Become a digitalPLUS subscriber. $13 for 13 weeks.
Classified Autos

Drivers must ask: To Zip or to rent?

With little green signs popping up in parking lots all over the country, it's hard not to take note of the Zipcar craze or even resist the urge to jump behind the wheel and zip off yourself. Being a Zipcar member means being able to reserve a car at a moment's notice (even unlock it through your iPhone).

But when do you want wheels? If the answer is rarely, then Zipcar's $75 membership fee ($50 annual plus $25 application) may not be worth it. If you're looking to take out a car for just one day, a first-time Zipcar driver would pay $160.

Rental agencies like Enterprise and Hertz have rates that vary widely depending on when and where you book. A last-minute, one-day rental from Los Angeles International Airport would cost a minimum of $136 with Enterprise and $113 with Hertz. But reserving two days ahead from Raleigh-Durhan International Airport would cost $31 with Enterprise and $30 with Hertz.

Hertz also offers a car-sharing program called Connect. It has the same rates as Zipcar, but a smaller fleet of cars.

If you're a car-free urbanite who frequently finds yourself needing wheels, the Zipcar membership fee is a worthwhile investment that brings the rest of your daily rentals down to $83 (more if you go more than 180 miles a day) and your hourly rentals down to $7.

For those with a penchant for spontaneous drives or last-minute grocery runs, Zipcar was made for you. There's no need to reserve ahead of time or find your way to an airport lot.

Things to know:

Zipcars must be returned to their location; rental car companies may offer one-way drives.

Becoming a Zipcar member takes planning: Allow time to receive your card in the mail or pick it up during business hours.

Drivers ages 21 to 24 pay an extra fee to rent Enterprise or Hertz but not to Zip. No company rents to drivers under 21.

Copyright © 2014, Chicago Tribune