Showing posts with label Car Rentals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Car Rentals. Show all posts

May 30, 2015

Silvercar Review

A few weeks ago, Emily and I went to The Phoenician (review coming soon) for the weekend.  We have been a number of times and typically just grab a cab from the airport to the resort.  This time, we wanted to check out Silvercar which is a pretty new startup basically creating an Uber for car rentals.

Here's how it works:
  • Create an account and download the app on your phone
  • Make a reservation online or on the mobile app
  • Text Silvercar when you arrive at your destination airport (within the app)
  • Meet the Silvercar rep at the designated location (this varies by airport)
  • Unlock your Silver Audi A4 with the QR code within your mobile app.  The car comes with Sirius/XM radio, wifi, no surcharge for tolls, and they'll refill the gas for a flat fee of $5
  • Drive away and get on with your vaca/business trip
  • Return the car to the Silvercar location when you're done and they will valet you to the airport

Because they are just getting going, they're only in a select few airports (Denver, Phoenix, LA, Chicago, San Francisco, etc...) but expanding rapidly.  They are offering multiple promotions at the moment:
  • Code AFF-FTD should get you $50 off a 2 day rental (depends on city but around $50-$60)
  • Code (mine) EBERLIN will get you (and me) $25 via PayPal.  I signed up through a referral link and received my $25 the next day.
Our Phoenix experience ended up costing us $73 for the weekend.  About the same as a cab both ways to the resort and we had unlimited freedom and a brand new A4 to drive around.

The transfer from the airport to the rental car facility was easy.  We texted our Silvercar "concierge" on the way over and he met us when we arrived.  He drove us 5 minutes to the Silvercar location and checked my license (first rental only).  2 minutes later we were in the car and on our way.  

Dropoff on Sunday was seamless.  We texted our ETA in the morning and our concierge was there when we arrived.  He checked the car for damage, checked us out, emailed our receipt, and drove us (in our car) to the terminal.

Silvercar is a pretty life changing service.  Generally renting a car sucks.  Silvercar does not.  I highly recommend it next time you're in a city (including Denver) where the service is available.