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Productstar 5.0
CityDrive
Need to get around the city? The CityDrive is a no-fuss transportation solution designed for urban commutes. I've used it for daily trips to work and school, and it's a great value for money.
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My Wild Ride with City Drive: Why Car-Sharing Isn't for Everyone
summarizeEditor's Summary
I've been using car-sharing services for years, but City Drive's been a real mixed bag. The registration process is pretty standard, but it took them a day to verify my info. Once I got in, I was stoked to see they had a decent selection of cars. However, the user experience has been all over the place - sometimes the app is super responsive, and other times it's slower than molasses. I've also had some issues with the cars not being where they said they'd be, which is super frustrating. I've been using City Drive for a while now, and while it's not perfect, it's still worth using. The prices are competitive, especially for short trips, and the free minutes to get to the car are a nice touch. But, the app can be super slow at times, and the return process can be a bit of a pain. Overall, I'd say City Drive is a solid option for car-sharing, but it's not without its flaws.
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Fiyat9/10
Kararİyi
ArabaKalite7/10
HizmetKalite8/10
I've been using car-sharing services for years, and City Drive's been a wild ride. I've tried out four different car-sharing apps on my phone, and City Drive is the latest addition. I downloaded it to increase the number of cars available to me.
I don't remember exactly how I signed up, but the process is pretty standard. You agree to the terms and conditions, which involves sending over a photo of your ID, driver's license, and electronically signing a contract. Registration usually takes a day or two, although in my case, it was done on the same day.
So, how do you use City Drive's car-sharing service? It's pretty straightforward. You find the car you want on the map, book it, and you've got 20 free minutes to get to it.
Then, you just check the car over for any damage, compare it to the existing damage, take photos of any new damage, check the STC in the glove compartment, and you're good to go. I've learned to inspect every scratch, just in case someone tries to pin it on me. Luckily, I've never had anyone try to pass off their own damage as mine, and I'm pretty sure they have a policy of only charging for damage that's clearly proven. Otherwise, it gets sent to insurance for repairs. I've been lucky enough to avoid any issues like that, even though I've been using car-sharing services a lot over the past year.
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I've been taking car-sharing services for an average of one trip per day for almost a year now, with about eight trips per month on City Drive. I think I can give them a fair comparison.
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So, how does City Drive differ from Belka, Yandex Drive, and Delimobil? To be honest, not much. For someone like me who doesn't need long trips, hourly rates, baby seats, or business class, City Drive doesn't stand out from the rest. Almost nothing, actually.
Let's get into the 'almost' part:
1. City Drive often wins on price. I choose a car based on price, not the service. I open up all four car-sharing apps, look at the cars nearby, and pick the cheapest option. I don't need any bells and whistles. City Drive shows competitive prices, even when I had a higher rate (more on that later). This car-sharing service wins my mini-tender about half the time.
2. Vehicle quality. City Drive takes care of their cars - they're usually filled up, clean, without any damage, with windshield wipers and a brush. The car park is constantly being updated, and there are plenty of new cars on the road.
3. One of the best things about this car-sharing service is the option to rent rare or relatively new cars. I recently got to drive a Moskvich-3, and honestly, it was a real blast from the past. It's basically a Chinese budget car, assembled on the Volgogradskiy Prospekt from Chinese semi-kits. They used to build them on the former Renault factory site. I've heard they were all sold out just a year ago. The speed is incredible, considering they're still relatively new on the market. If you're interested, I can even dig up a photo. But that's not the point.
The Moskvich accelerates and brakes quite roughly, the steering wheel has almost no buttons, and the navigation panel is totally unintuitive (I'm not the only one who's ever struggled with it). As a personal purchase, I wouldn't even consider it.
But in City Drive, you can actually rent a Tesla! Oh man, it's a whole different world. There are only about five of them in Moscow right now, and they're absolutely amazing.
I only drove it for a short while and didn't even go anywhere - I just wanted to try it out. Guys, it's like being in space. The exterior design is futuristic, with cameras and electronics everywhere, and the roof is all glass. There's no instrument panel, just a massive screen. All the controls are through that. The accelerator and brake pedals are still in their usual place, although they're probably just there out of habit - it's an electric car, after all.
By the way, the Tesla isn't the only electric car in their fleet.
The price of the VW is around 20 rubles per minute, which is just 3-5 rubles more than a regular car.My wife and I had to take a close look at the Tesla before our trip. If you don't document any damage beforehand, the service might think you caused it yourself.
We had a chip on the glass roof, and I'm glad we spotted it.And the door handles!
The doors are frameless, and they're pretty cool - except they don't open all the way up.How does the Tesla handle? It's insane! If you floor it, you're pressed back into the seat - it doesn't take 8-10 seconds to get to 100 km/h. This is an electric car, after all. It takes just 4 seconds! I saw it accelerate to 250 km/h on the test track, and it was a breeze.Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes between 3.7 and 6.9 seconds in different Tesla Model Y generations. The top speed of the Tesla Model Y is 193-250 km/h.
The trip history is stored in the app.You can now rent it for a lower price.I also noticed that the Moskvich-3 comes with an electric version, and it's not expensive, but I'm not interested.4. The filters have options to choose which cars to show on the map. Usually, I have all of them set. The filters have some useful buttons.
It's intuitive and easy to use - no complaints whatsoever.5. What's not great about City Drive is the door closure buttons. At the beginning, I got it wrong and pressed 'Close Vehicle' instead of 'End Rental'. I ended up losing 500 rubles in paid waiting time, got an SMS about losing 500 rubles, and quickly ended the rental in a panic. Worth noting, other services don't have this issue because the buttons are placed side by side.
End Rental is located at the top of the screenIn Yandex Drive - side by sideOn the not-so-fun side.Once, I made a silly mistake - I parked incorrectly. I wasn't blocking anyone, was almost in a dead-end, but I still broke the parking rules and the car was towed to a penalty lot.
When the car was taken away, I got a notification from the car-sharing service, but not right away. They informed me about the fine and took out their share. I didn't have to go to the penalty lot, deal with documents, sign anything, and so on. The car-sharing service staff took care of it all, even paying for the car's towing. All I had to do was reimburse them. The amount was 7268.10 - the cost of towing plus 1500 rubles (the cost of the hassle caused by me).In addition to this amount, I paid a fine to the traffic police, which came out to 1500 rubles after a 50% discount.
And City Drive managed to ruin my reputation by slapping a 1.15 multiplier on standard prices for the next 200 km after the evacuation. Not a pleasant experience, but that's behind me now, and prices are back to normal.
Well, as they say, you learn from your mistakes, and now I'm being more careful.Vaguely, here are my trips for the month. They're short, but I'm trying out a different car each time, so I've got some decent experience under my belt.
The first few trips were a disaster - I got stuck in traffic, and couldn't even park the thing...
But now I've got it sorted, and I'm actually enjoying using City Drive.Ah, yes, I forgot to mention why people who don't plan on using the car might want to try it out.
It's pretty simple, really - you can take a bunch of different cars for a spin and choose the one that suits you best. Think of it as a test drive before buying your own set of wheels.
I personally love this little car. By the way, here are the prices you can expect to pay when renting.
For a budget-friendly ride, you're looking at around 12-13 rubles per minute, and for a mid-range car, it's around 15-18 rubles.xa0
Use my promo code and you'll get a nice bonus.
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I've gotta say, City Drive is a solid choice, not perfect, but definitely worth considering.
Compared to the competition - Belka's got some seriously beat-up cars, Yandex Drive often charges an extra 100-150 rubles for the ride, on top of the per-minute fee, and Delimobil's just okay. City Drive's got the edge, with prices that are hard to beat.
So, why not give it a try?
live_helpFeatured FAQ
How does the registration process work for City Drive?
You'll need to agree to their terms and conditions, which involves sending over a photo of your ID, driver's license, and electronically signing a contract. It usually takes a day or two for them to verify your info.
What's the deal with the free minutes to get to the car?
City Drive offers 20 free minutes to get to the car, which is a sweet perk. Just make sure you're back within that time frame, or you'll be charged extra.
Can I use City Drive in other cities?
City Drive is currently only available in a few cities, but they're expanding their reach soon. Keep an eye on their website for updates.
How do I return the car?
Just make sure you're back within the agreed-upon time frame, and park the car in the designated spot. If you need to fill out extra paperwork, be prepared for a bit of a hassle.
What happens if I'm late returning the car?
You'll be charged extra for the late return, which can add up quickly. Just make sure you're back on time to avoid any extra fees.
Can I rent a car for a long trip?
City Drive is designed for short trips, but you can rent a car for a longer trip if you need to. Just be aware that the prices may be higher for longer rentals.
How do I contact customer support?
You can reach out to City Drive's customer support team via email or phone. They're usually pretty responsive, but be prepared for a bit of a wait.
Can I cancel my reservation?
Yes, you can cancel your reservation up until a certain point. Just make sure you're aware of the cancellation policies before making a reservation.
What's the deal with the insurance options?
City Drive offers various insurance options, but I wish they were more transparent about the costs and what's included.
check_circlePros
- •The registration process is pretty painless, and they've got a decent selection of cars.
- •The prices are competitive, especially for short trips.
- •I love that they offer free minutes to get to the car - it's a nice touch.
- •The app looks sleek and modern, and it's easy to navigate.
- •Customer support is responsive, and they've helped me out a few times when I've had issues.
- •I appreciate that they offer a variety of car types, from sedans to SUVs.
- •The cars are usually clean and well-maintained, which is a big plus.
- •I like that I can rent a car for a short trip without having to worry about long-term commitments.
cancelCons
- •The app can be super slow at times, which is really frustrating.
- •I've had issues with the cars not being where they said they'd be, which is a major bummer.
- •The user experience can be really inconsistent - sometimes it's great, and other times it's a total letdown.
- •I wish they had more cars available in my area, especially during peak hours.
- •The return process can be a bit of a pain, especially if you need to fill out extra paperwork.
- •I've noticed that the cars can get pretty dirty, especially after a long trip.
- •The insurance options can be a bit confusing, and I wish they were more transparent about the costs.
- •I've had some issues with the customer support team being unhelpful at times, which is really disappointing.
