Would you ever buy an ex-rental performance car?

[jc74]

Would you ever buy an ex-rental performance/sports car?

I've come across one which is about 18 months old. It's for sale at a franchised main dealership and under their approved used scheme with their original manufactures/approved used warranty. It's for sale at roughly 10% less than the equivalent car of same age and mileage.

I've not inspected the car yet. But under the assumption a test drive doesn't bring up any noticeable problems and the body work is in reasonable condition...
However the previous owner is definitely one of the daily hire companies.

Is it worth buying?
Is it worth even considering - if further discounted?
Or just walk away?

I know the stories of how hire cars are driven really hard (and potentially even more so for a performance car). Is it really going to be future failure heading my way beyond the warranty period, or should it all be just fine, since these cars are built to be driven?

Edited by jc74 on Saturday 10th December 00:22

[MDMA .]

Link.

Then will let you know

[ging84]

at a genuine 10% less i would bite thier hand off, but i suspect it's a vat qualifying car, which makes it actually 10% more than an equivalent car.

[dalzo]

What kind of rental was it?

Like a ex-lease golf r or a day hire Lamborghini type.

Wouldn't think twice about buying either if they've been maintained and well taken care of.

[jc74]

dalzo said:

What kind of rental was it?

Like a ex-lease golf r or a day hire Lamborghini type.

Wouldn't think twice about buying either if they've been maintained and well taken care of.

It's a day hire though not quite a Lamborghini, think something like a Porsche Boxster/BMW M4/Merc C63/Audi TT RS class...

It's been serviced (one and only) on schedule, though by the hire company itself rather than a main dealer.


And is genuine 10% under...

Some friends have advised me to avoid due to the fact it really would have been ragged (you don't hire one just to go to a business meeting) and have hard a hard life and mechanical problems further down the road.
Be good to know if anyone can vouch one way or the other...

Edited by jc74 on Friday 9th December 23:18

[briang9]

what car is it?

[sim16v]

You don't know the history of any other car you could buy, at least you know the history of this one.

I've got an ex track instructor/hire 944 Turbo, with loads of history and proof of maintenance.

In my opinion it is no better or worse than other cars of similar age/mileage/history...



It does still have the bucket seats, harnesses and roll cage though...

[dragging ass]

No.

Having rented and abused normal rental cars and seen what happens to prestige/performance rentals I'd not be interested -unless it was a short term snotty.

[craigjm]

jc74 said:

It's been serviced (one and only) on schedule, though by the hire company itself rather than a main dealer.

So how has it met the requirements for approved used status?

[dalzo]

jc74 said:

It's been serviced (one and only) on schedule, though by the hire company itself rather than a main dealer

Edited by jc74 on Friday 9th December 23:18

That would put me off to be honest. Do you know who the hire company was? are they reputable or did they just stamp the service book to keep the service history up to date, at c63 and m4 type money even with 10% I wouldn't take the chance unless there was a extended warranty.

A day hire m4 would have been ragged to death,doubt any person renting it would be taking it easy on a cold start up or letting it cool a while before turning it off.

[ging84]

No dealer is knocking off 10% because it's an ex rental, half the nearly new cars they sell will be ex rental.
It's a vat qualifying vehicle, ex rentals and leases almost always are.

[jc74]

ging84 said:

No dealer is knocking off 10% because it's an ex rental, half the nearly new cars they sell will be ex rental.
It's a vat qualifying vehicle, ex rentals and leases almost always are.

I've spoken to the dealer and it's definitely the price (no VAT on top). It's been reduced recently to be 10% under, mainly because it's been sat on the forecourt since the summer.

The hire company is "Miles and Miles self drive", and the service was done within schedule by "Paragon Fleet Services".

The dealer and advert both say it's an approved used car and will be honoured with their usual warranty.

(Dalzo)
I think you're right, people wouldn't have taken it easy at all, but then I guess my question is, just how much impact does it have on the long term life of a vehicle if say during the first year/10,000 miles of life it was treated badly?

[craigjm]

So what car is it?

[jc74]

craigjm said:

So what car is it?

It's a Jaguar F-Type.

[Chrisgr31]

I am not sure a performance car will have been ragged as much as a more basic car. Not many people will have been using the full potential of the car is my suspicion. its not like a economy car that will have been through the limiter on most gear changes etc.

Paragon Fleet Services are owned by BCA so unlikely to be stamping service book for sake of it and Miles & Miles looks like a reputable company.

Nothing to stop you making an offer on the existing price.

[briang9]

jc74 said:

It's a Jaguar F-Type.

Miles and Miles self drive are the Company that provide Avis Prestige, I have hired two F Types from them, the interior of the first one rattled like a milk float on a cobbled road with 7k on it, second was brand new with delivery mileage on it. However just based on how I drove them, let alone the 100s of other drivers I would probably not buy one from them, nobody hires an F Type to take their elderly Mum to Tesco.....

[G600]

Having seen how the guys who wash rental cars drive them I wouldn't go near one.

[Terzo123]

Many moons ago I bought an Impreza Turbo Terzo PPP from auction. The car was 2 and a half years old. Ex Lex leasing vehicle. 54k with FSH.

Utterly reliable. Kept the car for 10 years.

Maybe I got lucky.

[carreauchompeur]

Ah, if it's a reputable firm I'd be inclined to give it a go, rather than a, say, "wedding" outfit somewhere in Bradford.

[parabolica]

I'd buy based on condition but I'd be extra cautious. Saw a vid on YT a short while ago (can't remember who, might have been Super Speeders Rob) of someone looking around a 1 year old ex-rental 458 with 70k miles on it, and it was absolutely shagged - interior was ruined (seats looked like they were ripped to shreds) and the dash had every warning message going when he tried to start it up. Exterior was pretty awful too.

ETA yes it was SSR: link