Would you buy a car from Hertz rental

[SBN]

So.... I have been wanting a 540i x drive touring with pan roof and m plus kit as the new family wagon. Most of the ones that fit this are over £40k, however hertz have a few in the mid 30’s that have done sub 20k miles with good specs.

The old sayings about drive a rental car like you stole it are ringing in my head but then this is a auto car so the box should protect it... shouldn’t it?

My main concern would be body work damage though and how it’s repaired... if it had suffered a scrape, scratch, ding I’m sure it’ll be a smart repair of sorts which in my experience have always been somewhat poor.

So would you buy one... from hertz?

I’d presume a car of this value would attract a reasonable client when it comes to renting it due to the cost per day...

[matthias73]

I drove a hertz rental car for 3 days recently and treated it like my own, not least due to the massive damage excess.

If you're saving 7k by buying it, that aught to cover the cost of a clutch and brakes in case they are quite abused?

[A205GTI]

I would purely based on my experience with Hertz in the past year, they charge renters for any little chip or scratch,

I think the drive it like you stole it tended to come from Holiday rentals and the cheaper end of the market, but in my experience most car rentals now are people using for business or trips to see family miles away.

[Scrump]

Have a look here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[darreni]

It wouldn’t bother me at all as long as it was a good price.
I’ve always treated hire cars with care as I don’t fancy getting hit with a load of charges when I return it.

[Monkeylegend]

My current E220 was a Hertz rental, bought with 9k miles at 6 months old.

It is now nearly 8 years old with 305k on it with no major issues whatsoever and so far, touch wood, been totally reliable.

[Jamescrs]

I'd look at it the same as I would any other used car, I wouldn't have an issue with a hire car from any of the big companies because as others said they absolutely hammer people who bring cars back with any marks so I think.most people tend to take better care of them than they would their own car

[MrC986]

At least if you're buying direct from Hertz it's obvious from the outset that it's one of their cars....some manufacturers lease cars to rental companies and it's only later that you find out what their past was. If it's a premium car, you can sometimes find they've had an easy life driving up/down the motorway whereas more mundane cars are often driven like their stolen and see alot more urban stop/start use.

[av185]

Biggest issue with Hertz is that they tend not to use main dealers for servicing and or repairs. Most are serviced by a 'mobile servicer.'

So check the history.

Most people would not buy a newish BMW without full BMW history so if this applies with this car it would need to be really cheap otherwise walk away.

[Saleen836]

When Hertz sold of these... then too right I would have bought one if I had chance!
https://cars.trovit.com/listing/shelby-gth-price-r...

[steveo3002]

have a good look round some ? im sure some make it with barley a mark on them and others get damage on every panel

[SWoll]

av185 said:

Biggest issue with Hertz is that they tend not to use main dealers for servicing and or repairs. Most are serviced by a 'mobile servicer.'

So check the history.

Most people would not buy a newish BMW without full BMW history so if this applies with this car it would need to be really cheap otherwise walk away.

Would that not affect the BMW warranty as well? They're usually pretty strict about servicing being carried out at main dealers.

[av185]

In theory no but in practice it would.

[Sir Bagalot]

SWoll said:

av185 said:

Biggest issue with Hertz is that they tend not to use main dealers for servicing and or repairs. Most are serviced by a 'mobile servicer.'

So check the history.

Most people would not buy a newish BMW without full BMW history so if this applies with this car it would need to be really cheap otherwise walk away.

Would that not affect the BMW warranty as well? They're usually pretty strict about servicing being carried out at main dealers.

They can be as strict as they like. The law states it only needs OEM parts and a VAT registered garage to do the job

[South tdf]

First service not due until nearly 20k or nearly 2 years so you will be in for £300 at BMW as Hertz will not have done it or do it. Only concern is oil traces around filler cap, this is a sign it has been topped up and rental agents will often stick in what they have to hand but then most wont have even needed a top up.

As mentioned check bodywork and interior, rental cars get damage in the strangest places.

Like any car, buy on condition.

[Monkeylegend]

With their Mercedes Hertz returned them after 6 months so no service needed, and they come with the balance of the Mercedes warranty intact.

Anyway as long as any service is carried out with genuine parts and as per the mfgs service schedule there should be no problem with the warranty.

[AlwynMike]

Had a friend with a Lace business
He used to buy all his reps ex Hertz cars. He begrudged paying new car prices but with Hertz, they had almost new cars and were mostly trouble free.

[Frankthered]

I've looked at buying from Hertz a few times without actually doing it. (PCP deals on new were good at the time I got closest.)

As others have said in this thread (and the other one), buy on condition. With the Hertz, it's worth looking at the 5 day trial you can rent the car for, then you can really give it a good look over in your own time, get it inspected, whatever.

(Cost of rental is waived if you buy the car.)

[spreadsheet monkey]

Plenty of approved used BMWs are ex rental cars!

Might as well save yourself the BMW AUC premium and buy direct from Hertz.

[AllyBassman]

A friend has a 540i Xdrive bought from BMW approved used (Williams).

1 year old and sub 20k when he got it. I'm convinced it's an ex-rental.

Lovely car that has given him no problems.