by Danie Botha
There is an old saying that the best rally car in the world is a rental. And it's not just a saying. Before satellite tracking and similar systems came along, some rally drivers, who went on to win national championships, actually used rental cars, on occasion, to compete in rally events.
Fitted with some aftermarket rims and rally tires, and some sponsorship stickers, these cars used to compete over a weekend, then returned to the rental company on a Monday, in "pristine" condition. Hopefully. Volkswagen's Golf was a particular favorite in this regard.
So best steer clear of rental cars, right? Well, actually, no. Shenanigans like competing in motorsport with a rental car, are no longer really an option, unless you want to spend some quality time in a correctional retreat. Fact is, rental cars are maintained in top shape. They also serve a limited mileage span, before being sold off and replaced by a new unit.
This is why it is a fantastic idea to buy a rental car.
Delving into the workings of the big car rental companies, and backed up with some research data from leading automotive research platforms, we offer a glimpse into the world of the rental car. And it turns out to be a world that is expanding at a fast and furious rate.
Want Whatever? We Got Whatever For Rent!
Lamborghini
* Rental fee example above excludes company-specific sundries, and requirements
To cut straight to the chase, you can rent just about anything under the sun with wheels. From cheap, budget hatches to SUVs to electric vehicles to convertibles to trucks to vans to hybrids to sports cars to American muscle cars to luxury saloons to ultra-performance sports cars. And anything in between.
Major rental companies have all these vehicles on their books, available to rent by anyone with a good credit record, a valid driver's license, and meeting any company-specific requirements like age or other stipulations. But renting a Huracán will always be a one-day, weekend or week kind of dream deal, and not a long-term solution. Folks who want in on a long-term Lamborghini Huracán relationship will simply go out and buy the car they want, in the color and with the specification they want.
Toyota
* Rental fee example above excludes company-specific sundries, and requirements
So let's go more practical, more real-world, more Average Jim, Bob and Sue. And we think Toyota Corolla, Nissan Versa or Mitsubishi Mirage.
Firstly, it seems Jim, Bob and Sue are apparently big into rental vehicles. According to research conducted by LLC Buddy, the American car rental industry has exploded since 2020, with industry rentals increasing threefoldby 2024. It appears that the COVID pandemic changed the way many customers invest in transport. Many families now own one car, but will rent a second car only when the need arises.
Why? Cost implications. Owning a car normally entails monthly installment payments, insurance payments, parking fees (depending on location, of course), running costs... it all adds up. And if that car is only serving a stand-by role in a family, it hardly makes financial sense to keep it gathering dust in the garage. With a rental car, there are no monthly payments, no repair bills and no long-term commitments. Customers only have to pay for the use of the car, for the actual time and purpose required.
So, with the rental car industry experiencing an unprecedented boom, there are more and more ex-rental cars going up for sale. And here's why, if you do want to buy a solid used car, one of these former rental units is a great option.
Fix, Fix, Fix!
Porsche
Car rental companies are under an obligation to keep their cars in the best possible condition. A rental company, called Uncle Shifty's Cheaper than Cheap Budget Cars, offering a fleet of dilapidated vehicles that tend to break down around every other corner, won't last long in the highly competitive car rental market.
Mainstream car rental companies keep a close tab on repairs. When a vehicle returns from a customer, any issues will normally be attended to, before the vehicle heads to the next customer. In short, rental cars, especially those run by the major car rental companies like Enterprise, Hertz, Avis, and so on, are kept in tip-top shape. This is why these companies turn over millions of dollars per year, with customers returning for more, trusting the service and cars.
Additionally, rental cars are only run for a limited period or mileage, depending on the specific brand, model and positioning in the market. You'd be hard-pressed to find an 80,000 miler Lamborghini Huracán in any rental fleet. Typically, exotic cars, going at premium rental rates, will be sold off with much lower mileage than the average Nissan Versa or Toyota Corolla.
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
