JJB Blog

First time poster, long time never-reader… This is the first bad story I’ve heard about Zipcar. I’ll have to keep an ear to the ground about this. I have both iGo and Zipcar within blocks of me, and have been planning on joining one of them should my trusty old car ever go to the great junkyark in the landfill.

Posted by Jeff on 16 April 2009 @ 1am

interesting.

Posted by darius on 18 May 2009 @ 10am

I just had the same collection agency experience with Zipcar. My credit card expired June 2009 and the automated membership renewal fee went through on June 22nd. The charge didn’t go through since my credit card had just expired. I didn’t receive any notice from Zipcar until I received 2 letters from their collection agency today! The first one dated June 25th and the second dated July 8th. This is a disgusting and unethical business practice.

Posted by stacy on 13 July 2009 @ 5pm

you all should just be more organized and keep up with your own records. so sick of hearing people blame others for their own stupidity.

Posted by Growup on 23 July 2009 @ 9am

I agree. It says right on the application that your annual fee automatically renews. Is it really that hard to remember that you have a credit card on file with a company?

Posted by Claire on 31 July 2009 @ 3pm

I am going through a big financial fiasco with ZIPCAR for taking unauthorized charges out of my account for NO REASON. Their billing department has not contacted me for two weeks. It has gotten so bad I had to file a fraud report against them.

Posted by A.R on 14 August 2009 @ 10am

Zipcar is a great idea, but the fees are painful and nebulous. If something goes wrong they intentionally make it difficult to communicate it, then the fees start coming in. My last 2 hr zipcar ended up costing $100 when it was said and done. They just make it too hard to plan economically.

Posted by Jordan on 20 September 2009 @ 5pm

Ditto. Zipcar has my phone number and address. They did not use either. My card was stolen and canceled, and I wasn’t using Zipcar for a while so I didn’t check my account. Then collection letters.

Zipcar is a smooth ride so long as nothing goes wrong, but my experience with their systems for dealing with problems (and I guarantee problems will happen if you’re with the service for long) is that they villainize you. This is not a feel-good, make-the-world-a-better-place kind of company. It’s profit driven, bureaucratic, and ugly like a financial institution.

I was with Zipcar for a year and a half, but I’ll buy a car before going back.

Posted by Travis on 21 September 2009 @ 9pm

Lol… Nissan Altima Lease $199 per month, Insurance $150 A month, Gaz $200 a month. Zip car Nissan Altima $124 per day x 30 Days = $3720 is it really worth it? Given the fact that you need a car at least 5 times a month even for 5 hours $400 compared to $500 a month on owning the car. Hmmmm I think it’s just does not work.

Posted by Alex on 4 March 2010 @ 10pm

Ditto. Zipcar has my phone number and address. They did not use either. My card was stolen and canceled, and I wasn’t using Zipcar for a while so I didn’t check my account. Then collection letters.

Zipcar is a smooth ride so long as nothing goes wrong, but my experience with their systems for dealing with problems (and I guarantee problems will happen if you’re with the service for long) is that they villainize you. This is not a feel-good, make-the-world-a-better-place kind of company. It’s profit driven, bureaucratic, and ugly like a financial institution.

I was with Zipcar for a year and a half, but I’ll buy a car before going back.

Posted by Bruce on 19 May 2010 @ 10am

It depends where you live really. In nyc, zipcar is a fantastic idea and service! You don’t have to worry about where you gonna park, the high insurance rates, gas, etc… If you live in a small or medium city than I can see how just owning a car is worth it. But in major metropolitan areas, this type of comapny can’t be beat.

Posted by Dan on 5 December 2010 @ 12pm

I had the same experience with Zipcar. I cancelled the monthly membership and thought doing so I had canceled my Zipcar service. A couple months past and Zipcar tries to charge a credit card which had expired. Then out of the blue I receive a collections letter for the $60 yearly fee.

If they couldnt charge my card for the yearly fee why not just cancel the membership. Makes no sense. And I’ve spent over $10,000 with zipcar over the last 3.5 years.

Posted by Alonzo on 25 February 2011 @ 3pm

Horrible experience for me. First time I used it I had to walk for 20 minute to get to the car in 25 F. After getting to the car I realized that the car is not starting, I called zip car and they tried remote starting the car for about 50 minute and car wouldn’t start and the guy kept telling me that everything in our system looks fine. After an hour sitting in car freezing (25F) they tell me that the last person that used the car had the same issue and the car battery is dead and it needs a jump! They didn’t even offer sending anyone! They told me that I have the option of going to another location that i 50 minute walking distance! I canceled my membership with them and they didn’t refund my subscription. They are not reliable at all. I never made it to my appointment got sick (Flu) and lost 4 days of work.

Posted by MIke on 21 March 2011 @ 12pm

well they just cit me off because i complained of a car that smelled like cat shit. No phone call nothing just an email telling me tht im not cut out for car sharing community!

Posted by oh gosh! on 10 May 2012 @ 10pm