Generally London is not a city in which you need a car (unless you have kids that is) but there are those times when you are scrabbling through your address book trying to find the person you knew who had an estate because your mate is giving you a free mattress that you have agreed to take, but can't transport or when you are having a big summer bbq to celebrate the fact that you have a nice new big garden with your new flat, but are trying to figure out how to get the bbq back from B&Q, never mind the burgers and the booze.
That's when these car co's may be of use. There are two that I have come accross, streetcar and Zip cars (which I think is American). Basically you pay a yearly fee of around £50 and then you can just book a car - the same day if you wish - and pay around £6 or 7 an hour to use it. With Streetcar you pay by the half hour and you get 30 miles free per 24hrs (so you don't have to pay for petrol within those miles) with Zip you pay by the hour but get 60 miles per 24hrs free.
I'm not really sure if these are better than a cab - for short jouneys or a regular hire car - unless you are gonna use them a lot and so are cutting out the admin - but it's your call, good idea, but maybe not cheap enough to really make it a go-er. read more