I believe I have espoused the virtues of Zipcar multiple times on this blog. I've discussed the pros.

It's time for me to complain. Beloved and I hit a tree with a Zipcar in late February. It resulted in a small dent on the front fender of the car. It was a very small dent. If I owned the car, I would never dream of getting it fixed. But the Zipcar policy requires us to report any damage, and so I did.

When I reported the damage, they told me that my account would be suspended while they assessed the damage.

I then dragged my feet in sending in the accident report, partly because I was afraid of the deductible that I explained in my previous post --- $500, and seemingly whether or not the damage resulted in a claim with the insurance company.

It's been about a month, and I've heard nothing from Zipcar. I didn't know if I was still suspended, i didn't know if they looked at the dent - nothing.

I sent them an e-mail.

Two weeks later - still no response.

I sent another one.

2 days later, a response that they've forwarded my question (am I still suspended?) to the corporate office (which is uh, in the same damned building), and that they'll contact me.

A week later, still no response.

Today something came up that I needed a car for (signing J up for softball, a week after the official "cut off" date). I couldn't do it, though. I knew that Zipcar was allowing me to make reservations, but I didn't know if they'd let me in the actual car. I also was afraid that if it did let me, and it turns out that I was officially still "suspended," I'd get double suspended, or lose my membership.

So I called.

The girl who answered sounded like she was 7 years old. But she was nice and helpful. She said no, I'm not suspended. I can make reservations. But she didn't see a record that I'd ever been suspended, and tried to end the call by saying, "you're fine, and I'll just forward a note on to corporate, to make sure everything's okay."

I said NO! I can't proceed thinking I'm okay and then in the meantime have "corporate" decide that they forgot to process the suspension, and as I'm on my way out of town to bring the girls to their father, find out that the suspension kicked in.

So she called corporate with me on hold.

She came back 7 minutes later to say, "okay, the $500 deductible is being billed to your account, but you are no longer suspended."

FUCK! I don't want to pay $500 for a stupid small ridiculous dent!!!

And so now, guess what?

I want my own damned car.

How the hell am I going to go to Europe when I'm dropping $500 here and $500 there for stupid little dents (with no paint damage, even!)

Honestly, this "we're gonna charge the $500 deductible, even if we don't file a claim with our insurance company" is a freaking racket. Why do they do that? They can fix this stupid dent with a fucking suction cup.

I'm irritated.

I want a car.

One that I can use to take the kids to softball; to do my share with carpools; to go to CT without incurring a $200 expense; to take E to cello; to go get fucking vacuum bags; to bring the kids home from school when they call that they're sick; to go buy a giant-ass thing of toilet paper when we run out.

Beloved's gonna have a cow when he reads this post. I'm not taking it back.

Nor am I buying a car.

I'm in a shitty mood now.

Labels: car sharing

posted by Zuska @ 4:42 PM

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