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Buying an ex-rental car: Pros & cons
In
the past decade, sales of used rental cars between hire companies and
used car dealers have soared, with manufacturers selling their new
models direct to car hire companies and car hire companies regularly
updating their fleets with the latest models. Although they’re
often excellent value compared to a new motor of the same vintage,
there are still some disadvantages of buying an ex-rental. But what
are they?
Before
we look at the disadvantages, let’s weigh up the benefits of buying
an ex-rental car. The advantages don’t just stop at their lower
price. Ex-rentals often give the consumer more choice with regards to
models and colours, as well as a guaranteed maximum mileage and
overall condition of the car. Large online used car companies are
able to negotiate great deals when bulk purchasing fleets of
ex-rental cars, thus passing those savings on to their customers.
Bargain hunters will therefore be able to find ex-rental models up to
an average of £2,000 cheaper than their regular counterparts.
The
obvious disadvantages lie in the fact that the car has had multiple
drivers in its life as a rental vehicle, and may well have been
smoked in or misused. A less obvious but perhaps more important
disadvantage is that the vehicle may have been driven hard, therefore
causing hidden wear and tear to the engine.
In
the past, we’ve been horrified by stories involving ex-rentals
having been involved in a major incident, only to then be repaired
and sold on, completely unbeknownst to the customer. Similarly,
dealers were often able to get rid of the registration documents
detailing the car hire company’s ownership – this would rob
prospective customers of the opportunity to opt out of purchasing the
ex-rental, and the new owner would find out only upon the return of
the documents when it was far too late to do anything about it.
These
days, however, dealers are often in a position to specify that they
only want the best ex-rentals for their forecourts in order to
continue a good, long term relationship with their chosen rental
company, while manufacturers prefer to sell on their sub-standard
cars through the likes of secondhand car auctions. Customers are
therefore relieved of the dangers of buying ex-rentals, and have the
opportunity of bagging themselves a good quality six-month-old car at
a fraction of the price they’d have to pay for a non-ex-rental.
Now
that you’ve been persuaded to go out and get yourself an ex-rental
bargain, here’s some advice. Most of the major volume brands in the
UK source a large percentage of their used car stock through car
hire UK
companies,
and unless you ask where the car came from, your salesperson may
avoid telling you. Always ask. You should also always inspect the
interior thoroughly and look for signs of smoking or maltreatment –
people have been known to hire their car to move rubbish or building
materials, with obvious consequences.
All
in all though, it’s pretty safe to say that buying an ex-rental can
only be a positive thing – buy from a reputable dealer, carry out
all your own inspections, check the registration documents and
maintenance history thoroughly, and you could be in for a huge saving
with absolutely zero catches.
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