Would you buy ex rental

Alicefoster

Hi all,

I wonder if I could your opinions. Looking at buying a 141 with just 12000km for a very good price- the catch is that it used to be a rental car. I think it was one of those 6 month leases and then company just sold it on to the garage then.
Usually I'd say no way to ex rental but with such low mileage I have to admit I'm very tempted. I test drove it and it seemed perfect driving... My friends a mechanic so he is going to Come and look at it properly.

Would you think about buyin it after a mechanic has checked it? Or would you flat out say no since its ex rental??

Cheers

Atlantic Dawn

Would the original warranty transfer to you with the sale?

TrailerBob

I would generally avoid ex rental, as they often get a hard time. It depends on the car though. If it was a smaller auto I'd be tempted.

colm_mcm

It would transfer yes.

Years ago I would (and did) as there was a significant saving vs new.
Nowadays though, there are a lot more pre-regs and manufacturer incentives on cars you'd actually want to buy out there, and with d'internet it's a lot easier to seek out a deal on a zero mileage car or an actual demo that isn't a hire car.
With most cars being diesel now, I wouldn't take my chances tbh. Too many misfuelling incidents on rentals and too much to go wrong.

afatbollix

They are the fastest cars in the world.

Ill just leave it was that.

billy few mates

I'd be all over it if I could get it at the right price....

Alicefoster

Thanks everyone for replying so quickly! The cars a 1.6 diesel. It's a very good price- I can't find anything else near it to be honest for such low mileage. I've been looking for a few weeks now and haven't come across any of those demo/ 0 mileage cars unfortunately.

colm_mcm

Any link to the car?

savagethegoat

any paperwork to back up the 12000km?

Alicefoster

I'm on my phone and can't find the link right now- will try on computer later.
The sellers are registered with SIMI so I sort of assumed they were legit ... But I will be looking into the car properly on my next visit for things like that.

colm_mcm

Simi is just a lobby group for the motor industry. It isn't a measure of quality or of any real use to the consumer.

savagethegoat

and the one thing worse than an ex rental is a clocked ex rental

deise08

Wouldn't touch a rental at all.
When i bought my last car, the dealership told me it only had one owner.
I only found out later, that the one owner was the airport!
Burnt oil like crazy.
Had to put in new power steering.
Had to put in new timing chain.
Had to keep filling up the oil.
In the end it just started leaking oil.

Rental cars are just ran in to the ground.

billy few mates

I don't believe that, I spend most of the year abroad driving rental cars and I treat every one of them exactly as I would treat my own. Normally when I pick up one I haven't driven before I do a quick foot to the floor to see how it picks up but then it's kid gloves all the way. I would suggest most people who drive rental cars would be equally respectful of them...

colm_mcm

Nah. I always rag rental cars.

QuinDixie

Alicefoster wrote: »

Hi all,

I wonder if I could your opinions. Looking at buying a 141 with just 12000km for a very good price- the catch is that it used to be a rental car. I think it was one of those 6 month leases and then company just sold it on to the garage then.
Usually I'd say no way to ex rental but with such low mileage I have to admit I'm very tempted. I test drove it and it seemed perfect driving... My friends a mechanic so he is going to Come and look at it properly.

Would you think about buyin it after a mechanic has checked it? Or would you flat out say no since its ex rental??

Cheers

I bought one, not an issue yet. Got a ford focus estate.

12000km is a good sign, Your mechanic friend will know straight away.

pred racer

Just check and see if I've ever rented it

Stavro Mueller

billy few mates wrote: »

I don't believe that, I spend most of the year abroad driving rental cars and I treat every one of them exactly as I would treat my own. Normally when I pick up one I haven't driven before I do a quick foot to the floor to see how it picks up but then it's kid gloves all the way. I would suggest most people who drive rental cars would be equally respectful of them...

I had the use of a rental car for a few days last year while mine was being repaired. Its previous drivers must've lost their kid gloves before getting behind the wheel of it - it was already starting to get quite rattly and at most it could only have been 7 or 8 months old.

Atlantic Dawn

The external appearance of the ex rental will be good as most people will be trying to stop but engine and gearbox will have been given a hard life.

Titzon Toast

Nothing handles like a hire car.

dollybird2

I have an ex rental car bought 3 years ago and zero complaints. Bought for a steal. Id take my chances again with one

RyanMGF

I used to work in a place that sold quite a few ex-rentals. At only 12000km I wouldn't be worried at all by it.

colm_mcm

I'd still keep my eyes open. Car could have been extensively damaged.
Cheaper than everything out there, low mileage for a year old rental, and no mention of main dealer (only Simi) selling it would encourage carefully vetting it.

*Kol*

I bought mine from a main dealer and it's perfect. I would agree that the majority of people drive rental cars normally.

ourheritage

For me it would entirely depend on the rental company. If it was a company like Avis then I'd give it a go. However I remember I was travelling around Ireland with some American friends about ten years ago, and they were lent a manual, and I don't think the gears got an easy time as they were use to driving automatics.

ianobrien

Would I buy an ex-renter? Only if it's a few months old.

I've recently driven a year old renter and it's half wrecked. The dashboard creaked, there was a slight knock from the front suspension, the gearchange was spongy and the clutch biting point was very high up the travel. I'm comparing it to my own car as I've a year old Seat Leon and the renter was a year old Seat Leon. Also, there appeared to be no power in the car so it was driven with wide open throttle for all accelerations to crusing speeds......

godtabh

I have two ex rentals. One diesel one petrol.

The diesel had the air conditioning motor replaced under dealer warranty. Put about 80k km on it over 2.5 years no issues (other than light bulbs)

The petrol the same. No issues after putting 20k km on it in 2 years

Do your home. Could be a bargain

sunnysoutheast

I've had a couple of ex-rentals in the past, no real issues. My current car is an ex-credit hire car. All had done < 6 months on the fleets though.

I wouldn't be bothered so much about the engine being revved etc. - this would probably be good for it if anything - I'd be more concerned about the car being banged over potholes, speed bumps, kerbs etc. so carefully check the wheels and suspension and any damage to the interior from big loads, dogs, etc.