Spending time driving the car of your dreams is easier said than done. Hertz doesn’t rent a 1970 Ford Mustang, and odds are your dream car isn’t a beige Chrysler 200 that smells like the coffee the last renter spilled in the center console. Insurance provider Hagerty has launched a peer-to-peer platform named DriveShare to let enthusiasts rent a classic or exotic car for special events, or just to cruise around in.
DriveShare isn’t brand new; it’s an evolution of Classic&Exotics, a company founded in 2014 and purchased recently by Hagerty. The platform works a lot like Airbnb in the sense that it puts customers directly in touch with private parties who have something to rent. The owner of the car sets the price, the daily mileage limit, and the amount of the security deposit. Hagerty gives owners peace of mind by verifying the driving record of every would-be renter before approving an account.
There are more cars available through Hagerty DriveShare than in Forza 7. Enthusiasts in the Portland, Oregon, area can choose from list that includes a 2013 Nissan GT-R priced at $550 for a full day, a 1992 Acura NSX listed at $290 per day, and a 1970 Oldsmobile 442 which will set you back $450. Traveling across the nation, the cars available in Boston include a 1976 Porsche 911, a 2002 BMW M3, a 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo (the predecessor to today’s Huracan), and a 1937 Cadillac Series 85 Sedan. If you want something more low-key, there’s a 1968 Volkswagen Squareback listed in Brooklyn, New York. It’ll turn heads without drawing unnecessary attention.
Can’t drive a stick? Don’t worry, you can browse by make, model, transmission type, and even select equipment like navigation, AC, and power windows. Hagerty is also an insurance company, so it’s no surprise that every DriveShare rental includes up to $1 million in insurance protection. Renters also benefit from a comprehensive 24/7 roadside assistance program designed specifically for classic cars.
Classics&Exotics founder Peter Zawadski explains the service benefits both parties. On one hand, classic and exotic car owners can offset the cost of maintenance by renting out their pride and joy when they’re not using it. On the other hand, putting new faces behind the wheel of a classic car often brings fresh blood into the hobby.
“I started this company so people could try out these amazing vehicles and owners could make a little money to defray the cost of ownership, and that’s still the mission today for DriveShare. It’s a great way to bring more people into the hobby. What we’ve seen is that people who rent these cars often become classic car owners themselves,” said Zawadski.
