If you’re thinking about buying a rental car, give your head a shake. In the same way that someone who buys a house is more likely to care for it than someone who rents it, a person who owns a car will probably treat it better than someone who merely rents it for a day or two.
Even if the asking price for a rental car on sale is enticing, don’t fall for it. There are too many other options elsewhere to roll the dice and gamble.
Here are 16 reasons to avoid the urge to purchase a rental vehicle. Steering clear will spare you a case of buyer’s remorse.
High Mileage in a Short Time
One reason to avoid buying a rental car is that they tend to rack up a ton of mileage in a relatively short time. People may take them on road trips, use them when their vehicles are in the repair shop, and do other things with them that do a number on the odometer. So, these cars may have more miles than average for the make and model year.
Unreported Repairs
You’ll have no way of knowing if the Carfax tells the entire story since some car rental businesses may do things in-house. It’ll be harder to verify what repairs were done, whether quality parts were used, or if the work was done effectively without any cost-cutting measures.
Reckless Driving by Renters
Renters are more likely to drive cars harder when they don’t own them. It’s an unfortunate reality of life that most people are more careful when they own something rather than when they borrow something. Unless you’re willing to roll the dice and hope for the best, it’s best to give such vehicles a hard pass. You can find a good deal on a used car elsewhere.
Tire Wear
The tires can tell you a lot about a car. Signs of uneven wear could indicate the car rental agency wasn’t diligent about tire rotations. And if that’s the case, you have to ask yourself what else the company might have been loosey-goosey about. If you’re checking out a rental car for sale and notice tire issues, it’s probably not worth investigating further.
Interior Wear and Tear
Families loading up into rental vehicles will do a number on the interiors. If you check out a rental car for sale, expect to find interior wear and tear. Scratches, stains, rips, and other imperfections are likely. It’s what happens when renters use these vehicles day after day for years.
Rattles and Squeaks
If you put a rental car through its paces before making an offer, you might hear more creaks, squeaks, and rattles than you may want. It’s what you can expect with a vehicle with tons of miles on the odometer.
Depreciation Issues
Kelley’s Blue Book says most vehicles will suffer a 20% depreciation hit in their first year. And within five years, cars tend to drop around 60% of their value. But remember that those stats are for vehicles owned by private citizens. The depreciation for rental cars that are rented out often and driven hard will be steeper than for vehicles owned privately.
Unknown Ownership History
Another reason to avoid buying a rental car is you can’t verify how it was used. You won’t know how many people drove it and how hard they drove it. All you’ll know is how many miles are on the odometer, and that’s not nearly enough information. Considering that a car is such a big investment, it’ll be hard to buy one when there are so many unknowns.
Transmission Wear
J.D. Power says it can cost $2,500 to $5,000 to buy a new automatic transmission and have it installed. For a manual transmission, the range is $1,500 to $3,000. It’s good to know these price ranges because if you buy a rental car, you may need a tranny in short order.
When so many drivers use the same rental car without having to worry or concern themselves about proper care, the transmission will get a licking…and there’s only so much time that it’ll keep on ticking.
Alignment Issues
If people drive rental cars carelessly, bump into curves, and run roughshod over potholes, alignment issues could compromise the handling and ride quality. Again, it’s a matter of whether a good deal on a rental car is worth the potential problems you’ll inherit as the new owner.
Frequent Acceleration and Braking
Aggressive acceleration and braking can cause more wear and tear on a car. Unfortunately, renters have the luxury of focusing on the here and now and don’t have to care about the longevity of the vehicles. But, again, you’ll inherit these issues if you purchase one from a rental company or dealer.
Limited (Or No) Warranty
Depending on where you buy a rental car, there may be a limited warranty or none at all. Rental vehicles for sale were often used, abused, and refused by car rental companies. You’ll want to get a strong warranty with a used car. You may or may not get one if you purchase a rental vehicle.
Lower Resale Value
Buying a rental car also means you’ll have a harder time selling it later for a decent price. There’s a stigma about rental cars being shoddy pieces of work that won’t hold up over the long term.
Unknown Towing History
One problem with not knowing the car’s history is you won’t know if it was used for towing. If you buy a rental vehicle equipped with a hitch, there’s no way you can verify how often renters towed with it or if they respected the vehicle’s specs. If you can’t get this information, it’s best to give it a pass.
Frequent Overloading
People who rent cars may overload their vehicles and exceed weight limits for their road trips and other outings. If this is done often enough, the vehicle’s suspension and other components could be compromised. You could and should get a pre-purchase inspection from a reputable mechanic, but it could make more sense to look for another used car.
Less Room for Negotiations
Car rental companies may not be willing to negotiate prices. While rental vehicles tend to be priced at a discount, that doesn’t mean negotiations should be taken off the table.
You might want to make an offer based on some things you notice when assessing the vehicle. But the seller might say there’s no flexibility in the asking price. It’s take it or leave it. Given that choice, you would be better off choosing the latter.
Avoid Buying a Rental Car at All Costs
If you want a good deal on a car, skip vehicles that were used as rentals. There are far too many unknowns, and it’s not worth the hassle. You’re better off finding a privately owned used vehicle.
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