The cost breakdown between Uber Carshare and traditional rentals matters, especially if you are a person who budgets. Going somewhere in a rental, especially in a luxury rental, can be costly, but not if you know what services to pick. Luckily, the market has a lot to offer, so you can make the wisest decisions.
Uber Carshare can indeed sometimes be more affordable (at least very superficially) than traditional luxury rentals, but prices depend on many factors. Before renting, it’s important to know what vehicle you want, what types of cars are available in your location, where you will go, and everything about other costs. Opposite to Uber Carshare, my experience suggests that traditional rental cars are more upfront. However, as we dig further in this article, you will see that you can go wrong with traditional rentals too, especially if you are not well-informed.
The good news is both Uber Carshare and car rental platforms, such as Rent A Prestige Car, have their own online platforms for booking a car.
If you want to learn everything about the cost breakdown between Uber Carshare and traditional rentals, read this article further. I will also discuss associated costs, including insurance costs, mentioning tax and service fees. Of course, there are many other add-ons too, which you will realise as you read this article.
Without any further ado, let’s jump onto the subject. But, don’t forget that this article is only a part of a series of articles comparing Uber Carshare vs. Traditional Luxury Rentals. Other articles cover the below topics…
- Carsharing vs. Traditional Car Rentals: Which Is Right for Luxury Car Renters?
- Luxury Car Availability
- Booking Process
- The Cost Breakdown
- Standards And Quality Assurance
- Insurance Options And Coverage
- Short-Term vs. Long-Term Rental Options
- What Is Best For Special Occasions And Events?
- User Reviews And Feedback
- Flexibility for Changing Plans, Cancellations and Modifications
Ok, let’s begin the exploration with the types of charges involved with each service first.
Types Of Charges Involved With Uber Carshare
Each car on Uber Carshare has hourly and daily rates. To help their platform run smoothly, the company also charges a flat booking fee of $6.99. This fee may change, so check it before booking if you don’t want any surprises.
Other charges involved are: hourly charges, cover charges (e.g. basic cover charges), driving costs…etc. Some of the driving costs might be refunded later as a ‘refund for fuel purchases’.
You will get refunds for some Uber Carshare charges, including driving credits, depending on what these charges are. For instance, you will get your first trip deposit money back. Additional fees cover cleanliness, damages, later returns, parking infringements, and lost keys.
As you will see in the table below, Uber Carshare has pre-trip charges and post-trip charges. These make up the total costs of the ride you rent. They include tax, so you won’t have to worry about this aspect when travelling or after you give the car back.
| Uber Carshare Pre-Trip Costs | Uber Carshare Post-Trip Costs |
| Hire charges | Driving cost |
| Time charges per hour | Distance charges |
| Booking fee | Any additional fees |
| Basic cover | Tolls or traffic infringement, if applicable. |
| Premium cover | |
| First trip deposit |
Types Of Charges Involved With Traditional Luxury Car Rentals
The story of charges is much more straightforward with traditional car rentals, at least in our experience.
However, there are exceptions. Some luxury car rental companies may charge maintenance costs, as some have very expensive fleets. Since these costs could be hidden, you can ask the company about them upfront. Just ask, ‘what are the additional fees?’ Choose a company that’s transparent about its types of charges.
The charges involved with traditional luxury car rentals are related to pick-up and return branches or your trip’s duration. Usually, the charge is calculated daily, not hourly, as Uber Carshare.
When it comes to insurance, you could pay for protection options and extras, traffic offences costs, or vehicle damage. Ask about how much these costs are or how they can increase. Usually, the maximum they can charge is the excess of the insurance premium, they require you to purchase at the beginning of the rental.
Have a look over the table below to understand more about the costs associated with traditional luxury car renting. These costs are included in the rental quote or booking price when making a reservation. Serious car rental companies would never hide these costs, so don’t rent if there’s no transparency.
| Traditional Rentals – Type of Charge | When to Pay? |
| Daily rate | At the Booking |
| Statutory taxes | At the Booking |
| Insurance | At the booking |
| Security bond | Depends on the company. If they charge this, that will be at the collection of the car. |
| Additional extras | If selected, you will asked to pay at the collection of the car |
| Any additional fees and surcharges (e.g. toll or traffic infringement) | If applicable, will be charged at the end of the rental as a deduction from the bond. |
Comparing Base Rates And Mileage Charges
Base rates for Uber Carshare apply for the flat booking fee, basic cover, and rental price. On the other hand, car rental companies charge a base rate for 6-, 12-, and 24-hour rentals. However, mostly 24 hourly. If you exceed this period, they will charge you hourly and daily fees accordingly, especially if you delay the car return.
With Uber Carshare, you also have mileage charges, meaning you pay per kilometre. The price includes fuel, and vehicle owners can choose from the following: 13c, 25c, 31c, 37c or 45c per kilometre. There’s also an 8c/km loss and damage cover, both included in the Mobility Mutual insurance fee (in Australia).
Usually, Basic Cover (of Uber Carshare) covers damage and losses, theft, fire and roadside assistance. Be mindful that the excess of the basic cover insurance policy is at least $2,000. By upgrading to Premium cover, you can reduce this excess to $500. However, be mindful that the cost of the Premium cover can be a ‘premium’ too.
Most luxury car rental companies in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia offer unlimited mileage. In other words, you can travel in their vehicles as much as you want, without worrying about distance or extra charges related to extra mileage. However, the story is different when it comes to Uber Carshare. It is not as simple as pumping more fuel as you need in your rental during a regular rental.
Additional Fees And Surcharges
Uber Carshare may charge you extra costs if you change your destination, rental duration, one-way rentals…. Etc.. The company will take these additional fees and surcharges from your bank account or credit card without any warning, as they are a part of the Uber Careshare Terms and Conditions you have already agreed to.
Car rental companies may charge you for extra days, damage charges, upgrade charges, or admin and processing fees for extra services like managing your toll or traffic offences. They can also charge you for credit card processing fees. In some countries, customers may need to pay tax charges, just like in Australia
too.
What you should also keep in mind is that car rental companies have dynamic pricing. In other words, they change their rates according to demand and availability. However, these rates don’t fall under the category of additional fees or surcharges.
Insurance Costs And Considerations
At Uber Carshare, insurance covers a minimum of $50,000 injury liability for each passenger. The total liability for the accident is $100,000, whereas the property damage liability at the accident is $25,000. (These can change from time to time, so be mindful to read the fine print) Consider these benefits and accept prices when renting your Uber Carshare car rental.
Overall, car insurance costs are somewhere between $31 and $60 per day at luxury car rental providers. The general $1 million liability coverage costs $50 every month or $600 a year. By law, every car rental company must offer minimum liability coverage.
Additional protection for luxury car rentals can cost somewhere between $8 and $17. Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) is $1-$15 a day. There’s also a $1-$2 a day Personal Effects Protection (PEP) insurance for when someone steals from your rental.
Discounts And Promotions
When it comes to special discounts and promotions, Uber Carshare sometimes offers $50 off coupon codes. There may be some other special promotions during the holiday season or when there’s a special event in the area. The Uber Carshare credit for new customers is usually $25.
Because there’s a lot of competition in their market, luxury car rental companies offer special discounts and run promotions too. Look online for coupons or discount codes at different famous car rental companies you know about. Military personnel and veterans get $25 off in the USA. In Australia, you can get discounts if you have a good standing or demerit points.
To find the best promotions and deals at car rental companies, look online for available offers. The internet gives plenty of options when it comes to finding rentals at low rates. Even better, you can find very expensive as well as cheap luxury cars and afford to drive them for as long as you need.
High-End Luxury Upgrades And Associated Costs
High-end luxury upgrades on Uber Carshare and car rental vehicles cost. Therefore, you need to pay extra if you want stainless-steel break lines or high-quality seat covers. Some of the associated costs with Uber Carshare include time charges and Premium cover. Sometimes, you will find such luxury or premium cars are not even available on carshare platforms such as Uber Carshare.
Uber Carshare owners and car rental companies invest a lot of money to upgrade their vehicles. Since they rent the cars to anyone interested in a special ride, they need to get their investment back. For this reason, they charge extra for a vehicle that’s been upgraded, latest or considered a sports car or supercar.
Associated costs with Uber Carshare and car rental companies vary depending on the type of vehicle rented. The car rental company’s reputation determines such costs too, as big names on the market
may ask for more money. However, you don’t pay only for reputation but also for the highest-quality services.
Tax And Service Charges
Uber Carshare riders pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 1/11th of the entire fare, so $1 out of a $11 trip. You could also be charged if you leave the car very dirty or fill it with the wrong fuel. These charges are $50 plus cleaning costs and $60 plus cost to fix. Of course, filling the wrong fuel can result in charging your full insurance excess, and you might even get banned from the network for doing so.
With Hertz, SIXT, or other car rental companies, know that local governments may impose their local taxes and fees. Depending on what information you provide, you will have to pay taxes accordingly. Service charges apply only if you cause damage to the vehicle.
While you may not notice, tax charges for Uber Carshare and luxury car rentals exist. Luckily, they are included in the rental price (generally speaking), so you won’t be charged more.
However, take good care of your rented vehicle and pay attention while driving it to not be charged any unexpected service fees.
Long-Term vs Short-Term Cost Comparison
With Uber Carshare, you pay hourly until you have reached the company’s daily rate. In 24 hours, you will pay the most increased daily rate. A regular vehicle costs as much as $5 an hour to rent, but you can pay a $25 daily rate too.
Usually, the length of your Uber Carshare rental is decided at the time of your booking. However, if the car is available beyond your pre-agreed rental period, and the car owner agrees, they would allow you to extend your time with an additional charge. However, this is if you are lucky.
When it comes to car rental companies, you can plan to rent even monthly, as long-term rentals are quite popular and attractive to both the renter and the rental. If you do, prices will be lower, and you will get the best possible deals. However, this doesn’t mean a car rental company won’t also provide daily or weekly rides. (They rarely provide hourly rental unless the car you rent is a supercar or a Lamborghini)
If you want to rent long-term, the best idea is to rely on traditional luxury rentals. However, if you are only interested in getting from point A to point B, and don’t bother about the car you drive, book an Uber Carshare ride. These are the best alternatives not only for your pocket but also for convenience and comfort.
Real-Time Comparison – Cost For Different Durations And Usage
The daily rate for Uber Carshare rides applies for any 24 hours since the trip started. To clarify, a trip from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. should count as a daily trip. This way, the Uber Carshare system can calculate the trip and make a price for the customer. In other words, a day of an Uber Carshare is shorter (likely 50% shorter) than a day of a traditional rental.
On average, car rental companies charge for a month, which is very practical. They’re more appreciated for being very flexible when compared to leasing. Most of the time, people can afford without any problem to rent from non-airport or other similar locations.
It doesn’t matter if you rent with Uber Carshare or a car rental company; the vehicle is not yours, and that may impose certain laws. Keep this in mind because you are paying for its use time. Take it back to the agreed-upon destination, as you will pay up a staggering fee extra if you don’t.
User Reviews and Experiences About Quoted Cost vs. Real Cost
Analysing what online reviews say about Uber Carshare and other car rental companies regarding costs, the news is generally good for traditional rentals but not so good for Uber Carshare.
People are very happy with how much they have been charged traditional rentals, as long as the driver doesn’t come across an ‘incident’. Very few say the quoted cost wasn’t the real cost in some instances.
This story can be drastically different as per the current consumer experience with Uber Carshare. For instance, Product Reviews
show only 1 star for Uber Carshare as a result of 150 real user experiences. That’s awful; however, I am sure Uber Carshare will be focused on improving its service quality.
A person complained that Uber Carshare didn’t acknowledge the receipt of charges he acquired for two weeks. Another says this service is not cheap, even if it seems so at first glance, so he probably feels tricked. These types of reviews are many, so people are generally not happy about Uber’s accuracy regarding costs.
I couldn’t find many bad reviews regarding quoted and real costs for car rental companies, although they can be a bit more clearer about charges at the counter when someone collects a car. They will surely send you a ride that costs as much as their apps or websites mention.
Conclusion – The Cost Breakdown Of Uber Carshare
Hopefully, I have thoroughly explained what the cost breakdown between Uber Carshare and traditional rentals is. I studied the car rental markets a lot, so you can be sure that I have given great advice; however, always read the fine print as this market and providers are dynamic and change their policies often.
If you want a luxury ride for longer, rely on reliable rental car companies like Rent A Luxury Car – Adelaide because they offer better deals.
While Uber has a very large fleet, their luxury car fleet is less than 1% of their whole fleet, so most likely, you will not find your preferred luxury car there. Most traditional car rental companies take good care of their cars and don’t rent out to anyone unless you remain in good books.
To conclude, you can be sure to find better luxury car rentals with a car rental company as opposed to Uber Carshare.