“Somehow there are more downsides than upsides to owning a car.”

What persuaded you decide to use Mobility rather than have your own car?
Public transport in Basel city is so good that I rarely have need of a car. So owning one would be a waste of time and money. That would probably change if I lived somewhere rural. 

How often do you use car sharing and in what circumstances?
I use Mobility no more than twice a month, either if I have a lot of shopping to do or for things like trips to buy furniture. Sometimes I hire a car on the spur of the moment to go out with friends, something that gives me a chance to get experience behind the wheel as a new driver. 

Have you had any amusing moments with Mobility?
I remember driving a Mobility car with manual gears for the first time, long after my driving test. Because I was a bit out of practice, the car kept stalling. Believe me, you get a lot of funny looks from other drivers when that happens. 😂

Is there anything you think Mobility could improve?
When I check the car for damage before driving off, I often find scratches or little dents that aren’t recorded in the app. I’ve often been held in a queue when phoning Mobility’s 24h Service Center to tell them about the damage caused by someone else. I recently had to report four scratched rims – that’s annoying! (Note from “Neo’s” editor: Mobility’s aware of this problem and is currently working on a better solution.)

You save a lot of money by not having your own car. What do you spend it on instead?
Everything else! 😂

Would you want a car of your own someday? If so, why; if not, why not?
Not necessarily in Basel city. Somehow there are more downsides than upsides to owning a car. 

What persuaded you decide to use Mobility rather than have your own car?
Mobility’s vehicles are everywhere, so the offer’s very flexible. It’s also financially attractive, because you don’t have the insurance or maintenance costs associated with owning a car. And the best thing is that the app makes reserving a vehicle so convenient, which means you don’t have to worry about anything other than getting in and driving off.

How often do you use car sharing and in what circumstances?
It all depends. I use car sharing for when I have to do a big shop, or if I want to go out somewhere or go to the sports centre. 

Have you had any amusing moments with Mobility? 
The first time I drove an electric car with my dad, neither of us knew how to disconnect it from the charge station. We tried everything until finally another Mobility customer came up to help us. The funny thing is that he’d had exactly the same experience when he started driving electric. 

Is there anything you think Mobility could improve?
It would be useful to have a small cleaning kit in each vehicle so you can do things like clean the windscreen if the wipers aren’t doing the job properly. As for the electric cars, I think it would be good to have a mini guide that explains how to uncouple them from the charge point. 

You save a lot of money by not having your own car. What do you spend it on instead?
I like to spend it on eating out. Whatever’s left over I save or invest. 

Would you want a car of your own someday? 
I’ll carry on using Mobility for as long as it exists! You save money, you stay flexible – and you can try all kinds of different cars.