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Purchasing Rental & Program Vehicles

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Comments

  • scottm123scottm123 Member Posts: 1,501
    I once rented a sedan to get me from MA to Long Island for a business trip.
    They dropped off a brand new Pontiac Grand Prix GT.

    I drove it like I stole it for 2 weeks.

    I got home on a Friday night and it didn't need to be dropped on until Monday morning.
    My house had just been built and the driveway pavement had not yet been done, so there was a good 2-3 inches from the gravel to the garage floor.

    Although my Toyota Tacoma had no clearance issues... the Grand Prix did.
    I went to pull the GT into bay #2 and heard this AWFUL grinding dragging noise. It was the Pontiac getting caught up on the floor of the garage...ooops. :blush:

    I figure, I'll pull out and back in, thinking the front lower spoiler was to blame.
    Backing in...ooops again...came very close to ripping out the entire exhaust system.

    Point here is, don't buy a rental...at least not the ones I've driven! :P
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    ...go to You Tube and watch "2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse off Road Adventure" :surprise: :lemon:

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    CORRECTION: Go watch any video under "rental cars". God, I wanted to slap some of those kids! :mad:

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • nthenthe Member Posts: 414
    "I've never been a fan of purchasing former rentals. I've seen too many people abuse rental cars while they have them and return them back with a smirk on their face."

    just watch the first "jackass" to learn more about this. :surprise:
  • nthenthe Member Posts: 414
    "That's why I tout certified cars...they are held to higher standards. "

    for the most part, this is a myth. honda, toyota, ford etc want you to THINK they are held to a higher standard, but they really aren't. The dealership does no more to these cars than they do to their "regular" used cars. the only diff is the ext warranty is already been bought for the car. i bet if you ran carfax on these certified cars, you would find some ex rentals.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    The value of the certification depends on what the certified program is. I wouldn't pay anymore for a certified lexus as there is little value in the warranty they put on those cars and the chances of them breaking down is less as well.

    The euro CPO cars seem to have a little better value and usually give you special APRs. If you can save a point or more on the interest rate by going with a CPO car that could cover the difference in extra cost of a CPO vehicle.

    Also for wear items and such our CPO guideline requires items to be replaced if they are more then 50% worn. On non-CPO cars we could let cars go as long as they are above the state minimum for wear. We generally replace all wear items, tires/brakes/rotors, if they are below 50% anyway but we are ONLY required to do that on CPO vehicles.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Not true. At least with Honda.

    We are required to replace things that we otherwise wouldn't.

    We throw away perfectly good brake pads that I know would last me another 20,000 miles simply because they are half worn out. Same with tires and other items.

    Floor mats have to be in new condition etc.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    I guess it all depends on the dealer you buy it from.

    We sell ex-rentals every day, cpo and non cpo. Never have any reoccurring problems with them.

    You don't ever see any videos on you tube of people driving them the as intended (99%) because that would be boring to watch.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    I guess it all depends on the dealer you buy it from.

    We sell ex-rentals every day, cpo and non cpo. Never have any reoccurring problems with them.

    You don't ever see any videos on you tube of people driving them the as intended (99%) because that would be boring to watch.
  • john_doe_wnyjohn_doe_wny Member Posts: 28
    I've always like the idea of buying year old rentals with about 12,000 miles then trading them in on another year old rental at around 36,000 miles. Keeps payments down and always under factory warrenty so no extended warrenty cost. Three year old car with 36,000 miles still gets a good trade in value. Same idea as leasing but I decide when it's time to trade or how many miles I want to drive a year. I'm interested in your thoughts. Thanks.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I guess it would depend on the type of car. If we're talking about say, a Ford Taurus, with horrid resale value, it'd be fine by me.

    New 2007 Ford Taurus after rebates and dealer discounts: $17000
    Used 2007 Ford Taurus with about 12-15K miles on it: $12000
    Used 2005 Ford Taurus trade-in value with about 36K: $6000

    $6000 for two years of driving isn't so bad. But I'd take it a step further and buy the three-year old Taurus with 36K and a warranty to 75K covering powertrain, AC, cooling, electrical, and a few other bits, and drive it for four years to use up the warranty:

    Used 2005 Taurus with 36K miles and 75K warranty: $8500
    Used 2001 Taurus trade-in value with 75K miles on it: $2500

    $6000 is the same, but twice the driving!

    Of course this might even be more appealing with a car that has better resale, but the purchase prices would be much higher although the overall cost would be about the same. I'm just partial to used Tauruses as basic transportation because they are so cheap used.

    For example, my wife paid about $7500 for a 1999 model with 97K on it. She put $1300 down. I could have bought her the same car with 137K miles for $1800 cash off a Craigslist ad. Had she been willing to buy a newer model (she doesn't like the looks of the 2000-up models) that $7500 would have put her in about a 2003-2004 model Taurus even at retail pricing. Last Taurus I looked at for $7500 was a 2006 model with 52K on it, incidentally, and now that I'm in the market again for a commuter car, I wish it was still for sale at that price. Still looking...best deal yet is a 75K mile 2004 for $4500, still waiting on an extended warranty quote on that one and hoping it'll be worth it.
  • john_doe_wnyjohn_doe_wny Member Posts: 28
    Hi, Thanks for the detailed responce. I currently have a 98 Taurus with a 130000 miles that I bought 1 year old with 20000 miles as a ex-rental. I also bought the ex-warrenty. So suggesting the Taurus was right on. I'm thinking about buying an ex-rental and trading it off every 2 years to avoid the costly extended warrenty and have some value as a trade with only 36,000 miles and 3 years old. I had really good luck with my Taurus but I like the idea of having a newer car with low miles and always under factory warrenty. But I have to admitt you have me rethinking ex-rental with extented warrenty for the best overall cost. Thanks again, John
  • bayhookbayhook Member Posts: 2
    Going to a major auto leasing firm tomorrow to look at a 2007 Honda SE. Their cars are cheaper than the Honda dealers, but are not Honda certified. They advertise a "No Haggling" approach to their sales price, however, the sales agent has been very aggressive to sell me a car. Should i believe the "No Haggling" statement and make an offer?? Thanks.
  • fordfoolfordfool Member Posts: 240
    I've had pretty good luck buying ex-rental Fords and Mercurys. I'll price a leftover new car, then figure I should save several thousand off of that buying a current model year ex-rental.

    I'd avoid a rental that came from or near an airport. The lot kids drive like maniacs, much harder on the cars than the renters who get dinged in the wallet if they ding the car.

    Don't believe the "no haggle" nonsense. Make an offer, then leave. Walking is the only way to find the seller's low price. Haggling is just a way of giving the seller more money. The seller will call you.

    You can start to find prices on this Web site:
    link title

    and the NADA site:
    link title

    and Kelley:
    link title

    You should ask to see a CarFax, the car's original sticker, the service records, and the mileage verification form.

    Good luck.
  • nkareknkarek Member Posts: 1
    I was talking with a friend recently about buying a rental car. He said something that needs a little more research.

    Cars sold to rental car companies are less safe than cars sold to private owners. Is this really true? I can understand the perspective of the rental car companies that they want to save cost but cutting corners wherever possible. My friend was told that rental cars use thinner metal. This helps save cost but as a result make the car less safe.

    Does anyone know about this?
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    "...My friend was told that rental cars use thinner metal..."

    Sounds like an urban myth to me.

    The rental companies tend to buy base models with fewer options, but thinner metal?

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Cars sold to rental car companies are less safe than cars sold to private owners.

    OK, does that even SOUND reasonable????
    Well, if they are renting KIA's instead of Volvo's maybe :P

    Seriously, rental cars are the same as any other car coming off the assembly line.
    they may have fewer options, but thats all.
  • lhylhy Member Posts: 48
    I am thinking about buying a 1999 Integra LS sedan that has been used as a rental.

    It has about 123K, an automatic tranny, and has 3 owners (2 are fleet/rentals I believe).

    Asking price is $4000.

    What do you think? Should I stay away from this car just because of the rental history?

    I'm also looking at a 1995 Maxima GLE. 116K. One private owner. Asking price $3800.

    All things being equal, I would prefer an Integra over the Maxima, but the Integra's rental history raises questions in my mind.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,217
    If it was truly a rental, that was so long ago that any problems associated with it would have certainly surfaced by now...

    More likely it was a lease... not too many Integras in rental fleets...

    It sure looks like a better price than that Maxima... I'd go with the Integra, and try to bargain it down closer to $3K..

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  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    Cars sold to rental car companies are less safe than cars sold to private owners

    Not even a drop of truth in that one.
  • lhylhy Member Posts: 48
    I believe the first owner was private and kept it for 48K.

    Then it was a rental/fleet car till about 120K.

    Now it is owned by a small rental place.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,217
    Either way.. It's a ten year old car, with over 100K miles.. No matter what it's history, it's all about the present condition...

    Have a mechanic check it out.. and, if it's decent, work the price down..

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  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    "...it was a rental/fleet car till about 120K..."

    Yikes! Over 70K miles of dozens of different yahoos "seeing what it can do"? I would be leery of ANY car with 132K miles but a rental with that milage? Get it checked top to bottom and then offer them $500.

    If they argue with you tell them that the price for scrap metal is way down. :cry:

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    Seriously, rental cars are the same as any other car coming off the assembly line.


    You know, in the 80's I bought a Toyota Tercel with 12K miles on it from National Rental Car.....figured - Hey! It's a Toyota and a pretty simple one at that. What could go wrong?

    Well, nothing did, except that the tires, brakes, and battery all only lasted until 15 k miles.

    My theory at the time was that - when making purchase of 100's of cars that you know that you will sell at 12K miles, you could decrease your costs measurably by making an agreement with the manufacturer to use 'minimumally sufficient' wear items, such as, say tires, brakes, and batteries.

    I don't think that it would be cost effective to make any structural parts especially for rental car fleets. But the consumables.... that makes sense to me

    I don't say that this is TRUE, mind you.... but my personal experience led me to believe in the possiblity and my analytical nature made me see the cost benefits.

    A good rule in figuring out almost anything in modern life is
    "Follow the money to find the answers".

    I also tend to believe that if I'm clever enough to figure out how to save money, I'm still usually way behind the smart kids! :cry:
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    My theory at the time was that - when making purchase of 100's of cars that you know that you will sell at 12K miles, you could decrease your costs measurably by making an agreement with the manufacturer to use 'minimumally sufficient' wear items, such as, say tires, brakes, and batteries.

    100% rubbish.

    Tire and brake wear is subject to the type of usage, not just miles.
    If the car is driven mostly in a city with a lot of stop and go driving and changes of direction it is quite possible to wear them out quickly.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    That was my thought. If you're going to abuse a rental that's where I'd expect the problems to show up.

    I haven't bought such a thing but wouldn't have any concern about doing so.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Just another argument in favor of buying a CPO car!
  • johnwnyjohnwny Member Posts: 7
    I read somewhere that the factory warranty on ex-rental cars is voided. Can anyone confirm this right or wrong? I'm looking at a ex-rental that I was going to get a extended warranty to pick up where the factory warranty leaves off. But I want to make sure that the factory warranty is still good and that I can buy a extended warranty to cover after that. The deals on ex-rentals are really good but I will not buy one without the factory warranty and extended warranty available. Also, is a ex-lease a better bet? They have more miles and are a year or two older but less abused. Thanks for any input.
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    "...They have more miles and a year or two older but less abused..."

    I used to think the same thing until I read on these forums that dealers only care about the APPEARANCE of lease returns. It seems that if you bring the car back looking good it doesn't matter if you neglected the maintenance entirely.

    This means you could be buying a car that hasn't had an oil change in 36,000 miles.

    How about it car sales professionals, is this true, or am I talking through my hat?

    I actually hope I'm wrong on this one because I would consider a lease return if there was some sort of maintenance requirement.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    No the warranty is not voided.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Well, all that depends on the reconditioning program. CPO cars must have their maintenance up to date for example.
    Yet ANOTHER reason to buy a CPO car ;)
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    A newspaper reporter is interested in interviewing a Connecticut resident who recently purchased a vehicle from any rental car company. Please email your name and contact information to pr@edmunds.com if you are interested in being interviewed.

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  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    Where's explorer? We'll have to get him to buy one. He's our resident Connecticut guy!
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    I'm sure he'll be happy to comply. Should I go ahead and email him a note that you're prepared to front the money for purchase? :)

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  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    I was flipping channels one day and ran across Jeff Foxworthy on Comedy Central. He was talking about rental cars and the potential abuse they've suffered at the hands of sadistic renters. Then he started talking about how some of the major rental companies now have their own sales lots offering off-rental cars for sale. I still can't help but laugh at what he had to say about buying a used rental car.....

    "Going to a car rental lot looking for a car to buy is kinda like going to a house of 'ill repute' looking for a wife....you don't know how many times it's been around the block, but it's definitely got some miles on it...and you really don't want to stick your key in it!" ;)
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    Foxworthy also had a bit where he talked about how people's personalities change when they get behind the wheel of a car they don't own. He talked about how his grandmother would drive to church at 20mph in her own car but given a rental she would be doing donuts in the church parking lot. I think that just about sums it up with rentals. A hundred grandmas doing donuts is rough on a car.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    Being serious (temporarily), I've only known a handful of people who have purchased used former rental vehicles. They all sold the cars after a few years and well before the cars reached 100k miles. But in that time frame, there were no major mechanical failures that I recall. The cars were a Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, all of which are considerably durable vehicles in general. But they were also plain as dirt- plastic wheel covers, no cruise on the Corolla (and maybe the Camry) and other little details (or lack thereof) that screamed "rental car".

    Until very recently, I was absolutely opposed to the idea of purchasing an off-rental car. But a lot of manufacturers have made it a much sweeter proposition thanks to their "Certified Pre-Owned Programs". The cars are barely one year old, sometimes even less, often with under 10k miles on them (and rarely over 20-25k miles. They get the CPO designation and the extended warranty that comes with it! A lot of makes extend the powertrain coverage up to 5 to 7yrs or 100k miles from original in service date. I'd feel much more comfortable buying a former rental vehicle knowing that the powertrain (engine/transmission) were covered all the way to 100,000 miles...plenty of time for any renter abuse issues to show up!

    Still, I'd rather not buy a car that countless people have driven and done God only knows what else in! =)
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • jwilliams2jwilliams2 Member Posts: 910
    edited October 2010
    BMW has an interesting new ad campaign for their CPO cars.....Mods, take this down if you find it, uh, offensive....

    Photobucket

    "You know you're not the first...
    But do you really care?"
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    "...there were no major mechanical failures..."

    Cars are built better these days so I supose you could have years of trouble free use. For me, I just can't get the image out of my head that dozens of people were beating the heck out of the car before I bought it. The discount would have to be pretty big to overcome that. If I were to get one it would be some sort of "old fogey" type car like a LaSabre that would be less likely to have been rented by a kid.

    Just go to YouTube and type in "rental car abuse". It will curl your hair..

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    "...But do you really care?..."

    A few years ago you would only see stuff like that in "men's magazines". Now BMW is doing it.

    How the world has changed.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • jwilliams2jwilliams2 Member Posts: 910
    This ad is apparently from europe. Probably won't see it in the US.
  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    oldfarmer50- I understand and share your 'discomfort' with the idea. I drive a 2006 Mazda3 s 5-door that I bought new in 12/05. But I never would have even considered Mazda had it not been for the "Zoom-Zoom Live" PR/marketing events that they used to hold each year at various locations around the country. One of those locations was Road Atlanta Raceway here in Georgia and a friend invited me to go with him back in Fall 2005. I got to drive several Mazda vehicles thru timed courses and where they encouraged you to go ALL OUT trying to beat a certain lap time...I was in a Mazda3 i AT and didn't do all that great, but i watched some hoodlums ahead of me in a Mazda5 almost rollover!

    That was also when they were introducing the MAZDASPEED6 and they had a course set up for more serious folks (over 25 and had to show driver's license, insurance card and convince them you were in the market). The friend I was with had an '05 Mazda6 s at the time, which got us in but he couldn't drive a manual, so he rode along with me.

    There were five MAZDASPEED6's on the track including me. Most of the others were driving the living hell out of those poor things- two had already been put out of commission earlier in the day due to a center differential failure and blown clutch. The car I drove had 3200 miles on it, but the clutch was slipping, there were some nasty sounds coming from the AWD system and the the turbos made more of a groan when it spooled up. To top it off the engine was running very WARM- past the 3/4 mark....these cars had been treated worse than most rental cars ever could be!

    I had fun and the thing would fly once you got used to the clutch (double clutching seemed to work) and the synchros on 3rd were also shot.....but the disturbing thing is that Mazda patched them all up after that and sold them as "demos"!!! At least they had the warranty coverage as such, but I bet the buyers who were dropping $30k+ had no idea what their cars had been thru! And it probably explains why the '06 model SPEED6 had major reliability issues reported and the '07 is basically trouble free!

    When I buy a new car, I make them give me one with less than 20 miles on it....cause you really never know!
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    A co-worker turned in a rental car that was loaned to him after an accident. With a sheepish grin he said, "Don't ever buy a rental car." He had driven it very hard. Another guy I was helping him move into his new house. He treated the big delivery truck like a race car, thought I should have on a racing helmet. Golf carts? I would under no circumstances buy a public course golf cart. People treat those things like bumper cars. :blush:
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • jam808jam808 Member Posts: 14
    Altima

    I want to buy it from Enterprise or HErtz

    I saw a few 2010 with 32000 miles which is a lot but the price was like 15500
    The 2008-2009 i see with 28-35000 miles for 14500-15500 as well

    What do you think.

    You can check them out on

    http://www.enterprisecarsales.com/carsales/home.do;jsessionid=NfbQDvcRMTgtG8vJ7n- - SLrVDWnqCkvsyr6LGmQDpVLdvFpqbLQL3F!-39648364

    http://www.hertzrent2buy.com/Content/SearchResults.aspx?Distance=100mi&Makes=Nis- - san&Models=Altima&BodyType=Sedan&PostalCode=33019&
  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    "I want to buy it from Enterprise or HErtz

    I saw a few 2010 with 32000 miles which is a lot but the price was like 15500
    The 2008-2009 i see with 28-35000 miles for 14500-15500 as well

    What do you think. "


    You could actually get a better deal on a "Nissan Certified Pre-Owned" 2008-2009 Altima 2.5S from a Nissan dealer! That way it would include full warranty coverage until 7-years or 100,000 miles from the original in-service date (when it was originally sold new). You can use AutoTrader.com or Nissan's CPO website to search in your area. I found several here in the Atlanta area with asking prices between $13,900 and $15,900 and no more than 46k miles on them. Note that I used the word "asking" price...unlike Enterprise and Hertz Car Sales, the prices for the Nissan CPO vehicles are usually negotiable!!! Enterprise and Hertz both have a no-haggle policy, which works in their favor rather than the buyer's!

    Here's a link to the Nissan CPO site- http://www.nissanusa.com/apps/cpo/?dcp=omd.47323159.&dcc=0.233895660&dcn=1
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • jam808jam808 Member Posts: 14
    thanks so much zoom zoom

    I am going to look now and see if I can get a deal,

    Tell me, I was thinking of getting an Nissan Altima. I didnt like the reviews on the Accord, but dou think I can look for a 2009 for that range and get lucky. I guess Igot spoiled by looking on the rental sites and seeing those good prices for 2010 at 15500, but I am going to look at the 2 sites you gave me.

    Can u alos explain to me the warranty and the certified stuff.

    The rental only wanted to give 12000 miles or a year.
  • windgracewindgrace Member Posts: 84
    Hello! Did you end up purchasing a vehicle from Hertz? I've been looking for a used car and prices are truly insane right now. I was looking at some of the vehicles at some nearby Hertz locations, and I'm finding some 2009-2010 Mazda 6s with 30-40k miles for about $12-13k. In comparison to a dealership, I'm seeing an 07 Camry with 92k miles for #13k or an 06 Civic with 100k miles for $14k. Unfortunately, price is an object for me as I am a college student and my insurance is already very expensive. Short of the standard "get the car checked at a mechanic" response I'd very much appreciate any advice regarding buying a used vehicle from Hertz versus a dealership like Hyundai or Toyota (seeing as most of their used cars are bought from auction, it seems like there's a similar chance for someone to really use and abuse the car anyways...)
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