Six essential steps to take before you start sharing your car

Tarlen's car-sharing marketplace connects car owners with people looking to rent cars.

Car-sharing has emerged as a useful tool for both car owners looking to monetise their vehicles and for individuals in need of temporary transport without the hassle of traditional rental services. Tarlen is a pioneer leading this revolution in South Africa as the first-of-a-kind car-sharing marketplace, which connects car owners with people looking to rent cars for their next adventure, business trip or transportation needs.

Whether you’re considering turning your idle car into a passive income stream or aiming to scale a fleet of vehicles, understanding car-sharing is important. Before you list your vehicle and start receiving renters and guests, there are steps you must make sure you take to ensure success, safeguard your car and provide a good experience for renters.

From defining your goal to learning about how car-sharing works, we’ll guide you through optimising your listing, maintaining your vehicle, setting competitive pricing and more.

• Define your goals: Understand what you want to achieve by sharing your car. Whether it’s earning extra income to cover your car expenses, or building a fleet of vehicles for a more significant business, car-sharing supports both casual and serious hosts. The average earnings for a car-sharing host will vary depending on the number of cars listed and their activity level.

• Get involved and learn: Immerse yourself in the car-sharing community and platform. Tarlen offers a robust support system and community for its hosts, including a blog and newsletters with stories and tips. By learning from these resources, you can optimise your listings and operations more effectively.

• Maintain your car: Keeping your vehicle in top condition is crucial. Before listing your car on a car-sharing platform, ensure it’s well-maintained, clean and ready for guests. Regular maintenance checks and cleaning before and after rentals are key to providing a good experience for renters.

• Photos are worth 1 000 words: High-quality, clear photos of your car can significantly impact your listing’s performance. Show off your car’s best features, both inside and out, to attract more renters. Use a high-quality camera to take pictures of your car in the best light.

• Match market pricing: Setting competitive pricing is vital. Utilise Tarlen’s tools to adjust your pricing, mileage, delivery options and add-on extras to enhance your guests’ experience.

• Don’t cancel trips: Tarlen has policies in place for cancellations, emphasising the importance of reliability as a host. Cancelling trips can result in fees, negative reviews and even removal from the platform for multiple offences.

It’s crucial to manage your calendar and bookings responsibly. This would help you maintain a good standing within the car-sharing community.

Taking note and incorporating these steps can make your car-sharing experience a more positive one when you get into it. Tarlen provides all the support and tools that you would need.