Zipcar Reviews 302

Worst rental car company. Trust the reviews...

Scam they stole 27 dollars from me I didn't even use their service

App allowed me to joining even though the company I’ve just found out has stopped trading in London. Scamming American company collecting signing on fees for a defunct service.

This is the worth place to rent a vehicle please stay away from them. They charged me more than $200 extra for one day. They are horrible.

I reserved a Zipcar in Sacramento from March 26, 11:00 AM to March 27, 12:00 PM for $193.08, which I paid. On March 27, I used the app to extend my reservation until 8:30 PM. The app showed an additional cost of $67, which I accepted.

After the transaction, I was charged $156 instead of $67. At no point was I notified that the charge would be this high. I contacted Zipcar customer support multiple times, including a supervisor. They said that extensions beyond 8 hours could trigger a full daily rate plus taxes and young driver fees, but none of this was displayed in the app. Even after adjusting my reservation to match the 8-hour window, the $156 charge remained.

The supervisor said they were the highest point of contact, yet they refused to help, did not try to understand my perspective, and offered no real solutions or explanations. They repeatedly told me to “put myself in their shoes,” and when I did, I explained I would try to help if I were in their position, but they ignored my point and continued to repeat that nothing could be done.

I was never shown a total of $156 before confirming the extension. I believe this is an unfair billing practice. I am requesting a refund of $89, the difference between the amount I agreed to pay ($67) and the amount charged ($156), and I hope this matter can be reviewed and resolved fairly.

I am very unhappy with my experience with Zipcar.

The car was not where the app said it would be, which meant wasting time searching and having to contact support. When I finally found it, the fuel level was already low. At the end of the trip, there was no available parking in the designated area, and I had to spend a long time driving around and calling support again just to figure out where to leave the car.

On top of that, the vehicle was dirty and poorly maintained.

Overall, the experience was frustrating, time-consuming, and not what I expected. I would not recommend Zipcar based on this experience.

Absolutely horrendous experience I hope and pray this company gets better or closes! I paid $243 out of desperation because I live in a city that had no rental cars available and I needed one for a work trip. The agreement that I signed up for allotted me for 200 miles per day. I returned the vehicle on time and cleaner than it was when I picked it up because it was disgusting and the right tire felt like it was gonna fall off to which I also reported it and they left me on hold anyways I returned it on time and they immediately hit my card for another $122 and they’re refusing to return it. They’re stating that I went over my allotted mileage when I clearly did not when I was supposed to have 200 miles per day.

Be very careful when hiring a Zipcar vehicle.

I hired a van for a house move and discovered at pickup that the sliding side door would not lock because of a hole that had been drilled into the door. This ultimately damaged the locking mechanism meaning I could not safely secure my personal belongings during my transport.

I reported the issue on the day, but the only solution offered was to return the van and travel miles to collect another one, which was not realistic in the middle of a house move.

Zipcar later refused a proper refund despite the vehicle not being safe to drive and not being provided with the service I paid for.

The most concerning part is that a vehicle with a broken locking mechanism and a warning light was even available for hire in the first place.

Based on this experience, I strongly advise anyone thinking of hiring a car/van for moves to find another service. I will not be using Zipcar again.

The worst service ever! The cars are always dirty and dusty inside and out. They charge a fortune for nothing. Not recommended!

I would give a 0 if I could. Felt like a total scam. I used Zipcar for several years until 2022. Now (2026), it's like a totally different company with predatory tactics. I paid for a full day to rent a car. The miles (which have never been limited before as far as I know) were limited to 200 without it being clearly stated. They charged me $109 for the extra prices, almost $30 more than the actual rental price. Absolutely insane prices for any rental car company. Talking to customer service was terrible.

If I could rate 0 stars I would this company is a scam and they don’t deserve your money they add there own fees when they feel like it I paid almost $500 to drive a car for a day it’s not worth it go to a regular rental company!!!!

Would give 0 if possible.
Horrible experience, the car we wanted wasn’t starting, we called customer service and they said the battery is dying. The agent was unfriendly and even told us to stop talking….

Never submitted my application, but was charged an application fee anyway. Now they’re refusing to refund me my money for the unauthorized charge.

They are thieves. Do NOT sign up for this service. They take money out of your account for an “application fee” without your authorization.

Brilliant service in Gran Canaria - the driver was exceptionally helpful in locating our missing accommodation host. Have always found Zipcars in GC excellent and great value.

It took THREE tries to get my car.
Customer service is outsourced so it's very difficult to understand the operators. Discounts are not offered when Zipcar screws up, which is often.

Continued down hill slide. The customer service is terrible.
They also tend to nickel and dime you around little things. They come off as cheap. It's not that easy to pause or cancel the recurring charge. It feels deliberate.

I would not likely do business with them again because of the customer service. I tried to cancel my membership online and it didn't go through. They wouldn't accommodate the mistake. Sad.

Absolutely disgusting, first they scam you , overcharge with the highest price , never return your deposit , after 1 week of renting they will issue you penalty without you getting in , and they will sell all you information details to big international scammers,so don’t rent from them absolutely shocking how government lets them to run business like that

Zipcar informed me about the parking penalties almost one month later.
By the time I was notified, Zipcar had already paid the fines early and closed the cases, without giving me any chance to pay them myself at a discounted rate.
I already paid the £40 towing charge, yet I was still billed £160 + £30 twice.
Even though I ended my trip properly, Zipcar refused to take responsibility.
This practice feels unfair and misleading, and results in unnecessary financial loss for customers.
I strongly recommend checking all charges carefully when using ZipCar

I’ve been a Zipcar member for a few months now, and the whole “share the road” promise quickly turned into a nightmare of rogue parking. The biggest gripe? Zipcar lets its cars be left in private parking spots, and there’s virtually no enforcement.

From the moment I booked a vehicle, I was told I could park in any “public” space, but the app never clarifies what counts as public. As a result, I’ve come back to find a Zipcar blocking my private parking space. Each time I’ve called customer service, the response is the same bland script: “We’ll look into it, but it may take up to 48 hours.” By the time they get back, the car is long gone and the damage—my inconvenience, my wasted time—remains.

What makes it worse is the lack of any real penalty for the driver who parks illegally. Zipcar’s terms of service say you’re responsible for any fines, yet the company does nothing to track or prevent repeat offenders. It feels like they’re happy to collect membership fees while turning a blind eye to the chaos their cars create on private property.

If you value your parking space, your peace of mind, and your time, think twice before signing up. Zipcar’s laissez‑faire approach to where its fleet ends up is a glaring flaw that makes the service more of a liability than a convenience.