Ex rental prefix registrations
Discussion
Hi folks
Wifey has a 2.0 qashqai that’s she’s had for 7 years. It’s being hugely reliable until very recently when it’s thrown us a few issues that have totalled up to 4 figure spend and now it’s thrown An engine light and is running rough she’s decided the time has come for a new one.
She’s quite taken by the Hyundai i30 and we viewed one earlier today, a 1.4T petrol, which she liked.
When I was rooting through the glove box I found an enterprise rent a car ice scraper and when they presented us the paperwork they told us it was ex rental too. This doesn’t bother me but it puts wife off. In this case what bothered me more was the 4 mismatched ditch finders.
Anyway the sales lady told us that all EN and EO prefix cars are likely to be enterprise registered. Is this the case? To be fair they had priced it accordingly.
To aid me with my shortlisting, does anyone know any other preix’s I should watch out for, for other rentals?
Wifey has a 2.0 qashqai that’s she’s had for 7 years. It’s being hugely reliable until very recently when it’s thrown us a few issues that have totalled up to 4 figure spend and now it’s thrown An engine light and is running rough she’s decided the time has come for a new one.
She’s quite taken by the Hyundai i30 and we viewed one earlier today, a 1.4T petrol, which she liked.
When I was rooting through the glove box I found an enterprise rent a car ice scraper and when they presented us the paperwork they told us it was ex rental too. This doesn’t bother me but it puts wife off. In this case what bothered me more was the 4 mismatched ditch finders.
Anyway the sales lady told us that all EN and EO prefix cars are likely to be enterprise registered. Is this the case? To be fair they had priced it accordingly.
To aid me with my shortlisting, does anyone know any other preix’s I should watch out for, for other rentals?
There are some trends eg G* is Audi, VW, Skoda, Y* can be BMW Mini, O*JLR, F* Toyota, N* or H*!Renault.
Some of the above can also be manufacturers demos or company cars. There are lots of smaller rental companies who use more regional registrations along with Ford and Vauxhall who supply through fleet dealers.
Best thing to do is ask the direct question before you buy.
Some of the above can also be manufacturers demos or company cars. There are lots of smaller rental companies who use more regional registrations along with Ford and Vauxhall who supply through fleet dealers.
Best thing to do is ask the direct question before you buy.
I'd interpret the sales lady's comment to mean that "All the Hyundais we currently have in stock with reg numbers beginning EN and EO came from Enterprise" rather than "Every car ever registered with an EN/O prefix has been an Enterprise car" or "All Enterprise cars have nothing but EN/O numbers"
You can't really come up with a conclusive list but if you see batches of cars with similar registrations at several dealers, especially if they are not local numbers, then that's a clue.
Some people have a subjective preference to avoid ex-rentals cars but there's no objective reason why any given ex-rental should in itself be any better or any worse than any given ex-privately owned.
You can't really come up with a conclusive list but if you see batches of cars with similar registrations at several dealers, especially if they are not local numbers, then that's a clue.
Some people have a subjective preference to avoid ex-rentals cars but there's no objective reason why any given ex-rental should in itself be any better or any worse than any given ex-privately owned.
Edited by Wooda80 on Saturday 18th January 17:31
Hyundai is based in Essex .. all the cars registered by the manufacturer will have Essex plates
Look at all the Police Hyundai’s they mostly have Essex plates
Fiat group are all Bristol registered
VW group either Oxford or Kent
BMW in Yorkshire
Etc
Big fleets such as rental companies will tend to have large numbers of cars direct from the manufacturer
Look at all the Police Hyundai’s they mostly have Essex plates
Fiat group are all Bristol registered
VW group either Oxford or Kent
BMW in Yorkshire
Etc
Big fleets such as rental companies will tend to have large numbers of cars direct from the manufacturer
vikingaero said:
Ask to see the V5C and if it is a company then google it.
Most dealers are happy to show the V5C. Those that don't can be avoided. I've had one claim GDPR b
ky.
I’ve had the GDPR thing a few times now. Previous keepers details not on the current v5, but I understand they will have the full v5 with ‘current’ keeper details on. Most dealers are happy to show the V5C. Those that don't can be avoided. I've had one claim GDPR b
ky.I think they can hide behind GDPR a bit, but being in that industry myself, I think there’s just a load of fear spread around that companies often take a zero risk approach. If you don’t give it out then you can’t be in breach of GDPR, whereas if you do then you have to figure out all the circumstances in which you can/ can’t etc.
eltax91 said:
Anyway the sales lady told us that all EN and EO prefix cars are likely to be enterprise registered. Is this the case? To be fair they had priced it accordingly.
To aid me with my shortlisting, does anyone know any other preix’s I should watch out for, for other rentals?
I had an EO prefixed car. Purchased in 2002 so registered as an 02. I bought it brand new from a Main Dealer and I don't run a Rental Company To aid me with my shortlisting, does anyone know any other preix’s I should watch out for, for other rentals?
Hope this helps.
Jimboka said:
My old Skoda was KUxx , Milton Keynes, ex head office car
In hindsight i’d avoid any ex company/HO/Rental car, as it’s drivers abuse them
If you ever saw the return standards for these cars, you'd understand why the vast majority of the drivers of them handle them with kid gloves - the penalties for anything being out of standard are quite punishing. In hindsight i’d avoid any ex company/HO/Rental car, as it’s drivers abuse them
In a nutshell, the cars pretty much have to be returned to the same standard as a factory-fresh car, so in my instance I probably take even more care with it than if I'd parted with my own money for it.
I dont treat rentals any different to my own car, super careful in fact as dont want charges when I take it back.
I find it weird the British obsession with not having anything ex fleet/rental, private owners can be variable, and are more likely to skimp on stuff.
I am not sure how you abuse a rental, short of doing handbrake turns, J turns and burnouts ? using the engine across its rev range wont do it any harm, neither will throwing it about a bit, its generally other traffic, your license, self preservation or common sense that kicks in before the car is harmed.
I find it weird the British obsession with not having anything ex fleet/rental, private owners can be variable, and are more likely to skimp on stuff.
I am not sure how you abuse a rental, short of doing handbrake turns, J turns and burnouts ? using the engine across its rev range wont do it any harm, neither will throwing it about a bit, its generally other traffic, your license, self preservation or common sense that kicks in before the car is harmed.
I've had a couple of ex-Vauxhall fleet cars over the years, and had no more problems than with the ones I bought new...
Which is to say no major problems at all, before I get witty comments from the cheap seats
Admittedly they were CD/Elite spec, and therefore less likely to attract Vauxhalls on-staff boy racers, but I'd certainly consider an ex fleet motor again.
I'd probably think twice about an ex-press car though
Which is to say no major problems at all, before I get witty comments from the cheap seats
Admittedly they were CD/Elite spec, and therefore less likely to attract Vauxhalls on-staff boy racers, but I'd certainly consider an ex fleet motor again.
I'd probably think twice about an ex-press car though
I work in car rental and I'd happily buy an ex rental. The majority are out to corporate hirers who in general do look after them and treat them as their own and with respect. They get checked over every few days and anything that needs doing gets done, I'm responsible for fleet control and if something wants doing, it's done and done properly - decent brand tyres etc.
Yes a small percentage are abused but they get rectified properly and the same can be said of some privately owned cars in fairness where owners just drive them and that's it.
If you are aware of it - and dealers have to tell you that sort of thing these days - and check it over properly then I see no problem. Besides which, the car rental industry is largely a manufacturer of used cars as buying and disposal is where the main profit sits, and where do you think the majority of sub. twelve month old used cars come from anyway.
I'd tend to avoid anything from the smaller outfits but most ex Avis / Hertz / Thrifty / AC stuff should be fine. Go in with your eyes open and you'll be ok.
Yes a small percentage are abused but they get rectified properly and the same can be said of some privately owned cars in fairness where owners just drive them and that's it.
If you are aware of it - and dealers have to tell you that sort of thing these days - and check it over properly then I see no problem. Besides which, the car rental industry is largely a manufacturer of used cars as buying and disposal is where the main profit sits, and where do you think the majority of sub. twelve month old used cars come from anyway.
I'd tend to avoid anything from the smaller outfits but most ex Avis / Hertz / Thrifty / AC stuff should be fine. Go in with your eyes open and you'll be ok.
av185 said:
Enterprise are generally the worst rental cars to buy used as they are rarely serviced and if they are it will be 'in house' comprising of an oil change and that's it.
This will automatically void any manufacturers warranty.
Interesting but I think you must be wrong I’m afraid. This one is an ex enterprise car, and it’s being sold with the remaining balance of the Hyundai warranty, by a Hyundai dealer. This will automatically void any manufacturers warranty.
We had a company a few years back which acquired ex Hertz daily rental cars mainly Ford's and Vauxhalls through BCA.
Whilst they were generally good cars none had main dealer service history they were 'serviced on site' and had no manufacturers warranty as a result.
It's probably worth noting there can often be a huge difference in quality between daily rental cars and those rented out to long term users which are invariably much better.
Whilst they were generally good cars none had main dealer service history they were 'serviced on site' and had no manufacturers warranty as a result.
It's probably worth noting there can often be a huge difference in quality between daily rental cars and those rented out to long term users which are invariably much better.
sedatepace said:
I move defleeted Enterprise vehicles amongst others for a living.
Would I part with my own money for one after seeing the condition most are in on collection?
Nope!
To be fair. You probably wouldn’t buy most ex privately owned cars either.Would I part with my own money for one after seeing the condition most are in on collection?
Nope!
Private owners are just as bad at not servicing/bodging stuff as 90% of people just drive a car and don’t care about them.
We sell lots of ex rental stuff. Normally done a bit more mileage than a an equivalent private car in the same time but they’re cheaper.
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