What is a car club?

A car club has all the convenience of owning a car without the hassle and expense. It works on the basis of allowing you to hire a car for almost any period of time.

How much does it cost?

Most car clubs charge by the hour although some offer reduced fees for longer rentals. You will most likely pay a joining fee and then only pay as you use.

What are the benefits?

• You have access to a car anytime you want.

• You don’t have to pay for road tax, car insurance, car services, and MOT bills.

• You don’t have to worry about depreciation, parking permits or cleaning the car.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not - this is the reality for car club members. Nick Kirby, a member of a car club in Brighton, finds it easy and convenient. 'I had been thinking about getting a car,' he says, 'but when I sat down and worked out how much it was going to cost me per month, it soon added up. And then when I worked out how often I was going to use it, it seemed like something of a luxury, rather than a necessity. Someone mentioned car clubs to me, I investigated the costs and the flexibility and it was the perfect solution.'

How does a car club work?

As Nick explains: 'The car club I belong to has over 60 cars dotted around Brighton, which are parked on the street in designated parking bays. When I want a car, I simply go online, find a car in a street near me – in fact I have a choice of cars only five minutes away – and reserve it for the time I want it. Then, when the time comes, I use my membership swipe card to gain entry to the car, switch on the simple onboard computer and away I go. Once my rental period is up, I park the car back in its bay, switch off the computer, lock it using the swipe card and that's it. Then I get billed once a month and pay by direct debit. I don't have to worry about car insurance, repairs or MOTs. I even get a petrol allowance – I can drive up to 50 miles without incurring an additional fee on top of the hourly charge. Beyond that, I do get charged per mile.'

How do I know if a car club is for me?

If you use your car quite often, a car club may not be for you. However, if you only need to use a car every now and then, it could be worth checking out. You can work out if a car club makes financial sense for you by using the calculator on Car Club websites. The calculator allows you to enter your information and work out whether a car club would suit your needs. For more information about Car Clubs, visit the Car Club website.

Driving green

Most of the cars are new, small cars that have lower CO² emissions and get more miles to the gallon. Plus, every trip you take, you pay for so you could be less inclined to use a car for unnecessary trips.

If a car club is not for you and you do decide to buy a car, make sure you get adequate car insurance cover. Most car insurance companies offer quick and easy car insurance quotes online. For a car insurance quote and more information about the types of car insurance available from Direct Line, visit www.directline.com/motor/welcome.htm