Inadvertently bought ex hire car. What would you do?
Discussion
Two weeks ago, I picked up a 73 plate Mercedes c300d estate from MB main dealer, with 25k miles on the clock. All-told, I got a good deal and so far been happy with the car.
Car was advertised on Merc website as private owner, and when speaking to the dealer, I was advised that he understood it had been a trade-in. When asked about the service history, I was told that it has just been serviced, so I assumed by the dealer.
Yesterday, hit a pothole and got the inevitable puncture. Whilst looking in the manual for location of the jack, (don’t get me started that they don’t have one!) I found a piece of paper with the original delivery inspection report to ‘Europcar’ - so clearly not a private owner after all.
Furthermore, with no jack or spare you have to be recovered for a flat, and the car is eligible for free MB Assistance recovery for 12 months. The guy in the end of the phone then tried telling me that the car wasn’t eligible as didn’t have MB Service History. Fortunately he eventually backed down on that one.
So - all told, I am happy with the car and if I hadn’t found that paper I would have been blissfully ignorant to its history. However, having hired numerous cars over the years - there is categorically no way that I would have bought an ex hire car. I phoned the dealer and flagged it up yesterday. The chap who sold me the car was not in, but the guy I spoke to was rather apologetic and promised he would raise it with the sales manager, who he will get to call me tomorrow.
So - ahead of that call, if you were me; how would you play it?
Car was advertised on Merc website as private owner, and when speaking to the dealer, I was advised that he understood it had been a trade-in. When asked about the service history, I was told that it has just been serviced, so I assumed by the dealer.
Yesterday, hit a pothole and got the inevitable puncture. Whilst looking in the manual for location of the jack, (don’t get me started that they don’t have one!) I found a piece of paper with the original delivery inspection report to ‘Europcar’ - so clearly not a private owner after all.
Furthermore, with no jack or spare you have to be recovered for a flat, and the car is eligible for free MB Assistance recovery for 12 months. The guy in the end of the phone then tried telling me that the car wasn’t eligible as didn’t have MB Service History. Fortunately he eventually backed down on that one.
So - all told, I am happy with the car and if I hadn’t found that paper I would have been blissfully ignorant to its history. However, having hired numerous cars over the years - there is categorically no way that I would have bought an ex hire car. I phoned the dealer and flagged it up yesterday. The chap who sold me the car was not in, but the guy I spoke to was rather apologetic and promised he would raise it with the sales manager, who he will get to call me tomorrow.
So - ahead of that call, if you were me; how would you play it?
Is there another car that's better value in your opinion, within your budget?
Or is the one you have still the best to go forwards with?
A Merc estate hire car is perhaps different from the run of the mill tourist hire?
It might have have relatively few, more careful drivers?
So maybe because it's been mis-described, you might want some money off or some sort of sweetener, but push comes to shove, what do you want to do if they simply offer to take it back?
I think I'd want to be sure about the service history and any impact on warranty etc in future.
Or is the one you have still the best to go forwards with?
A Merc estate hire car is perhaps different from the run of the mill tourist hire?
It might have have relatively few, more careful drivers?
So maybe because it's been mis-described, you might want some money off or some sort of sweetener, but push comes to shove, what do you want to do if they simply offer to take it back?
I think I'd want to be sure about the service history and any impact on warranty etc in future.
Spudmaster said:
Car was advertised on Merc website as private owner
You're sure on that? The days of "one careful lady owner" appearing on main dealer advertisements is long gone...May be too late, but take a screenshot of it if you haven't already. Possibly you're the third owner, not the second... (remember the v5 shows the number of "previous"owners, not the number of owners)
Do M-B still offer a 30 day exchange policy?
Thanks both for response.
I guess ideal scenario would be that they swap it out for what I thought I was buying - ie definitely not ex-hire. No older and similar mileage.
Yes - definitely marked as ex privately owned on the merc website. ( I have seen other cars marked up as ‘ex-rental’). I actually spent £10 for a report yesterday that shows mine was the second registration so they can’t claim that there was a private individual in between).
Unfortunately the car is no longer showing online, but one would expect that they might still have copy of original ad?
I guess ideal scenario would be that they swap it out for what I thought I was buying - ie definitely not ex-hire. No older and similar mileage.
Yes - definitely marked as ex privately owned on the merc website. ( I have seen other cars marked up as ‘ex-rental’). I actually spent £10 for a report yesterday that shows mine was the second registration so they can’t claim that there was a private individual in between).
Unfortunately the car is no longer showing online, but one would expect that they might still have copy of original ad?
My last E Class I bought for my Chauffeur business from Mercedes turned out to be an ex Hertz rental which I didn't know until I got the V5.
It was 6 months old and had covered 9k miles. The Hertz policy was to change them at 6 months old apparently and many went back to Mercedes and sold on as approved used.
As it had a 3 year/ unlimited mileage warranty I wasn't too concerned and as it turned out I made the right decision.
I drove 324k miles in that car and kept it for another 5 years when I sold the business and retired.
I had no major issue whatsoever and the only time it actually stopped me getting somewhere was a failed water pump, a known issue at 200k ish miles which Mercedes replaced as a goodwill gesture FOC.
As long as the car has no obvious faults it wouldn't worry me at all.
It was 6 months old and had covered 9k miles. The Hertz policy was to change them at 6 months old apparently and many went back to Mercedes and sold on as approved used.
As it had a 3 year/ unlimited mileage warranty I wasn't too concerned and as it turned out I made the right decision.
I drove 324k miles in that car and kept it for another 5 years when I sold the business and retired.
I had no major issue whatsoever and the only time it actually stopped me getting somewhere was a failed water pump, a known issue at 200k ish miles which Mercedes replaced as a goodwill gesture FOC.
As long as the car has no obvious faults it wouldn't worry me at all.
Playing devils advocate here, I’d be OK with an ex-hire car given the propensity for them to charge you for any little mark on the car whether you caused them or they existed prior to the rental.
Back in the day hire cars were ragged to death, but these days there’s so many detractors against this, that people probably treat them better than their own vehicle.
Back in the day hire cars were ragged to death, but these days there’s so many detractors against this, that people probably treat them better than their own vehicle.
I know many of the Mercs were hired out by Hertz to companies and often driven by maybe only one person for the 6 months, so not used as a hire car in the traditional sense.
Well that was what I was told by Mercedes when I found out mine was ex rental, and my experience with mine seemed to support that. It had definitely not been thrashed to within an inch of it's life.
Well that was what I was told by Mercedes when I found out mine was ex rental, and my experience with mine seemed to support that. It had definitely not been thrashed to within an inch of it's life.
In 2011 bought the wife a 2010 Clio on 16k miles that was ex-Enterprise. I noticed It had one tyre different to the rest & the wrong size. Dealer changed to a new matching tyre.
Had the car for 11 years & no problem that could be attributed to how it had been driven. Only problem was heater/air-con fan control.
Had the car for 11 years & no problem that could be attributed to how it had been driven. Only problem was heater/air-con fan control.
Thanks both for response.
I guess ideal scenario would be that they swap it out for what I thought I was buying - ie definitely not ex-hire. No older and similar mileage.
Yes - definitely marked as ex privately owned on the merc website. ( I have seen other cars marked up as ‘ex-rental’). I actually spent £10 for a report yesterday that shows mine was the second registration so they can’t claim that there was a private individual in between).
Unfortunately the car is no longer showing online, but one would expect that they might still have copy of original ad?
I guess ideal scenario would be that they swap it out for what I thought I was buying - ie definitely not ex-hire. No older and similar mileage.
Yes - definitely marked as ex privately owned on the merc website. ( I have seen other cars marked up as ‘ex-rental’). I actually spent £10 for a report yesterday that shows mine was the second registration so they can’t claim that there was a private individual in between).
Unfortunately the car is no longer showing online, but one would expect that they might still have copy of original ad?
Spudmaster said:
When asked about the service history, I was told that it has just been serviced, so I assumed by the dealer.
Blimey - that's a bit vague. I think it should have had two services, and they should be recorded by MB. Was it sold as Approved Used - I don't think it can be if the service history is incomplete?Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 15th February 22:23
Is there a service book or is it online? Either way you should have easy access to check the service history.
I'd personally have checked it before agreeing a deal.
The garage would have seen the previous owners name and address on the V5 before transferring it to you. I'd be amazed if they didn't take a photocopy before posting it to the dvla.
I'd personally have checked it before agreeing a deal.
The garage would have seen the previous owners name and address on the V5 before transferring it to you. I'd be amazed if they didn't take a photocopy before posting it to the dvla.
Torquey said:
Is there a service book or is it online? Either way you should have easy access to check the service history.
I'd personally have checked it before agreeing a deal.
The garage would have seen the previous owners name and address on the V5 before transferring it to you. I'd be amazed if they didn't take a photocopy before posting it to the dvla.
I'd personally have checked it before agreeing a deal.
The garage would have seen the previous owners name and address on the V5 before transferring it to you. I'd be amazed if they didn't take a photocopy before posting it to the dvla.
Cannot show it to anyone though, for the same reason it doesn't show previous keeper anymore. Data protection laws.
They often remove the link but not the actual page from websites, so check in your browser's history and you might find the page in question.
For example, I bought a car last June and obviously it's no longer on the dealer's website, but as I'd saved the page in my favourites, if I access that page, the advert is still actually online.
For example, I bought a car last June and obviously it's no longer on the dealer's website, but as I'd saved the page in my favourites, if I access that page, the advert is still actually online.
CMTMB said:
Spudmaster said:
Yes - definitely marked as ex privately owned on the merc website. ( I have seen other cars marked up as ex-rental ).
I've never seen that on a manufacturer's website. I really wouldn't worry about it. What do you do to hire cars that would worry you about this one? I'm assuming its an Auto so its not as if its had its clutch burned through. Just continue to enjoy the car.
If the dealer has mis-described the car, that is an issue but if you want a free service out of it that should be enough compensation.
If the dealer has mis-described the car, that is an issue but if you want a free service out of it that should be enough compensation.
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