DriveShare mimics Airbnb for classic car fans
Peter Zawadzki is as passionate about classic cars as the next person. About four years ago, he had a keen idea to allow other enthusiasts share his appreciation. He decided to rent out his car — a 1958 MGA. A couple used it for their wedding.
Fast-forward and the success of the initial transaction is now the Hagerty DriveShare Program. It’s an online marketplace for owners of classic vehicles to rent their wheels to other enthusiasts, and it’s worked.
Getaway weekends, weddings, anniversaries and pending buyers who seek to test a comparable vehicle to a classic they’re considering purchasing are among the reasons owners and renters mesh.
“At the time, there wasn’t really product available that allowed you to do it, especially nothing that would handle the insurance,” said Zawadzki. “It’s really important, especially if you’re lending your car out to someone you know or someone you don’t know, and you want to make sure that car is covered.”
Zawadzki began renting multiple vehicles via the company’s previous name, Classics & Exotics. It was purchased and rebranded last summer by Hagerty.
Relying on a mode similar to Airbnb, the DriveShare program provides the platform for classic car owners to market their classic vehicle and for renters to find vehicles for special occasions.
The site is loaded with vehicles available in nearly every state and with an equally diverse price range. Numerous vehicles are available in the San Francisco Bay Area. A 1957 Cadillac Coupe in Newark is $450 per day. There’s a 1965 Ford Mustang in Pacifica for $200 a day, a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner in South San Francisco priced at $350 per day and a 1983 Volkswagen Vanagon in Oakland is available for $180 per day.
If you’re traveling to Southern California, a 1988 Porsche 911 is rentable for $325 per day. Or perhaps a visit to Birmingham, Alabama, is on the horizon. A 1951 Packard 250 is waiting for $500 per day.
According to the website, “DriveShare is on a mission to keep car culture alive, making damn sure that people who love cars will always have the choice to go for a drive. This is where you come in: share your car and your passion with others — help grow the next generation of car people. The road awaits.”
“The response has been great,” said Zawadzki. “We have had a lot of people buy their first classic car after renting a car on the website. Obviously, the platform isn’t for everybody; there are plenty of people who would never rent their house out and there are plenty of people who would never rent their boat out or any of their belongings.”
“But there is also a percentage of people who would. Airbnb wouldn’t be successful if no one wanted to rent out their house. If you asked me five or six years ago before I purchased my first classic car or when I just purchased my first classic car if I would ever rent it out, my answer would have been absolutely not. I would have never let anyone behind the wheel of it.”
But when Zawadzki purchased a second classic car and was infrequently driving at least one of the vehicles he re-evaluated. Quick success followed.
“All of a sudden I started opening my mind up to it,” he said. “If I have it and I can monetize it in some type of way, even if it’s to offset my storage (costs), or some of my maintenance, that would be awesome.”
Details of how the program works are available on the website www. driveshare.com. An app is also available via Apple iTunes.