The expat car dilemma just got easier due to car subscription apps

If you’re either planning to or have just arrived in Amsterdam, personal transportation provision just got a lot easier.

To buy or not to buy a car is one of the first dilemmas facing newly arrived expatriate professionals in the popular Dutch city. As an expat taking on a new job, arriving on reassignment or even as an entrepreneur, mobility in any city must be based on individual needs, but the though of rushing out buying a car can be terrifying at best, especially when you’re taking up residence in a city famous for its cyclists.

Amsterdam has done its best to wean its residents off the dependency of owning a car by providing an excellent and affordable public transport network, but the independence of being able to go where you want when you want is hard to lose, even for the greenest of expat arrivals. Finding the right vehicle, the dilemma of leasing or buying and getting all the necessary paperwork and documents can be a nightmare, especially if you don’t speak the Dutch language.

Luckily for expats, there’s a new, convenient, easily arranged and flexible option – car subscription apps. Basically, it’s a monthly fee for using different models from the same car brand’s range, depending on your daily or weekly needs. Switching a car used for getting to and from work for a model more suited to touring the region on a weekend or even a larger model when friends or family come to stay is easy.
If this sounds like a dream, it’s straightforward to make it come true, and trying out an electric car is another offered opportunity.

In addition to the choice of cars, the subscription covers insurance costs, roadside assistance and necessary maintenance. Several of the apps even include delivery of your chosen model to your door, with the choice of options sure to please expats looking to use this convenient service to get mobile in their new city of residence. The alternative of going through the hassle of finding a vehicle at the right price with the right leasing package, getting a loan if you want to buy and negotiating the entire process in a language you can’t yet speak is now unnecessary due to the ‘share economy’.