additional options, if you wish.
Car Insurance on TURO
As always, the most important thing when you rent a car is the car insurance!
TURO has partnered with leading insurers to offer different types of insurance on its platform. They vary according to the country where the rental is made.
There are 4 choices in Canada:
- Premier Protection: $2,000,000 civil liability and no deductible
- Standard coverage: $2,000,000 civil liability and $500 deductible
- Minimum coverage: $2,000,000 civil liability and $2,000 deductible
- Decline coverage: $2,000,000 third-party liability, and you’re responsible for paying all costs for damage to the vehicle.
To check whether your car rental insurance covers your Turo reservation, please contact your credit card company.
When you rent a vehicle that’s out of the ordinary (high-end or luxury), I recommend you deal with one of TURO’s insurance options…. for peace of mind!
So I chose to pay for the premium insurance for an additional sixty dollars. In addition, I charged the entire cost of the rental to my Scotiabank Visa Infinite Passport card, which doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees on purchases in foreign currencies!
My Experience Renting a Jaguar F-Type on Turo
Let’s move on to the fun part of the article: our experience in Las Vegas renting a Jaguar F-Type on Turo.
I chose to pick up the vehicle myself, being only a few minutes away by Uber. The owner is actually a mechanic with several exceptional vehicles: he makes picking up the cars much easier 24/7 through secure key boxes.
This time, the owner was present and we inspected the vehicle together.
Through the TURO app, at the start of the pick-up process, you are asked to upload several photos of the vehicle, especially if it already has any damage. This helps protect you and can be used as evidence later, if there are any problems.
We also recommend taking a photo of the odometer: this will allow you to document the starting mileage and the fuel level.
After discussing with the owner about his business model with Turo, he explained that he sets rather low rates in order to promote his luxury car rental business on Turo (the more reviews a renter has, the better their sales will be in the future!)
It’s the same principle as on Airbnb: to take advantage of these types of deals, don’t hesitate to be among the first to rent. The more reviews owners have, the more they will increase their rates. In this case, this vehicle already had 35 positive reviews. So I wasn’t the first!
So here I am behind the wheel of a vehicle with almost 400 horsepower and all the possible options. Let’s just say that “this guy is happy”!
We kept the vehicle for 24 hours, which allowed us to drive along the Strip, rediscover Downtown Vegas and Fremont Street, and take a trip around the Red Rock Canyon National Park loop, just 30 minutes from Las Vegas.
Especially since it’s been several years since I’ve had the opportunity to drive a sporty vehicle. As a father, I’m used to an SUV with two car seats in the back. In short, it was a lot of fun, made possible by TURO.
Save with Turo
Do you have an American Express card? A few times a year, American Express has promotional offers to save when you pay for your car on Turo with an American Express card. Check out the current American Express offer for Turo, and save $50 on your next rental.
Turo: An Excellent Alternative for Car Rentals
Now that I’ve discovered this private car rental service, I’ll definitely use the platform again on my future trips. I’ll certainly include TURO when comparing prices with traditional rental agencies!
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150 | |||
| $799 |
How does Turo car insurance work in Canada?
Turo offers different protection plans ranging from minimal to higher coverage. These plans cover liability and physical damage to the vehicle, with varying deductibles.
Insurers are recognized institutions in the sector, and vary from country to country.
Can I earn reward points using Turo?
Yes! By paying for your Turo rental with a credit card that offers travel or transportation multipliers, you can earn additional rewards points. Many credit cards consider Turo a travel service.
Does my credit card insurance cover my car rental with Turo?
Most credit card insurances do not cover Turo rentals. There are two main reasons for this:
- Turo is a private rental platform, not a recognized commercial rental company like Enterprise or Avis.
- Credit card insurance conditions generally exclude vehicle-sharing platforms or transactions between private individuals.
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