Avis Rent a Car launched its ‘Car Where You Are’ offering this week, describing it as an alternative to car ownership.
The offering allows for single, long-term rental (three to 11 months), and allows cars to be dropped off at any Avis branch, and substituted with another car at any other Avis branch (in South Africa). For example, a traveller can drop off the rental at OR Tambo, and have the same type of car waiting for them when they land in Cape Town. Substitutions can be done continuously, with the billing made on a single, master agreement.
Renters can also change the vehicle they are renting in different South African cities by, for example, upgrading it to a larger car if they will be picking up passengers or going on a family holiday for the weekend. Renters will then pay the rate difference, and can return to the vehicle size originally rented.
Lance Smith, executive of sales, told Travel & Meetings Buyer: “Avis Car Where You Are is aimed at business users, professionals, and leisure applications,” he said. “For example, a business that provides company cars to some staff, and then pays for supplementary car rental when those people travel, can rather use Car Where You Are. Or a retired couple who travel a number of times a year and rent a vehicle when they do so.”
The vehicle exchange option is only available in South Africa, Smith confirmed, but a renter can arrange to drive the vehicle out of the country and return with it as per normal terms and conditions, and with an additional cost. He also confirmed that while other registered drivers were permitted to drive the car, only the original driver/renter could arrange the vehicle exchanges.
Currently, there are no plans in place to expand this offer into the rest of Africa.
Other benefits include: no bills for airport parking, no maintenance costs, no finance settlement or insurance payments, no annual relicensing, no additional costs when travelling (in the same car group), and no cancellation or early termination penalties.
“We are proud to launch the Avis Car Where You Are offering to our customers. This is a game-changer in the car-rental industry. It enhances the car-rental experience because it is convenient, makes financial sense and it doesn’t cost our customers more than what they would spend to buy a car,” said Rainer Gottschick, ceo, Avis Rent a Car southern Africa.
