Car Share

Car sharing is different to typical car hire in that you rent the car on an hourly basis. And instead of picking up the car from a central location, car share spots are dispersed around cities (ideally near your home). They’re also becoming popular in new apartment blocks. If you’re planning a weekend trip, full-day rentals are possible and there’s generally a range of vehicle types you can choose from. Just remember: you’ll need to return the car to the same location at the end of your booking. Check out:

1. GoGet – Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
2. GreenShareCar – Melbourne and Sydney with plans to launch in other cities in the next 18 months (Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide)
3. Hertz 24/7 – Sydney and Gold Coast
4. Flexicar – Melbourne (owned by Hertz)

Peer to peer sharing

There are also peer-to-peer car share services such as Car Next Door and DriveMyCar Rentals, which is essentially renting out your neighbours’ car. While the prices can be cheaper, cars may only be available if nearby neighbours have signed up to rent out their vehicles. Car Next Door allows you to book instantly online, by the hour, while bookings on DriveMyCar Rentals can take 28 to 48 hours to be approved and have a minimum seven-day rental period.