I have just bought a 2nd had Toyota Avensis from a Toyota dealership. When we were discussing the car with the sales lady we were at pains to discover whether it was an ex-hire car or not. We have been sold such a car in the past without knowing it so were cautious this time. She promised us the car was from Toyota and had probably been a rep?s car. The V5 confirmed the previous owner as Toyota GB.
When I got home on Friday with the car I found a Hertz document referring to my car (reg number) along with a date of hire. Pretty clear evidence that it was previously a hire vehicle. So, I called the dealer and spoke to the sales manager. He was apologetic, sympathetic and surprised that such a thing could have happened (V5 says Toyota but rented out by Hertz) He then offered us the chance to swap the car for a different one under the exchange scheme. Very fair.
So, now to the point:
Is an ex-hire car likely to be less reliable than an ?ordinary? car and should we exchange it? Is the aggravation worth the benefit? We probably would have bought the car even if we had known its provenance but with a bit more trepidation. However, last night a bit fell off on the motorway. There is a plastic panel under the car which I think is there to prevent stones etc hitting the radiator. This came away from the front of the car, turned through about 110 degrees and began to scrape along the road, thereby making a terrible noise. I managed to push it back into place and the dealer has promised to put it right. The bottom of the bumper is quite ragged and looks like it has been grounded or hit a speed bump. I am now thinking that rather than having had one or 2 drivers (spouses) as we first thought this car has had many drivers and has been thrashed.
Any advice?
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Might not be as bad a a thing as you think...
www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=44
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I think a lot of manufacturer approved schemes supply ex-hire cars etc.
To be honest I wouldn't let it bother me if the car appears to be in good condition, we sell ex-hire vehicles at work and they are normally in better condition than ones from other sources (e.g. trade-ins and in some cases motability returns)
I sold my aunt an ex-rental as well, so I'd be pretty confident in owning one myself.
I would give them a chance to fix this plastic covering and then hang on until the last minute before deciding what to do.
If the car doesn't give any clues of trouble in the first month then I would just keep it, changing it seems like a lot of hassle just because of it's previous owner, the chances are the replacement could also be ex-Hertz and you would have no way of knowing for sure.
Blue
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No way of knowing for sure of course, but the only experience myself of how hire cars are treated is on holiday abroad.
In Cyprus for example you do see tourists abusing them particularly the younger element.
Personally I would say that if you feel the slightest doubt which would stay with you for a long time I would exchange it.
Why have this on your mind when they have offered to do so.
The only consolation may be is that in Britain with our congestion it would be more difficult to really thrash it badly.
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its entirely a matter of your peace of mind.
If you are happy with an ex hire car - keep it
If you are not, you have the offer to get it changed, then use it..
For what it matters, I can tell you are not happy at the moment, and therefore it follows you may never be for the entire time you have the car.
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Who is likely to rent an Avensis? Possibly not the type who will thrash it. Presumably your car is still under Toyota warranty? Were you happy when you bought it? Change it for peace of mind but no car comes with a permanent 100% guarantee: not even a Toyota.
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I frequently hire car for business use. Usually from Hertz or Enterprise. I have had Avensis, although I usually request auto versions.
They are always in good condition and IMHO a car of this type will be rented by people like myself (i.e. mature people travelling on business and doing a 50+ mile each way journey). I never 'thrash' the cars, nor have I ever had one that feels thrashed.
Would you rather have a car that has covered the same mileage and been used for local shopping journys and taking the kids to/from school etc etc? I would have no hesitation at all in buying an ex-rental car myself and can imagine they would often be in better nick that an eqivalent privately owned example.
The only caveat to this is that the same may not apply in 'holiday' areas where foreign tourists might use them.
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I can't really say one way or the other as i see both sides of the fence - one of my many roles is renting out Toyota's, we have most of the range available and at the end of their time (usually 6 months) they are sold through our dealership.
I'm not too sure about Hertz but most of our customers generally are of the "more Mature" variety! We have a minimum age of 25 to hire and the cars are fully valeted after each hire.
One possible consideration is that when PX'ing your car in a few years you will be asked "has the car been used for self drive hire?" obviously you will have to answer yes to this and it may have some detrimental effect on the value.
With regards to the bumper the only thing i can think of is that it has at some point been caught on a high kerb - the sort of thing you would remember not to do if it was your car but when a succession of different drivers they would not realise it had a low front bumper and so it got caught quite a bit.
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Perhaps you should look at the other cars they might exchange it with, its always worth looking because they might offer you one with less miles or a better spec ?
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The only consolation may be is that in Britain with our congestion it would be more difficult to really thrash it badly.
Congestion? What congestion? I crossed the Lincolnshire Wolds on Sunday evening 8 to 9 pm, as I do most weekends, and in 30 miles I didn't see a single vehicle travelling in the same direction as me and only about a dozen going in the opposite direction.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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>>I didn't see a single vehicle travelling in the same direction as me
There were 1,000 in your rear view mirror.
:-)
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>>I didn't see a single vehicle travelling in the same direction as me There were 1,000 in your rear view mirror. :-)
Sticks and stones, Mr W, sticks and stones.....!
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Congestion? What congestion? I crossed the Lincolnshire Wolds on Sunday evening 8 to 9 pm, as I do most weekends, and in 30 miles I didn't see a single vehicle travelling in the same direction as me and only about a dozen going in the opposite direction. -- L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
Ssshhhh! Don't let everyone know about Lincolnshire! I don't want everyone else moving here and ruining it
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Ssshhhh! Don't let everyone know about Lincolnshire! I don't want everyone else moving here and ruining it
Nick, have you got a "Proud to be a Yellowbelly" car sticker yet?
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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The main problem with hire cars is likely to high trim wear. I have been driving a few in the last weeks and have become as adept as the hire company staff in finding little faults, so I don't get charged for them!
The likelyhood of it being thrashed are probably determined by such things as the car being underpowered, people will be less forgiving of a hire car that is slow.
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I wouldn't buy a hirecar, I know how I drive when I am in one!
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If I may quote the hire car mantra:
"No kerb too high, no fuel too cheap"
Having said that, if the price was right and it passed a thorough check, I would buy one.
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