Buying Ex-Rentals Cars

dixiefly

Hi folks, I was wondering if any of you have experience in buying ex-rental cars and how it worked out.

How much less than average should you epect to pay for an ex-rental?
What is the maximum mileage in general you would think would be ok to be on a rental before it would concern you?
Have any of you actually bought an ex-rental in Ireland and how has it worked out?
How are ex-rentals sold on in Ireland?

Thanks

CiniO

dixiefly wrote: »

Hi folks, I was wondering if any of you have experience in buying ex-rental cars and how it worked out.

How much less than average should you epect to pay for an ex-rental?
What is the maximum mileage in general you would think would be ok to be on a rental before it would concern you?
Have any of you actually bought an ex-rental in Ireland and how has it worked out?
How are ex-rentals sold on in Ireland?

Thanks

I don't have experience buying rental cars, but I have experience driving them, and seeing other people doing it.

Only one conclusion comes into my mind - stay away from ex-rental car.

Mr Benevolent

OP I wouldn't bother. Rentals are always treated like **** by their drivers.

johnos1984

They also tend to be the most basic of basic cars

Was thinking of buying one or two ex rental Focus cars at auction in the UK and flog them here but to make maximum coinage you couldn't reveal to folk that they were ex rentals bought at auction. So I didn't bother.

-Chris-

And they're often strange specs too - body kit, but no alloy wheels. Strange colours etc.

Often it's a way of registering and getting some money out of cars that are proving hard to sell.

All you can do is bring someone knowledgeable with you. Private sale or dealer, ex-hire drive or ex-demo, some cars are treated far worse than others.

Judge each car on its own merits.

MrDerp

The mother always buys ex-rental nearly news. Spec is mixed, not necessarily bog standard.

However, she drives automatics which probably leaves them less open to the abuse of, say, a yank pretending they can drive a 'stick'.

celticcrash

Wife bought an x rental car 12000km on the clock. 3 years later she has a little tip, brings it to a panal beater and he could tell her that wing
and 2 doors were already being resprayed. Why would a car rental want
to get rid of a car after only 12000km. As with any second hand car have
It checked out first by a pro.

If the wing and doors had been resprayed it was just badly scratched Nothing to worry about really. The car rental crowd may just have auctioned it off after it was damaged, trade lad buys it, sorts it and sells it to your Mrs.

dixiefly

Thanks guys....overall it seems v risky alright.

ShadowHearth

CiniO wrote: »

I don't have experience buying rental cars, but I have experience driving them, and seeing other people doing it.

Only one conclusion comes into my mind - stay away from ex-rental car.

+1

Even top gear said: moust fastest car in the world is: RENTED!
People who rent them, could not care less about the car.

oh look, oil thingy just flashed on dash board, but its okay, its not my car anyway muahhaahahahaha!

-Chris-

dixiefly wrote: »

Thanks guys....overall it seems v risky alright.

It's not. Just have someone who knows what they're doing with you.

Traumadoc

Bought an ex rental BMW x5 - great deal , never caused me any unexpected trouble.

dixiefly

Thanks again.

Motorcheck

Worth investigating who the rental company are too. Take Enterprise for instance. Most of their rentals are to the corporate / insurance sector. Very few tourists so I'd expect the condition to be better.

Like Chris says - judge each one on its own merits.

Mc Love

There are gems out there. get an inspection done or someone who knows what they are doing to come along

Cled

Bought a 2010 Focus ex rental from a dealer in Galway. Only 1,100 miles on it. Very clean car, alloys, air con, bluetooth etc. Great deal and clean car. Depends on dealer and the history behind the car. Dont forget alot of cars are registered and sold off quick to reach dealer targets in Sept in the UK!! Great deals to be had considering the UK way of registering cars/dealer targets.

_Kaiser_

Maybe I'm naive here, but anytime I've had a rental (say when my own was in the garage for servicing), the car was inspected by the rep for damage before I signed for it, my details were on file, and I had to hand it back with as much fuel as it had in it when I got it.

Surely then if I'd decided to "trash" it, I'd just be charged the repair costs?

Ardennes1944

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Maybe I'm naive here, but anytime I've had a rental (say when my own was in the garage for servicing), the car was inspected by the rep for damage before I signed for it, my details were on file, and I had to hand it back with as much fuel as it had in it when I got it.

Surely then if I'd decided to "trash" it, I'd just be charged the repair costs?

yeah but Pedro with his notepad isnt gonna know if you've driven the bolox off it from cold while you had it. not everything bad is aesthetic.

bazz26

Alot of the rental companies have been keeping their fleet longer in the last number of years as tourism numbers have dropped. Before they would normally lease the majority of their fleet around March and move them on in September to co-inside with the tourist season.

But they have been keeping the majority of the same fleets now for 2 seasons or longer meaning the longer they are out on rental the more prone they are to abuse. A few months ago when my old car was off the road I had a 08 Focus rental, it really did look and feel tired. So my advice is to have the car checked out and am to buy as new as you can.