I bought an ex hire car!

thelawman

I recently bought a car, 2nd hand, couple of years old. Got it from a main dealer, when I got home and was putting the insurance disc in I noticed the previous owner was a hire car company, Now I'm thinking this car has probably had a life of abuse. There's a few scratches around the boot and doors which I didn't see on the day either as it was lashing rain, I'm annoyed at myself for getting it now, anyone ever been in a similar situation

Odelay

I got one, it's now 13 years old. No problems.

Fighting Tao

thelawman wrote: »

I recently bought a car, 2nd hand, couple of years old. Got it from a main dealer, when I got home and was putting the insurance disc in I noticed the previous owner was a hire car company, Now I'm thinking this car has probably had a life of abuse. There's a few scratches around the boot and doors which I didn't see on the day either as it was lashing rain, I'm annoyed at myself for getting it now, anyone ever been in a similar situation

I don't know why people assume that hire cars are abused. Anytime I hire one I'm extra cautious due to the insurance and the likelihood of them charging for the slightest mark. I'd have assumed that everyone is like that.

s8n

Fighting Tao wrote: »

I don't know why people assume that hire cars are abused. Anytime I hire one I'm extra cautious due to the insurance and the likelihood of them charging for the slightest mark. I'd have assumed that everyone is like that.

I would agree. Congrats on the new purchase OP. Best of luck with it

wally1990

People are more careful in general with hire cars when taking out personal insurance , to be honest I think it could work out the opposite and be a good deal

CiniO

I wouldn't like to buy a ex hire car.
They do get lots of abuse, especially elements like engine, gearbox, clutch and suspension.
Fact that car is not scratched, doesn't mean it wasn't driven in inappropriate gear at inappropriate revs, by drivers who had no clue how to use clutch properly. Very often possibly on imapproriate surface like left wheels on the grass, etc...
I live and drive in touristic region, and I see lot's of foreigners driving hire car, and what they do with them is beyond me.
When I hire cars I'm also not the gentlest with them.

Noveight

The folks bought an ex-hire Alhambra back in the early noughties, lasted well until the turbo went some years later. They were happy with it, overall.

Toyotafanboi

If the clutch bites ok I wouldn't worry. Every other element of additional wear and tear is somewhat visual or aural in terms of spotting 4x odd tyres or hearing suspension knocking etc. If it looks and feels ok it probably is ok.

The engine may have seen the odd caning but to be fair you don't know that just because a car was in private ownership it hasn't been flogged to death.

I'd not worry, if you like the car.

As an aside, is it a hire company or a fleet company?

Trojan

We owned an ex-hire previously. Got a relatively new car at a steal due to mileage. No mechanical or cosmetic issues - it served us well until traded in, whereby it served a young fella from a few towns away who lowered it and stuck some decals on. 1.4 Vento. Each to their own

Armchair Andy

I know every hire car I've ever been in has been reddened. Definitely wouldn't want to buy one

Special Circumstances

CiniO wrote: »

When I hire cars I'm also not the gentlest with them.

Waaaaaaaam bambambambam,
Waaaaaaaam bambambambam,
Waaaaaaaaaaaaam ...

goochy

i got caught out on the scratch thing with wet weather , you really shouldn't look at in that weather.
surprised you didn't ask the sales man about previous owner/ s .

mickdw

Alot of people take out full insurance and so don't care how they leave the car back. In that situation, it's almost criminal not to have a bit of fun with the car so no, I wouldn't fancy owning one at all.

uck51js9zml2yt

Bought an ex rental a few years ago...Never had an issue with it.

Titzon Toast

OSI wrote: »

Never heard "the fastest car in the world is a hire car"?

"Nothing handles like a hire car".

pajo1981

OSI wrote: »

Never heard "the fastest car in the world is a hire car"?

Never got that. A caned slow car is still a slow car, and rental cars are usually shockingly slow.

WacoKid

read about hire cars a while ago:

"Nearly New Cars"
These are cars that are 6-12 months old and on a dealers forecourt with one owner. The 1 owner will turn out to be a hire company.

"How did it get there"
Hire company buys in bulk (e.g. 20 cars) so gets each car for say 35k instead of 40k (retail price).

After 6-12 months hire company send to auction where it gets 35k for the car (free car for hire company so for the period they had it)

Dealer buys and puts on the forecourt for 37.5k making his profit.

"Outcome"
Hire company turns cars over for free once kept in tip top shape.
Dealer makes some cash from auction to forecourt. thats his job!
Customer gets a good deal on a car that has been well kept.

"Summary"
Ex-hire cars that are nearly new are great value for money and in many cases in better shape than a private owner's one.

"How to save money"
Get to the auction and cut out the dealer.

colm_mcm

Yeah that's not entirely accurate!

WacoKid

colm_mcm wrote: »

Yeah that's not entirely accurate!

I was simply outlining a scenario that can take place and the fact that an ex-hire car being kept in good nick is in the interest of a couple of parties.

uck51js9zml2yt

Thats pretty much the story that went with my ex-hire. sales guys were completely upfront about it being ex-hire.

AndyBoBandy

pajo1981 wrote: »

and rental cars are usually shockingly slow.

Last week I had an E220, (in the last 2/3 years I've had an E350 AMG coupe, Audi A5 3.0 Sportback, S350, GLE350 AMG to name only a few)

Maybe the cars you rent are slow..

Shannon757

OSI wrote: »

Never heard "the fastest car in the world is a hire car"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYt9DO5WXr8

pajo1981

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Last week I had an E220, (in the last 2/3 years I've had an E350 AMG coupe, Audi A5 3.0 Sportback, S350, GLE350 AMG to name only a few)

Maybe the cars you rent are slow..

Wow so impressive. And tell me do these cars compensate for your micro penis and or general inferiority complex?

Reread my post and let me know where you went wrong like a good tosser there will you.

frozenfrozen

whatever about the abuse punters give the cars, have you seen how the staff move the cars around in the rental place parking area?

guy jumps in through the window, cranks the key around holding the acclerator, drops it into reverse at 5k rpm, cracks it straight into first gear at the end of the movement, back and forth as fast as possible to move it slightly out of the way to get a car behind it out to the front, from a stone cold engine

that's the abuse i'd be worried about, that kind of abuse on cold engines day in day out

grogi

Titzon Toast wrote: »

"Nothing handles like a hire car".

Don't be gentle, it's a rental...

Funny that it actually rhymes....


Nevertheless I am always careful with all my rentals. I believe it is part of technical culture not to abuse things, even if they are not mine...

mgbgt1978

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Last week I had an E220, (in the last 2/3 years I've had an E350 AMG coupe, Audi A5 3.0 Sportback, S350, GLE350 AMG to name only a few)

Jebus, even the Kinahan Family are on here now..........;)

AndyBoBandy

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Jebus, even the Kinahan Family are on here now..........;)

All rentals of course (for work travel), and with the benefit of being Hertz presidents circle and knowing what cars to book at certain locations, I always get looked after.

I've never booked anything bigger than an automatic Jetta.

antodeco

My missus bought one. 2 years old, 50k Kms. Definitely high mileage, but immaculate. At least you knows it's well serviced!

Cee-Jay-Cee

CiniO wrote: »

I wouldn't like to buy a ex hire car.
They do get lots of abuse, especially elements like engine, gearbox, clutch and suspension.
Fact that car is not scratched, doesn't mean it wasn't driven in inappropriate gear at inappropriate revs, by drivers who had no clue how to use clutch properly. Very often possibly on imapproriate surface like left wheels on the grass, etc...
I live and drive in touristic region, and I see lot's of foreigners driving hire car, and what they do with them is beyond me.
When I hire cars I'm also not the gentlest with them.

Most sensible people hire cars they know they can drive. Most hire companies keep more autos than manuals as the likelihood is they'll be more sought after by tourists. The days of tourists getting manual cars and spending the days grinding through gears are long gone.

hellyeah

frozenfrozen wrote: »

whatever about the abuse punters give the cars, have you seen how the staff move the cars around in the rental place parking area?

guy jumps in through the window, cranks the key around holding the acclerator, drops it into reverse at 5k rpm, cracks it straight into first gear at the end of the movement, back and forth as fast as possible to move it slightly out of the way to get a car behind it out to the front, from a stone cold engine

that's the abuse i'd be worried about, that kind of abuse on cold engines day in day out

Well i work beside a main dealer service garage in south dublin and see this everyday at 8am when they take out the cars from the overnight lockup.
Plus customers cars which have been serviced / test driven.
Its like a mc donalds drive thru get them in and out as quick as possible.
No respect for peoples cars.:mad:

CiniO

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Most sensible people hire cars they know they can drive. Most hire companies keep more autos than manuals as the likelihood is they'll be more sought after by tourists. The days of tourists getting manual cars and spending the days grinding through gears are long gone.

I don't know where you get your knowledge from.

I honestly live, work and spend my time in touristic region and in the summer i just see what happens with those cars on narrow roads, beaches, car parks, etc...
Plenty of people in manual's which should never even attempt to drive them.

Fighting Tao

Fighting Tao wrote: »

I don't know why people assume that hire cars are abused. Anytime I hire one I'm extra cautious due to the insurance and the likelihood of them charging for the slightest mark. I'd have assumed that everyone is like that.

i generally treat hire cars ok but I'm not bothered if I labour them etc.... currently in a fabia diesel and I usually start in 2nd out of laziness etc at traffic lights....... wouldn't be keen on buying one really.

goz83

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Most sensible people hire cars they know they can drive. Most hire companies keep more autos than manuals as the likelihood is they'll be more sought after by tourists. The days of tourists getting manual cars and spending the days grinding through gears are long gone.

I regularly rent cars, usually Spain and Sweden. Most recent rental was last month, here in Dublin. Always a manual car and autos command a premium! The only exception was in the USA. Manual transmission cars are certainly NOT long gone in the rental sector......but they probably should be.

Danbo!

Bought a 1.4L 07 focus that had been owned from new for 4 years by a hire company. 85,000km, which I thought was low considering. The only issue I ever had with it was that it was a 1.4L focus.

mickdw

goz83 wrote: »

I regularly rent cars, usually Spain and Sweden. Most recent rental was last month, here in Dublin. Always a manual car and autos command a premium! The only exception was in the USA. Manual transmission cars are certainly NOT long gone in the rental sector......but they probably should be.

Have you seen the premium they charge for auto over manual? It's very much still the case that most people take a manual car when hiring in ireland.
Of course those people believe that they drive manual perfectly well and pay no heed to riding the clutch, driving in wrong gears, tearing gears, driving with handbrake, coasting down hills then releasing the clutch with only a vague idea of selected gear and speed of travel.

greenflash

I test drove a car from a main dealer recently. The salesliar told some total arse story about the car having been an ex demo model at a same brand UK main dealer before he had personally imported it for a customer in Dublin. That owner had supposedly had it serviced regularly by the main dealer and it was possibly the best, cleanest car in the universe. I was told the bodywork was immaculate yet straight away noticed chunks out of the front bumper and the alloys were in bits.

The test drive consisted of taking four lefts around the dealer's premises - less than two minutes and didn't get past 3rd gear. The sports seats felt overly soft and the gear changes were loose. The car just didn't feel right. I asked for a look at the service history while parked outside the front door. First stamp was from somewhere near Manchester that was definitely not a main dealer. The salesbastard made up some story about the garage being a partner for sevicing new cars in England.

Next day I phoned the garage in England and it turns out they had never serviced the car, but just did checks for a budget rental company in Manchester. I phoned the rental company and they said their policy was to move cars on when they reached a certain age or mileage. Those figures could not tie in with the Dublin main dealer stamps, so I guess the car had been clocked and the service history falsified to give some form of credibility to the sales pitch for some unlucky punter who was not going to take 10 minutes to check the history.

I'm still looking for a car.