A mutual home exchange has always seemed like less of a risk to me than a car exchange. In the United States, insurance stays with the car. A home exchanger could get drunk, drive your car through your neighbor's living room window, and so on. Of course, most of the time car exchanges go just fine. Ours almost didn't.
Our swap partners agreed to leave their late-model luxury car at an airport parking lot for me to pick up. Everything went smoothly. I caught the parking shuttle and was at the lot within 15 minutes of getting off the airplane. The exchangers had made sure to leave my name as an authorized driver so the attendant would release the car to me. This lot had asked my exchange partners when I would be arriving and the car was waiting for me right outside the door as soon as I paid the parking fee.
That's when the trouble started.
Both the front and rear bumpers had large scraped areas on them. I noticed a scratch on one mirror and on a hub cap. There were no dents or signs of an accident. It looked like cosmetic damage that had happened when this large car was being parked or sitting in a lot. Was the damage that had occurred during the two weeks the car had sat on the airport lot? Perhaps the exchangers already knew about the scrapes and scratches. If not, they would not be happy to have the car returned to them in that condition.
I asked the manager if the car had looked like that when it was parked. He assured me it had and showed me the condition report he had filled out with the home exchangers when they left the car. There were marks on both bumpers and the mirror, showing that some damage was there when the car was parked.
Unless there is an emergency, I do not like to bother home exchange partners. By definition, when I use their home they are on vacation too. This, however, was the kind of situation where checking in with the swappers seemed like a good idea. Unfortunately, they were in Mexico.
The damage report made me feel comfortable enough that I decided to drive the car. However, I walked around the vehicle taking photos from every angle. This seems to be a good idea both for car lender and car user. If you are about to let home exchangers use your car you can take photos to document both existing damage and the fact that other parts of the car are unscathed. If you are about to use a swap family's car you can show areas of the car that were marred when you began using it.
A contract is also a must for a car exchange. You need to make sure the car is insured and determine your level of responsibility if there is damage to a car. What is the deductible? How much will you have to pay if you have an accident? You also need something in writing showing you have permission to use the car.
Before you get behind the wheel, check the license and registration. Are they up to date? Is there a valid insurance card in the glove box?
Drive the car as you would a Presidential Limo. Do not get drive a swap partner's car if you have had even a sip of alcohol. If you get a parking ticket, it is your responsibility, not the car owner's. I had a swap partner who stuck me with three parking tickets. I myself got a parking ticket when using an exchanger's car and I left it for them with full payment.
Car exchange can be tricky, so make sure to protect yourself, and your swap partner. If you can't commit to taking responsibility for the car and assuming potential liability, a car exchange is not a good idea for you.
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