I tried Turo, a car share company that connects vehicle owners and renters - here's why I'll never use a traditional car rental again

Having lived in a camper van in a past life, I'm all too eager to jump at the chance to relive it whenever I can.

Turo first approached me in 2016 when their concept was relatively new. I was skeptical, and rightfully so. The brand had sorted out insurance coverage for up to $1 million, so it was safe from that standpoint, as far as I could tell. But what about the fitness of the vehicles listed on the platform? Was someone thoroughly inspecting these vehicles for safety's sake?

Maybe not so much in the beginning. The first vehicle I was to rent was a green VW Vanagon that looked alright in the photos, but when I arrived in Marietta, Georgia, to retrieve it, I found it parked in front of a head shop as a sort of ornament, beyond worse for wear and tear.

Eager to still go on the trip I'd planned, I stepped in, only to notice that I could see straight through the floorboard to the asphalt. It also smelled of cat urine. I called Turo, whose representative profusely apologized before promising reimbursement for my travel, and another rental at my convenience.

Now, that might sound horrible, and it was, but hold any judgment just yet. This is the same sort of issue you might have found with Airbnb rentals seven or eight years ago, and Turo sided with me and provided compensation. And while Airbnb still has its fair share of problems, the service has shaken out most of those wrinkles in recent years.

So when Turo's team wrote back and suggested I rent one of Mike K.'s VW vans (at the time he was running a fleet of them), I didn't hesitate to take them up on it. Off I went to Seattle.

Before arriving in Seattle, Mike arranged to pick me up with Gretel (the stunningly pristine specimen of an automobile you see above) so I could prove my capabilities with a manual transmission. Fair enough: I certainly wouldn't entrust a classic vehicle to someone without vetting their driving skills first, either.

Granted, this is a special occurrence, and so long as you're not renting a classic vehicle with a manual transmission, you probably won't be put to the test. Further, it would be egregiously discourteous to rent something like this cherry 33-year-old VW Westfalia and use it as a tool to teach yourself to drive stick. It should go without saying that no one ought to rent (or drive) a vehicle outside of their comfort capabilities.

On another occasion, when I rented an Audi A5, there was no driving test. I was given the keys upon walking out of the terminal at the airport and off I went.

Back to Gretel in Seattle though. I drove Mike to his house, where he informed me that he was confident enough to let me roam wherever I pleased (within reason) at the helm of Gretel for a week. I did, however, have a 1,500-mile limit, and would incur further charges if I surpassed it (0.75/mile). I ended up driving a couple of hundred miles over, which was a fee of about $150 more. Over the course of a week, getting to drive the Lost Coast of Northern California and sleep in the Redwood Forest though? Worth it.

Inside was everything I can recall needing, from a sleeping bag, pillows, blankets, and sheets, down to a coffee pot, oatmeal, coffee, and kitchen cloths. He made sure I knew how to access everything, turn on the propane, and pop the top.

I dare you to try to find a hotel room on a cliff above the Pacific for less than $200 a night. You might luck out, but add the cost of a car rental to that. (Keep in mind that a Honda Accord will not exactly get you here.)

The fun thing about a hotel on wheels is you can camp just about anywhere. Be quiet, respectful (that means to use proper facilities and receptacles for everything), and you really won't have any problems.

First dibs on surfing and salmon fishing. Not bad for a hotel room on wheels, and nobody but the gulls and the seals to wake me up. I'll take it.

If this is what puts me beside world-class salmon rivers and uncrowded surf breaks, you can keep your primped white linens and fluffy pain au chocolat.

Still, Mike did not leave me hanging, and I was anything but underequipped. Everything I needed short of imagination was tidily preloaded — and clean as a whistle.

"Catch anything?" I asked an elder fisherman in a cowboy hat, who was on his way downstream back toward the road. He replied: "Nothing up there but loneliness and despair, son."

Indeed, I was outwitted by the great Chinook salmon once more, but so it goes. At least I had somewhere nearby to get warm and dry.

Pro tip: Boil a little water with the stove on high and you'll heat up pretty quickly. Some of these campers even come with a small propane-powered heater.

If you've ever picked up a car rental from the airport, surely you've burst a blood vessel or two. Long lines, faulty reservation systems, or just a long walk from the terminal can (and has) put a lot of us over the edge.

Save yourself the stress, and maybe the loss of your cool, and try Turo out at the airport. Arrange your car (at least 24 hours ahead of time to be safe), input your flight time, your ETA at arrivals, and your rental will be parked out front with either the vehicle's owner or a representative on their behalf (there are a few small agencies using Turo, too). Show them your driver's license, and off you go.

Details like such as whether or not you'll fill the gas tank before dropping it off are case by case, and you can opt in or out when reserving the vehicle. Everything else is pretty straightforward, and any tolls you incur will be billed to you by the vehicle's owner afterward.

Even if you're not the adventurous type, Turo offers a convenience you don't get with any of the big rental companies, and that makes all the difference.

Whether you're heading out to the beach, up into the mountains, straight to a hotel room, or just looking for something a little spiffier or more functional (and fun) than a Chevy Malibu, it's plainly and simply the easiest way to rent a car.

Pros: More affordable and convenient than most (if not all) vehicle rental agencies

Cons: Like Airbnb, quality control is tough (but improving)