If your car breaks down or isn’t available, the most obvious alternative would be to take public transportation. However, there are instances when these aren’t a viable option. For example, it’s possible that your job or business requires you to bring bulky and heavy equipment, which you usually store in your car’s trunk, or perhaps your home or area doesn’t have access to public transportation such as a bus or train at all. Luckily, if you need to have and use a car while yours isn’t available, there are multiple alternatives you can try:
Call in a Favour
Perhaps the easiest and cheapest way for you to get a car is to ask a friend, neighbour, or relative to either drive you to your destination or allow you to borrow their vehicle temporarily. You can even try your luck by posting on social media and see if you have friends who are willing to lend (or at least rent out) their vehicle to you.
Taxi or Ridesharing Apps
It’s going to be a bit costly, but if you extremely need to use a car for transportation, then it might be the best time to either call your local taxi service or install whichever ridesharing app is available in your area. Some ridesharing apps allow you to choose the type of vehicle, which is perfect if you’re going to transport bulky and heavy items to your destination. However, this may not be available in certain areas, and if your day involves driving to multiple locations, it can definitely punch a hole in your wallet.
Rent a Car
If you see yourself going to multiple locations, it may be cheaper to rent a car. Generally, you pay the rental for the entire day and you’ll have to pay for gas and insurance. If your car won’t be available for the foreseeable future, and you’re expecting heavy car usage, car rental would be a viable and practical alternative. Some rental car services offer packages with a chauffeur to drive you wherever you need to go. There are also car clubs and similar car rental services that offer hourly rates instead of daily, which can help you save more money.
Borrowing the Company Car
If you’re working for a company that owns a vehicle, and the bulky items you need to transport are business or job related, then one of your best options is to call ahead. Let them know that your current vehicle is unavailable and that you’re requesting to borrow the company vehicle to transport the aforementioned items safely and promptly.
Courtesy Vehicles
If you’re bringing in your trusty Nissan to a service centre or an auto shop in Auckland, you may want to inquire if they have courtesy vehicles available for use while your car’s under repair or inspection. But, you definitely need to call in advance and book this service soon as they’re oftentimes limited and in high demand.
Our vehicles are oftentimes taken for granted, and we only realize how badly we need them when they’re not available. As you can see, there are a lot of options to try while your own vehicle is not available, but they can be costly. It’s best to avoid all these by regularly having your car inspected and maintained, and have any issues repaired as soon as they’re detected to prevent them from getting worse.
