Yahoo Autos Enterprise Announces a Nearly All-Inclusive Subscription Service
Enterprise Holdings, parent company of the rental-car giant Enterprise, is launching a vehicle subscription service.
The biggest attraction may be in the ability to swap out models and types of vehicles almost at will.
The seemingly hefty $1499 monthly fee covers insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, and a 3000-mile monthly driving allowance.
The emerging car-subscription industry has a new player, Enterprise Holdings, which has a large existing fleet of vehicles for customers to choose from. Enterprise joins auto manufacturers such as Audi, Cadillac, and Volvo as well as Mobiliti, which partners with local dealerships and utilizes their inventory. Subscribers in three states-Minnesota, Missouri, and Nevada-will serve as guinea pigs for the new service, which costs $1499 a month and carries a $250 enrollment fee.
That price sounds high, although it's exceeded by the costs charged by some automakers for a similar service. It includes insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, SiriusXM radio, and up to 3000 miles per month. The biggest advantage may be that users can swap out their car up to four times a month from Enterprise's selection of pickup trucks, SUVs, and sedans. This way, customers can take a Chrysler 300 out for date night, swap into a Ram 1500 for a weekend DIY project, then grab a Ford Explorer for a family road trip.
It might also appeal to Uber and Lyft drivers, what with not having to put miles on their own cars and being able to swap from smaller to larger vehicles based on business needs. Unfortunately, Enterprise prohibits the use of the vehicles for ride-hailing or ride-sharing services. The company's website mentions no other restrictions for other types of businesses.
While it may seem perfect for noncommittal types, we'd point out that for those who don't mind driving the same car every day, brands such as BMW, Jaguar, Toyota, and Volvo offer complimentary maintenance plans with their new vehicles, many of which can be leased for far less than $1499 per month. Of course, traditional leasing generally doesn't carry such a generous mileage allocation or insurance, but we'd suggest doing the math before taking the plunge.
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