So, I know the dangers of buying a previously leased car. Do the same stipulations apply to buying a used car from Enterprise? They’re checked over frequently, but do you generally see the abuse you see with leased cars?
The main risk is that the previous lessee did not take proper car(eg oil changes).
However this is true of ANY used car.
Most rental vehicles are half decent deals. I’ve got a 97 Crown Vic ex-rental and it doesn’t have any abnormal problems. In fact, aside from worn out front suspension and blown intake manifold, it’s been quite reliable.
Rental companies generally maintain their cars well, although others may disagree. One warning, though - stay away from sporty models like Mustangs because they very likely were badly abused. But large sedans (Crown Vic, Impala) and minivans are probably fine, and can be a great used car bargain.
On a side note, many used cars at dealerships are ex-rentals or leases, and for the most part, they’re all fine vehicles.
I don’t abuse rentals but I know several people who do. One guy is known for breaking his rentals. He just calls for a new one when they stop running. He’s an ex-motorcycle racer. I guess he still needs to get his ya-yas out.
I’m not familiar with Enterprise, but I used to work for a large dealer who provided rental vehicles to a nationally known chain.
Their basic maintenance was not too bad, but some problems did arise when repairs over and above the basics were needed.
Rather than ferry a car across town for a warranty repair, some of their not very qualified maintenance guys would attempt the repairs and oftentimes would really mangle some stuff up. Some of the cars wound up back at the dealer to get straightened out; others did not.
My favorite example is the car with only 4k miles on it and they determined it needed an engine overhaul. Believe me, they butchered this car and it was instantly obvious when the hood was raised.
Approx. 15 tubes of silicone RTV sealer squeezed out from every seam on the engine; and they even glued an A/C high pressure hose back together with this stuff! (No refrigerant of course.)
JMHO, but I don’t think, on average, a rental car would be any worse than leased car. Just like any used car it should be checked over and test driven for more than a couple of miles. A 2 mile drive does not give the potential buyer enough time to notice any minor quirks or problems.
Hope that helps anyway.