Why Supercar Clubs Make Sense
Wallet not deep enough to buy a supercar? Join an exotic car club instead: the benefits, the rules, who pays for damage and fuel, and what renting a premium car costs.
So your wallet isn’t deep enough to buy a supercar? Don’t worry. Consider joining an exotic car club instead… Real-world motoring thrills.
Benefits of joining a supercar club
- You get to choose from a rich and evolving fleet of supercars, unlike rental stores where inventories are limited.
- You can interact with likeminded auto enthusiasts.
- The fleet at a club would only include cars that are not available for rentals. “We discard a car when it is made available for rental, and replace it with another car,” says Amit of Club Torque.
Why do such clubs make sense?
- Maintaining a luxury car is much more expensive than buying it. You don’t need to pay for the upkeep of cars at clubs and rental services.
- The quicksand loss of value in the pre-owned market would give you a heart attack.
- The charm of driving the same car wanes with time.
Your questions answered
Who pays for damages? Though all cars are fully insured, in case of an accident, the member has to pay for the damage that’s not covered by the insurance company.
Are there any restricted areas? Any form of organised events, track days and race days are places where members are not allowed to take the cars to.
Who pays for the fuel? Members.
If you return the car late, do you pay a fine? Yes, the points are deducted and there could be a penalty as well.
Is there a distance cap? No.
Is driving a supercar any different? Completely. Different cars have different characters, so training is needed to get used to the power and the controls. Our members undergo a certification course on enrolment, and a tutorial every time a car is delivered to him/her.
Are all the cars at a club new or pre-owned? It’s a mix of both.
Do clubs profile their potential customers? A soft profiling of members is done in respect to their driving history, any accidents and if required, some reference checks.
What if the car gets stolen? Our members have to file an FIR immediately and notify us, and we take care of the rest. However, the member who had the possession of the car is responsible for the follow-ups, lawyers etc. as required by law.
Membership rules at clubs
- Categories of membership: Different clubs have different options of membership.
- Initial payment: The membership fee usually starts at Rs 1,50,000.
- Number of days: Cars can be taken for three to ten days.
- Booking: It has to be done in advance.
How much renting a premium car costs
- Lincoln Limo (30 feet): 10 hrs and 100 kms – Rs 55,000; extra Rs 5,500/hr, Rs 550/km
- Mercedes-Benz S Class: 8 hrs and 80 kms – Rs 7,500; extra Rs 900/hr, Rs 70/km
- Ford Endeavour Limo (28 feet): 10 hrs and 100 kms – Rs 50,000; extra Rs 5,000/hr, Rs 490/km
- SUV Limo (29 feet): 10 hrs and 100 kms – Rs 40,000; extra Rs 4,000/hr, Rs 490/km
- BMW 7 Series: 8 hrs and 80 kms – Rs 9,500; extra Rs 1,200/hr and Rs 150/km
The tips have been shared by Amit Jain of Club Torque, the supercar club.
From the June 2012 issue of FHM India.
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