NAIAS 2016: With Ford Credit Link, the Sharing Economy Comes to Leasing
by Chris Tonn
January 12th, 2016 3:54 AM
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A pilot initiative will be launched next month in Austin, Texas, where small groups can join forces and lease a new Ford together. Only available at three select dealers for now, the 24-month lease will likely operate much like Zipcar or Car2Go, but on a much smaller, private scale.
A new app will allow between three and six close friends to share payment responsibilities, as well as locate and schedule the use of the car.
Austin was chosen due to the the diverse demographics ( and the good public transport options available to those waiting for their deadbeat roommate to return the Focus.
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"A new app will allow between three and six close friends to share payment responsibilities, as well as locate and schedule the use of the car." By the time the lease is over they won't be close friends any longer.
Unlike a Zipcar you can park this at your place. That's pretty big. It's certainly interesting.
This seems like an incredibly horrible idea, definitely not for me. You can get some pretty dirt cheap leases out there if you are that bad off, if you can't afford $150 or so a month for a car you probably shouldn't own a car.
I would imagine it is not any better than zipcar with a long term contract (and a lower cost). Insurance will end up being non owner insurance or rolled into the lease, fractionally, and no fault. Cost has to be cheaper than zipcar, by a lot, or else why would people choose it over zipcar? Most importantly, someone has to clean that thing once in a while and with many co-leaser, who is going to take care of that?