- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Modo
Categories: Hotels & Travel Transportation Education Transportation, Education [Edit]
200 - 470 Granville StVancouver, BC V6C 1V5
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 685-1393
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 8 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 6 pm
10 reviews for Modo
10 reviews in English
-
Review from Norah L.
Vancouver, BC
12/15/2011
I joined Modo last year after spending too much on taxis. What can I say that hasn't been already said? The prices are great, especially for a student. I love the staff, they are so, so helpful and friendly and prompt. It took me a little while to get used to fobbing out but then that is just me being forgetful. I have never had problems with availability, but because I book a car one to two weeks in advance I can't say I've had experience with last minute bookings. The cars have always been tidy. Recommended!
-
Review from Eva B.
9/15/2011
I have been a happy customer for a number of years now. In fact I just returned a car tonight. The staff really try hard to make the system work for their members. They are always friendly and available. Even when you call them at 5:30 in the morning.
My only complaint would be that sometimes the maintenance of the cleanliness of the cars isn't always top notch. However, this is as much a fault of the coop members as the coop staff.
My wish is that the city will eventually give the public added benefits to becoming car coop members. Such as free parking at meters. One can always dream.Comment from Bernice P. of Modo 11/1/2011
Hi Eva, Thanks for sharing your comments on Yelp! As the… More » -
Review from Jason D.
Vancouver, BC
9/23/2011
Kudos to Modo for making this system work. I can't imagine the amount of hard work it took to develop a car-sharing network from nothing - the legal implications alone are an astounding accomplishment!
I've been a member of CAN/Modo since 2008. My total for the last 3 years is approximately $2100 and I use the cars 2-3 times a week (sometimes less). You can't run a car for that in a year. The cars are usually in great shape and are clean. If they're not, one call to head office will resolve the issue. Any issues I've had have been the result of inconsiderate members. The Modo staff are always friendly and helpful. There are 60+ cars in the West End alone; I've rarely had trouble booking a car. As well, there are cargo vans and trucks when you need specific vehicles. (I'm still dreaming that motorbikes will be next ;)
The cost of booking a car is far cheaper than owning but expensive enough (that's right!) to cause one to consider when they actually need to drive. Not only does Modo accord with my environmental philosophy, but it resonates with my social outlook as well. Zip cars and Car-2-Go are "For Profit" companies (the latter owned by Daimler-Chrysler). Modo remains, I believe, a legal cooperative (confirmation anybody?) with profits going back into the system. Oddly enough, this makes me feel a little more connected to my community.
A Cautionary Tale: despite past conflicts in the executive, I hope that Modo continues with its community focus and endeavours to inoculate itself from the arrogance that often breeds in highly-successful organizations.Comment from Bernice P. of Modo 11/1/2011
Hi Jason, Thanks for this post... our members are just the… More » -
Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 3/26/2011 ROTD 10/6/2011
Still think Modo is awesome BUT there have been changes in the past few years to avoid people taking advantage of the system (i.e., not returning the car on time or taking a car when they aren't signed up for it etc) so be forewarned that if you think you might be late...CALL THEM! They will add another 30min for the usual rate (a few dollars). Because if you don't, you are going to get dinged!
Same goes for fob-ing out...if you return the car but do not fob-out...they will consider it not returned and charge your account.
All these additional fees may seem excessive to some but really it's just to ensure people follow the rules so that all members have access to a car, with gas, when they signed up for it. Coming from someone who several times in the past got to a car spot with no car...these changes are a good thing.Listed in: All aboard!!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/6/2011
Do you live in a high density area like Kits or the West End? Do you take transit or bike/walk to… Read more »
-
-
Review from Darcy C.
11/14/2010
I switched from Zipcar to the Car Co-op a month and a half ago, and I am so glad I did! Car Co-op is so much easier to deal with! When you call, you speak to a person immediately or face a very brief phone tree. If you email, you get an email back from a real human, same day. Excellent and pleasant customer service.
In my location, the selection of Car Co-op cars is much better than Zipcar, but that's just because I live by city hall, which uses Car Co-op cars as city cars. So, you need to do your homework and figure out what the coverage is like in your neighborhood.
Car Co-op is a little cheaper than Zipcar for a quick 3 hour run in town to Ikea and Costco, and much cheaper for longer trips.
For example, I took a Mini Cooper out to Tofino for three weekend days, a trip of about 560km. It was $215 for Car Co-op, would have been closer to $300 with Zipcar.
However, Car Co-op themselves say that sometimes it's cheaper to rent. They have some kind of discount relationship with Enterprise and Dollar/Thrifty and they have a calculator on their website that shows when it's cheaper to rent and when it's cheaper to Car Co-op.
Totally glad I made the switch, Car Co-op is the way to go!Comment from Bernice P. of Modo 11/23/2010
Hi Darcy - Welcome to the Co-op and thanks for car sharing… More » -
Review from Tim S.
7/20/2010 ROTD 7/20/2011
If you were still in college, the Cooperative Auto Network might be like the cool upperclassman friend you could go to for favors. "Oh, you need a ride this weekend? Hey, no problem!" Always gracious and never begrudging, CAN's there for you when you need them. And I don't know about your college friend, but CAN definitely isn't just trying to get in your pants.
I'm still amazed by what a joy everyone at CAN is to deal with. They're happy to transact business by email and messages are returned within hours; phone calls are answered quickly and the operators are friendly, helpful, and efficient; everything in the office seems to work exactly like it should. It's refreshing.
And, cars: they've got 'em. They're not all brand shiny new (though some of them are!) but they're in your neighborhood (-- well, they're in mine, at least) and ready to roll. They've got everything from Smarts and Minis for quick grocery jaunts to minivans and pickups for more serious Craigslist or IKEA furniture dealing kind of situations. Reserving a car could hardly be easier -- just a few clicks on the website or a quick phone call and you can stroll over to the vehicle and drive off into the sunset, free from worries about insurance paperwork, maintenance, and parking space leases.
And, like how that friend of yours would let you jump the queue at the door or at the bar if they saw you across the room, there are other perks of CAN membership. You get discounts at a couple of "traditional" agencies for longer trips (Discount will waive the underage driver fee for CAN members, which is a *huge* deal if you're under 25) and group rates on annual Translink passes, dental and extended health insurance, and more.
But how's it compare to Zipcar?, you might wonder. For starters, they have different fee structures: Zipcar has an annual fee and a high per-hour rate with mileage included, while CAN has a refundable one-time deposit and a much lower per-hour rate with additional mileage fees. CAN's made more sense for me but YMMV (as it were). One important benefit that Zipcar has over CAN is that a Zipcar membership will work in any city where Zipcar operates -- if you can drive in Vancouver, you can also hop in a car while you visit Seattle, SF, Boston, or wherever. CAN only lets you roam as far as Victoria, but if you're okay with that you get to feel good about supporting your own local free-range, organic car co-op. I've also noticed that CAN has cars spread out better through Vancouver's neighborhoods, while Zipcars tend to be clustered in parking lots owned by large operators.
Joining CAN was one of the best decisions I've made since moving to Vancouver -- it's rare that anything makes me want to evangelize this furiously, but well, here we are! I'm still grateful that my college friend was there to go on booze runs for me before I could buy my own, but finding the CAN community has helped ease the sting of graduation. ;)Comment from Bernice P. of Modo 11/23/2010
Hi Tim, thanks so much for submitting this awesome review. I… More » -
Review from Bradley C.
Vancouver, BC
7/17/2009 ROTD 8/10/2009
I can't believe no one has reviewed Coop Auto yet! Well, let me tell you, I'm a huge fan!
We joined in 2004, and never looked back. Living downtown, the Coop Auto is the ideal solution - no need to pay for insurance, gas, parking, BCAA member, maintenance...it's all part and parcel of this great organisation!
We use cars to pick up friends from the airport, visit friends who *gasp* don't live downtown, do shopping at the dreaded Ikea, and dine out in the burbs. It's brilliant, because you can use the car for as little as an hour, or for as long as you need.
Everything is booked online. It's local and non-profit (unlike Zipcar, which is international and corporate), and as green as you can get while still utilising an internal combustion engine. They also have at least one Prius and a Mini (the latter of which I use for work-related drives).
Ask me if you want more information! Several of my friends have already joined - and, the more people involved, the better it gets! (I'm also happy to be a referral!) -
Review from Frieda K.
Vancouver, BC
11/15/2010
I have found in the past year the car co-op has established some punitive policies that make using their cars quite expensive. I once forgot to fob out after I used the car (this was when the car keys were still in a lock-box and leaving the door open didn't allow anyone to drive away with the car) and was charged $35 in fines. No warnings, just a flat out fine if you forget to fob-out.
A few days ago, I returned a car a couple of minutes late - well, that's according to me. According o the co-op, I fobbed-out 9 minutes late, and was charged a $25 late fee. No one was waiting for the car, and once again no warnings for a one-time late return. I phoned the co-op to inquire, and they say they have a no tolerance policy.
I use the co-op cars a couple of times a month nowadays, and with the rising cost of driving and the $3 admin fee on each of my bookings, I am finding it's too expensive to be part of the co-op and I might as well take cabs or rent cars when I need to. A lot of the cars in my neighbourhood (Mt. Pleasant) are quite old and need some serious cleaning. There are a few cars that reek of wet dogs, or the car is 8-9 years old and smells of old car. I'm definitely annoyed that, for a co-op, in which members are shareholders, they don't have a grace system in place and fine you exuberant fees for occasional mistakes. -
Review from Kate G.
Vancouver, BC
1/23/2011
Like the others who have already reviewed CAN, I can't say enough great things about this company! I was a bit unsure at first, so I tested it for five months before my own car was broken into, at which point I said, "I'm done with owning a car!" I sold my car and have never looked back.
My husband and I use it to visit friends and family in the suburbs, while within the city we walk or use transit. My husband also gets his monthly bus pass through the Co-op's employer transit pass program. Just one of the many perks of being a member.
In the first 16 months after joining, we reduced our driving by 200km/month average, and we have saved about $65/month average.
I chose CAN because it is Canadian and I support not-for-profit co-ops. I was also impressed with their initiative of starting in Vancouver long before Zipcar entered the market here.
What impresses me most now is the service I receive. I love that I can call and immediately talk to someone at the office who is knowledgeable and friendly. Extending reservations is hassle-free. There is never any confusion or extra explaining to go through if I call about a car that is reserved on my husband's account number. It seems like a small thing, but it means a lot to us.
I'm also really impressed with the improvements they recently made to the online booking system. It is simple and refreshing and very easy to use.
One more thing - the cargo van that is included in the fleet just saved me hundreds of dollars in moving costs!
Thank you Co-op! You have made our lives so much easier!Comment from Bernice P. of Modo 1/27/2011
Dear Kate - thank you! We really appreciate all this amazing… More » -
Review from Sarah P.
Vancouver, BC
9/17/2009
Wow, I can't believe I never thought to review Modo before now. Honestly, I can't say enough about them. They've been a fantastic company to deal with and their customer service is amazing. I got rid of my car and became a member almost 2 years ago and I LOVE it. I do bike or walk for my commute as I'm close to both my jobs which makes it easier to go without a car. But Modo has been a great resource to say pick up dog food, or a big load of groceries, or furniture (they have trucks and cargo vans). For longer day trips or out of town trips, I rent, but you get discounts on 3 rental companies. AND you get discounts on transit, community centre flex passes etc. There are LOADS of perks. Plus it's a co-op unlike Zip Car which is a for profit. It's all round just a warm fuzzy kind of company....JOIN!
