The Boston Business Journal reports [2] Avis Budget will pay $500 million for the locally based car-sharing service.The move will let Zipcar users rent Budget cars on the weekends.
Some local Zipcar fans were not pleased this morning. Lalunkee tweets [3]:
I expect that this will ruin a wonderful thing. Crap.
Nathan Spencer [4] adds:
I saw what Avis did to Budget and I worry this will be a reversal of what Zipcar was founded upon. Also, not for nothing, this is another example of a good Boston-based company moving up and out.
Although the companies say Zipcar will keep its local headquarters - and will still move them from Cambridge to South Boston, Spencer is not convinced that means much:
Oh, right, just like Gillette. It's not Avis' fault. Boston needs to find ways to keep successful companies here.