Relatively recently, in Russia, the only way out was to buy a car: for cash, in installments, on credit. Rental services have quickly gained popularity. Now you can choose a car from a variety of brands and use it for a certain time: from a few minutes to several years.
Long-term car rental or car sharing?
Long-term car rental has noticeable differences from car sharing. The good thing is that there is no down payment required. The total amount includes insurance and maintenance of the car. The disadvantages are that:
- renting a car is not the owner of the car,
- the choice of brands and models is not too wide,
- there are restrictions related to the use of the car only in Russia.
For those who relatively often travel abroad, this is unacceptable.
In addition, there are a number of requirements for drivers who can be allowed to drive.
If the traffic routes are limited to the city limits, it is most convenient to choose a car sharing or a taxi. In Russia, compared to European countries, both of these services are inexpensive.
One of the problems hindering the development of carsharing, experts consider the lack of new cars and the general aging of the fleet. According to experts, in the coming years, the share of rented cars in Russia will only grow.
What if you buy?
For those who would like to buy a used car, long-term car rental seems to be the best option. The rise in prices for spare parts and tires, maintenance and repair services is more calmly tolerated, despite the fact that repair times are often unnecessarily delayed. A long-term lease gives at least some sense of stability in an environment of rapid change and unpredictability.
According to experts, renting a car is about as profitable as taking it on credit. Even if the rent is slightly cheaper, you need to carefully study the contract: unjustified and / or unprofitable requirements may surface. If, for example, overruns are paid at an increased rate, then traveling long distances becomes difficult and unprofitable.
The principle of long-term lease does not correlate well with the Russian mentality. It is much more comfortable for a person to consider himself an owner than a temporary owner. At the same time, it is clear that for expensive business-class models, car rental in Minsk is a better solution in terms of economic feasibility than buying on credit.
Finally, car ownership and car rental services are designed for different target audiences. Young people prefer to rent a car they like. Later they will probably buy a newer and more prestigious model. The older generation - car owners - calmly perceives the difficulties with insurance and maintenance of a personal car.