Buying 2019 4x4 5th gen from rental company

Just buy new. Tacomas and 4 runners not worth it buying buying used if 3 years old. Maybe a 4 year old one...
 
Just buy new. Tacomas and 4 runners not worth it buying buying used if 3 years old. Maybe a 4 year old one...

I see dealerships in my area advertise 2019 SR5 4WD at $39k MSRP with $1000/$1500 discounts off that. Do you think it's possible to purchase it for $32-$33k out the door? I can wait and pull the trigger on December 31 if that's what it takes. Never ever purchased a vehicle from the dealership so I have no experience.
 
Buying a former rental car ranks up there with sticking your finger in a light socket. Most people are smart enough not to do it. But then others...

People buy rental cars that have clean CarFax reports thinking that nothing has ever gone wrong with the vehicle. Not so in most cases.

The rental companies aren't legally required to report damage to carfax or insurance because they are self-insured. Meaning, they usually have a local shop do repairs as cheaply as possible and under the table.

Rental cars get moved from office to office and can start out in Chicago getting subjected to salted roads and horrible potholes, and then end up for sale in San Diego with no record of where it's been.

My girlfriend bought a used rental car without consulting me first. Found evidence of multiple poor body repairs and having been in extremely corrosive environments despite it supposedly coming from California.

She works in the aviation industry and treats the rentals she gets very gently and assumed that everyone else did as well.

She now knows better. But, she had to get burned and learn the hard way.
I agree but with one clarification - nobody is "legally required" to report anything to CARFAX or insurance. In fact, CARFAX pays for that information.
 
I have no problem buying used cars, rental or otherwise. I've bought things that have been beat to hell even...it all just factors into the price for me. I have to point out as well that I really dislike owing money on cars. I don't drive things that appreciate in value, and you never know when your circumstances might change. People manage this risk different ways (or don't) but part of my approach is low debt and reliable vehicles.

It also helps me if they have a few imperfections when I buy them. It lowers the price and keeps me realistic about what what's going to happen to a vehicle driven on public roads and parked in public lots. I like it a lot, but it's just a truck...
 
We sell previous rental Toyota including 4runner all the times. Rental company actually maintain and services their fleet very well. We sell hundreds of new Toyota to Enterprise each year and buy a lot of them back at the end of of about a year with anywhere between 18k-35k miles. Not every 4runner are taken off road. Most renters just want to drive one around town. Not saying a few might be rented to venture off road, that is entirely possible but majority of it are being driven in town. I won't worry too much about it if its a good deal. Just do the normal common sense inspection of obvious sign of physical abuse. Buying one from a Toyota dealer typically cost more but most of them are being Certified which comes with extra warranty and meet Toyota higher standard of quality and 160 points inspection. Good luck and enjoy your (new to you) 4runner.
 
It also helps me if they have a few imperfections when I buy them. It lowers the price and keeps me realistic about what what's going to happen to a vehicle driven on public roads and parked in public lots. I like it a lot, but it's just a truck...

I have very similar beliefs. I would rather buy discounted car with some visual dings than buy expensive, perfect one and have careless people on parking lots ding it for me. End result 1 year later is the same so why pay more?

Drivers in Bay Area are very inconsiderate, especially around parking lots.
 
We sell hundreds of new Toyota to Enterprise each year and buy a lot of them back at the end of of about a year with anywhere between 18k-35k miles.
Would you reveal what kind of prices are you paying for these cars? I'm curious to see how much of a difference there is between corporate buyer and retail buyer like me. The cars we are talking would be 2019 4Runners with around 20k miles.
 
I see dealerships in my area advertise 2019 SR5 4WD at $39k MSRP with $1000/$1500 discounts off that. Do you think it's possible to purchase it for $32-$33k out the door? I can wait and pull the trigger on December 31 if that's what it takes. Never ever purchased a vehicle from the dealership so I have no experience.

yes. people are consistently buying 2019 SR5P for 33-35k OTD

as the end of the year approaches that price will only get better as dealerships will want older models gone to make room for 2020s

you can buy 2019 trd orp for 37-38k OTD
 
I just bought a rental 4runner a few weeks ago (enterprise). 2019 TRD Orp. 27k miles. I climbed all over and under the thing checking it out and it's got a tiny scratch here and there but other than that it's in excellent shape. Decent carfax maintenance reports. 29k OTD in Tennessee. I'm pretty happy with it. Traded in my 2016 SR5 premium with 87k miles and got 26k for it. I may end up regretting it but we shall see. Saved 8 grand which is about 25% on a 1 year old car.
 
I just bought a rental 4runner a few weeks ago (enterprise). 2019 TRD Orp. 27k miles. I climbed all over and under the thing checking it out and it's got a tiny scratch here and there but other than that it's in excellent shape. Decent carfax maintenance reports. 29k OTD in Tennessee. I'm pretty happy with it. Traded in my 2016 SR5 premium with 87k miles and got 26k for it. I may end up regretting it but we shall see. Saved 8 grand which is about 25% on a 1 year old car.

How did you test the 4WD system? Did you do anything specific? 4WD system is what I'm worried most about and I don't have any good method to check it other than standard visual check of all components and exhaustive test drive with different maneuvers to see for unusual behaviors and noises.
 
How did you test the 4WD system? Did you do anything specific? 4WD system is what I'm worried most about and I don't have any good method to check it other than standard visual check of all components and exhaustive test drive with different maneuvers to see for unusual behaviors and noises.

Told them I needed to test drive it alone for about an hour. Took it to a gravel road near by and tested 4 hi and lo. Tested the factory locker too in a way that they might not have approved of but I needed to know everything worked. No weird noises. Everything engaged, functioned, and disengaged like it should. I've had it on the trails a couple of times since I bought it and used 4 hi and lo and the locker just for fun (it wasn't needed) but everything seems to be in tip top shape. I'm going to do an oil change and change the fluid in both diffs, the transfer case and transmission this weekend or next just for peace of mind but I'm really not that worried about it. It will either be ok or it won't.
 
My rental is not confirmed as of now so it's possible I won't be able to test drive it in the morning.

On another note, I inquired to 6 dealerships around and asked who can give me best price on 2019 4Runner SR5 4x4 and the best offer was $37k out the door (E-price being $33,500). That's still too expensive as I can get one from Hertz close to $31k out the door.

Should I look in other cities / other states maybe? I'm committed to finding 4Runner in better price, especially that I can leverage the upcoming Christmas season and end of the year.
 
I bought a used Enterprise rental car once. It was problem free for 80k miles aside from some minor issues. At least you know up front it IS a rental and are getting a discount. I bought mine certified used and paid a good bit for it. I was enraged at the time. I am sure the dealer bought it from auction and made at least $10k off me. I would not worry about it. Most people that can afford to rent premium vehicles are not going to abuse them. Having service records makes it a no brainer.
 
Here's where I am with the process today. I emailed about 30 dealerships around asking specifically for 2019 SR5 4x4 and so far best offer was $37k out the door which would break down to about $33k + approx $4k fees. 2 of them said if I find better offer anywhere else they will match - which tells me if I went in person I might get it down a bit further.

Going back to Hertz - they bailed on me. Vehicle was supposed to be ready by 9 AM and it wasn't. I even called them and said don't bother with detailing because I'm test driving the car within 2 hour complimentary window and either returning right after or buying. But they wouldn't give it to me, representative said car had to be detailed.
I noticed that Hertz TRD PRO models were selling for approx $34.5k and now they went down to $32k. Apparently Hertz prices go down as 2019 progresses so I might wait longer.

I wouldn't mind purchasing a vehicle on December 31st, but looks like inventory at dealerships sells out and very likely there won't be any 4Runners available at the dealerships by then.
 
Depends on what you mean by "fees". If the vehicle is 33k + TTL only, then it is a good deal. But if they have other bullshit fees that aren't TTL then run. Why don't they just advertise it for 27k and add $10,000 fees, I mean 27k is lower than 33k so maybe that will reel in more people. Stupid dealer if that is what they are doing.
 
Depends on what you mean by "fees". If the vehicle is 33k + TTL only, then it is a good deal. But if they have other bullshit fees that aren't TTL then run. Why don't they just advertise it for 27k and add $10,000 fees, I mean 27k is lower than 33k so maybe that will reel in more people. Stupid dealer if that is what they are doing.

As far as I understand fees = title and tax. For San Jose it's expensive, around 9.25%. The point is, dealer offers $37k out the door, that's it. I don't care much what kind of fees are in it. So far that's the best offer I got.
 
I recalculated again Hertz offer and it looks like I could get their rental for approx $34k out the door (San Jose 9.25% tax applies here as well as through the dealership). Now having offers from dealerships for approx $37k out the door it starts to NOT make sense to buy rental. But I'm still in the game. All of the time spent on arranging test drives, calling, emailing is very beneficial. I learned a lot so far.
 

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