I was looking at MINIs [just for the fun of it.] Saw this in the San Francisco Craig's List.

I see a lot of perils to doing this. No way I would ever do it. Would you? For me, no amount of money is worth putting my MINI at risk.

Just thought this was interesting. Seems like a Judge Judy episode some day.

 

i woudl never

 

No way! How strange.

 

NO

 

Absolutely not! Nor would I leave her with a babysitter - must've been on Zoner or something to write up that ad

 

What would your insurance company say when it shows up under a bridge burned to nothing but a shell with the keys in the ignition.

 

Good observation, insurance is one of many issues that I have a problem with.

First, most insurance policies EXCLUDE coverage if you rent your car, act as a for-hire taxi, and possibly if one simply lets someone borrow the car. So in this renting arrangement his insurance company would not cover the MINI when used by the renter.

The owner thinks he is covered by requiring the renter to have insurance. But how does the owner intend to confirm that the renter has insurance, that the policy is in force, and that the renter's insurance would actually cover the renter using this MINI. Some insurance policies may not cover rental cars the same as a car one owns.

Exactly how would this guy make a claim on the renter's insurance. He would be at the mercy of the renter and his deciding whether or not to make a claim.

And what about existing damage versus damage that the owner says the renter caused. Unless this guy makes a video and graphic chart of the car showing each and every element of "pre-rental" damage and gets the renter to sign off on that, I can just see a dispute developing over, for example, a door ding that the owner will say the renter caused and the renter saying it was already there.

Plus, this is a six to seven year old car and one of the first MINIs to come out. Three months use by a stranger is a long time within which someone can cause mechanical problems. How does the owner plan to handle matters when the CVT goes out within 30 days of the 90 day contract?

The owner wants the $2400 up front. Is he planning on giving the renter a refund for the balance of time that the MINI is in the garage getting repaired? And what is the renter's remedy if the owner cannot fulfill his end of the bargain for failing to provide a mechanically sound car for the full 90 days?

If the owner is doing this because he will be out of town or the country for those 90 days, how does he intend to handle the logistics of having the MINI repaired? Does he expect the renter to arrange taking the car in, having it towed to the shop, and authorizing repairs? And who is supposed to pay the garage? What if the repairs are $3000? Is the owner ready to remotely give the garage his Mastercard number.

Also entertaining, what if the car breaks down on the road. Is the seller going to put in the contract that the renter is obligated to take care of getting the car to the garage? Will the renter expect compensation for the inconvenience and having to spend a few hours dealing with the garage.

And the above are just a few quick thoughts not taking into account other issues, such as what can happen if the renter is dishonest. What if the renter rents the MINI, takes it to a mechanic friend's house and takes three months to swap all the owner's good parts with all of his [the renter's] bad parts.

What if the agreement between them says that the renter will not drive more than 500 miles a month, but the renter says "**** it" and drives in excess of 2000 miles or more. What's the owner's remedy, sue in court for the agreed per mile charge stated in the contract. Good luck on that.

What happens if the renter drunk drives and gets in a serious accident, to where someone is killed. Many States permit the plaintiff to sue owners of cars who negligently entrust or give their cars to people who should not be driving. Is this owner ready to run a DMV check on the renter to make sure he is properly licensed and that he has insurance?

What if the renter shows the owner a license that is suspended or revoked, but unbeknown to the owner, when the convicted drunk driver was told to surrender his license, the renter lied to the Court that he misplaced the license and could not find it, all with the intent to at least keep what would appear to laypeople to be a valid license.

You get the idea. This is just insane.

 

No amount? I don't know about that... But then again, I have a price on my Mini right now... I would need a substantial security deposit at a minimum.

 

I'd do it for a $25,000 NONREFUNDABLE deposit, I guess.

 

Nope.

 

I have not even received my Mini yet and I am debating to even let my wife drive it!
That's a "NO" to renting.

 

Since the supposed renter would not own the MINI, he could not insure it. No "insurable interest" in the car. Basic insurance law.

The renter would have to drive it under the owner's policy which, as mentioned, probably has an exclusion if you rent the car out.

Aside from the idiocy of giving your car to a stranger (for months at a time), this plan is just not legally workable, IMO.

 

No EFFin way.

 

Wow. 2400 for 3 mos.... That is one effed up lease..... good if you have bad credit....

Lessee..... avg $300-400/month lease.... if you have a good driving record.... insurance about 100-150 a month... so you are paying too much to rent an old car? LOL

Hi.. my name is Ben Dover! Hemorrhoid cream tester.... Glad to meet you!

 

No Non Nein Nyet Neh !

CROC 411

 

Not a chance. Though perhaps this guy is hard pressed for cash and not as emotionally tied to his Mini as us NAMers. I would agree that $800 is abit high. I have rented cars alot over the years and monthly rentals of nearly new cars can be had for $600 or so. Though it's a Mini it's still a 5 year old car and probably has over 50,000 miles on it.

 

Renting to a stranger... a stick shift... in San Francisco
I wouldn't do that even with a beater car if I need to have it back in good running condition.

Oh, and even if he manages to find a way to work out the insurance, it won't cover parking tickets. The renter can park anywhere and accumulate thousands in parking tickets until it gets booted or towed away.

He has an extra car sitting around that he doesn't need, and he hopes to get something out of it. It's a great time to sell a MINI.

 

I agree with all your comments! If I were the craigslister, I'd just sell the MINI, as it is a really good time to be selling one.

 

I would never do this in a million years. This guy has got to either be in a really tight spot, or on glue.