Peer to peer car sharing FAQs
Whether you want to borrow a car, share your own, or are still asking yourself ‘What is car sharing?’ you’ll find answers to the most common questions about Avail and car sharing below. If you can’t find the exact information you’re looking for, try visiting our Help Center to learn more about the ins and outs of borrowing and sharing cars with Avail.
Borrow a car with Avail
We make it simple to borrow the car you need when you need it. Get on the road quickly with self-service pick-up and drop-off at our neighborhood car sharing locations throughout Chicago and Denver. Just book a car, grab the keys and go — no lines, no waiting.
Avail simplifies access to car sharing. All cars are owned by real, local people, but we take care of the car exchange, cleaning, inspection and insurance process so it’s easier for the borrower and the owner of the car.
Avail makes it easy to borrow or share a car at any of our neighborhood locations across Chicago and Denver.
Avail is located in neighborhoods throughout Chicago and Denver. Choose the sharing location most convenient for you — this is where you’ll pick up and drop off your car.
All drivers must be 21 or older and have a valid U.S. driver’s license (probationary and provisional licenses are not accepted), a clean driving record and a valid credit card to book a reservation (debit cards are not accepted).
We require bookings and modifications to be made at least 4 hours in advance of pick-up. This helps give our staff time to prepare your vehicle.
Avail borrowers will use their own insurance first and our Allstate insurance coverage is anything excess over that primary insurance. If you don’t have insurance and are borrowing, our coverage will still apply. The cost of Avail’s insurance offerings compares favorably with the competition and we cover the cost to repair damage done to the Avail vehicle over $3,000. You can even waive the insurance fee with valid proof of your personal auto policy. If you’re not comfortable with paying up to $3,000, you can select an alternative protection plan for an additional charge and limit your potential out-of-pocket cost to either $1,000 or $500. This protection is not insurance and only covers damage done to the Avail car.
If you have questions about your personal auto policy or credit card policy and how they may apply to your rental, please contact your insurance company or a licensed agent.
Total trip mileage is limited to 200 miles per day. That means a 3-day trip is allowed up to 600 total miles before incurring a fee of an extra $0.50 per mile. We calculate total mileage by looking at the odometer before and after your trip.
Avail charges a general insurance fee and a trip fee. Avail doesn’t charge extra fees to add a second driver or to cancel your trip before the reservation start time.
You may be charged fees or fines if you break our Borrower Rules and Guidelines, including for smoking or vaping, bringing a pet (service animals are accepted), damaging the vehicle, unauthorized drivers, excessive wear and tear and returning the car with less gas than was provided at pick up.
Cars must be less than 10 years old and have fewer than 125,000 miles to be shared on Avail.* To maintain our safety standards, we only accept vehicles that have an automatic transmission, no open recalls, no major cosmetic damage and no significant interior or exterior damage.
*Cars aged over 10 years old at the time of listing are ineligible for sharing and will not be accepted. Avail retains the discretion to make exceptions for vehicles with active listings, considering their condition and sharing history.
Yes. After your booking is confirmed, have them create an Avail account and upload their driver’s license, then contact our support team via chat or SMS. We will then add that person to your reservation. It’s free to add a second driver.
We can’t guarantee a vehicle will have all-wheel drive, but many of our SUVs come equipped. If you’d like to borrow a car with four-wheel drive, just reserve a midsize or large SUV and then chat Avail support with your preference. We will do our best to fulfill your request.
Share my car with Avail
Leave your keys with us and come back to a clean car and easy passive income. When you share your car on Avail in Chicago and Denver, we manage everything from borrower screenings to key and car handoffs. We’ll get you paid quickly, too, making it worthwhile and convenient to share your car.
You’re guaranteed to earn at least $50/week after you share your car for 7 consecutive days. You don’t have to share your eligible car in 7-day increments, though. No matter how long you share past the 5-day minimum, your guaranteed earnings will be prorated accordingly ($7.14/day).
When your eligible car is borrowed, you’ll earn a fixed amount each day based on your car’s class. Standard cars, mid-size SUVs and vans earn $20 per day and large SUVs earn $25 per day. This fixed daily earnings will count toward your guaranteed amount. If your car is not borrowed during your sharing period, you will still make your guaranteed amount. If your car is frequently borrowed during your sharing period, you can earn more than your guaranteed amount.
Unlock your earning potential
Want to earn even more? Share a direct link to your vehicle page on social media or with friends and family. Earn an extra $100 bonus each time a new borrower signs up using your link and completes a booking on one of your cars.
Here are a few examples of how this works:
Example 1: If you list your eligible car to be shared for 5 days and you earn $20 from borrower trips during that time, you’ll make a prorated guarantee of $35.71.
Example 2: If you list your eligible car to be shared for 7 days and earn $0 from borrower trips during that time, you’ll still earn $50 in guaranteed income.
Example 3: If you list your eligible car to be shared for 28 days and earn $400 from borrower trips during that time, you’ve surpassed your minimum guaranteed earnings, and you’ll earn $400.
Guaranteed earnings are paid out per eligible car and are set automatically per sharing period. If you share for 28 consecutive days, you can expect your automatic payment to be sent on day 29.
At this time, we are only able to accept cars from owners who live in Chicago or Denver. If you need help, please contact our team of listing specialists at share@availcarsharing.com.
You must be able to share your car for a minimum of 5 consecutive days. There is no limit on how long you can share.
Create an Avail account and schedule your car to be listed for sharing for at least 5 consecutive days. Then, remove your personal items from your car, park in a designated Avail parking space and leave your keys in our key box — we’ll handle the rest. We facilitate sharing, insurance, cleaning and customer service, so the money you earn is truly passive.
Avail shall not be responsible for items left, stored, or transported in or on the car at the time of sharing.
We’ll make your earnings available in your Avail account each time after your eligible car is shared and at the end of your sharing period if you haven’t already met your guarantee. Owners who list their eligible car to be shared for more than 28 consecutive days will receive their guaranteed earnings payout on day 29, and again at the end of their sharing reservation or after the next 28-day period if they share for multiple months.
You can then transfer the funds from your Avail account to your bank account at any time.
Every trip on Avail is covered up to $1 million in insurance from Allstate, along with 24/7 roadside assistance.
You may choose to have a qualifying third-party inspection to be eligible for complimentary routine maintenance coverage, including oil and filter changes, transmission and differential fluid changes and some wear and tear items such as tires and brakes. Coverage will be based on mileage accrued while the vehicle is listed on the Avail platform. Those who choose not to receive an inspection can still share their car, but won’t receive any routine maintenance coverage.
You’ll be responsible for scheduling an inspection with Pep Boys and driving your car to and from the appointment, as well as paying the $49.99 fee. You’ll need to tell Pep Boys you are receiving an inspection for Avail and email your completed inspection to inspection@availcarsharing.com.
Currently, third-party inspections can only be performed by Pep Boys. We’re working to add more partners and expand ways to receive a qualified inspection.
Yes. Go to “Reservations” in your Avail account to change your sharing dates.
Someone like you. They may be local or from out of town. No matter where they’re from, we always pre-screen the drivers who borrow with Avail. Additionally, every driver on Avail must be 21+, pass a motor vehicle record check and have a valid U.S. driver’s license.
