How to tell if a car is ex-rental?

[frijolitas]

Hi there, I'm currently looking for a Used Volvo. Several Volvo dealerships have advised me that a K Reg on a Volvo denotes ex-rental. The person at thedealership I'm speaking to now - because they may have a car that meets my needs - tells me that this isn't something she's ever heard of. The car I'm seeing is K Reg. She says it's only had one private owner but obviously one private owner could mean Hertz!

Does anyone know if this is true? Or is the only way to know for sure is to look at the registration document?

FWIW, even if it was ex-rental, would 40k mileage for a 14 plate be an issue for you? I know it's fairly average mileage but wondering if it's something to be concerned about due to multiple drivers versus possibly (making assumptions here) one owner who has an incentive to drive it well.

TIA!

[frijolitas]

I will ask to see the V5. I did ask over the phone for her to tell me and she said it's a part exchange, one previous owner and that they would never take an ex rental over a year old anyway (this is 14 plate). My partner and I are not experienced car buyers!

[frijolitas]

HTP99 said:

14 plate and one owner is very unlikely to be ex rental, the vast majority of ex rentals are given up after 9m to a year.

Ask to see the V5c, however the dealership may hide behind GDPR and refuse to show it to you.

I wouldn't worry anyway, as long as the service history is all up to date and it is a clean car.

The manufacturer who I work for; the number plates for rentals for them start H, however so do their company cars.

Good point. I didn't know that most ex-rentals are given up so soon. Not an experienced car buyer here!

[frijolitas]

Update: ex rental first few months then sold to a private owner. So there's something about the K reg theory it would seem!