Do you read our reviews of exotic sports cars and think that it would be great to own something like that, apart from the cost.
Becoming a member of MotorShare might be the answer, enabling you to enjoy driving a whole range of sports cars without the usual expense of owning one.
MotorShare is a membership-based club that will get you behind the wheel of a range of exotica.
Founded by James Punnett and Chris Brett, MotorShare was created as a means for Kiwis to enjoy driving exotic cars without the hassles of ownership.
“We built MotorShare as a membership model as we saw a need for people to have access to exotic cars but one that offered a better value proposition than a day to day rental service”, says James.
“We wanted to build a club rather than just a rental agency, and offer experiences for our members. It also helps keep operating costs in check, and the price lower for the members.”
MotorShare kicked off with three cars available to drive, but has quickly grown to a garage of 14, with more on the way.
MotorShare has a growing community of members along with a new collection and drop off facility complete with a member’s lounge.
“We do a number of events and experience days for our members which allows them to come along and try the vehicles. These also allow our members to network; they are all like-minded people, and many of them are small business owners.
Most are enthusiasts and either own a sports car currently, or have done so in the past. They like our membership programme as it gives them the chance to drive a variety of cars,” adds James.
There are three membership tiers to suit your time and budget. Simply, the more days you want to spend behind the wheel the more it costs. The Silver plan starts at $385 a month (or $4389 for a year) and gives you 10 days.
Gold gives you 20 days for $695 a month ($7900 annually), while Platinum allows you 30 days access and is $970 a month ($11,058 a year).
There are 13 cars available in the MotorShare garage. The Essential Collection offers a Boxster, an F-Type S and an SL350.
The Premium Collection offers an AMG GT, Audi R8 V10, Aston Martin DB9, Carrera S, GT-R, Lotus Elise Final Edition and the G63 for something a bit different.
In the Private collection, reserved for Gold & Platinum members initially, there is the Cayman GT4, a 650 S and a Huracan. These will soon be joined by a Corvette C8, the most recent acquisition.
Motorshare also offers the opportunity for people to buy a share of a car with its syndication option.
“This allows people to own a share of a specific car, which gives them more time behind the wheel. It works for those who are focused on one particular car, making it more attainable.”
Members must be aged 25 years or older, have a full NZ driver license (a clean one too, without any significant driving infringements or suspensions) while a meeting with the MotorShare crew will be required, along with a credit and background check.
Booking a car for the day is an easy process, all done via a mobile app. This can be done in advance or even the day before, giving you both flexibility and the ability to plan ahead.
You can book one for the day, or up to five consecutive days if you are planning a road trip. MotorShare’s membership model means the worries of maintenance, registration and insurance are all taken care of, you just need to return the car with a full tank of fuel.
There are a few restrictions on use, one of which precludes any track driving, although James says they are working on adding a track car to the roster in the future.
For now, MotorShare is Auckland based but the directors have plans to expand not only its fleet and membership but also its operation to more regions. Watch this space.
For more info, check out motorshare.co.nz
This article first appeared in the September 2024 issue of NZ Autocar Magazine.
