So it looks like my daughters' car may be totaled. But between now and September when they both head off to college and have no need for a car are four of five months' gap where transporation is still an issue. Rather than invest the $$ in a car that will just sit in our driveway for much of the next four years, I'm considering a short-term lease. Yes, when they come home for Christmas and summer vacation to work, I suppose we'll need to figure something out, but right now I just need to fill this immediate gap.

Has anyone used the short-term lease programs offered by Avis or Hertz or some small local outfit? I can't seem to pin down a price...what range are such leases offered, for a bare bones, no-frills 2- or 4-door auto?

How much driving does your daughter actually do?

If it's only occasional driving to hang out with friends here and there, she might consider just using a Lift or Uber when she needs to go out.

Consider the cost of insurance, gas, the car payment, and parking, and Uber actually can make sense if you aren't commuting to work every day. For the summer leading up to school, she'll probably be with her friends most of the time, can drive about with her friends, and then use an Uber or Lyft the remainder of the time. $400-600 a month can pay for a ton of Uber rides, and you never have to worry about the sobriety of the person driving.

^^^^^^^
Make an excel spreadsheet and see if it's worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
How much driving does your daughter actually do?

If it's only occasional driving to hang out with friends here and there, she might consider just using a Lift or Uber when she needs to go out.

Consider the cost of insurance, gas, the car payment, and parking, and Uber actually can make sense if you aren't commuting to work every day. For the summer leading up to school, she'll probably be with her friends most of the time, can drive about with her friends, and then use an Uber or Lyft the remainder of the time. $400-600 a month can pay for a ton of Uber rides, and you never have to worry about the sobriety of the person driving.

They drive to and from school, and each work three days a week, so from home to school to work to home, plus weekend trips to and from work. Plus hanging out with friends on the weekends. So it's used pretty liberally. Uber -- which I had given some thought to -- just doesn't work economically.

I'm hoping to hear that I can get a short-term lease on a cheap Ford or Chevy no-frills commuter car for a couple hundred a month max...but not sure if that's realistic or not.

quote:

Originally posted by at-home-daddy:

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
How much driving does your daughter actually do?

If it's only occasional driving to hang out with friends here and there, she might consider just using a Lift or Uber when she needs to go out.

Consider the cost of insurance, gas, the car payment, and parking, and Uber actually can make sense if you aren't commuting to work every day. For the summer leading up to school, she'll probably be with her friends most of the time, can drive about with her friends, and then use an Uber or Lyft the remainder of the time. $400-600 a month can pay for a ton of Uber rides, and you never have to worry about the sobriety of the person driving.

They drive to and from school, and each work three days a week, so from home to school to work to home, plus weekend trips to and from work. Plus hanging out with friends on the weekends. So it's used pretty liberally. Uber -- which I had given some thought to -- just doesn't work economically.

I'm hoping to hear that I can get a short-term lease on a cheap Ford or Chevy no-frills commuter car for a couple hundred a month max...but not sure if that's realistic or not.

My company has multiple foreign workers using 'rentals' full-time - $750/mo
You might get a little bit cheaper for a compact/tiny ass car, but 5-bills is likely.

Damn. That's what I was afraid of.

If you spend a little time shopping... you can get great deals on used cars.
You can buy a serviceable vehicle for $2000 and you can usually sell it for just as much after using it for 4-5 months. Insurance is the variable, but not too bad depending on the car and your daughter's driving record.

If it were my daughter, I would buy the car and let her use it; she would be responsible for the gas, I'd teach her to change the oil, and she would pay the premium increase on my insurance policy.

If it's a short commute, perhaps a Vespa or other moped?

I had a ton of fun with a Honda Elite back in college.

What about a standard rental? I'm sure you can get a monthly rate from any of the big companies and you can drop it whenever you need to without getting locked into any extended term.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
How much driving does your daughter actually do?

If it's only occasional driving to hang out with friends here and there, she might consider just using a Lift or Uber when she needs to go out. C

Consider the cost of insurance, gas, the car payment, and parking, and Uber actually can make sense if you aren't commuting to work every day. For the summer leading up to school, she'll probably be with her friends most of the time, can drive about with her friends, and then use an Uber or Lyft the remainder of the time. $400-600 a month can pay for a ton of Uber rides, and you never have to worry about the sobriety of the person driving.

This was my first thought. Paying for as many Ubers she can use, might be cheaper than the ownership route. Also, no risk of at-fault accidents. Can she share any potential Uber costs with friends? Unless she has 2-wheel experience, I suggest NOT doing a scooter for her first time, especially if she has an active social life, and likes to go out for drinks or to parties. I did, and I am very lucky to be alive. I had so many close calls on (3) motorcycles and (2) Vespas between the ages of 18 and 24, it is not funny. I should be dead three times, and two of those times it was the other driver at fault. You will never forgive yourself, if she dies on a scooter.

Whatever you do, be sure it is on 4 wheels. That is my best advice.

By them a $1500 beater, sell it when they go to college for $1000.

You can rent a rental car for less than $600 a month, but their age is going to be the killer to that deal. But for $600 a month the car is insured,registered, no maintenance to pay for etc.

Go on one of those lease sites where you assume someone's lease.....my sister did that between jobs and got a BMW 330 with 8 months left on the lease and it was $330 per month.......each car shows how much lease is left and mileage and if the person who leased it put a lot of money down, the monthly payments are cheap. My sister did it and it was painless and easy peasy.

I would NOT put my daughter in a $1000 car, unless I REALLY went through everything and made sure it was 100% safe, and by the time you fix what needs to be fixed it's not worth the energy for a few months of use before selling usually.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
By them a $1500 beater, sell it when they go to college for $1000.

This is the way to go. Buy her an old Volvo wagon and sell it when she gets her first job. Budget for a few repairs. A solid used car is much better than a scooter. You will sleep better too. Do not let cost be the primary reason for your decision.

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
What about a standard rental? I'm sure you can get a monthly rate from any of the big companies and you can drop it whenever you need to without getting locked into any extended term.

Yeah, that was the thrust of my OP, but indications here seem to be it'd be a bit more expensive than projected. Probably just need to call and find out, I suppose. We'll find out Wed. if the car is a loss or not, and that'll determine if a next move is required (and I'm almost certain it will be, based on the damage).

To put the situation in better context, both have their driver's license, both have been driving for two years, and both work to pay for their portion of our car insurance plan and their own gas. No, they don't have enough in their combined bank accounts to pay for another car. And while I may have a motorcycle, my wife isn't going to green light one for either of them (and the one daughter who would be very interested in one is the one who shouldn't have one (and probably totaled the car, but thank God she's all right*)), so that's a non-starter.

I agree about being very wary about putting them anything too old and cheap, if a purchase was the way we head.

Jimmy123x: Thanks, will check out that program; that wasn't on my radar.

* And, yes, I agree that if the one daughter totaled the car, I shouldn't be cleaning up her mess and thinking about handing over yet another car, or I should at least have her pay for the replacement (with money she doesn't have). While I agree w/ that on an objective level, practical considerations (her employment, primarily, and the similar transportation needs of her blameless sister) are throwing a wrench into my principles. I was thinking that if the monthly rental rate was cheap enough that she could pay that...but doesn't sound like that's in the cards.

I'm a bit late to this. But I have done dozens and dozens of longer term rentals (its not really a lease at this term for most vendors). Usually when my wife goes to Florida for 5 months, but also anytime I'm out of town on work for an extensive period.
The price is substantially better than a straight rental. The large fleet people have this down and if you have a discount program (corp or other) you get that on the deal. The smaller operators will negotiate on this type of deal. If there is a season (like in FLA in Summer you can negotiate even with the top guys) not sure on that in WA.
A cheap car for my kid is truly a non starter to me. You simply cannot find a reasonable safe reliable vehicle in the $1500 range and mostly you are going to pay that in the next fix. And in my State you owe so much in tax, title, excise and transfer fees that you could cover a month just on that. Never mind the sales costs.