Hagerty Rolls Out ‘DriveShare’ to Rent Out Classic Cars Direct from Owners
Feel like snagging a mint 1971 Ferrari Daytona Spider for the day? How about a spotless 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS?
The fine people at Hagerty know classic cars. They just want you to know classic cars a little better, too. And what better way than a new service called DriveShare that lets you rent all manner of vintage rides by the day, straight from the owners themselves? Sure beats the Hertz rental counter.
America in 2017 is lousy with apps and services that claim to solve problems we don't really have. But DriveShare is different—in our eyes, there's an urgent and unmet need for people around the country to be able to snag something like a cherry red 1966 Cadillac DeVille convertible for just a single day of top down classic motoring.
And yes, to be fair, Turo is a thing that exists. But the vehicles on that service are more underused daily drivers and modern exotics than collector's cars. Good luck trying to find things like a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera, a 1951 Pontiac Chieftan, a 1967 Pontiac GTO, a 1931 Ford Model A, a 1971 Ferrari Daytona Spider, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS, or a 1975 Citroen H Van over there.
So how does this "Airbnb for classic cars" stand out, apart from a unique selection? A little exclusivity doesn't hurt—the service requires an application process for users, a $500 security deposit, and a minimum age of 30. Those restrictions, along with a promised 24/7 roadside assistance service staffed with specialized, highly-trained mechanics, should help encourage owners of even more unusual and rare cars to give it a whirl. Having the backing of a massive specialized insurance company (plus $1 million in coverage for each car) will likely help draw in more early adopters.
It's not cheap, though. The least expensive car we could find near The Drive's west coast bunker in Los Angeles was this 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am turned replica Knight Industries 2000 KITT, available for the comparatively low price of $174 per day. Honestly, not the worst deal. For something a little less Hasselhoff-y, expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $1,000.
The service was started under the name "Classics&Exotics" back in 2014, and Hagerty recently bought the company and rebranded it with the aim of expanding nationwide. They've currently got a stable of about 140 cars spread across 21 states, but DriveShare has been live for less than a month. From curiosity-fueled joyrides to special events like birthdays and weddings, we see a lot of reasons why even non-gearheads would sign up.
"DriveShare gives people an easy way to get behind the wheel of cars they've always wanted to drive," Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty said in a press release. "Our goal is to provide a common platform that connects enthusiasts and owners to expand the community of people who love cars."
