I'll try this again .... wrote a long detailed post but accidently closed the window before posting, so I'll make this brief.

I'm also a retired LEO, 31 plus years, retired 2010. Any used car can have "leavings" left by a PO. If you find some, call a local stationed trooper and he'll take it and destroy it.

In Feb 1986 we bought a 1985 Thunderbird V8 that had 19K miles at a local car lot after test driving, paid nearly 9K for it, it was a Hertz Rental that the dealer had picked up at auction that weekend .... and I sold it in late 2009 like an idiot (did not know wife was so fond of it) and it was north of 150K then, and in those two dozen years it never once gave me a hint of trouble, I just stayed on maintenance. I installed Konis, spoiler, SC front bumper cover, and we drove it all over the eastern US on trips and visits and two or 4 Nascar races at least each year. The below picture was taken in 2008 near Staunton, Va.




In December 2001 we were looking for a larger 4 doort car to make it easier on my MIL who was elderly and sometimes traveled with us to visit in Ga, as well as our dog .... and seeing as my then issued 1998 CV police car had performed so m well, like a tank ... I looked at CVs and Merc GMs. I found a Toreadore Red 2001 Merc GM with 10K miles, not a mark, and tested it .... smooth .... wrote a check for just under 16K and it was ours. It too was a Hertz car owned by Ford (Ford bought Hertz in the late mid '80s, likey after I bought the '85 T-bird .... and owned it up into 2005 or 2006 as I recall .... I know my Ford dealer had a copy of the service on the Merc as he gave me a copy). It has been all across the USA, hauled us and our stuff with the trunk compressing cloths on the hangers on top of luggage, several trips, across deserts, Rockies and Sierras, Great Basin, Rt 66, Colorado high roads, etc .... never a hiccup and in one 21 day 7,955 mile trip doing all that averaged over 26 mpg. An "HPP" car but with 2.76 rear, Bilsteins, Addco sway bars, cooler on transmission, and some Goodyear RS-As on it's lacey spokes. It's under a cover in a carport now, ready .... near 70K miles now .... I expect to have it awhile.







Only two cars I ever owned that were once rentals and both were / have been absolutely fathful. Not all former rentals will turn out so well, but like cars owned and driven by private people that often shouldn't be allowed to drive ..... one must do their homework and examine a car from stem to stern and be ready to walk away if something looks hinky. Example ...... my SIL is one I'ld never purchase from, nor would I or my wife let her have a key to drive one of our vehicles ..... anywhere. She has hit curbs and hopped over them with their stuff and once did so with a Buick my MIL owned and she didn't think it hurt ..... I had to replace the rack after that visit and get an alignment. MIL paid the parts bill.

Once in the '70s I owned a 1974 Toyota Celica GT 5 spd for a year or so, it was used, low miles, local family .... after I traded it at dealership on a traded in low miles 1973 Mustang that I knew the previous owner of ..... next family bought that Toyota and they had some service work done some time later and let me know their mechanic found a bag of dope under the console when he was fixing the shifter. It was never a rental.

Just something to consider .....

 

Now that's an analogy I don't want to think about too much.

 

Yes, good analogy.

 

Day-um, what are the chances of that happening? I found a tiny little pair of dice in a Crackerjack box once, but never anything like that.

 

Is there any truth in the rumour that rental Mustangs are detuned? As you can imagine, whenever a UK based Mustang owner travels Stateside, they like to rent a Stang. The general feeling seems to be that even the latest 3.7 V6 is pretty slow, with 0-60 in the low 7s (not that their trying to beat on a rental, of course ). Are they detuned as I'd expect even with the most economical of rear end ratios, it's easily be in the 6 second range.

All I know is, back on the two occasions we rented SN95s for our California road trips 8 or 9 years ago, the first one had the front license plate "fall off" and the second one had a wheel cover "fall off". Both made their way into my Mustang Memorabilia collection. Sorry Hertz

 

I heard that when they started the hertz rental in the 60s, someone actually rented one and swapped out the motor. Hertz didn't realize right away so they got away with an essentially free engine upgrade. Pretty ballsy play, wonder if it could be pulled off today.

 

I think some of these rental abuse stories here might be a little overzealous. I find it hard to believe the rental companies who accept an abused car back without making the driver pay for the abuse. I think most that are sold at big dealerships are rentals that have been taken care of. I mean, you can tell when you get inside if it's been truthfully abused.

I do agree that with a sports car, there could be underlying abuse, such as in the drivetrain. If it was me buying a sports car that was a rental, if purchase an extended warranty. It could be worth the extra money to cover the hidden power train issues. Another tip for the interior would be to check it out when it's humid or raining. It seems the humidity always brings out the hidden stink inside a car.

We bought a 2003 Buick Century in 04 that was a rental car. We still have it today with over 195k miles and it's been one if the most reliable cars we've ever owned. I'm certainly not saying all previous rental cars are good to buy, but there are great ones out there. Heck, I bought my Mach 1 at my local Ford dealership and I purchased an extended warranty with it since I didn't know how much abuse it had.

 

Very few people abuse rental cars. Most people are afraid to have to pay thousands of dollars to have it repaired. Also majority of the renters are business guys while a small percentage are just regular joes on vacation or needing a car for iinsurance purposes. I rent cars for work at least 8-10 days per month. I've never done anything crazy in a rental car. Most of the people I see renting cars are over 40 and are traveling for work. There is a reason that you have to be over 25 to rent cars. I'd say go for it if the price makes sense and it is what you want.

 

I would never think about abusing the cars like some have talked - no transmission drops, slamming in reverse, etc trying to harm the vehicle.
Why the hell would I want to chance being stranded by breaking it?? If I'm on business or on vacation, my time is limited as it is. Why would I want to wait for a tow?? duh Some ain't too bright.