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Car
clubs do not have to be arranged through a formal group. It is
possible to set up a car club arrangement with friends, neighbours
or colleagues, either using cars already owned by members of the
group or by purchasing a car together. One of the main benefits of
an informal club is its flexibility. It can be shaped to match the
members requirements. It is important to achieve a balance between
maintaining this flexibility whilst also having a working structure
that is effective and equitable.
There are several things that you need to think about when setting up a car club:
You will need members with a mixture of trip requirements to minimise overlapping demand for use of the car.
Booking could be managed in a number of different ways:
allocate time slots on a regular basis: ask prospective members to identify when they would need access to the car and set up a simple weekly rota
operate on a first come first served basis, using a simple booking system
a combination of the above.
It gives a more secure footing to have members who can give at least one year commitment to the club; it is also helpful to have an existing level of trust between members.
Establish clear ground rules; a written agreement is not essential but may save disputes in the long run.
Establish at the outset what will happen if the car club is disbanded, e.g. who can sell the car (if it is jointly owned) and under what conditions, and how any remaining money in the club will be divided.
Decisions need to be made on:
whether to use vehicle(s) already owned by members or purchase a car together
a location for each vehicle - unless it is to be kept at various members' houses at different times during the week
arrangement for access to keys
carrying out tasks such as buying fuel, cleaning and maintenance of the vehicle.
Finances
It can be simpler for the car club to have its own bank or building society account so that all financial transactions are clearly recorded. The account should be set up as a non-profit making club NOT a business.
The annual running costs of your car can be worked out using the leaflet ‘Add up your Car Costs’ or the EXCEL spreadsheet 'Add up your Travel Costs' which you can download or order on-line from Carplus.
Each driver in the club should contribute to the vehicle's full operating costs, with no member making a profit. Payment could be:
by the mile and/or by the hour
an agreed monthly amount - possibly in proportion to how often the car is at each members' disposal.
A car club can operate using normal insurance, so long as no profit is made by the keeper or any of the owners, and you inform the insurance company. You may find it more difficult to cover more than one vehicle.
Some points to consider when looking for insurance are:
Using the club’s name can cause less hassle for a single individual - however it will probably be more expensive, and harder to get
You will need to give an address for the club
You will be more likely to succeed with a broker who is used to dealing with company insurance or with community organisations
The norm seems to be 4 or 5, but some clubs have covered up to 12 members
Specify the minimum age of the driver (e.g. over 25)
State that only drivers with clean licences will drive the vehicle (if this is true)
Sometimes limited business use can be added at no extra price
Full business use for all drivers may be possible
at extra cost
If you want comprehensive insurance cover, check out that it covers
all drivers
Most insurance policies will state that the vehicle must not be
used for hire or reward. Check out with your insurance broker
that it is okay for drivers to pay for hours used and/or mileage to
cover the costs incurred in running the club, but stress that no profit
is made.
It is worth considering paying extra for no-claims bonus protection, particularly if the policy is in one driver’s name
Contact Carplus if you would like details of insurance brokers that other car clubs have used.
Guide to running an informal car club - Smart Moves 2002 (pdf file 89kB)
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