Let’s start by running through the reasons you might want to buy a car from Enterprise or one of the other companies.
1) Low(ish) Prices
Rental companies buy their cars really cheap, so they can afford to sell them cheap too. They’re not fools though and you’ll find they know the market value. As a result, their cars will be discounted somewhat but perhaps not as much as you might expect. It’s up to you to do some due diligence.
2) Nearly New
As we mentioned above, rental cars tend to be sold after 24 months (sometimes less,) or 40,000 miles, whichever comes first. That means you’re looking at late model cars with all their associated benefits. ( Primarily Safety and fuel economy.)
3) Warranty Coverage
Since almost every new car comes with at least a three-year/36,000-mile warranty, your ex-rental may have a year or more of factory coverage remaining. In addition, the “Big 3” includes a warranty of 12 months/12,000 miles on most, if not all, of the cars they sell.
4) Easy Purchasing Process
Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis all advertise “no haggle” purchasing. That means you pay the price they’re asking or walk away. However, as the price is probably nearer than that asked by private sellers than dealers, you’re getting a reasonable deal. In addition, you can do most of the buying process online, making it a fast and easy process.
Other points to note are their flexibility regarding test drives, returns/exchanges, and trade-ins. All will let you drive the car you’re considering and exchange it if you’re unhappy with it, but Hertz also offers a “Rent2Buy” program. Effectively an extended test drive, lets you try the car for an extended period before committing to it.
5) Maintained and Certified
Rental companies look after the rentals because they don’t want them breaking down on their customers. Plus, they know it helps the resale value. So if you decide to buy a rental car you can be sure it’s had regular oil changes and all the scheduled services. They’ll also make sure any recalls are attended to promptly, which can’t necessarily be said for private owners.
Many of their used cars are sold as “Certified.” As with a car dealership, this means the vehicle has been inspected thoroughly and any significant faults corrected. (You should note though that Hertz for one also sells non-certified cars. If being certified is important to you, check this point applies to the vehicle you’re interested in.)
Edmunds is one of the oldest and best new car research and review sites on the internet. Their huge dealer network allows you to shop, research and compare millions of new cars so you can find the exact vehicle you’re looking for.
