Ex-rental cars - would you ever...
Discussion
...consider buying one? I'm in the market for a diesel Jeep Wrangler just now and there's an 09 ex-rental with 67k miles for sale in Arnold Clark. I haven't seen the vehicle yet, but the salesman confirms that it's a 'lovely vehicle' and 'well-maintained'. Mileage is (much) higher than I would have liked, but it is a bit cheaper than others that I have seen.
It's the fact that it's an ex-rental that's giving me concern. Now, I don't know (and probably never will) if it's 67k was under one careful lease owner, or if it's been a pool vehicle for a large construction squad who treated it like a Paris-Dakar racer. Effects on hidden oily bits and potential resale woes are making me pause.
Anyhoo, interested in your thoughts and experiences on ex-rentals - buy with caution or pass on by?
Cheers,
John
It's the fact that it's an ex-rental that's giving me concern. Now, I don't know (and probably never will) if it's 67k was under one careful lease owner, or if it's been a pool vehicle for a large construction squad who treated it like a Paris-Dakar racer. Effects on hidden oily bits and potential resale woes are making me pause.
Anyhoo, interested in your thoughts and experiences on ex-rentals - buy with caution or pass on by?
Cheers,
John
There are two trains of thought on this...
1) It's been abused and thrashed to within an inch of it's life, and will go bang in a big way very shortly.
2) It's been abused and thrashed to within an inch of it's life, and has stood up to everything very well.
Depends whether you're of a half-full or half-empty mentality.
1) It's been abused and thrashed to within an inch of it's life, and will go bang in a big way very shortly.
2) It's been abused and thrashed to within an inch of it's life, and has stood up to everything very well.
Depends whether you're of a half-full or half-empty mentality.
Yes, have done in the past because it was the right car, right spec and the right price and had no more issues with it than any other car, Like the other poster said when you buy any second hand car you have no idea how it was treated before it ended up on the forecourt so at least no you are going into this with your eyes open.
It would also depend on the engine the car in question has. Look at it in this fashion (i'm generalising, but bear with me):
Common rentals in the UK tend to be small to midsize cars, such as the Daewoo Matiz (or equivalent), Astras Focuses/Focii, etc. After that you have dreary saloons such as Vectras, Mondeos,etc.
4x4s such as the wrangler aren't exactly common, and i'm not sure who actually wants to rent a 4x4 out of their own pocket as it wouldn't be particularly cheap. My guess it that it might have been used as a direct replacement car for accident scenarios.
My point is that it's probably fine.
if we'd have been talking about the Renault Twingo i rented in Lanzarote with its 900cc engine, i'd say avoid
Common rentals in the UK tend to be small to midsize cars, such as the Daewoo Matiz (or equivalent), Astras Focuses/Focii, etc. After that you have dreary saloons such as Vectras, Mondeos,etc.
4x4s such as the wrangler aren't exactly common, and i'm not sure who actually wants to rent a 4x4 out of their own pocket as it wouldn't be particularly cheap. My guess it that it might have been used as a direct replacement car for accident scenarios.
My point is that it's probably fine.
if we'd have been talking about the Renault Twingo i rented in Lanzarote with its 900cc engine, i'd say avoid
eltax91 said:
An ex rental or an ex lease? You seem to be alluding to an ex lease in your OP....
It surely can't be ex-rental with that mileage.It could have been leased by one driver and used for nothing more that motorway commuting. I would want to get it on a lift and have a look at the underneath for signs of rough treatment.
Re the Jeep generally - I've had a few Grand Cherokee's on hire in the US and Canada and they vary dramatically in terms of the build quality. I did vaguely look at them a few years when they were doing very low cost finance (which could be why this one was acquired) but our local dealer went bust and I did see warnings that there really aren't many Jeep dealers around now, and RHD specific parts can be expensive and difficult to get hold of.
Bought an ex-rental Renault Clio 1.2TCE for the wife from a main dealer in a large chain(London Road?). 14 months old, 15K miles and a dealer stamp for service at 12.5K . Dealer replaced both door mirror covers that were scratched and one tyre that was a replacement and the wrong size. I year and 6K miles later the car seems fine. Cost about 10% less than most main dealers were asking for similar cars.
POORCARDEALER said:
Be very unusual for a rental company to keep a car top 67K miles, are you sure it isnt ex lease?
Spot on. Most rental cars are sold at about 15k. In fact the likes of Avis and National get the severe hump if the user lets it go over this. This definitely sounds ex-lease. I have bought an ex-rental, and it was sweet as a nut - lasted ten years, and we'd still have it if not for the scrappage deals a few years back. But I have also been the driver of many leased company cars, and wouldn't go near one. Although they should be regularly serviced, drivers often "forget", and spread the intervals until the lease company complains. Rentals, on the other hand, are coming in regularly and so are more likely to be serviced correctly.At the end of the day, it's caveat emptor.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff