Would you purchase an ex rental car?

[Semple]

Lets be honest, just what does "thrashing" a rental car actually mean on the roads anyway?

Was kinda wondering this myself.

A lot on here seem to think that pushing the rev counter to its limits is thrashing the car and will cause it damage.

You're likely to cause more damage to the car through improper/no servicing than sticking to high revs.

The OP's looking at a fairly low mileage car, i would be looking at bodywork condition and the alloys, that's a better indication of how it's been driven. Any dings/scuffs/scrapes/scratches then i'd move on unless they were extremely minor, or the price discount made it worthwhile. Then as long as it's been fully serviced.

 

[Nasher]

Depends, if you keep redlining a car all the time it can damage it since it generates a lot of heat. A performance car can manage it, but the average shopping cart might not.

 

[Joe T]

Was kinda wondering this myself.

A lot on here seem to think that pushing the rev counter to its limits is thrashing the car and will cause it damage.

You're likely to cause more damage to the car through improper/no servicing than sticking to high revs.

The OP's looking at a fairly low mileage car, i would be looking at bodywork condition and the alloys, that's a better indication of how it's been driven. Any dings/scuffs/scrapes/scratches then i'd move on unless they were extremely minor, or the price discount made it worthwhile. Then as long as it's been fully serviced.

Exactly this. Any talk of rental cars being redlined all the time is really only applicable to a very small number of cars.

 

[Hater]

I consider thrashing it as sliding it and jumping it. Rev limiters are there for a reason.

New cars with their ****** electric handbrakes these days mitigate a lot of the sliding.

 

[Semple]

Depends, if you keep redlining a car all the time it can damage it since it generates a lot of heat. A performance car can manage it, but the average shopping cart might not.

That's what a rev-limiter is for, and based on the OPs first post, he's not buying a shopping cart.

I consider thrashing it as sliding it and jumping it. Rev limiters are there for a reason.

New cars with their ****** electric handbrakes these days mitigate a lot of the sliding.

Any drifting attempts is only going to knacker the tyres - the solution being new tyres.

 

[Hater]

It can be hell on the suspension bushes and steering box too if sustained. Hell on the handbrake before electric handbrakes came into it too.

 

[Nasher]

Drifting is probably about the fastest way to knacker a stock car lol

Well, other than jumping it maybe...

 

[Hater]

Any kind of freerevving it with no load is bad for it, when you're in the air you tend to keep your foot planted.

 

[lordrobs]

Seriously that video is someone trying to be a Youtube hero, not your average rental driver. Like the guy who filmed himself taking a rental Astra to the redline then downshifting it repeatedly, an exception not a regular occurrence.

TBH if you are worried about an ex rental then I'd be equally worried about an ex PCP. It's under warranty so if it breaks it is someone elses problem and after 3 years the whole thing is some one elses worry so why treat it well? Same applies for ex company cars.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

I would say it is more of the case with pool and company cars. If the employee breaks it, it's unlikely they will be getting the bill so why do they care, likewise someone is paying for the fuel so they probably get driven harder. Unlike in a hire car the individual is paying for the fuel and has a high excess for any damage. It's unlikely to have been clocked also.

It doesn't really matter anyway, buy on age and condition. If the car runs as it should then it will probably be fine.

If you get problems when the car is 8-10 years old and 150k miles done like most diesels these days it is unlikely it will be down to it being a hire card for a few months.

 

[acemastr]

The fastest cars in the world are rental cars, I was not kind to mine when I had one.

 

[jpaul]

Is there any benefit of asking for an engine oil analysis eg or other kind of independant check ?
I had read that BMW (petrol e46) service schedule is partly a function of number of cold starts with engine above 3.5K before warmed up, so its a pity
you cannot get that kind of data; albeit the newish BMW car data scheme might start to be used by hire companies to see how cars have been driven ?

 

[Captain Chaos]

Well I went for an approved car from Sytner in the end (not an ex rental). Only a year old so has a good two years of warranty which I will extend to three. Got a cracking deal in the end so am happy I hunted around and took my time.

 

[markomania]

Well I went for an approved car from Sytner in the end (not an ex rental). Only a year old so has a good two years of warranty which I will extend to three. Got a cracking deal in the end so am happy I hunted around and took my time.

Congrats


Just adding my take on ex rentals, think they get dismissed too quickly

My dad had an ex enterprise Audi, year old 14k miles and had no problems in 4 years of owning it

You would need constant abusive drivers to do any real damage to a car of that age, from my experience quite a few people take even better care than their own cars because they are worried about damage charges and all that potential hassle

I'd say I drive them hard but that just means higher revs between gear changes which I'm sure is the worst most do to rentals overall

 

[geekman]

I don’t think it’s thrashing that ruins rental cars anyway, it’s carelessness. Modern engines are perfectly happy to soak up a bit of redlining, but wheels, suspension, bodywork, clutches etc are a lot more fragile.

I’ve had 2 different rental cars over the last couple of weeks, a Renault Captur and a VW Jetta. The Renault was overdue a service and had mismatched paint and the Jetta is just utterly ruined, despite being less than 3 years old.

Problems include terrible resprays on most panels, damaged undertray, vibration at 100kph, buttons missing in the interior, tracking massively out, and jacking points crushed by what I assume to be a high kerb. I’ve had it for a few days now haven’t put a mark on it or smacked it into any potholes despite probably driving it a lot faster than the typical renter. I’d imagine most people who’ve driven it before me haven’t gone out of their way to damage it, they’re just not into driving and unfamiliar with the roads or country. Those are the kinds of drivers I wouldn’t want driving my used car, not someone who gives it a few too many revs once in a while.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I did give it some thought on which was the best route to take. My conclusion was either way when buying a used car its a gamble. My personal take is that the gamble should be less on a one owner car (a one year old one at that), than from a year or two of short term rentals.

Of course the previous owner could have abused it somewhat but doubtful in a car purchased new and at the price point of a 3 series m sport (could be wrong but I doubt it).

Time shall tell!!!

 

[mjt]

Lets be honest, just what does "thrashing" a rental car actually mean on the roads anyway?

?

 

[mattyg]

No.

We rent about 100 or so vehicles a year and the hire companies don't give a toss. We do high mileage in them and every time we get a service light come on they say for us to ignore it until we return it this can be 5k+ miles later. Do you think they service them when returned or just turn of the service indicator.

I had a mate work for a Hertz branch who said he'd never seen a car go for a service. Repair yes but service no.

 

[wesley]

i had the ex rental car (hertz). with full ford service stamps by local ford garage.

seriously doubt hertz skip the servicing and ask the ford to lie on the service book

 

[mattyg]

i had the ex rental car (hertz). with full ford service stamps by local ford garage.

seriously doubt hertz skip the servicing and ask the ford to lie on the service book

That'll be the differences between franchises then. Some good some not so