Because he no longer buys a car, he is criticised

1 June 2023

He is certainly not the only one who became aware of the Carvolution car subscription through the TV commercials. In this interview, Peter Besmer (57) from Niederhasli explains why he now takes out a subscription for his new car and what his experiences have been so far. The decision to take out a subscription and not to buy has met with criticism in his environment. Peter reports on how he deals with it and whether he regrets his decision.

How did you find out about Carvolution?

Mainly through the appealing television advertisements. But partly also through reports in the newspaper. The person who does it, I think her name is Léa, makes it really likeable and authentic. Not obtrusive, but simply factual and natural. That's why I took a look at Carvolution.

How exactly did you find out about it?

My wife and I talked about it a lot and researched it on the internet to get our heads around it. We were quickly convinced of the advantages of the car subscription and the selection of vehicles. Because everything fitted, we decided to rent a car, i.e. to subscribe.

How did your consultation and order go?

I got advice from Raquel and then received an offer for our car. It was clear to us: we wanted to switch from our old petrol car to an electric car. We then received additional offers for two or three other vehicles. In the end, we decided to try out the Carvolution car subscription and subscribe to a Fiat 500e La Prima. We are very happy with the whole process, especially with the car, we had a real wow effect.

What was particularly important to you during the consultation and the offer?

What I really appreciated about the consultation was the patience of the staff. They always listened to us and we could really ask everything. With the offer, it was important for me to see all the costs that I would have to pay. I wanted to avoid hidden costs at all costs. Raquel also gave us transparent information on this topic and explained in an understandable way what costs we could expect and when. Especially the payment logic, with the initial flat rate that you pay two months in advance, was discussed again in detail. You have to be able to plan for such expenses early on. As I said, it worked out well for us overall.

Does anyone else around you have a car subscription?

No, we are the first. But I caused a huge fuss in the shop. Everyone had questions - why don't I buy the car or take out a lease, how much does it cost, why Carvolution and so on. But I didn't want to advertise directly, because I wanted to test the subscription model myself first. Doch, mir ist wichtig zu vermitteln, dass es eine Überlegung wert ist, und zwar für jedes Bedürfnis und jedes Budget.

Yes, it is important to me to convey that it is worth considering, for every need and every budget. Basically, I'm not a fan of instalment payments and at first glance the monthly costs seemed high. But after my research, reflection and calculation, I have to say that a Carvolution subscription is simply worth it! And I want to pass that on. To my delight, Carvolution also told me that I could get something out of it myself if I recommended the car subscription to others. A few people around me have now expressed interest and they can use my personal voucher code, so we both get something out of it.

When you buy or lease a car - what's the difference with the subscription?

I have never leased, only bought. I still have to get used to the fact that I can use my subscription car normally, just like my own purchased cars before. What is very positive for me about the car subscription is the fact that I don't have to worry about anything.What specifically do you no longer have to worry about?When it was time to change the tyres, I could simply make an appointment at my tyre garage, have the tyres changed and not have to buy new tyres or anything like that beforehand. I also didn't have to worry about registration at the road traffic office. At moments like that, I just think, "Yes, that's it!" Having this included in one price is great.

What do you like best about the car subscription?

What I find great is that I can adjust the kilometre package. We have already driven more kilometres than originally planned. Now I can change to a higher package without worrying, and I can even do it conveniently via the app. And if I drive less again, I can simply reduce the kilometre package again. I think this flexibility is really well thought out and gives us the freedom to adapt the subscription as we need it.How do you explain the subscription in your own words?Simple, ingenious, affordable. And above all, calculable. You know exactly what your costs will be over the next few years - full stop.

How is your contact with Carvolution?

I am absolutely thrilled, I can't say anything bad. Everything went well from A to Z. We were rather sceptical before, but at this point we can't complain in any way. High praise.

Do you pay less today than you used to?

I can't say exactly. I did the maths to see if I could justify it to myself and my wife, and I could. So I know that the fixed monthly price for my car on subscription, including insurance, taxes, tyres and everything, is fair from my point of view. Still, the cost of the car subscription seems high at first glance compared to the cars I used to buy. But when I think back, I didn't have cost points like the down payment, annual payments for e.g. insurance, tyre changes or even the amortisation so present in my mind and neglected them in the comparison. Perhaps there are still some points at Carvolution where costs could be saved and prices reduced, but all in all, the car subscription is fair from my point of view and the price-performance ratio is right for me.

What is the advantage of the Carvolution car subscription for you?

For me, it is the perfect solution to try out electric mobility. We have no financial risk or resale risk. That's a big plus with electric vehicles. Because the technology is still comparatively new, the depreciation on the vehicle is difficult to estimate. Of course, the subscription gives us security on this point. In addition, many cars were quickly available at Carvolution, so we were able to start driving right away.

What do you want from Carvolution?

For me personally, everything is fine as it is. In general, I think it would be nice if there were more "simple" cars in the portfolio. Maybe they could do without the sports equipment or simply offer even smaller, cheaper cars. That way, people with smaller budgets could also discover the advantages of subscribing. In addition, I think it would be great if Carvolution could put together a whole insurance package instead of the individual additional insurances. Because the most important one, comprehensive insurance, is of course included in the all-inclusive package, but parking damage, legal protection and gross negligence insurance are optional. Even though I understand the idea, this actually contradicts the all-inclusive promise.

What was your highlight with Carvolution?

The pick-up and the personal contact. At pick-up, everyone was super friendly and the little details, such as the plaque next to our car that said "Welcome to Carvolution Peter", just delighted us. Carvolution puts emphasis on the little things and that is very nice.

To anyone who is not sure what kind of car they need or want. With Carvolution, they can simply try out what they like for six months or a year. It's much better than buying a car and then being annoyed that it doesn't fit. And if you end up liking the subscription model so much, you can just stay with the subscription and change cars more often. I recommend everyone to do some research to understand the subscription model, but especially the costs. The subscription price is fair and it is definitely worth it. Of course, if you cause damage, you have to pay for it. But that's also the case with leasing, buying or other offers. For me, the car subscription is the best solution at the moment, and I think it's the same for many others.