Silvercar
Is This Your Business?Author: Kaitlyn Short
Silvercar was founded in 2012 by Luke Schneider. The concept was borne out of the idea that if renters all received the same make and model car there would be no disappointment. This aimed to resolve the issue of customers not receiving the car they originally wanted when making a reservation. Today, Silvercar has almost 100 employees in several locations. The company is owned by Austin Ventures, a company known for investing with smart, tech-savvy, new business ventures.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Luxury Price Range
- Instant Return
- Online Check-In
- Free Features and Transparent Fees
Luxury Price Range
Silvercar specializes in luxury car rentals. Silvercar only rents Audi vehicles. They offer the Audi A4 and Q5, which are beautiful, fully-loaded cars that customers rave about. They drive smoothly and have plenty of useful features. This is very unique to the car rental industry, which typically rents economy cars only or a combination of economy and luxury vehicles. With Silvercar, an average security deposit of $200 is required.
Instant Return
Silvercar doesn't offer a typical instant return. Customers won't have to wait in line, either. Rather than dealing with employees behind a counter, each customer gets a personal concierge who is with them the entire process. The concierge will pick you up, help you with your luggage, offer a tutorial on any car features, pre-program return destinations in the car's GPS, help you connect your phone via Bluetooth, and more. Some customers have mentioned they were even offered a soda or water before their return flights.
Online Check-In
For renters who are tired of standing in lines, filling out papers, and carrying around keys with visible plastic tags, Silvercar's streamlined app-oriented rental process provides a breath of fresh air. Reservations on Silvercar.com are quick and simple—especially for frequent customers, for whom making a car reservation can be done in just a couple of minutes. Once a reservation is made, the process of picking up a car is done through a mobile app. This app allows renters to check in, request curbside pickup, and make any changes to their reservation. There is no paperwork, and cars are rented without any tags.
Free Features and Transparent Fees
Silvercar offers free premium features, such as a free Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth with every vehicle, along with Sirius XM Radio. Android and Apple users can use their apps to drive with an Audi, including Google Maps and Apple Maps navigation. Silvercar is transparent about their add-on fees and lists them on their site. The rental agency provides free add-ons that many other car rental companies might charge for, such as free child seats and ski racks.
The Bad
- No Economy Rentals
- Limited Locations
- Few Airport Locations
- Expensive Roadside Assistance
- No On-Site Fuel Discount
No Economy Rentals
SilverCar does not deal in economy car rentals. They exclusively serve the luxury rental car market. If you need an economy vehicle in your city or state of choice, we recommend using another company.
Only Available in Nine States
Silvercar is only available in 26 locations. Renters who travel often and to various parts of the country (or the world) will be disappointed to learn about Silvercar's very limited availability. Silvercar is expanding as it gains recognition and customers discover its great features.
Few Airport Locations
Unlike many car rental companies, Silvercar does not have a presence at the majority of large airports throughout North America. With locations in only eight airports, this puts luxury car renters at a disadvantage when traveling.
Expensive Roadside Assistance
Silvercar does not offer roadside assistance by itself, but they do offer a complete insurance coverage package (what they call "You and your things") which ranges from $29–$49 per day. This forces customers to buy a package instead of an individual service. This falls short of the majority of car rental companies who offer roadside assistance for an additional individual fee, i.e. $5 a day.
No On-Site Fuel Discount
There are no on-site fuel discounts, but Silvercar's fair fuel plan lets customers pay only for the gas they use at the local pump price, plus a $5 fill-up fee.
The Bottom Line
Silvercar is one of the most unique and innovative car rental companies in the business. Their tech-oriented and no-nonsense rental process will be a breath of fresh air if you are tired of paperwork, lines, and inconsistent customer service. If you want a variety of luxury vehicles to choose from, Silvercar cannot help you, since they only offer one type of car. However, Silvercar promises an experience for luxury car enthusiasts and strives to cater to its niche audience. For customers simply looking for a fun rental experience for their trip, driving in luxury and being treated like a VIP, Silvercar is a great option.
Silvercar has a streamlined process; the entire procedure can be completed through a mobile app on your phone. But if you're a traveler on a budget looking for an economy car, you're under 25, you're an international traveler, or you want to go anywhere outside of Silvercar's limited locations, this company may not be the best choice for you. Silvercar has great options, but only for a select group of renters that meet its criteria.
