What if we told you that you could buy a meticulously maintained, late-model used car that may cost you less than if you bought it at a dealership? And what if we said you could take it home for a few days and, if you didn’t like it, return it? And that you would pay a no-haggle price, so you didn’t have to play the dealer’s games?
Here’s the catch: You’ll be buying a vehicle that has spent its previous life as a rental car. Some see that as a deal-breaker. Who knows how many people drove it? And how they drove it? Not to mention how many Slurpees were spilled on the upholstery? But if you can get past the stigma, buying a used vehicle from a rental fleet could translate into savings.
The three-day test-drive. Rental car companies have been selling off vehicles retired from their fleets for decades now, but two of the big players in the field are making the process so low-hassle and transparent that you may not mind buying a car that dozens of drivers have already had their mitts on.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Rent2Buy at Hertz and the Ultimate Test Drive at Avis/Budget let you browse the fleet online, pick the model that you want, and take it for an extended test-drive (up to three days) from many of their rental locations. During the car’s tryout, you can have a mechanic look at it, if you like.
They’re not all plain-vanilla sedans, either. Both companies offer a variety of luxury models, as well as less-pricey cars with a dollop of personality, such as Minis and Fiats. Enterprise Car Sales, which has outlets in more than 35 states, does not offer a several-day test-drive, but it will buy the car back within seven days if you don’t like it.
Rental vendors seek to counter worries of auto abuse by noting the frequent inspections and regular service they give their fleets, and that the vehicles they sell to retail customers are the pick of the litter (others go to auction, among other fates). Plus, all of the companies provide a report from a third party (such as Carfax) on the vehicle’s history. Philip Reed, of Edmunds.com, also reassures potential buyers that serving time in a fleet is no curse on a car, even if it gets an occasional lead-footed driver. “Cars are so well engineered these days that it really doesn’t matter,” he says.
What you’ll pay. We compared prices for that automotive commodity, the Toyota Camry, at Hertz, Avis/Budget and Enterprise. As a benchmark, we used the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price—what you might expect to pay a dealer—for a good-condition 2014 LE model with about 25,000 miles on it, which in late April was $17,716.
The lowest price was at Hertz, where our Camry went for $16,000. It was $17,600 at Avis/Budget and $17,999 at Enterprise. Prices for some other vehicles we checked, including the Hyundai Elantra, Mercedes C250 Sport sedan, Nissan Rogue and Ford Expedition, in a variety of trim levels, also showed savings—sometimes slim, sometimes huge. The Elantra at Hertz had 35,000 miles and was 15% below the KBB Fair Purchase Price.
Hertz and Enterprise call their offerings “certified,” but the term certified on a used car is a bit loose, like natural on foods. You don’t get factory-trained inspectors or an extension of the manufacturer’s warranty, as you would with a manufacturer’s certified program.
Avis/Budget’s cars are a year or two old, so what’s left of the factory warranty is all you get. Hertz’s and Enterprise’s for-sale fleets include older cars as well. For those, if factory coverage has expired, a 12-month, 12,000-mile powertrain warranty helps. Both Hertz and Enterprise throw in roadside assistance, too.
Our advice: Shop all the rental fleets as well as sites such as Autotrader.com. Stop by the CarMax site, too.
-
3 Ways to Stretch the 2026 Social Security COLA For Your BudgetThree steps retirees can take to stretch the Social Security COLA to fit their budgets.
-
How to Keep Your Charitable Giving Momentum Going All YearInstead of treating charity like a year-end rush for tax breaks, consider using smart tools like DAFs and recurring grants for maximum impact all the year.
-
Uber Takes Aim at the Bottom Lines of Billboard LawyersUber has filed lawsuits and proposed a ballot initiative, in California, to curb settlements it claims are falsely inflated by some personal injury lawyers.
-
10 Things You Should Know About Buying a Car Today, Even if You've Bought BeforeIf buying a car is on your to-do list, and it's been a while since you went shopping for a new one, this guide will help avoid any nasty shocks in the showroom.
-
Get the Best Car Deal in Retirement: Here's the TrickPlanning on shopping for a new car this Labor Day weekend? Here’s how to haggle for a better price, even though you're retired.
-
7 Gas-Saving Tips That Actually WorkThese are gas-saving tips that will actually work for you and your car this year.
-
Want to Lease an EV? The Tax Credit 'Loophole' for That Is Going Away SoonTax Credits If you are deciding whether to lease or buy an electric vehicle, here is what you need to know about how the EV lease tax credit works now that it will be eliminated under Trump's new tax law.
-
Car Buying in a Topsy-Turvy MarketYou need a new car? Good luck with that! What should you do? We've got some answers.
-
Watch Out for Flood-Damaged Cars from Hurricane IanBuying & Leasing a Car In the wake of Hurricane Ian, more flood-damaged cars may hit the market. Car prices may rise further because of increased demand as well.
-
Car Buyers: The 3-Day Grace Period Is Just a Myth!Buying & Leasing a Car Many car buyers think they have three days after making a purchase to return a car. Here’s where they’re going wrong, and what they should do instead to get a decent used car.
-
PODCAST: Car-Buying in an Inflated Market with Jenni NewmanBuying & Leasing a Car With cars both scarce and expensive these days, what to do if you want – or need – a new ride? Car-buying strategist Jenni Newman of Cars.com shares some tips. Also, more on the magical 9% savings bond.
