buying used Rental 4runner
- Thread starter Kjell
- Start date
If you are really concerned over the mechanical reliability or if there was any abuse, why don't you hire a toyota mechanic to do a 120 point inspection. It will cost you around 150 bucks, but the report from the mechanic will give you a good idea of the overall condition of the vehicle.
My friend did this when purchasing a 8 year old toyota. The inspection is very thorough and the report let's you know what needs attention, what will need attention soon, and if anything is out of spec based on the shop manual. It's a small price to pay for a big investment.
My friend did this when purchasing a 8 year old toyota. The inspection is very thorough and the report let's you know what needs attention, what will need attention soon, and if anything is out of spec based on the shop manual. It's a small price to pay for a big investment.
I think you hit several important points.
Buying a used vehicle, regardless of whether it's a rental or a private owner, will carry some uncertainty and risk. Period.
If you want to guarantee that a vehicle was broken in properly, never abused, not used to haul manure from Home Depot, etc. you really should be buying a new vehicle. That's part of the premium for a new car versus a used one: piece of mind and total control.
The main disadvantage of buying a rental, IMHO, is finding one with the options you want. Usually, most will be equipped with the same fleet options (only the colors will differ), so if you wanted 17" wheels versus 16", for example, you're out of luck.
The other disadvantage is the potential impact to the resale value given the mindset some folks have about rentals. On the other hand, you should be using that to your advantage on the buying end of the transaction as well. If you do that (and save some money upfront) and plan on keeping it for awhile, then this may be moot.
Use some common sense, get all the repair records, etc. when you examine the rental. In other words, use the same due dilligence you'd do to any used car you were considering.
Don't be scared away from folks who assume all rentals are to be avoided, and don't be convinced by a rental car seller like Hertz that their vehicle commands a premium over other rentals.
Both of my grandparents purchased former rentals (typical mid-size sedans). All three vehicles that they bought were driven for 8 to 10 additional years before they were sold.
And, personally, I typically drive a rental the same way I drive my own car. Maybe it's just out of habit.
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Fourty-four said:
1. With a rental you know the vehicle was serviced....with a privately owned vehicle you really dont
Do you think only rental agencies have service records? Private owners also have service records. And even if they put them in the trash, it's as easy as driving down to their servicing dealership and asking for a service history on the vehicle.
Service records are great as long as the vehicle has been serviced at a Toyota dealership. However, many people use places like jiffy lube and those dont show up on the toyota service dept. computers.
2. Many of the late model used vehicles on dealer lots are lease turn ins, and many people who lease may not use good gas, do the maint, drive it well, break it in properly, etc because they know the vehicle will be out of their hands long before any of the problems from the associated would crop up
That's exactly why so many companies offer "free" maintenance and oil changes on their leased vehicles. They found that people who leased for 2 or 3 years were neglecting the vehicles because they knew that they would not have them for the long run. Besides, comparing rental vehicles and leased vehicles is an apples and oranges comparison. Rental vehicles change "owners" constantly. Leased vehicles have the same "owner" for years.
What car manufacturer does this??? Several premium import lines offer free maintenance, but it has nothing to do with only leased vehicles. All vehicles get it whether leased or purchased.
3. Break in procedures on modern cars are not as big of a concern as they used to be and the vast majority of people do nothing special during the first hundred miles or so
Anyone should properly break in their vehicle if they want it to last, even with modern engine technology. Rental car drivers are much more unlikely to give a damn.
Unless you buy a vehicle new with "0" miles on it you really have no idea how it has been broken in. Many people buy new cars with 100 or so miles on it and those first 100 miles could all be test drives where a driver obviously is going to "see how much power she's got"
4. The 4Runners computer will not drivers over rev the engine or run it hard right after start up (which is why it shifts no higher than 3k rpms when cold)
I don't know what kind of special computer you have in your 4Runner, but the ones that I've seen do not limit rpms when cold. My BMW M3 has this feature, but not the 4Runner.
If you put your truck in "D" and floor it from a stop right after starting it cold it will shift around 3k rpms. It wont rev to redline until the engine is at least partially warm. I am sure if you manually shifted through the gears you could rev it all the way, but I dont think most people would do that.
6. The best way to ascertain how a rental vehicle was treated is to inspect it for visual damage. If it is free of visual damage you can bet it wasnt abused all that much
Using visual damage is a poor way to gauge the condition of a rental car. For one thing, rental agencies have huge contracts with body shops to always keep their vehicles LOOKING new. Finding a rental that never had body work is like finding a needle in a haystack.
I dont care if a bodyshop fixes it, you can always tell when a vehicle has had paint work. Also, I probably bought over a hundred rental vehicles to sell and none of them had body work done. This is disclosed to the bidder during the auctions. This might be over your head.
7. If someone pays to rent an SUV they are more than likely not your typical renter as insurance companies wouldnt typically pay for such a vehicle and most vacation goers who can afford to rent an SUV probably arent hot rodders.
There's nothing special about renting an SUV. Regular people do it all the time. The only difference is that people who more to rent an SUV usually need the utility it offers, so they rent it to tow a trailer, haul stuff on the inside, or to take it offroad--all things that are tough on the vehicle.
You could be right on this point.
8. As far as the gas goes, I doubt very many renters go out of their way to buy bad gas. Many times they prepay the gas and return empty. If they do fill up I am sure they are pumping 87 octane in and that is what most owners will do, as this wont hurt the vehicle.
Of course they won't go out of their way to buy bad gas, but they won't go out of their way to buy good gas either. The cheapest gas they can find is usually what a rental car driving will use.
The cheapest gas they can find is what most owners will use too.
Northof49
New member
I think many of you think new vehicles are a lot easier to break than reality.
As long as a 4Runner has the correct fluids in it, and the maintenence is done, there isn't much you can do to break it, asides from some really weird shit like jumping it, pulling 20,000lbs, harsh bottom outs, paintwork, etc, all of which is easy to check for. Sure a rental may get floored a little more than a privately owned vehicle, but stuff like that really doesn't hurt anything. Brakes might be worn a little more, tires, etc, but you won't hurt it mechanically by driving it hard.....hell look at the off-roading done by many on this very forum!!
I guarantee 99% of the 4Runner on here weren't broken in "properly." Why? Because the lot boy/salesman/other test drivers floored the thing cold with 1 mile on it. With new motors, you'd have to do some really weird stuff to actually run into problems down the road.
As long as a 4Runner has the correct fluids in it, and the maintenence is done, there isn't much you can do to break it, asides from some really weird shit like jumping it, pulling 20,000lbs, harsh bottom outs, paintwork, etc, all of which is easy to check for. Sure a rental may get floored a little more than a privately owned vehicle, but stuff like that really doesn't hurt anything. Brakes might be worn a little more, tires, etc, but you won't hurt it mechanically by driving it hard.....hell look at the off-roading done by many on this very forum!!
I guarantee 99% of the 4Runner on here weren't broken in "properly." Why? Because the lot boy/salesman/other test drivers floored the thing cold with 1 mile on it. With new motors, you'd have to do some really weird stuff to actually run into problems down the road.
Northof49 said:
I agree with all of the above. I bet some of us (including me) put our vehicles more to the test than renters. I tow a 5000# trailer almost every weekend about 20 miles each way, floor my truck at least once a day, flex the suspension out on dirt roads, drive on rough roads to reach camping/biking/fishing destinations, occasionally go to fast over a speed bump, etc., and I doubt many of the others here are that different. Isnt that what these trucks were made for......or am I lessening the life of my vehicle?
I'd NEVER buy a rental just based on the fact of how I drive them. I truly do 'abuse' them and will freely admit it. When you can go from a dead cold engine in the morning to 'normal' operating temperature in 2 blocks, I'd consider that abuse... Did it for an entire week in a Focus rental that I had once.... Power braking it at almost every stoplight....yep...
I had one Focus once that had 124 miles on the odometer when I picked it up. That evening I was racing (and losing to) a BMW from stoplight to stoplight. I went on some mountainous California backroads and turned the rotors blue, had the tail out around a couple of turns, and the front tires were scrubbed pretty well on the edges by the time I turned it back in with 500 miles. Break-in period, **WHAT** break-in period???
Seriously... I'd NEVER buy a rental, just knowing what *I* have put them through, let alone others...
It's not just me.... My dad has told stories of him and a friend of his busting through snowdrifts in NY back in the '70s in rental cars.... Going half way through small towns with the e-brake on and the rear tires locked up....Crazy stuff, but it happens all the time. I even raced another businessman back to the rental complex heading back to the BWI rental facility once from one of the stoplights.... Yes, we were both 'powerbraking' the cars for at least 15-20 seconds before the lights turned green.
Does any of this scare you enough?
Ricky
I had one Focus once that had 124 miles on the odometer when I picked it up. That evening I was racing (and losing to) a BMW from stoplight to stoplight. I went on some mountainous California backroads and turned the rotors blue, had the tail out around a couple of turns, and the front tires were scrubbed pretty well on the edges by the time I turned it back in with 500 miles. Break-in period, **WHAT** break-in period???
Seriously... I'd NEVER buy a rental, just knowing what *I* have put them through, let alone others...
It's not just me.... My dad has told stories of him and a friend of his busting through snowdrifts in NY back in the '70s in rental cars.... Going half way through small towns with the e-brake on and the rear tires locked up....Crazy stuff, but it happens all the time. I even raced another businessman back to the rental complex heading back to the BWI rental facility once from one of the stoplights.... Yes, we were both 'powerbraking' the cars for at least 15-20 seconds before the lights turned green.
Does any of this scare you enough?
Ricky
No, but it's sad that people will abuse stuff simply because they don't own it.
And, if we're making sweeping statements such as that, I'd wager that those who abuse their rentals probably beat up on their own cars as well.
I'm sticking with my original opinion. If you want a guarantee that a car hasn't been "abused," spend the extra dollars for the peace of mind a new car will bring you. Even then, as Northof49 mentioned, there's a good chance your "new" car already was initiated by your friendly lot attendant, factory worker, or even salesperson.
Otherwise, just use some common sense and do your due dilligence, regardless of whether you're shopping a previous rental or a 1-owner private deal.
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Fourty-four
Guest
qs933 said:
My 4Runner had a whopping 3 miles on it when I picked it up at the dealership. I'd guess that those three miles were from the driving needed to get my 4Runner from the assembly plant to my dealership, via truck, ship, and truck again.
Most dealerships around my area have vehicles set aside for test drives so that the one you buy doesn't have any test driven miles on it at all.
qs933 said:
That is a sweeping statement and I am here to say that it is not true for everyone. (I understand that you are trying to make a point with a "sweeping statement" and I see it too!) But I am here to tell you that when I was consulting I was in a rental for every week from M-F. My point is direct. I am Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde when it comes to my cars and rentals. Mario Andretti channels through me when I enter a rental. I practice my J-turns (high speed reverse slinging front end around) every chance I get. I don't care if the car warms up. If I am late to a meeting there is a good chance I am going to break a local speed record or have a helluva lottta fun trying. When I used to rent 4x4s for the northern sites I would look for old farm roads covered in snow and shoot and scoot! Ahhh, those were the days...
Seriously, I respect the engineering that goes into every car, Toyota or not, but I love to test the envelope when it comes to a rental.
Now, my cars get a nice warm up, my personal oil changes with synthetic and rarely see over 50% to the redline on the tach. Tire pressure checked regularly and washes with a carnuba wax after EVERY wash! My friends all say I baby and take great care of my personal vehicles. My brother always offers me for my last car because he knows it has been babied!
On another note, I don't think I would do the same if I drove Toyota rentals. Just big 3 vehicles. I would probably be much nicer on a Toyota since I own them. Strange, but I cannot answer that one as for why.
Good Advice!
Hmmm, I am not sure about my '06, but my '93 4runner won't shift into overdrive if the tranny has not warmed up properly. I know this is a feature of the ECT transmission because it states so in the manual. It says the computer does not the shift happen to prevent damage to the transmission.
It is so annoying because I let my engine warm up in the winter, but have to get on the freeway directly. I hate revving over 3500 just to go the speed limit until the tranny gets warm enough.
I am sure if my '93 has this the '06 has something of the same.
And actually to get technical the poster did not say it limits the revs, but shifts lower than 3000 RPM. (What I meant to say is the poster is not saying the 4runner limits you to 3K RPM when cold).
And does the M3 actually limit the rev or do the LEDs on the tach just warn you to stay under what the computer suggests until the engine is warmed up? Just curious.
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qs933 said:
Well, when you're paying that much for the use of it, you might as well get the full potential out of it. Think about it... You can finance one of these barebones sh!tboxes for $189/mo and yet the are raping you for $40-50 per DAY to drive it?? I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to get MY share of wear out of it.
You're comletely wrong. My 4Runner never gets over 2000rpm before it's completely warmed up because I don't rip on it... I change my oil and use quality synthetics in the engine, differential, and transmission. I take good care of my own stuff, parking far away from other cars in parking lots (unlike rentals where I find the first available spot), and generally do everything I can to keep it looking and running well for years to come.
Ricky
Fourty-four
Guest
drake3 said:
Well, I know that almost all vehicles will not lock the torque converter until the operating temp reaches normal, but I've never heard of overdrive being locked out because of temperature.
As far as the M3 goes, the truth is that I'm not 100% sure. Like I said, I always drive my vehicles easy at least until they reach full temperature. So I've never tested to see if there's any kind of soft rev limiter to prevent high rpm when cold. I assumed that is does, but honestly never tested it. One thing that I do know is that the damn lights at the top of the rpm range never go out, even after full temp is reached. I always thought BMW should make those lights go out completely when full temp is reached.
boston_kevin
New member
No one abuses rentals... right???
Sorry to say, last weekend, I was out on the beach with the family (this is one of the few drive-on beaches in Massachusetts), and this guy was pounding his new Explorer through the surf and over the rough areas of the trail (about 1 mile) to get to the beach. When he stopped I asked him if he was concerned about getting the salt water getting into the diffs or pounding it on the trails... He laughed and said it was a rental... He does this 4-5 times during the summer, then takes it to the local Shell to fill up and get his free car wash before returning it. Think that'll show up on the maintenance records?
Sorry to say, last weekend, I was out on the beach with the family (this is one of the few drive-on beaches in Massachusetts), and this guy was pounding his new Explorer through the surf and over the rough areas of the trail (about 1 mile) to get to the beach. When he stopped I asked him if he was concerned about getting the salt water getting into the diffs or pounding it on the trails... He laughed and said it was a rental... He does this 4-5 times during the summer, then takes it to the local Shell to fill up and get his free car wash before returning it. Think that'll show up on the maintenance records?
Fourty-four
Guest
boston_kevin said:
That's the exact kind of stuff that I've been talking about.... I know not everybody does that kinda crap, but if you buy a rental, it's the risk that you're taking.
