Buying a rental? Any Good?

[mike7139]

Hertz is selling a 2014 Sonic LT for 9k with 53k miles. They also have a few 2013 Ford Focus SE with 50k miles for 10k and a few 2014 Cruze LT's with just over 50k miles and selling for 11k. Are these good prices or am I better off spending 4k-5k more and getting a brand new car with zero miles such as a 2016 Corolla?

I don't really drive my car long distances and most of my trips are within a few miles. I only use my car if I need to go out and get something and I do use my car daily for work and work is 5 miles away.

I probably put between 3k-5k miles a year on my vehicle and I am looking for a car to keep atleast 15 years. Oh and the car will probably never be garaged. It will always be outside with all the others who live in my apartment complex.

I know people drive the rental's hard and do crazy things with them but most of my driving will be light and the rpm's will probably stay around 2k rpm.

So would you buy an ex rental or would you spend a little more and go brand new?

 

[Nick1994]

Drive only 3k-5k miles a year and live in apartment complex where door dings happen?

I'd buy an older car for even cheaper since it hardly gets used. My Camry is on track for being driven 26k miles a year and it's doing great.

But if you do go newer I wouldn't consider a Spark, I believe they're made by Daewoo.

 

[racer12306]

Our T&C is an ex-rental, but it had 19k, not >50k. Not sure I'd be up for that, but even with minimal maintenance, it's hard to really destroy a car in 50K.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: mike7139
H

I probably put between 3k-5k miles a year on my vehicle and I am looking for a car to keep atleast 15 years. Oh and the car will probably never be garaged. It will always be outside with all the others who live in my apartment complex.

You plan on living in an apartment for another 15 years?

 

[dishdude]

No way would I buy an ex-rental, especially one with 50k on it. I don't even like renting one with 10k+ on it, they're already trashed.

 

[mike7139]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: mike7139
H

I probably put between 3k-5k miles a year on my vehicle and I am looking for a car to keep atleast 15 years. Oh and the car will probably never be garaged. It will always be outside with all the others who live in my apartment complex.

You plan on living in an apartment for another 15 years?



As of right now I don't ever see me buying a home or even renting one. I do move to a new city every 5 years just for change of environment.

 

[mike7139]

Originally Posted By: racer12306
Our T&C is an ex-rental, but it had 19k, not >50k. Not sure I'd be up for that, but even with minimal maintenance, it's hard to really destroy a car in 50K.


Maybe I should find something with lower miles?

 

[NHGUY]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Drive only 3k-5k miles a year and live in apartment complex where door dings happen?

I'd buy an older car for even cheaper since it hardly gets used. My Camry is on track for being driven 26k miles a year and it's doing great.

But if you do go newer I wouldn't consider a Spark, I believe they're made by Daewoo.

Cruze cars are Daewoo (GM-Korea) based,Sonics are next gen Aveos,and Sparks are Daewoo based as well.And many Buicks are Opel based.

 

[dishdude]

There is no such thing as a Daewoo car anymore. I rented a Spark and it wasn't a bad car for someone living in the city. It's easy to park, and with the back seat folded down you can put some pretty bulky cargo in the back. There's plenty of room upfront, and it actually has a pretty decent ride height. The ride isn't bad, it's fairly quiet inside and it's fun to drive. I wouldn't want to do any extended highway driving in it.

 

[mike7139]

Heres is one I was interested in http://www.hertzcarsalescharlotte.com/ce...6d7a7b30289.htm

 

[Farmer]

I would not buy a rental vehicle. Went to a dealership and looked at cargo vans, radiator under filled with green anti freeze on GM vehicle. No coolant in expansion tank. Air filter was very dirty, pleats were almost packed. No efforts were made to fix it either.

 

[cptbarkey]

look for a 2003-2007 accord, pay cash, drive it until it dies.

 

[Hootbro]

Think about it, a sizable portion of car renters do not give two flips about taking care of it during the rental period. Multiply that by the hundreds of different people who are in and out of it before you buy it and the risks are high you are just getting a lemon in waiting.

Most rentals when new, run way past the first recommended oil change before getting changed. After that, subsequent services are when they can get to it, especially if the vehicle is in a high turnover destination like Vegas or similar.

 

[spk2000]

Avoid rental cars - not everyone drives them hard but some do. Rental companies do minimal maintenance knowing they trade them often. Also they tend to be very stripped down. A guy I work with bought a Chevy Traverse that did not have On-Star even. Dealer did not believe as he thought all GM have on-star. Not all rentals do though.

 

[Wolf359]

The only reason I wouldn't buy a rental car these days is because as fleet vehicles, they typically don't have as many options.

 

[fdcg27]

If all you're going to save is four or five grand, then buy something new. I think you'll find that the marginal cost is actually less than that.
None of the models you've mentioned are exactly flying off the lots at current fuel prices.
Try finding a few dealers that offer internet pricing and sending out some emails.
I think you'll be surprised how cheaply you could buy one of these models new, without the abuse that any rental car will have suffered.

 

[Ethan1]

Busy managers at Enterprise and Hertz have been known to simply reset the oil change light when it comes on so the next renter doesn't freak out about lights on the dash

 

[loneryder]

I purchased 2 Fords from Hertz out of NY airports back in the 70's. They never gave me any trouble. Having said that, 50% of rentals I've used have been low on oil. I always check because of this. These days the rental companies must keep up the maintenance of the vehicles per their agreements with the manufacturers so they will keep up their value. The problem is that the cars are never around for the proper service. A car that is supposed to get the oil changed at 6k might not get it until 8-10k just because they are in constant use.
I think this car would be fine for you if the price is good. You would have a very new car that you are not going to put a lot of miles in a short time. But I don't know whether it is a good price.

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Busy managers at Enterprise and Hertz have been known to simply reset the oil change light when it comes on so the next renter doesn't freak out about lights on the dash

Returned a Chevy Cruze at the Philly airport one time with oil change minder on. Watched the receiving attendant reset it while I was getting my bags out the back and moved the car right into "make ready" lane for return to service.

 

[Trav]

That's a lot of miles of having the snot beat out of it on a daily basis with only the minimum of maintenance. Run don't walk.