I just had my wallet stolen and was quite unhappy to find out that ZipCar charges a $15 card replacement fee. I'm sorry but I can't see why I should be charged a replacement fee for a card that ZipCar needs me to have so they can make money. I mean that's why credit card companies replace them for free... because their business relies on you having a card more often than not. Sorry ZipCar, but I'm calling it quits. It's bad enough I was robbed once. I hope you can justify saving 15 lousy bucks when you will end up losing many hundreds in rental fees from myself and others that see how wrong this is. -JL

-- Anonymous, June 15, 2004

Answers

I'm with you, man. You're completely right.

-- Anonymous, June 15, 2004

The card is an RF antenna card, not a cheap piece of nonfunctional plastic like a credit card. They cost real money, and I think zipcar is justified in recouping costs for customers who lose theirs.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2004

I agree. I had the same problem (wallet stolen, not carelessness) and I wasn't informed about the fee when I reported the loss to Zipcar. It just showed up on my bill.

I can definitely see the need for a fee for habitual card losers -- why not a structure like a $30 replacement for the 2nd card loss, +$10 each additional replacement, to subsidize people who lose their card only once?

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2004

As I understand it, this is the cost to Zipcar for replacement, so.... my guess is, either you pay for it because you lost your card, or all of us end up paying for it in the form of some other increased rate. I would vote for you to pay for it, because you lost it.

-- Anonymous, July 04, 2004

Zipcar needs to write ON THE CARD 1) that there is a replacement fee if it is lost (there is no need to state the exact fee, since that obviously can change: it used to be $10, for example), and 2) why (as a previous poster said, because it is a piece of circuitry, not just a piece of plastic).

I share all the strong feelings of the other posts, but I think most important is the feeling of being ripped off by Zipcar -- and that can and should be addressed by being open about the fee. Stating this on the card itself is the best way to do this. Not to do it is to wilfully ignore that inevitably almost everyone will assume that this piece of plastic, like any membership card, is free. If anyone doubts that this is a widespread assumption, just look at the previous posts.

r:b:

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2004

I have an even *worse* story:

The other day I was on my way to the beach. Just before leaving, I go back in the house to get a map, leaving the family in the car, engine running.

Of course, I forget the zipcard.

One hour later, at the beach, I cant find the zipcard, so I get the spare one from the trunk and call Customer Service to activate it temporarilly.

Nope. No more temporary activation.

The only options are: 1) Pay $15 to activate the spare card and make it my new card. 2) Don't close the car (I was tempted).

Not much of a choice.

I know have 2 cards.

Bad, bad, bad business practice.

Alain

-- Anonymous, July 15, 2004