At Tribecar, P-platers and under-23s are charged approximately 30 per cent more (so expect the $2.14 per hour rate for the lowest tier car at super off-peak to be about $2.78 instead), and the models of cars that they can rent are limited, as are the number of locations they can pick the cars up from. This is because the insurance that needs to be purchased for cars driven by new drivers is much higher, and most companies will get new driver insurance only for a limited number of cars, and we’re guessing they won’t be the brand new or luxe models. Raw deal for newbie drivers, but the good news is all these restrictions go away once you pass the probational two years and become an experienced driver.

Which is what I supposedly am, having had my license for about 10 years. When I decided to review Tribecar, I had my pick of the fleet (and no need to pay ’cos review), and any rational/smart person would have gone for their most luxe option, the Audi A3 ($9.10 per hour; same rate for peak and off-peak). But pathetically, I picked the car I was most familiar with, the Honda Vezel, partly ’cos I’m not the best driver in the world (though not the worst), partly ’cos I’ll be ferrying some passengers around and just want a car I can handle easily, and also ’cos even though insurance is included in the price you pay (the prices are nett, with no hidden taxes or extra insurance costs), in the event of any minor skirmishes (scratches or dents on the car due to crappy parallel parking, for example) which don’t involve a major insurance claim, the driver is responsible for the cost of repairs.

Which is how I ended up at a multi-storey HDB car park in Bedok North, staring at the Vezel which would be my ride for the next few hours. The sign-up process was easy — register on www.Tribecar.com (no need to pay for membership or any sign-up fees; just a deposit of $100 which will be refunded when I terminate my account), take pics of your driver’s license, pick the car you want, your start and end time, and location to pick car up from. You’re then told how much it will all cost. Once you get an email confirmation, you’re set. Turn up at designated carpark lot (for me, it was Deck 2B of the carpark, between Lots 266 and 288), locate your car (they give you the licence plate number), then follow the instructions on the website, which is to take four pics of the car from the front, sides and back, and send these to them via the website, to verify that the car is in good condition before your trip. Tap another button on your phone, and the car unlocks. At this point, standing by myself in an almost empty carpark with not a soul to be seen, taking pics of a car and then unlocking it with my phone, I was starting to feel a bit like I was in a spy movie. The illusion would have been more complete if only I had picked the Audi. Sigh.

The car keys are in the glove compartment. I get into my rented car, turn on the engine, adjust the mirrors and seat, and I was off. The vehicle itself is adequate and handles well enough, and my only quibble is that the inside of the car wasn’t as clean as I’d expected (the outside was fine). The minute I was able to get my hands on a wet wipe, I gave the steering wheel, which was slightly sticky, a good rubdown. The floors were slightly dirty as well, but I wouldn’t say it was worse than the condition of my own car mats.  For those who are used to the spotlessness of overseas rentals, remember that you’re car-sharing. Which means the previous driver could have dropped off the vehicle not long before, and that the cars are not cleaned after every use, though a rep says “they do try to clean them as often as possible.”

Also, unlike the usual rentals, you don’t start off with a full tank of fuel. You get enough to make it to a petrol station, where you can then top up the tank with the amount of petrol you think you need. As a guideline, Tribecar advises 1 litre of fuel for every 10km or $4 for one hour of rental, and this varies depending on the distance driven. Fortunately, my car had more than enough fuel and didn’t require a top-up (perhaps ’cos they knew it was for a review? Or maybe the renter before me overestimated?). In any case, I rented the car at 11am and returned it to the same spot at 11pm.

Also, don’t forget to bring your own cashcard. I have an unfortunate anecdote you should learn from — I stuck my EZ-Link Passion Card into the IU, and it worked. I had very little value in it ($2.30), but I figured I could top it up later. When I was ready to leave the carpark I was in, I tried to top up the card using the usual top-up machine at the carpark, but it didn’t work. This particular card could only be topped up at an MRT station or at an ATM. Ugh. I decide to try to see if the parking fee would somehow be $2.30 or less. Guess what? It was $2.40. Cursing and swearing (and sweating), I ran around Sentosa’s Beach Station looking for an ATM machine. In my own car, I would usually have spare cashcards, but in a rental, there isn’t such so much as an extra piece of tissue paper. So yeah, be warned.

So, pros and cons after my car-sharing experience? A definite pro is the more than 270 locations you can rent a car from. Within 15 minutes of my house, there were probably five or six locations I could get a car from, though whether I could have gotten the car I wanted at the time I wanted is untested, since Tribecar made sure I had my Vezel at my preferred location for the review. (FYI, they have about 370 cars up for sharing.) Since it’s fairly easy to get and return a car, unlike with the usual rentals where the locations are much more limited and may not be near your residence, and where you may have to go through paperwork or waiting times, it does make sense to hop over to pick up a car when you need it for just a few hours, maybe to transport stuff or for a special occasion (an Audi to impress your V-day date, anyone?).  

Between taking a Grab or Go-Jek to town during peak hours and renting a car, especially if you plan to hit more than one place, it might be cheaper to get the car, even after factoring in fuel, ERP and parking. The Tribecar rental becomes especially worth it if you don’t need a car the whole day, as you can rent by the hour. Most traditional rental companies only allow rent by the day. For example, if I had to pay for my Vezel Tribecar rental from 11am to 11pm, I would be paying $89.90. I did a quick check of a local car rental marketplace and a Vezel would cost $101 for the whole day, and I’m not sure if there are other costs and taxes I’d have to pay. Tribecar has daily rental as well — a Vezel for a day on a weekday would cost $96.30 (Mon to Thurs) or $123.05 (Fri to Sun). So… if you need some wheels for only a few hours, Tribecar’s hourly rental is a great option. Any longer than 12 hours, and you’re better off paying for a daily rental, in which case you can use the rental company which offers the best rate.

In a nutshell, Tribecar is fantastic if you need a car in the wee hours of the morning for a few hours, as you can really take advantage of the $2.14 per hour rate, and it’s a good option for young drivers who are saving up for their first car but want some reliable wheels now and then. I would definitely consider renting again if I need to drive to a few different places within a short amount of time. And next time, I’ll get the Audi.

Worth it or not? You can decide based on how long you need a car for. For very short-term rental of a few hours, the Tribecar hourly rental is a pretty viable option. Vroom vroom! 

Tribecar is at www.tribecar.com.