Car rental giant Hertz has launched a new monthly subscription service in the UK.
My Hertz Weekend is now available in the UK, France, Germany and Spain, following a successful trial in Italy.
Hertz claims it’s a ‘cost-effective alternative to vehicle ownership’. It offers customers access to a car from Thursday to Monday, with prices starting from around £220 a month (£275 in London).
Three classes of cars are available: small, medium and large. The Vauxhall Corsa, Vauxhall Astra and Skoda Octavia are the examples used on the Hertz website.
The subscription service should appeal to so-called ‘Generation Rent‘ customers, who are accustomed to paying monthly for their accommodation, music, games and videos.
Subscribers can collect their car from one of 50 European locations, including London (St Pancras), Oxford, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
Collection can be arranged as early as 2pm on Thursday, with cars due back before 12 noon on Monday.
There’s no joining fee, but renters must be members of Hertz’s Gold Plus Reward’s loyalty scheme. The monthly fee includes unlimited mileage, theft protection, collision damage waiver, taxes and an additional driver allowance.
Customers must return the car with a full tank of fuel to avoid extra charges.
‘Shift in attitude‘
Vincent Gillet, vice president marketing, said: “Following the launch of My Hertz Weekend in Italy in May, we’ve had very positive feedback, which encouraged us to expand the service to more locations across Europe.”
“A convenient alternative to car sharing and leasing, My Hertz Weekend responds to the current shift in attitude regarding car ownership as well as to the growth in the renting and subscription economy.
“We are confident that it will tackle the needs of customers who, for instance, live in a city and don’t need a vehicle during the week, or families that own a car but need a second car during the weekend.”
For urban residents who use public transport to commute to work during the week but require access to a car at weekends, the Hertz subscription service could be a cost effective alternative to car ownership or traditional car rental.
Right now, the service is available in five UK cities, but Hertz says more city-based branches will follow. No bookings are required – a car will be available for collection every weekend of the month(s) subscribed.