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The car-sharing market has grown rapidly in recent years, from around 350,000 global users in 2006, to around 7 million in 2015.
The rise of smartphones has only made it easier for people to rent out their cars when they're not using them (or to buy a car specifically for rentals, with the idea of eventually making a profit off rental income) by helping to facilitate peer-to-peer car-sharing apps like Turo, Getaround, and Maven.
I used a peer-to-peer car-sharing app, Turo, for the first time when I rented a Tesla Model 3 sedan at the end of September. While I initially had concerns about pickup and dropoff logistics, I found the entire rental experience to be more seamless than I'd expected. Coordinating my pickup and dropoff required only two quick phone calls and a handful of text messages.
Then you choose your preferred level of insurance and make your reservation.
Right after I made my reservation, I received a message from the Model 3's owner with instructions about where and how to pick up the vehicle.
My rental involved a remote handoff, which meant I never met the owner in person.
Before beginning the rental process, I had been slightly worried about coordinating the pickup and dropoff processes. My apartment was about an hour away from the pickup point via public transit, so the ability to do a remote handoff meant I didn't have to worry about keeping the owner waiting.
To unlock the car, I first had to take and upload a number of interior and exterior photos to document its condition.
Then I called the car's owner, who unlocked it remotely.
When it came time to return the car, I followed a similar procedure.
I drove it back to the garage where I picked it up.
Then I took photos of the interior, exterior, and battery level before plugging it in to one of the Tesla Supercharger stalls in the garage.
I was able to lock the Model 3 by pressing a button on the touchscreen and leaving the key in the car.
Later that day, I was charged about $20 for the electricity I used when charging the Model 3.
Overall, I was happy with my experience using Turo.
I had no problems navigating the app, picking up and returning the car, or communicating with the car's owner. I'd definitely consider using Turo again.
