Buying a car that was a rental...?

[chrisfr]

Rental cars do get a beating. What is the difference in price between a retail non remtal and the car you are being offered in the same spec,milage,age. Dealers talk up cars even if they are dogs.
The only time i have really found a bargain is when a new model is being introduced amd some dealers need to shed stock to accept qotas of the new range.
We have done this three times, once with a renault laguna, when the new laguna was being launched the dealers were required to accept cetain quotas of the new model and got a five thousand pound discount. This was a thirty percent reduction! Once with a renault kangoo, which is a runabout, and once recently with a volvoxc60 in january, when the xc50 was being launched. I got a used demonstrator which was one of the last of the old shape. The difference in price was about four thousand between dealers for the same car ,spec and age. The car was reduced on a friday by 3900 ( getting on for a 20% reduction) and i bought it on line as i had been watching the dealers for months and it was a bargain. It still seems to be worth more that i paid for it after six months based on dealer prices.
Some people swear by ex rental cars, but some also swear at them if they choose a bad one. Have an rac and an aa report on it to find every little thing wrong and haggle like hell even if its to get a set of mats or a tank of fuel.
Check the panel gaps for accident damage and try to get someone who knows how to spot accident damage. If anything is wrong walk away. Good luck.

[biggbn]

As I said in another thread, I have owned upwards of 200 cars, sounds like a ridiculous claim but I have a list! I used to buy and sell as an interesting hobby, borderline classic or wholly strange cars, so am no stranger to buying and judging a car. Car has been in private hands for four years and still only shows 20k miles at 6 years old, and does look immaculate, but, caveat emptor as ever. There are thousands of cars around.

[Harvey1512]

Originally Posted by DaveNP

Am I the only one on the forum who has rented a car and then not driven it at 100mph in first before smearing faeces all over it?
I and my wife and daughter have had rental cars on a few occasions, all of them have been clean and tidy, worked properly and they've been driven with due regard, on the other hand my sister's car which she bought ex demonstrator I wouldn't touch, one lady owner but totally abused.

Dave, this is me as well. I couldn't be nicer to a rental car. I don't want it to break on me so I am as good as gold in one. When you hand one back you have to fill the petrol tank anyway so no way am I doing 80mph in 2nd gear.

I don't see people thrashing Beetle's so I don't see that being a problem. More of a problem to me is the low mileage for the age of the car. That would worry me slightly, I know that is odd but cars do need to be driven, particularly diesel cars. If you are okay with that aspect then the rental bit would not bother me.

Now, if it was a Ford Focus, VW Golf etc I would not touch it with a barge pole but a Beetle, fine.

[m0bzy]

Having worked for a rental company I would not hesitate to buy on a mechanical basis ,however I have had to pry dirty nappies frozen to the carpets ,and clear the result of not having used a nappy. Spilt milk can soak into carpets (family pic-nic) and unless profesionaly cleaned will sour and stink to high heaven.

[volvoid]

I wouldnt pay top dollar for an ex rental, but if the price and condition are right, youll not know the difference. Dealers ? Why bother with them ? Why do people feel its so important to line the pockets of spivs and parasites ? Plenty of company/fleet cars at auction, where the price often is right. You can even buy a warranty if you're too scared not to have one.

From experience - I have bought 2 ex rentals, both under a year old, both with remains of original manufacturers warranty. First was from auction, just over half price at 11 months old and normal miles. Good car. Second was via Rovers staff discount scheme, which was open to lots of people, my dad has a few shillings a month from Hawker Siddleys pension scheme..... These were bought via local main dealer, what a bunch of arrogant lying w@nkers, minor faults were made worse, ended up complaining to Rover who at that stage werent going bust. Still, once sorted it too was a good car, kept it 7 years, bought a 75.

[Bendolfc]

I think most people these days look after Tehran cars more than they would their own car for fear of being hit with big charges.

I think that when new, a variety of different drivers and driving styles really do an engine the world of good rather than being driven by the same person in the same way they get to bed in properly throughout the rev range.

[biggbn]

Thanks for all replies, viewing car Saturday, and a Hyundai ix35 with 48k miles, although I would like a lower mileage example

[Grimble]

I regularly hire cars (usually from airports) and given the scrutiny they receive when handing back, I'm far more careful driving it than if it was my own. also as I'm a bit less familiar with it, it also translates to a bit more caution. So no problem in principle from me.
We bough an ex rental car via Arnold Clark for my missus. She does so few miles that within one year of ownership the car was at average mileage, and within two years old it was well below.
No problems whatsoever. As previous posters have said, go with your eyes open and prejudices closed.

[S60D5-185]

Originally Posted by Grimble

I regularly hire cars (usually from airports) and given the scrutiny they receive when handing back, I'm far more careful driving it than if it was my own. also as I'm a bit less familiar with it, it also translates to a bit more caution. So no problem in principle from me.

+1.

I always drive my own vehicles carefully but with a hire car I'm almost paranoid about being careful with it so as to not get hit with any penalties on handing it back.

[SuffolkBoy]

I worked for a large company that refurbished rental vehicles from the major players, Hertz etc - the vehicles were from all major manufacturers and usually came in with less than 12,000 miles and uuner a year old.

They were inspected and any issues found were corrected - the facility had a paint line so any damaged panels could be replaced and resprayed, and damaged alloys, windscreens etc were replaced.

The vehicles were then put up for sale to Dealers, and transported around the country.

I retired from the business 10 years ago, but generally ex-rental cars are OK to buy.