Good morning. It’s まさきん.
I’d been going back and forth for a while on whether to get a second car. Right around that time, I came across Rakuten Carshare’s new-membership campaign. Let’s take a look at the conditions.
What Type of Campaign Is This
Going by the campaign types I sorted out before, this one is close to a new-contract perk. What sets it apart is that the conditions cover not just signing up, but your first use as well.
Breaking Down the Rebate Amount and Conditions
What you get is 1,000 points. Since these are regular points rather than time-limited points, they’re more flexible to use — always a nice touch.
It’s for people signing up with Rakuten Carshare for the first time and completing the screening process. Re-registering under the same driver’s license number doesn’t qualify, apparently.
Entry is required. You apply in advance through a dedicated login form.
The eligible periods for booking and for actual use don’t quite line up. Entry and booking run from August 3 through the morning of September 1, while usage is covered from August 3 through returns made by September 15.
A word on the usage requirement too: your total usage fees during the eligible period need to add up to at least ¥2,000 (tax included). Penalty fees and the NOC — the non-operation charge — don’t count toward that amount.
While you’re reviewing fixed costs around your car, it might be worth reviewing your phone bill too. You can sign up for Rakuten Mobile through my referral, and switching over gets you up to 14,000 points. If you haven’t looked into it yet, check it out below.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
A Few Points That Tripped Me Up
It looks like you’re still eligible even if the person who books and the person who actually uses the car are different. The points get credited to the booker’s account ID. When you’re sharing the car within a family, it’s worth remembering that whoever makes the booking determines who receives the points.
According to the notice, the points are expected to arrive around early November. You don’t get them right after signing up, so it seems you’ll need to wait it out patiently.
Usage that gets cancelled — including no-show cancellations — is excluded from the campaign. Once you book, you need to actually follow through and complete the use.
Things Worth Confirming Before You Apply
The campaign apparently covers every station and every vehicle. Not having to worry about area or car type makes this an easy one to get started with, I think.
As I touched on before in my post comparing EV and gas car running costs, owning a car turns parking fees and maintenance costs straight into fixed costs. Rather than buying a second car, using carshare only when we actually need one feels like the better fit for our household.
If you enter multiple campaigns at the same time, apparently only the points from whichever campaign takes priority get credited. If you’re hoping to combine this with other perks, it’s worth checking the eligibility conditions first for peace of mind.
Wrapping Up
This time around, the campaign offers 1,000 points for new membership and first use. Entry plus at least ¥2,000 in usage are the conditions for the rebate.
For households that want more car access without adding a second car, this could be a good time to give it a try.
Terms and the campaign period are subject to change. Before applying, please make sure to check the official site for the latest details.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
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