Buying a rental car

[Bruce Page]

My wife has her heart set on an Infinity EX35 and has been looking for a used one for several months. One finally came up at the local Carmax dealer; a 2012 with 15k miles that looks to be in excellent condition. BUT, it was a fleet rental car and that raises flags with me. This would be our 3rd Infinity, she drives a G35 & I drive a FX35. We have always had great reliability with both of them. Is the “rental car” worth a look, or should we run from it?

[Ben Hatcher]

I would think that the type of person who would rent this kind of vehicle aren't the kind to trash a rental just because it is a rental.

[Brian Elfert]

Both my parents and I have purchased former rental cars with no issues. 15,000 miles is really low for a rental these days. Most of them are at 40,000 miles or higher before they dump them. You would still be under factory warranty with that mileage.

Some people shy away from rentals as they think a typical renter drives the car really hard. I doubt the average business person who flies into town and rents a car for a week will drive a car hard. Sometimes they get driven from the airport to a hotel where a conference is being held and don't get driven again until it is time to go back to the airport.

[Prashun Patel]

Definitely worth a look. 15,000 miles is low - even if the renters were jerky with it. The important parts are unlikely to have suffered serious abuse. If the cosmetics look and smell fine, then I think the risk is relatively low.

[Gordon Eyre]

As I read this my Infinity has 219,000 miles on it and it runs great. I say go for it, the mileage on it is nothing.

[Biff Johnson]

Hmmm, I don't know about that. I spent many years on the road and using rental cars. I have seen things done to rental cars that would horrify you.

I would certainly get a thorough check done on it, including frame alignment. Did you ever how fast you could take railroad tracks? Did you ever want to do a bootlegger turn like in the movies? People always do in rentals the things they wondered about doing in their own car but were too afraid to.

[Bruce Page]

Shucks Biff, here I was feeling pretty rosy about it and you go and throw a wrench into things.
We are going to take a look at it this afternoon.

Does Carmax deal or are their prices set in stone?

[Jeff Monson]

Being its a high end rental car with low miles, I would not hesitate to look it over. I'd do a carfax, ask for maint. records (should only be a few oil changes at that mileage). I would not be scared to own it.

[Eric DeSilva]

I have seen things done to rental cars that would horrify you.

There's the related question of what's been done *in* the rental car as well.

[Jerome Stanek]

I bought a pick up truck that was marked as a fleet and it has been a great truck just traded it in this last week. Had it for 12 years.

[Brian Tymchak]

... You would still be under factory warranty with that mileage.

I would check with Infinity on this. Having been a commercial vehicle, the warranty may not apply.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bruce,

If you have a local garage, dealer or private, that you trust, see if you can have the car inspected. It might be worth a few hundred dollars investment but I would probably buy it.

While I bought my wife a new car 10 years ago, I haven't purchased a new car for me in over 25 years.

[David Weaver]

I'd be willing to bet it was well maintained, and that on average, vehicles like that probably get better maintenance than privately owned cars.

[Brian Elfert]

There isn't much to do besides oil changes and change the air filter on a modern vehicle with under 40,000 miles these days. Most don't need any real service work like change transmission fluid until 60,000 miles or more.

I've never heard of warranty issues with a rental car. The rental car I bought had the remaining warranty.

[Jim Matthews]

There's the related question of what's been done *in* the rental car as well.

I've got young kids in the back of my Minivan every day.
I'll stack up the cleanliness of a fleet vehicle against the rolling pig sty I drive - any day.

If the mechanicals are tight, the maintenance schedule up to date and the warranty transfers - you're on the right track.