How to find your Zipcar

With thousands of cars and vans parked all over London and the UK you're bound to find one just around the corner. Here's a few tips that'll make finding your Zipcar as easy as pie!

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The easiest way to find your Zipcar or van is to search using the app. For Roundtrips, go to My Trips and select the Pick Up location. This will show you a page with more detail of the car including images of the street the bay is on, its post code and a map of its location. Want to open this in your maps? Just select 'Send to maps' and it'll open up for you to use the maps on your phone to find it.

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Once you're at your car or van you unlock it using the app. Yes, really - it's magic! Just tap the Unlock button in the app - you can also honk the horn if you're having trouble finding it! Remember to only unlock the car when you're next to the vehicle. You can also lock and end your trip in the app on the same screen.

When using the app to unlock a vehicle, please remember to be patient! The technology used is similar to sending and receiving a text message. When you send a signal to unlock your Zipcar, it's sent to our servers that check to see if you have an active reservation in that vehicle. Once confirmed, the signal is sent back to the vehicle, and hey presto! The car is unlocked. As with any text messages, these can get delayed, so please give it time before sending another unlock request. The more requests you send to the server, the longer the car will take to unlock!

You're in! We hope you're sitting comfortably? First port of call is the glove box: inside you will find your keys attached to a slot with a green LED, this lets you know the key has been returned correctly by the last member. When you remove the key from this device the LED will flash red – don’t worry this is not a countdown to an ejector seat, it simply means your reservation is now active.

Also in the glove box is your Zipcar co-pilot – a clear plastic folder that contains lots of handy information about the service including rules (so that everything runs smoothly), what to do if something goes wrong, and most importantly the damage log. The damage log is a section at the back of the co-pilot (it's bright yellow so you can't miss it) which is used to record all existing damage to the vehicle. Checking for damage is a very important part of the Zipcar reservation process. Every time you use a vehicle you should be checking for any new unreported damage at the start of your reservation before you drive away. Check the bodywork and the interior of the vehicle and ensure all damage to the vehicle has been recorded in the log. If it has, great – you can drive away. If you can’t see an entry for the damage give us a call on 0333 240 9000 so we can take the details and give you a report number. You'll then need to write the description of the damage in a free slot and include the damage report number.If you fail to report damage at the start of your reservation you could incur damage fees. If you fail to report a fresh piece of damage, and the next member after you does, you could be held accountable. If you want to avoid scary damage fees, learn more about damage waivers here.

Now you've checked for damage, it’s time to get the car started! We have both manual and automatic vehicles in Zipcar's fleet. To get going you just:

Manual - put key in the ignition, foot on the clutch, wiggle the steering wheel to remove the steering wheel lock, whilst at the same time turning the ignition.

Auto - Key in the ignition, foot on the brake, wiggle the steering wheel to remove the steering wheel lock, whilst at the same time turning the ignition.

For Roundtrip cars every member is expected to leave at least a ¼ of a tank for the next member. If you find you’ve been left with less than this, let our Member Services team know before setting off.

Why Rent a Zipcar?

Save money

We pay for fuel, parking and insurance – so you get access to a car without the hassle of owning one!

Rent a car locally

Zipcars live just around the corner. We've got thousands of cars and vans near where you live and work.

Drive on-demand

Rent by the minute, hour or day when and where you need them. Just book and unlock with the app.

Live greener

Cheaper and greener than owning your own car, we've also got hundreds of electric cars in our fleet.