beware - rental cars

[danix]

There are a number of 06 Mazda5s out there, all automatics, that are former rental cars. They may or may not be good cars, but be aware that there is a strong chance that the low mile car you're looking at could be a former rental.
Check the owners manual, trunk, and windows for logos or signs that this was a former rental.

 

[StealthWyvern]

Did you get jipped by a rental car? My gf purchased a 04 6i that was rental and she has put 24k trouble free miles on it.

 

[Bala]

I picked up a formal "fleet rental" at auction with 16K on the clock (see here: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2203515&postcount=2), a 2001 Pro mind you ... and beat the living crap out of it for two years and another 45K. Not one thing ever went wrong. These cars are actually well maintained. This was directly compared to my wife's 2000 New Beetle that was in the shop 15X in 3 yrs. I picked up 2 more Pro's because of this car . Condition of these 5's will be highly variable - just have it checked out first.

*edit -ahem. I beat the crap out of it for three years (you can't help it with a 1.6 and an auto tranny merging into LA traffic).

 

[MP3Architect]

yeah i would never recommend rental cars since ive rented a few over the years. but a few years back my mom bought a used malibu that was a rental and never had a single issue with it. turned out to be a hell of a good deal for her.

 

[jersey_emt]

IMO, you're taking a pretty big risk purchasing what used to be a rental. People beat the s*** out of rentals.

 

[Wuster]

Ummm...

I used to work for Avis car sales in the summers when I was in college. If the renter didn't beat the cars up, we lot guys sure did.

I personally would prefer not buy a former rental car.

 

[jlk_250]

I would consider buying an ex-rental car but the big thing is I would want to know. I'd sure hate to buy a car and then later find out it had been a rental car.

Jon

 

[Wuster]

You can always use carfax. It shows how the car was originally titled. So if it says rental company or corporate vehicle...

 

[-pixy-]

IMO, you're taking a pretty big risk purchasing what used to be a rental. People beat the s*** out of rentals.

People renting Mazda5's aren't beating the s*** out of them and you know the rental company maintains them. I'd be more worried if I were buying a rental mustang...

 

[-pixy-]

I would consider buying an ex-rental car but the big thing is I would want to know. I'd sure hate to buy a car and then later find out it had been a rental car.

Jon

If it is disclosed that it was a rental and discounted... I wouldn't be too worried. Whenever you are buying a used car you are taking a risk to how it was treated previously.

 

[paging_drburgos]

yeah it really depends on the car. I'd just have someone inspect it first before making the purchase.

 

[irloyal]

IMO, you're taking a pretty big risk purchasing what used to be a rental. People beat the s*** out of rentals.

Rental cars are better maintained than most cars on the market. Sure there are always a few jerks who push the cars too hard, but as well as the cars are maintained, you have a better chance of getting a quality car from a rental fleet than you do on the open market.

FWIW, I rent a lot of cars and rarely drive them hard. Anybody who pushes a rental hard is not very bright, since you should be aware of how a car responds before pushing them hard. It's a safety thing, so the rental beaters are prbably not very bright to begin with.

 

[fam]

Im one of those guys that makes buying a rental risky business. When my 5 was out of action. I single handidly jumped railroad tracks (bullitt style) with a mazda6, pt cruiser, and mpv. Did you know that you can lock up the rear tires of a mazda6 with the parking brake at 75 mph? ;-) Makes me want a 6 for my next car, so well made!

 

[raspykart]

I wonder where one could rent a Mazda5. I have a road trip coming up and it'd be great to test drive one before buying one

 

[randyscycle]

Funny, I had a friend who's mom bought of all things, an 84 Ford LTD II that was a former rental. The LTD II was garbage anyway, and didn't need an excuse to break down. She drove that car for well over 300,000 miles. If I hadn't seen it personally I would not have believed it at all.....

On the other side, I wouldn't buy a rental, knowing how I've treated them and seen them treated. I used a brand new Kia Optima with only 100 miles on the clock while my Dodge was in the bodyshop. I got my money's worth.........I'm sure most cars don't see what that rental saw in its first 1000 miles, all of their life.

 

[wongpres]

I wonder where one could rent a Mazda5. I have a road trip coming up and it'd be great to test drive one before buying one

Please enter your location in your profile as it'll help with questions like this one.

Assuming you're in the US, the larger Hertz stores (e.g. at airports) may have them. I saw a bunch of Mazda5's at Hertz LAX.

 

[GWDavis281]

I wonder where one could rent a Mazda5. I have a road trip coming up and it'd be great to test drive one before buying one

Hertz near me rents them. Check you local Hertz dealer and see you might get lucky. I was thinking of renting a Mazda5 for a week or 2 and see how it work for me and my family.

Glenn |B)

 

[gone_fishin]

I think it was jeff foxworthy that said "buying a rental car is like going to the whorehouse to look for a wife; anything that's been driven that hard by that many people, you don't want to stick your key in it".

 

[danix]

Yup, Hertz rents them.
As someone who used to participate in rental car neutral drop contests, I would encourage you to find a nice privately owned vehicle instead

 

[k-lea]

IMO, you're taking a pretty big risk purchasing what used to be a rental. People beat the s*** out of rentals.

*nods* I beat the poo out of the Mazda 6 I was renting.


..fun car, btw.