Car subscription: provider, costs, services at a glance

newsabc October 13, 2021

0 12 7 minutes read

Car subscription: what is it?
Who offers car subscriptions?
Which cars are there on subscription?
Advantages and disadvantages of the car subscription
Difference between car subscription and leasing
Car subscription: requirements
What should you watch out for with a car subscription?
How do takeover and return work?
For whom is a car subscription worthwhile?

You can buy, lease a car – or subscribe to it. The car subscription is one of the easiest ways to get a new car and is particularly interesting for drivers who want to be mobile with little effort. You pay a monthly rate that usually covers all services except for fuel costs. So you don’t have to worry about car insurance, taxes and maintenance, the car subscription is, so to speak, an all-round carefree package for drivers. You can register quickly and easily on the Internet. Sounds easy and good. But there are also disadvantages to the car subscription. For whom is a subscription car worthwhile?

Car subscription

AUTO SUBSCRIPTION

ID.3, Golf, Multivan, Ateca and other models from VW, Seat and Skoda as a car subscription

Flat rate, short minimum terms and monthly cancellations: ID.3 from 499 euros / month, Seat Ateca from 499 euros / month. Compare prices now!

In co-operation with

What is the car subscription?

What has been known from TV or music streaming services for years is also possible with vehicles. With a car subscription, the user pays a monthly amount and can then use the vehicle during the term of the contract. The car subscription is like an all-inclusive flat rate, because all additional costs are already included in the rate. These include insurance, vehicle taxes, costs for transportation, maintenance and wearing parts, TÜV and tire service. The user only has to pay for the fuel – or, in the case of an electric car, for the electricity. If he wants to wash his car while it is in use, he also bears these costs. The car subscription is not comparable to short-term use such as car sharing, classic car rental or car leasing, which is designed for several years.

With the car subscription, the period is significantly shorter, depending on the provider, the term is between one and six months. Both can take out a car subscription Commercial as well as private customers. The costs start at less than 200 euros per month (e.g. with Like-2-drive for a Mitsubishi Space Star or with ViveLaCar for a Skoda Fabia). The higher the vehicle value, the higher the monthly price, of course. For a vehicle from the luxury segment, it can be more than 1000 euros a month. A Mercedes S-Class at Sixt + (this is the car subscription for private customers, for business customers it is called Sixt Flat) costs 1345 euros, with Sixt + there is always a one-off starting fee of 199 euros. Incidentally, the car subscription is always a preconfigured vehicle, so changes to the equipment are usually no longer possible.

Car subscription providers

The range of car subscriptions is now extensive. This is offered by car manufacturers (including Mercedes and Volvo), classic car rental companies such as Sixt or Buchbinder as well as companies, car dealerships and start-ups (Cluno, Finn, ViveLaCar, Like2drive, Kintoflex um). In addition to manufacturers who only offer their own models, car rental companies and start-ups usually have several brands to choose from. The offers differ depending on the provider in terms of prices and services. For example, Like2drive offers different inclusive kilometer packages. In addition to new cars, the provider Faaren also offers young, used cars, and with Abo-a-car you can register an additional driver at no additional cost. (Flat rates from the manufacturers.)

Manufacturer:

– Mercedes me Flexperience
– Care by Volvo
– PSA retail car subscription
– Volkswagen Financial Services
– Mini subscribe
– Porsche Drive subscription
– CONQAR from Seat

Start-ups:

– Cluno
– Finn.auto
– ViveLaCar
– Kinto-flex
– Like2drive
– Faaren
– Carminga
– Flexxdrive
– Subscription car
– Nextmove
– E-flat
– Carship
– Trusted cars
– Lynk & Co
– Instadrive

Car rental company:

– Sixt +
– bookbinder
– Hertz

Which cars are there on subscription?

The range of vehicles offered is huge and depends on the respective provider. Like2drive, for example, currently has around 40 different models from 14 manufacturers on offer. Electric cars are now also available from most providers. Volkswagen Financial Services, for example, offers the ID.3, Mercedes-Benz Rent the EQA, EQC and EQV. The BMW i3 is available from Cluno, Finn or ViveLaCar, for example. Like2Drive also offers EQA, EQC and EQV, as well as Tesla Model 3, Peugeot e-208, Fiat 500-e, Renault Zoe and Dacia Spring.

Advantages and disadvantages of the car subscription

advantages
– Full cost control (taxes & insurance are included in the monthly rate)
– Drive new cars without high acquisition costs
– Lots of choice: Always the latest models with the latest technology
– Flexibility through short contract terms
– Simple and fast registration process, mostly completely digital
– Cross-manufacturer and cross-model offers
– You can test different technologies (hybrid or e-cars)
– Depreciation does not matter
– Some providers also offer an option to purchase after the end of the contract

disadvantage
– Start or registration fee (for some providers)
– Free kilometer flat rate sometimes low (with some providers)
– The car is only rented, not owned
– A takeover date can rarely be planned very precisely
– Some providers have restrictions such as minimum age or annual mileage
– Pre-configured vehicles are no longer possible

What is the difference between a car subscription and leasing?

With the car subscription, you get a fixed monthly amount, just like with leasing, you get a vehicle for a certain period of time. In both cases, the car does not belong to the user. However, there are also differences between these two options. The terms for a car subscription are shorter than for leasing, where you commit to at least 12 months. The car subscription can usually be done quickly online and offers a more flexible vehicle change. Because the terms of the car subscription are shorter and this is an all-inclusive package, the monthly fees are also higher. For example, the monthly rate for a BMW 5 Series Touring from Faaren is at least 990 euros. However, all services are covered, and the user only has to pay the fuel bill and any vehicle washes. If he drives more kilometers than contractually stipulated, these must of course also be paid for. Car leasing is usually cheaper, but not all services are covered. There are additional packages, but there is no comparable all-inclusive package that covers, for example, taxes, tire changes, wear parts and the like with leasing. However, it is advantageous that some leasing vehicles can be configured according to your own wishes, which is often not possible with a car subscription.

But be careful: Anyone who takes out a car subscription should always make sure that they ultimately does not sign a leasing contract! Because with some car subscription providers you take out exactly this, even though you decide on a subscription. The advantage of a subscription is, among other things, that the Schufa is not charged.

Requirements for the car subscription

Depending on the provider, not only the contract term, pricing and notice periods vary, but also the requirements for being able to take out a car subscription. This has to be checked on a case-by-case basis. In most cases, however, these requirements must be met for a car subscription:

– Some providers charge a registration fee when registering for the first time
– The minimum age is between 18 and 23 years (varies depending on the provider)
– The maximum age is a maximum of 75 years (varies depending on the provider)
– A residence or company headquarters in Germany is necessary
– An EU driving license is required, which you have held for at least two / three years (varies depending on the provider)
– With a negative Schufa it is not possible to take out a subscription

What should you watch out for with a car subscription?

Some providers already offer car subscriptions. And there are not only differences in pricing, but also in the range of vehicles, the waiting time until receipt of the vehicle and the notice periods. If you have found the right offer for you, you should read the conditions carefully in any case. How many kilometers can I drive? How is the car insured and what is the excess? Do I have to pay a deposit? How are the exchange modalities? Since the offers of the providers differ considerably from each other, you should take enough time and compare them thoroughly.

How do handover and return work?

The handover takes place at the authorized dealer who works with the car subscription provider. That could well be a few hundred kilometers away. In most cases, a delivery service is therefore also offered – often for a surcharge. The same applies to pick-up: either from the dealer or, for an additional charge, with pick-up.

However, some caution is advised when planning the takeover date. Usually it is a “non-binding delivery date”. The supplier may exceed this date by up to six weeks without giving rise to the right to withdraw from the contract.

When the vehicle is returned, a commissioned appraiser checks whether there is any damage to the vehicle and what kind of damage. What counts as damage and what is still used is precisely defined. In this context, it is interesting which guidelines are created. This should be clarified before renting. In addition, when handing over the vehicle, you should pay close attention to whether there is any minor damage to the vehicle and whether everything is completely on board. Otherwise, be sure to note it on the delivery note!

Is a car subscription worth it for me?

If you only want to drive a new car for a reasonable period of time and do not want to own it, the car subscription can be an interesting option. However, the takeover date can rarely be planned exactly to the day in advance. You don’t have to worry about servicing the car, registering it, repairs or selling it, and you don’t have to worry about expensive surprises. The monthly payments cover maintenance costs and the loss of value is also irrelevant. If you also like to drive different models, you can change the car much more often than when leasing or buying.

newsabc October 13, 2021

0 12 7 minutes read