re: Would you buy a former rental car?

A company I use to work for use to rent from Enterprise instead of buying company vehicles. They would deliver as needed (if someone needed to go out to a plant at a certain time, they put in a request and if all were in use, they would bring another one).

One day, they delivered one at noon for someone who needed to leave at 1PM. When he went out to the car to leave, he was adjusting the seat and then all of a sudden there was this awful smell. He didn't even get out of the parking lot before going back to see where the smell was coming from.. Because he couldn't take it. He said even with the windows down it was just unbearable.

He did a quick check and couldn't find anything, but he had to hurry up and get a new vehicle to go to a meeting. The guy from enterprise came and dropped off another vehicle and got in to take the car that was smelling. He didn't even pull out of the parking spot all the way before parking it.. He couldn't handle the smell either. Evidently when the seat was moved, it exposed the smell. They found a dead turtle under the seat. Whoever had it last decided to put a dead turtle under the seat.

The enterprise guy looked at the log and said it had been brought back to them on Thursday (it was a Monday this happened)...So for four days a dead turtle was in the car. They probably had to really do some work to get the smell out.. I would imagine people do all kinds of things to rental cars

quote:

---

I've never really done anything different in a rental car than what I do with my own car.

---

quote:

---

How many times have you shite in your trunk? Because I’ve seen that happen to more that one rental car.

---

Please elaborate!

Yes, we have bought two from Enterprise (not at same time). We test drove them first, smelled 'em, and had them checked out by our mechanic. both were good deals at a time that we couldn't afford a new car.

I did. No problems so far. They only pull the best ones for their own sales and dump the rest on other used car lots. Absolutely no worse than buying a used car from someone/somewhere else.

quote:

---

God, I hate the Ford Fusion, but Enterprise seems to love that car.

---

The Taurus is even worse.

No way car has been abused

I have twice

1. No problems

2. Media system/hazard issue.
They replaced the $800 part free although they could have instead made me pay $200 to turn it in for another car.


Enterprise

I bought a previous rental car, A Chevy Cruze, to be my back and forth to work vehicle. Owned it for 3+ years now with no problem. It was a year old at purchase, 25k miles, nice trim package and cost me less than 14k out the door.

quote:

---

Most people are not reenacting the Days of Thunder rental car scene.

---

This. There are tons of stories from old-time race driver trashing rental cars. Some were banned by the rental agencies.

quote:

---

I hate the Ford Fusion,

---

I pick that over the Camry, Malibu, and small SUV options.