I was contacted by a local Zipcar representative who wanted to address some of the concerns I expressed on Yelp!. He was very friendly and forthcoming about my issues and the changes Zipcar has recently made. Apparently the price increases are seasonal and will only last through the summer. I don't like the idea of seasonal pricing, but at least it's not permanent. Also, the representative claimed the addition of cars without a daily rate was mostly new cars and it was not affecting existing vehicles. This isn't entirely true, however, because many daily rate vehicles in my area have been replaced with cars that do not have a daily rate and are extremely expensive to rent for 24 hour periods. He also promised to address the cleaning and maintenance issues that seem to be plaguing Zipcars in my area. Seeing how I appreciate the communication from Zipcar, and the fact that some of my issues are being addressed, I am raising my review to 3-stars. Clean cars and fair daily/hourly rates (ie no seasonal pricing) would bring it to 4. read more

Honestly, I have been using zipcar for years. I had it as a student and I loved it. However, over the past few years it's gone downhill. The sole reason for this is that there are never any cars to rent, especially on the weekends. There are new car sharing services that are not only available whenever you want, but allow you up to 400 miles per trip (not 250). They are cheaper for the day rate as well. The old day rate for Zipcar's used be be way more affordable. They were around $60 sometimes. Now, they're over 95+. The new car sharing services are $81 for a whole day for 400 miles and even cheaper for multi day. Now this isn't a "who does it best", but it really shows that Zipcar has begun to lose its hold on the market. They won't let you do one-way rides as Car2go used to do. Honestly I do want to still use Zipcar because the hourly rates are cheaper but there aren't any cars- at all. Downtown is always booked. Also, having to use your rental time to wait at a gas station? I loved ya Zipcar but can only rent from you when I'm in dire need, probably not even then because they'll be booked. Hope to see more cars in the future and hopefully revise my review in the future. read more

I've been with Zipcar for roughly 8 years now, and they were a great 8 years, but I'm now looking for any alternative. The handwriting is on the wall, and they are clearly just milking their clientele for cash flow as they slowly reduce service until they close down once and for all. Every year I make holiday reservations months in advance, as there will be no availability in the month before. This year they immediately billed my full reservation cost to my credit card. First, billing in advance is a new, unannounced policy. Second, I am on a plan with a $75 monthly commitment, so there will be $225 in billed credits available to offset at least half of what they already charged me. I called for an explanation. After 30 minutes on hold (metered, not exaggerated), I was put on hold again. After 45 minutes on the phone, I was left with a vague promise that the billing department would get back to me "with a resolution" within a week. I have had so many bad experiences with Zipcar since they were bought out by Avis that it would be impossible to list all. I'm just saying, before you sign up for Zipcar, be sure you cannot find any other alternative and absolutely need their service. It can be a really great service when it works, but when it doesn't work, it will make your life miserable. You will eventually be left looking at a major problem that their understaffed and under-authorized customer service department can't handle. read more

Customer services = extremely long phone holds and rude, robot like repetition of basic unhelpful info. Also, I only called customer service because it's three weeks since I applied and they have done nothing to fix their computer errors that are holding up my application. I've given them license info three times now and they have still have no record of it. Last week a rep had me apply a whole different way admitting their website does not work. Oh yeah they charge you to apply so I'm paying for this waste of time. Awful, stay away. Good idea, incompetent people. read more

trash. i was 4 minutes late returning the car because i was sick from the covid vaccine and even then the app wouldn't let me return the car so i was charged $50. customer service said none of these are valid reasons for not returning the car right on time. read more

Good old Zipcar! You still get a five-star rating from me. Yesterday, I had a tremendous amount of activity to accomplish, and as always you were right there at my fingertips (all the way from reserving with my fingertips right at my computer to actually steering the car with my fingertips). Everything got done with a minimum of muss or fuss, so thanks for being right where I need you right when I need you! read more

Zipcar had a little booth set up at the Mississippi St. Fair with a wheel spinny thing that offers people who sign up a chance to spin for "driving credits" - basically extra money on your account to drive with. Ollie & I went up to the booth to see if maybe we could spin even though we were members. The dude said no we couldn't, but since we drove there in a Zipcar and we asked nicely, he agreed to give us $20 is credits! Pretty cool, if you ask me! Nice guy, cool company, and awesome service. read more

Hope you don't get in an accident. My PARKED car was hit by a Zipcar, and their insurance (Sedgwick) has been extremely difficult to work with. I've had to miss work, pay out of pocket, and spend hours on the phone with rude and ignorant representatives so I can get my vehicle back on the road. Zipcar and Sedgwick exist only to benefit their shareholders, and I hope they both fail in glorious fashion. read more

Zipcar is the worst! First of all, they are way overpriced. Unless you rent the zip car for an hour only, you can get a rental for a whole day for a whole lot less - especially in PDX. I recently had an experience where the Zipcar was damaged by another driver and yet because I reported, I'm being held responsible for $750 in damages. They are unhelpful in disputing the claim, will not let you make payments and instead will send you to collections if you can't pay the huge $750 fine all at once. Help drive this company out of business. It's a waste of your money. Go rent a nice car from Hertz for a lot less! read more

*EDITED REVIEW PER RESPONSE OF JEREMY* Hahahah I'm sorry what? You really think it's okay to try and slander me? You didn't terminate my account, I called you and told you to take me off the plan and I no longer wanted to be a part of zip car. PEOPLE WATCH OUT lis is actually upsetting that I spent between 250-300 a month on rentals of cars and I was wrongfully reposted once, and once time actually left a mess which I paid 50$ to clean. What about the approx 50 reports I left of gas being empty? Oh yeah those were never once addressed. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE AVOID AT ALL COSTS. One of the worst companies I've given my money too. I've never been treated so poorly and wrongful accused of leaving cars dirty. No one ever fills up cars or cleans them before I got in and never once was a complaint from me ever addressed. The cars are always dirty so watch out, zip car like to charge you 50$ for cleaning a mess you didn't make. I hate my rates jump up 3$ an hour over the past 6mo. When you statted lying only 5$ an hour and now it's 8-12$ Thera a problem. Zip car was bought out by a large cooperation about a year ago and has gone downhill ever since. Please use car2go, lyft, uber. Even the bus or walking is a better option. read more

Updating this to three stars since they worked with me to fix the problem, and the people at the Portland office are really helpful. Although I would caution people about the accident policy and the fact that you might need to spend an extra $79 a year if you want to avoid what happened to me, I wouldn't necessarily steer people away from Zipcar. Always take time-stamped pictures of the vehicle, and if you pass on the extra insurance, always reserve with a credit card that includes rental car insurance. I still think my problem could have been easily prevented, but it pales in comparison to car ownership (even though that doesn't excuse the billing mistake), and it's a fine way to get around. Just be vigilant. ----------------------------------- I received a call from Jeremy, the general manager, who acknowledged that Zipcar had handled things poorly. I want to clarify that I'm not blaming any individual person at Zipcar, and my interactions with the people there have generally been positive. I've edited out some speculation about the company's repair policy, and I don't believe any employee deliberately tried to take advantage of me by putting me on the hook for damage I didn't cause. (I should also note that Zipcar didn't ask me to revise the review or even mention it outright, but it became clear that they were calling because they'd read it, so it's good to know they take these seriously.) Jeremy also noted that the $748 and $441 were not charged to my card, but the issue is that they would have been had I not questioned the amounts. This problem could have been avoided if Zipcar had contacted me to confirm my report or compared the report and the estimate before sending me the estimate, and it's surprising that that's not company policy. It seems my problem was due to an inadequate policy regarding accident reports/estimates and perhaps some bad luck, but even though no one intended to treat me poorly, this situation caused me a lot of stress. So, at least until they fix their accident procedures, I still can't recommend Zipcar. read more

Ok, I just received a response from a Zipcar rep: --- "Hello Izarra, I want to start off by apologizing for the less than helpful interaction you had with our company. I wasn't involved in the conversation but it's clear that your experience wasn't up to the standards we expect from ourselves. This could have been handled much better and once again, I'm sorry that we fell short. I also wanted to let you know that your credit score will not be affected. Additionally, I will follow up with folks in our billing office. They should never be requesting that you e-mail your credit card information. Should you decide that you would like to give Zipcar another shot, I'd like to offer you a free membership. I would also like to give you $75 in free driving." --- Ok, ok. That's a bit more like it. read more

I have had trouble creating an account, so I tried to call Zip car. They put me on hold for hours. This has happened more than once. The message says they will be with me shortly. Zipcar wasted hours of my time. I'm am pissed. The should just tell callers that they don't answer the phone. read more

It's zipcar. I love to hate it and hate to love it. But wow I don't like owning a car. And I also like going to the forest on Sundays and buying weird thrift stuff and THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS SO CLOSE. Also getting people from the airport. Tips on how to love/hate zipcar like me. 1. Measure twice, cut once. I have rented the most horrible SUV by accident and felt like a moron running my little errands in Portland. 2. Seriously, be sure you know where you are getting the car from, both from how to approach it walking, and how to return it in the vehicle. Parking can eat up so much of your reservation when you are circling a U-Park trying to get around tourists and drive correctly on a one-way. 3. Fill up the gas. 4. If you are driving with another zipcar member, they can drive the car too (check on this one, but I've been told as long as you are both zipcar members that the insurance covers each of you). The customer service can be so good in bad situations. 1. I've been in a zipvan with someone who had an inexperienced driver freakout, and they couldn't get the van safely home (I was waiting for my membership to come through so I couldn't drive) and they were awesome with him, and sent a tow truck to safely get the cargo van. 2. I could not get one of the push button cars to start one time and had the zipcar person walk me through it at 11pm - turns out if you have an old style card, the radio signal sometimes isn't strong enough to start the ignition and they reset it for me until it worked. read more

I use Zipcar frequently. I live in the city and don't own a car, so it can be useful for longer errands. I have been generally happy with the service- except when people don't return the vehicle on time- but this latest incident has had me want to cancel my membership. So I rented my usual car on NW 20th and Pettygrove... for about 4 hours. I go to return the car about 15 minutes early and in the "zipcar only" spot there was an old Honda Accord in my spot! I couldn't park and end my trip. At first I waited outside for the car's owner to come back because it was BLARINGLY OBVIOUS that the parking spot was for a zipcar only. No such luck, so I called zipcar. So I called zipcar' support and back and forth I was told I either HAD to park it in its assigned spot or find a legal place to park it and alert them to where I was parking it, and I only had 5 minutes left on my reservation and I would be charged if I returned it late. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! First, in the area the zipcar was there is no legal parking anymore unless you have a permit. it's a popular area. I told the rep that in order to park the car legally it would have me walk 3+ miles home. She said take a taxi. Wow! In the end, I didn't want to incur late return charges so I just parked it on the street in an empty spot and crossed my fingers. Very bad service when someone screws you over and you still get charged. read more

customer service STINKS! I called 4 info B4 joining and was told I'd have a member card within one week. When I called to check status of application the story was completely different; it took 4 days to process your application and now it'll take 5 - 7 days in mail. NOTE - this company does NOT offer you an expedited shipping option. I joined in order to get a specialized car for a planned trip --- now I have to cancel the trip so I'm also going to CANCEL my membership. Try a different company --- Do not rely on Zipcar! read more

The service works, but to what extent? Their sign up process is fast, but takes a few days to process a background driving record. That means that you need to sign up well in advance before you actually need to reserve a car. Their whole sign up and go selling tactic is a bit over confident in how fast that process really happens. The mobile app works good, and they even have a time limit extension that can be sent via text to increase your time limit. I have had a couple issues or problems during my time using Zipcar though. I have had vehicles returned literally on an empty tank. This can be quite annoying, especially if you are expecting their policy of filling up the tank before returning the car to be enforced. As well, I have encountered a ticket issue with the company. They are still insisting me to pay a ticket fine that was given to the car AFTER my reservation time. After talking to Zipcar on the phone about the wrongly accused charges, I was told that they would look into the issue and get back to me. Weeks later i had heard nothing, except that the fee had been doubled since it had not been paid. Again, I called in and complained about the ongoing issue. The person on the phone repeated the message of researching the case and getting back to me. Guess what? I still have not received a call back or any updated information from this company. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I think the company has an issue of delegating responsible damages or fees. I can see how it can be complicating, but isn't this their specialty? Jeremy of ZipCar commented below trying to cover their ass, since they have been harassing me for over a year to "update" my review! Even after telling them no, they continued to email and call my wife and I. We are no longer ZipCar customers if that tells you anything. They did not follow up with us ONCE! We had to call them, and after a month and a half the ticket they issued to us, which was suppose to be looked into like they said they would multiple times, was delinquent and the fee had doubled due to non-payment!!! Thank you ZipCar for NOTHING! You have been warned! read more

Zipcar is the absolute worst. Their customer service is robotic and they work as if they aren't humans capable of critical thinking. I had rented a car to go to an appointment. The rear tires went flat within two blocks of me driving it and the steering was jacked--two things I didn't see or could have known until I started driving. They asked me to return the car to the original location which, at this point, was an EXTREME danger because I couldn't control the car. They said if I didn't do this, I would be charged a fee. When asked if I could be moved to another car, they said that I couldn't because I already had one reserved. Run from this company with your life. read more

I dropped it a star. They sent me one of the "We Want You Back" form emails that businesses send out occasionally to old customers. However, they had addressed none of my concerns in the email. So I sent them a quick reply outlining my main concerns and asking if they had made any changes since I left. (The same concerns I had brought to their attention when I left.) It's been a month and no response. I guess they didn't want me back so bad. read more

They suck charged me when I didn't even get my zip card told them I didn't get it and they still charged me christene on there call center is a rude bitch would not recommend put your money els where!!!!!!!!! read more

Local office customer service is really great. I had a terrible experience with the national office, but the Portland manager has gone a long way to make up for it. I'll keep using it as it's still a new service and I believe they will improve as they gain more experience. read more

The management from the Zipcar office in Portland were nice enough to follow up with me after what had happened. They reimbursed my yearly membership, which was nice. I still probably won't use Zipcar for in town errands, but it's not bad for day trips. read more

Zip car is completely HORRID. Zero stars for the worst consumer experience of my life. They put me through unimaginable predicaments. Would Not recommend! read more

I had joined another car share service but it wasn't very convenient. I had to get on the bus and travel just outside of Downtown Portland or into Portland to get a car and it was expensive at 15.00 an hour. Not fun when I was trying to haul stuff home, a huge hassle. One day I noticed a Zipcar lived at the end of my street! That's SW Portland 30th and Barbur Blvd! I know! Right? AWESOME!!!!!!!! From the start my experience has been fantastic! I joined at the office downtown and the gentleman at the reception desk was kind and generous with his time and assistance. I had my card before I left. I love that kind of customer service it makes me giddy! I walked out with a huge smile on my face. Reserving a car has been very easy and my son and I have more freedom and a chance to get out of the rain from time to time. The cars are well cared for and maintained and the people who share in my area are good about not leaving a mess behind. Any time I have had to call for issues or report a problem the assistance and service has been wonderful. Recently, more people in my neighborhood have discovered the joy of car share and it became harder to reserve the car. So I sent an email to ZC asking for my area to be evaluated for a second car. A week later I received a call from the manager and we discussed the new trend in my area and a second car is coming! How amazing is that? I have NEVER had a manager call to discuss a request I made. That moment, I became an even bigger fan of ZC! The more demand for car share in the out lining areas the more zipcar will be able to offer the service. If you haven't actually checked it out, DO IT! There are many levels of membership and service available to fit any budget and you have the benefit of car ownership without the dent in your wallet! It has been a huge asset to our family it will do the same for yours too! We are able to do quick trips for groceries or take grandma out to look at Christmas lights. I've used it to go to Dr. appointments my son has or getting chores done while he's in school so I'm not on the bus all day long. Next week we're surprising my son with the Polar Express train ride in Hood River! Before ZC I would have not done that because of the expense of renting a car with the expense of gas, mileage and everything else. With ZC I get 180 miles a day free and a gas card to fill the car. My expense is my monthly membership which goes towards drive time and the time I reserve the car for. AFFORDABLE! What possibilities will open to you when you join ZIPCAR? DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! read more

Since my previous 2-star review was based entirely on customer service, it deserves an upgrade based on my most recent experience. After I left the review, I got a call from a representative who was very apologetic and helpful. They issued a refund for service that I was unhappy with and were overall just very nice to deal with. As I said in my original review, it's certainly not their fault if the car is dirty, and they have no way of knowing who made it that way, my main complaint was really the way it was dealt with. After my most recent interaction I'm a lot happier with the service, although still one star off because I had to be a bit of a squeaky wheel to get there. read more

I've rented Zipcar to travel with my friends and spend New Year in Crater lake national park. In the middle of the trip the car started to show some electronic problems. In the morning we were getting back home, the alarm of the car went off in the hotel parking lot. Nothing we did shut down the alarm and we had to remove the cable from battery because neighbors were very upset. When we call to customer service, we realized that our reservation were expired and our zipcard was no more longer allowed to unlock the car. Since we did not know that we were not supposed to remove the keys from the car (NOT DO EVER REMOVE THIS KEYS FROM THESE SHIT CARS!!!) WE OPENED THE CAR USING THE KEY, AND THIS TRIGGERED THE ALARM. We asked for rental extension, and they did it. they charged us twice for this, by the way. But even after extension, we were not able to unlock the car. After almost 4h in phone calls with 1000 different people from zipcar, explaining over and over the awful situation that we were, they said that they would send someone where we were to find the problem to the car. At this time, we were in BEND, OR, 3h away from portland. For our surprise, they SENT A TOW CAR AND THEY LEFT US IN THE CITY WITHOUT ANY WAY TO BE BACK HOME! I never saw a service in where customers were less important that their shitty cars. We had to spend a fortune renting a car from Hertz, that by the way, had a great service, to be able to be back home. After holidays, we want to zipcar office to see what was their explanation. First, they blamed us to use the zipcar service wrong, since we remove the battery cables, as if this could damage the car, and because we remove the keys from car (lesson: read everything possible from the agreement, and not trust only in the employee word. they said the we were supposed to know that we could not remove the key from the car). Then, they email us saying that the pick up the car, turned on and indeed, the alarm went off. But they were able to use their zipcard to unlock the car and the car were in perfect conditions. CONCLUSION: WE WERE CHARGED FOR RENTAL EXTENSION, BUT SOMEHOW OUR CARD WAS NOT WORKING WELL. We requested full reimbursement of money that we spend, including the rent of the car from Hertz, bacause was clear that the problem was with zipcar way to extend our reservation. Look their answer: "We're truly sorry that you had a horrible experience with our service. After investigating the incident, we discovered that your actions initiated the problems you experienced and made it difficult for Zipcar to then provide assistance. 1. You attempted to use the vehicle after your reserved time: which is why the vehicle wouldn't start. (THAT IS OK! BUT WE PAID FOR EXTENSION! AND THEY WERE ABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR AFTER WE RETURNED, SHOWING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS OUR ZIPCARD.) 2. You failed to use the vehicle access card (Zipcard) provided to you, and instead removed the keys from the car and tried to the start the vehicle; this triggered the alarm. (THAT IS OK AGAIN. BUT, IF THEY WERE ABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR WITHOUT PROBLEM USING THEIR CARD, WHY WE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO? they are saying that we do not not how to put the card in from of the sensor, basically.) 3. You chose to alter the vehicle by removing the battery prior to calling Zipcar's 24-hour helpline for assistance - which would have been simple to provide had you not previously removed the battery. (WE CALLED ASSISTENCE. BUT WE WERE IN MIDDLE OF A HOTEL PARKING LOT, 8AM! WHO ALTER THE CAR REMOVING THE CABLE OF THE BATTERY?!) Had you called our helpline for assistance prior to removing the battery, we would have easily been able to resolve the issue and help you get on your way so you could complete your trip. (THAT IS LIE! BECAUSE WE SPEND 4H WITH THEM IN PHONE CALLS AND NOTHING WERE SOLVED. AND THEY WOULD NEVER SOLVE, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS OUR ZIPCARD, AND UNTIL NOW THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THIS.) This all being said, as a show of good faith, we are willing to share the expenses incurred as a result of this incident. We will cover the cost of towing the Zipcar ($700-$1,200) and we'll refund your annual membership fee and close your account as requested. Your membership fee has already been refunded but your bank will likely take a few days to post the refund on their end. (YES! THEY WANT TO PAY ONLY FOR THE TOW OF THE CAR, THAT WAS NEEDED ONLY BECAUSE OF THEIR SHITTY SERVICES! AND AS IN GOOD FAITH, REIMBURSED US $35 OF MEMBERSHIP. PRIOR THIS EMAIL THEY ASKED US TO SHARE THE COSTS.) CONCLUSION: NEVER EVER RENT A CAR FROM ZIPCAR! ITS NOT WORTHY TO PAY LESS TO BE TREATED AS A SHIT OF CUSTOMER! PAY MORE AND HAVE LESS STRESS. read more

This company is the worse, I've been using the car for one month. In this month 2 cars had major problems that wasn't fixed they could've caused my life! Also, suddenly the app doesn't work so I call customer service. The lady says we decided to close your account. No reasons, no warnings, no evidence! I ask her to check why and what's the problem she keeps repeating her self that it's final decision and there is nothing to do. When I ask to talk to someone who can explain she HANGS UP THE PHONE! What a rude and bad customer service. This company sucks don't use them try other services! AWFY AND HORRIBLE COMPANY! If there is zero stars I would give them it! read more

I have used this program for the last 2 years and although the price has increased its still worth the price. The only proble I have is the location ..cars seem to be disappearing form my neighborhood so it has become less convenient read more

Zipcar provided a fair resolution to an incident that could have been prevented by me, with some foresight and common sense. The totality of the situation was resolved with friendly service and some patience. read more

Zipcar sends me an email saying "Your account will be cancelled due to inactivity." It's been over a year since I've made a reservation. Then another email saying "Your account has been cancelled..." for the same reason. Then today I get an email that Zipcar tried to charge an expired credit card for a membership renewal. They have ZERO working emails and I've been on hold for 20 MINUTES! So the only way to get ahold of them is by waiting on a ridiculously long hold with MADDENING music. Customer service is seriously lacking. I used to love zip car! So sad! read more

Bad zip car experience Dec 26, 2012. Last minute rental, as I needed to stop at two places quickly, before they closed. Positive: A zipcar was available. Negative: The car had less than 1/4 tank gas Nevermind, I thought....I will just fill up the tank. However, driving less than 1 mile, now the gas light turns on.....this is definitely going to interrupt my schedule...so I call zipcar, a few minutes into the rental, and place a report with their automatic line...while wondering if I should try to at least make my first place or just ditch my plans and find a gas station...envisioning being stranded somewhere with this zipcar. Upon my return home, I sent a follow-up email to zipcar, explaining the low gas problem and also debris found on the driver's mat (as a precaution to make sure my voice complaint was also in writing). I usually never complain about debris or even a little mud (c'mon it's Oregon). But you need to, because if you don't the guy behind you will and you get blamed for someone else's leaves. Anyway...the response I received for the low gas was unapologetic, with an undertone of reprimand for not calling in earlier. I DID call within minutes of being in the car and reported the yellow gas light on. Then, when I got home, I followed it up with a written email. At the very least, zipcar could have said they were sorry for my troubles. I think it's time to give Go2car a try. Their daily rate is the same as zipcar's, and their customer service can't be worse. -------------------------------- Zipcar's unapologetic response: Thank you for your email regarding the condition of your Zipcar. In the future, should you find a Zipcar damaged, or with low fuel, dirty, or having any other issues, please be sure to call us immediately prior to driving the zipcar to make a quick report via our 24 hour customer service line listed on the front and back of your Zipcard at 866.4ZIPCAR. This way, you can avoid being potentially charged with damages or cleaning charges, and this also greatly aids us in following up with the at-fault party, as we never want to send warning emails to our great Zipcar members who do follow the rules. My response to their email: I did call the 24 hour line and did report it right away, while I was on the way to one of my errands. Mind you, I was paying for this time and had two important places to be and they were closing soon. I believed my phone call took place around 4:34 and the time of my rental was 4:30. This email was a FOLLOWUP to the earlier phone call. Every time I hear from zipcar, you have a undertone of reprimand, reciting your rules. There was not an OUNCE of apology in your response for my troubles, specifically with the low gas. I had to find a gas station (Portland is new to us) with the yellow gas light on and this made me nervous....envisioning being stuck somewhere, with this zipcar. Better manners and customer service would behoove your company. Sincerely, Alyson read more

I had the worst customer service experience with Zipcar today, as a company. I was hung up on three times before actually getting to speak to a rep, and then after that, they conveniently decided to tell me the day of the charge of my annual fee that the price for my plan had gone up, despite the website listing that the annual fee for students is $15 under my school plan. They didn't even offer anything to make up for the fact that they hung up on me three times. So I asked to cancel my account, and the nice guy in the membership termination department rectified the situation and made the experience better for me overall. read more

While my very first experience was great (thank so much for that), my second rental experience just two days later was not. After dropping off my vehicle at its designated location (SE Portland), I returned home to check that this information was newly reflected in the Zipcar reservation system. According to the website, my account reflected an on-time return and all looked good. Thirty minutes later, however, I received an urgent e-mail advising that I was being charged a late fee for being 20 minutes past the scheduled return time. I immediately contacted Zipcar to discuss the matter and was told by "Tyreke" that they had no evidence that my Zipcard was scanned at 6:57AM (the actual time at which my vehicle was returned to its designated location). Instead, they show it was scanned at 9:20AM. I was not at all in the vicinity of the vehicle in question at that time. My account was appropriately credited with some indication that the fee would be "waived" as if to suggest that I made a mistake which the company was willing to overlook. This is complete bullshit!!! I'm starting to believe some of the reviews I previously read online from others who have rented from Zipcar. While I'm willing to forgive and move forward with the company, I'm doing so with a healthy dose of skepticism in my head and heart about this company... *** FOLLOW-UP *** I received a call on the same day this post was originally written from the General Manager (Jeremy Nelson) of the Portland Zipcar location. He apologized for the error that occurred during my second rental experience and informed me that there was a mistake made on the part of the agent with whom I had previously spoken. Jeremy was kind and gracious in his approach, even going so far as to offer some suggestions for ways to better my future Zipcar experiences. I went to my mailbox later in the week and found a card thanking me for becoming a Zipcar member, apologizing for the unfortunate experience I had during my second rental, and also found a gift card to a local coffee/tea shop as a token of appreciation. For that, I say thanks to you Jeremy for demonstrating that customers (and their opinions) still matter. Gestures such as these will keep me around as a Zipcar customer for many years to come... read more

Super convenient! It's always nice to not need to worry about the paying for gas or parking while driving the zip cars. It is so nice to have the freedom of owning a car without actually owning one and having it so close! They are also planning on putting one in the building that I work in now at YARD apartments on Burnside. That mixed with public transportation, there is no need to have a care and worry about maintenance and insurance! read more

I was a Zipcar member for 10 years. Since they were bought out by Avis in 2013 the costs have been getting higher, with fewer cars to rent in less convenient locations. They don't rent pickups anymore, and no SUVs close to me. Their customer service has even become terrible. I will not be renewing my membership when it ends later this year. There are better options. read more

I've been a Zipcar member for three years and, all in all, I've had very good experiences both with car rentals and customer service. My most recent experience was a revelation, reminding me that Zipcar is just a corporation serving their own interests above all else. After a recent rental, I was sent a customer survey and answered their questions and submitted a comment - customer service called me within minutes of filling out the survey to remind me of their rules. Here's what I wrote: "Your online app apparently was not doing the last step to confirm an extension of my reservation. This happened twice. The second time, I had passed the reservation rental period. The car would not start (something I did not know was the policy). I kept trying to extend the time for several minutes online, then tried the phone based system to extend it and it told me the car was booked for that period. So, finally, I called customer service, was put on hold for 9 minutes, only to be told I had exceeded my limit and would be charged $50. Now here's the thing, what if a rapist was trying to break into my car to get me and I could not start the car to get away? Or, I stalled the car on a railroad crossing and... or needing to rush to the hospital... I could imagine a thousand different scenarios where needing to start the car would be a matter of life or death (remember the AAA rape[-murder] case?). Now, I understand it is a matter of financial trade-offs for you, like steel doors on airline passenger cabins, but your customers are probably extremely responsible and do not often purposely try to get some extra time. The $50 late fee is more than enough incentive." Customer service did forgive the $50 charge, but they also chastised me for not knowing the rules and for not waiting for a confirmation of the confirmation. They suggested that I use their text based system because it is much less unreliable and sends a reminder, which, now that I know this is the best option, I will do from this point forward. They also told me I should have been locked out of the car, which I was not, thankfully, and that if they did not have this policy, people would not return the cars on time. Really? - so, increase the fee to $100 and drop customers who repeatedly return cars late, but don't endanger people unnecessarily just to make a buck. I would not recommend Zipcar to anybody who might find themselves in a potentially dangerous situation where access to a car might be a matter of life and death. Places and situations to avoid when renting a Zipcar: wilderness trailheads, especially when the temperature is below freezing; urban environments after dark; floodplains; tsunami zones; in a lightning storm; etc. . read more

Zipcar used to be a fantastic company offering a fantastic service. Look at some of the older reviews and you'll find a fairly consistent positive review of the quality of service and customer care. That has, sadly, recently changed. As of March 14th, 2013, Zipcar has become a $500 million dollar gamble by the rental car mega-corporation, The Avis Budget Group. This company has not historically shared the accolades that have been relayed about Zipcar's customer service. Already, the difference is showing. I'm on vacation, where I don't have access to a secure internet connection and Zipcar needed me to update my credit card information to charge me for a recent rental. I wrote to the company and explained that I was on vacation and that I would provide them with my financial information as soon as I return. However, Zipcar (in it's newest manifestation as a small part of a mega-corporation) decided to send me a reply, within 24 hours, informing me that the company policy was to send me to a collections agency if I delayed my payment. This is how I expect to be treated by Qwest, Comcast, or most cell phone carriers. This is not how I expect to be treated by Zipcar. I do not do business with companies that threaten me so I replied to them, rather calmly explaining my frustration, and never heard back..... The value that the company has placed on it's customer is clear. You do not matter. This change is very sad to me. I have historically encouraged people to use Zipcar and I thought that the company was fantastic. Going the way of industries such as internet providers and airline carriers, the industry of car share has devolved to see the customer as only a disposable commodity. The value of the person has recently become lost. I give the company two stars instead of one because I've had several years of good experience with them. They get a "pity star" because of who they used to be. But the Zipcar that currently exists today deserves no stars. This company is clearly changing it's motto to 'customer be damned'. read more

I've been using Zipcar for almost 2 years now and have been very happy with the service. No way do I want the financial burden of owning a car again! Zipcar is very handy in that regard. Where I live currently there's a Zipcar around the corner and up the street, and that's closer than either of the two nearest bus lines. However, I'm moving to SE Portland and though there's a Zipcar a block away, there are two good bus lines just steps away from my door, so I probably won't be using Zipcar quite as frequently. I like knowing a Zipcar is nearby, though! read more

My account was charged twice for the same reservation. I called the corporate headquarters who told me that I was wrong that Zipcar hadn't charged me twice and to call my local office. Called the Portland office where I talked to kurt Jake, who treated me like I was an idiot. "Talk to your bank to so they can tell you the difference between 'authorization' and 'withdrawal,' " he said. Rather RUDE, for a representative of a company who CHARGED me TWICE. Guess what Jake, you guys did CHARGE ME TWICE, and because of you lack of care for your customers, you lost one. read more

Very convenient but also very dirty I have found so many things in in their car that my baby could have got a hold of that would have been really have been a bad lawsuit they clean their car every 10 days imagine going 10 days without cleaning your house it's going to be dirty I paid over $100 to get a dirty car that was smoked in I have been a member with them for over a year I have done good business with them but every time I do find a problem with the car being overly dirty read more