Renting a 4Runner from a dealer ("try before you buy")

[ProspectiveBuyer]

Rent a Toyota 4Runner | Rent a Mid-Size 4WD SUV

Has anyone done this? It sounds like a very good idea to test drive the vehicle for several days, those brief test drives with the salesman sitting next to you are nearly useless.

 

[Meyercord]

I didn't even test drive before I took my trd pro home. If I would of I doubt I would've bought it.

 

[ProspectiveBuyer]

I didn't even test drive before I took my trd pro home. If I would of I doubt I would've bought it.

You regret buying it?

 

[Meyercord]

You regret buying it?

Not entirely. It's a fine car and will hold its value well enough for me to get out of it in a year. Theres nothing wrong with the 4runner, theres just nothing special about it outside of its offroad capability. I bought it to avoid taking the hit on my raptor before the new ones were released.

 

[LandCruiser]

Rent a Toyota 4Runner | Rent a Mid-Size 4WD SUV

Has anyone done this? It sounds like a very good idea to test drive the vehicle for several days, those brief test drives with the salesman sitting next to you are nearly useless.

Car dealers should give me the vehicle for an extended test, I shouldn't have to pay...

I thought that was part of the reason for "demos," but instead those are driven around by coke head sons of the owner.

 

[ProspectiveBuyer]

Car dealers should give me the vehicle for an extended test, I shouldn't have to pay...

I thought that was part of the reason for "demos," but instead those are driven around by coke head sons of the owner.

"demo" vehicles are usually driven very hard by bored, borderline psycho salesmen. I'd never buy a demo car.

 

[LandCruiser]

"demo" vehicles are usually driven very hard by bored, borderline psycho salesmen. I'd never buy a demo car.

Not buy, just drive.

Go for a road trip with the psycho salesman.

 

[Honu*]

my dealer when I bought my FJC said take it home and take the family out etc..

if you have a good dealer taking the rig out for the day should not be a issue IMHO you either know you want one or dont and really the main reason for me to take it home was how the family likes it and a bit of talk time

I wont go on a test drive with a salesman would walk out fine another dealer

 

[mnofpeace]

My 2014 SR5 was a former rental vehicle. I purchased it with 20K miles on it. My final purchase price was $27.5, with the warranty still on it-a pretty big drop in price even for a used 2014 T4R of similar ilk. It also came with a full maintenance record as well, which surely was to calm my nerves about it being a former rental. The dealer rented it and serviced it locally, so...It had a few scuffs on the rear bumper from loading and unloading of luggage i suspect, but otherwise, it was as perfect as any other lightly used for-sale vehicle.

There are a few dealers in the D.C. area who offer this rental ability, which i think would be a decent way to attract potential buyers.

 

[4RnR Grl]

The dealer told me to take my first 4Runner home for the weekend. "Come back on Monday and if you still like it and everything fits (dog crates) we'll do the paperwork." I put over 200 miles on that thing in 24 hours. Yea... I bought it.

 

[esto70]

Been there, done that

My wife and I did this back in 2010 or 2011. We rented an SR5 4Runner from Tempe Toyota while on vacation in the Phoenix area. We were considering buying a new 5th gen at the time so it was a good deal.

Renting (as opposed to an extended test drive) has a couple advantages. There's no pressure to buy the vehicle. The vehicle is used (not brand new) and has some miles on it so it gives you a good idea how the vehicle will age. I was able to drive the 4Runner a little (a lot!) harder than a vehicle that I would potentially buy. I'm glad I did it.

Ironically, after my Tempe 4Runner rental, I decided NOT to buy a 5th gen. And a year later I bought one anyway.

Rent a Toyota 4Runner | Rent a Mid-Size 4WD SUV

Has anyone done this? It sounds like a very good idea to test drive the vehicle for several days, those brief test drives with the salesman sitting next to you are nearly useless.

 

[ECUDrummer]

I did an overnight test drive of the first one I looked at. Didn't like the color or the price, but wanted to see how a t4r fit in the garage and how it drove with my pregnant wife riding shotgun. Didn't buy from them (salesman was a bit of a douche), but I did buy elsewhere. That overnight test drive did help though.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Before I bought both of my Land Rovers - the dealer loaned me a service loaner vehicle both times - I brought them both back filthy due to some off roading. Both times I bought a brand new version of the loaner model.....

Land Rover Rocklin (CA) rocks!

Now I'm in the 4Runner - pretty much because it is almost the exact capabilities as my previous Discovery 2 but a bit more reliable.......

 

[Engineer]

When I bought I had trouble locating a dealer nearby who participated in this program. I did a quick search if rental companies were an option but at the end of it decided that several short test drives were enough. Never a bad idea to try and do overnight, extended test drive or rental when putting down 40k for a purchase.

The way I see it if you don’t do a thorough test drive/ are an informed consumer then you have forfeited your privilege to complain unless there are things that would not have been possible to discover. To my knowledge there are no commons problems on the 4runner that fit into this category. (cup holders and power certainly do not). No one or product is perfect but no one is exempt from using good judgment and common sense.

 

[ATOYOT4R]

Rent a Toyota 4Runner | Rent a Mid-Size 4WD SUV

Has anyone done this? It sounds like a very good idea to test drive the vehicle for several days, those brief test drives with the salesman sitting next to you are nearly useless.

I rented a Highlander last year for almost a month while 4Runner was in the body shop. I still have not bought one for my Wife but it helped me figure out trim level etc. for when I do purchase and it gave her a chance to drive it as well.

 

[RedMagik]

Car dealers should give me the vehicle for an extended test, I shouldn't have to pay...
.

:iagree:

The last two months have been non-stop car shopping for my family. We went to trade in our old 2010 Limited for the SR5 Premium w/ 3rd we now have. The biggest pain with was locating one with 3rd row.

However, we were in the market to lease a vehicle and sell our 04 Civic that was a dialy. Our salesman arranged for us to take a Rav4 Limited for the day while they were spraying our undercarraige and sealing the interior on the new 4Runner. We had it for the entire day no problem, in fact I even went to a Lexus dealer to check out the new NX (wish I wouldn't have done that, loved the car for a daily). We noted several things in that extended test drive that we did not like about the Rav4. So we went to Subaru and started all over again, did the same thing with an Outback. The salesmen "gave us the wrong keys" to the 6 cylinder instead of the 4 cyclinder we orginally looked at. Long story short, we ended up with a fully loaded 3.6R Outback because we fell in love with it on that test drive.

 

[ProspectiveBuyer]

:iagree:
Long story short, we ended up with a fully loaded 3.6R Outback because we fell in love with it on that test drive.

That's the model without the crappy Cont. Variable Transmission?

 

[RedMagik]

That's the model without the crappy Cont. Variable Transmission?

I believe so. The extra power of the larger engine really is a huge difference IMO. I'm just happy that I get to DD the 4Runner now that my wife drives the Outbank.