Would you buy a 5th Gen that was once a Rental Vehicle?

T4RT

T4RT

New member
I have been shopping for a while for a Used 5th Gen SR5. I found a 2013 model for sale at a local dealer. The price is $29,900, 16K miles, No SunRoof (I need the extra headroom), and it appears to be in good condition from the photos. Photos however can be deceiving. I haven't had time to go see it in person yet but when I checked the Carfax I see the following:

1/29/2013
Indiana Motor Vehicle Dept.
Vehicle purchase reported Titled or registered as rental vehicle.

Looks like it may not have had an oil change for 15,500 miles either until 9/17/2013 when the dealer took possession.

No other items listed on the Carfax other than the sale date and when the vehicle hit dealer inventory.

So this brings me to my main question, would anyone here ever consider purchasing a rental vehicle as their new main vehicle for the family.

I welcome all thoughts and comments and if necessary I can put on my flame suit for asking this question. :) Thanks for reading.

T4RT
 
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How do you drive rentals?? If it's anything like I do, I'd stay away... ;)

That said, my brother bought an 05 trailblazer from enterprise and had good luck with it until he saw normal trailblazer problems around 100k. It never showed any evidence of being a rental beater though- never had real engine, tranny, or rear axle issues...
 
I've rented cars and trucks, and I know how I drove them. Read up on The Tragedy Of The Commons, and then ask yourself if you want to spend $30,000 on a vehicle that hasn't been driven by anybody that gives a shit it about for 16,000 miles.
 
Last edited:
T4RT said:
So this brings me to my main question, would anyone here ever consider purchasing a rental vehicle as their new main vehicle for the family.
Click to expand...

no. I know of at least one rental that was abused.

phillyd2 said:
Rented a stock SR5 to do the driving courses at Overland Expo 2013 in Flagstaff AZ. Also visited the well named Grand Canyon and down to Sedona, coming back north along the canyon on Schnebly Hill Road.

Technically not me modded truck but I wanted to post these to show how even a stock SR5 with stock tires and zero mods is extremely capable.

Snapshot15-18-20139-06PM_zps910c4a76.jpg~original


P1020527_zps1e331034.jpg~original


P1020503_zpsc85e5e55.jpg~original
Click to expand...
 
T4RT said:
I have been shopping for a while for a Used 5th Gen SR5. I found a 2013 model for sale at a local dealer. The price is $29,900, 16K miles, No SunRoof (I need the extra headroom), and it appears to be in good condition from the photos. Photos however can be deceiving. I haven't had time to go see it in person yet but when I checked the Carfax I see the following:

1/29/2013
Indiana Motor Vehicle Dept.
Vehicle purchase reported Titled or registered as rental vehicle.

Looks like it may not have had an oil change for 15,500 miles either until 9/17/2013 when the dealer took possession.

No other items listed on the Carfax other than the sale date and when the vehicle hit dealer inventory.

So this brings me to my main question, would anyone here ever consider purchasing a rental vehicle as their new main vehicle for the family.

I welcome all thoughts and comments and if necessary I can put on my flame suit for asking this question. :) Thanks for reading.

T4RT
Click to expand...

I would definitely stay away from a rental!
 
i wish i had a picture collage of the shit i've done in any rental i got, car, truck, van etc.. all were heavily abused within reason.. that said.. i also rented a 5th gen 4runner to go to our cabin (that's actually what made me want to buy one vs a 4th gen) and i fully tested it out LOL
 
I would say never like most have. Especially at that price. The 5th Gen I rented in Montana was a stripped down SR 5. Only thing it really had was 4x. For just a tickle over that price for the rental you could have a new one and break her in your way.
 
I was going to ask where y'all are renting 4Runners from thinking you went to Enterprise or Budget picking them up. But apparently Toyota does a "Toyota Rent a Car" with a bunch of their vehicles at select dealers.
 
There is nothing wrong with buying a rental. When you ask your question on an automotive forum, or anywhere else on the internet for that matter, you will always get the same cliche answers as witnessed here. The reality is that almost everyone drives their rental like a sane person. So what if it was punched a few times at a red light...like no one here has ever done it to their own cars. In most cases rentals are driven even more carefully than a daily driver because the vehicle is unfamiliar to the new driver and the driver is an unfamiliar town.

It's funny how taking a 4R rental off road is 'abusing' the truck when that is exactly what many people here do to their precious 4Rs.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a 4x4 rental. The chances of someone renting it and then taking off road is almost zero. Even if they did, what has really been damaged? There is a chance of damage, sure. The real problem lies in someone engaging the 4x4 system when you are not supposed to. If it is a RWD, I'd be open to buying it.

The biggest problem with rentals is the daily abuse it sees from being lived in resulting in food stains, scratches inside and out, etc. It makes the car feel like a piece of junk even if the mechanical aspects are in great condition.
 
4r2014 said:
There is nothing wrong with buying a rental. When you ask your question on an automotive forum, or anywhere else on the internet for that matter, you will always get the same cliche answers as witnessed here. The reality is that almost everyone drives their rental like a sane person. So what if it was punched a few times at a red light...like no one here has ever done it to their own cars. In most cases rentals are driven even more carefully than a daily driver because the vehicle is unfamiliar to the new driver and the driver is an unfamiliar town.

It's funny how taking a 4R rental off road is 'abusing' the truck when that is exactly what many people here do to their precious 4Rs.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a 4x4 rental. The chances of someone renting it and then taking off road is almost zero. Even if they did, what has really been damaged? There is a chance of damage, sure. The real problem lies in someone engaging the 4x4 system when you are not supposed to. If it is a RWD, I'd be open to buying it.

The biggest problem with rentals is the daily abuse it sees from being lived in resulting in food stains, scratches inside and out, etc. It makes the car feel like a piece of junk even if the mechanical aspects are in great condition.
Click to expand...

You driving like a sane person doesn't extrapolate to everyone driving like a sane person.
 
I bought a 2009 Nissan Altima that was originally a rental. I had it for two years. Never had a problem with it.

That said, test drive it and go with your gut.
 
4r2014 said:
There is nothing wrong with buying a rental. When you ask your question on an automotive forum, or anywhere else on the internet for that matter, you will always get the same cliche answers as witnessed here. The reality is that almost everyone drives their rental like a sane person. So what if it was punched a few times at a red light...like no one here has ever done it to their own cars. In most cases rentals are driven even more carefully than a daily driver because the vehicle is unfamiliar to the new driver and the driver is an unfamiliar town.

It's funny how taking a 4R rental off road is 'abusing' the truck when that is exactly what many people here do to their precious 4Rs.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a 4x4 rental. The chances of someone renting it and then taking off road is almost zero. Even if they did, what has really been damaged? There is a chance of damage, sure. The real problem lies in someone engaging the 4x4 system when you are not supposed to. If it is a RWD, I'd be open to buying it.

The biggest problem with rentals is the daily abuse it sees from being lived in resulting in food stains, scratches inside and out, etc. It makes the car feel like a piece of junk even if the mechanical aspects are in great condition.
Click to expand...

All sorts of contradictions going on, lol.

Of course any relatively new vehicle is going to be robust enough to not exhibit major mechanical issues right off the bat, even after having been "abused"; but do you really want to deal with all the little stuff that's wrong/messed up?

Have you ever noticed almost every time you rent a car from any major rental company it's practically brand new and low miles? I'm sure there's a reason why rental companies rotate out used vehicles so frequently, and I doubt it is for the benefit of the customer. If they're off loading them so fast, you have to wonder why and what's wrong with them if they are "perfectly fine".
 
Have you confirmed that it was actually registered as a rental vehicle. In the first post you stated:
1/29/2013
Indiana Motor Vehicle Dept.
Vehicle purchase reported Titled or registered as rental vehicle.

Could it have been a lease vehicle? I'm just questioning because I'm not sure how your state does registration and title. If it was a lease vehicle then I would maybe consider it.
 
Buying a rental is kinda like marrying a prostitute.

Things may look pretty on the surface, but the drivetrain has taken some abuse.:whipping2
 
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