There was a time when car dealers used to try and conceal the fact that they sold ex-daily rental cars. They did this because there was a perception – sometimes real, often imagined – that these cars were somehow of a lower standard.
It’s probably true that, given the choice, most car buyers would prefer that lower mileage 1 careful lady owner example rather than a car driven by several different drivers who may look after the car during their tenure in varying different degrees of care.
Today however, at most car dealers, a lot of volume produced models across many brands will be late plate ex-rental cars, and dealers absolutely rely on this source for their stock.
The standards and maintenance processes in the rental car market are vastly improved from years ago and it certainly doesn’t seem to be as big a deal as once it was to dealers, or car buyers.
We have even heard of car buyers actively pursuing ex rental cars in the belief that they would be cheaper and provide better value.
This belief is certainly well founded in a lot of cases as car dealers will often negotiate volume based deals and get a generous wholesale discount, which they in turn transfer to their customers during promotional periods, making the dealers extremely competitive. These cars can look very attractive against a brand new example.
We would definitely suggest that there are often many good reasons to consider these cars as an option if there is a considerable saving to be made on the new car price, which of course there generally is. For example if you are not an exceptionally high mileage user a 1 year Vauxhall Corsa with 13k miles on the clock may very well fit the bill.
The fact that these types of cars are now far more likely to have been properly maintained and cared for, and that they will have been thoroughly checked for any damage, there is no longer any justification for any fear you may be buying a nail.
The car buyer can confidently buy one and make a significant saving on the purchase price.
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