[mutcth]

I've rented two Volvos in the last eight weeks from Hertz, a S60 over the holidays and a S80 just last weekend. For better or worse, I'm becoming quite warm to the idea of owning a Volvo again in a few years.
Obviously Hertz has to get rid of these cars after 20k or so, and most of them are rather well equipped. I know that some go to auction to go to dealers, but I'd assume that others wind up at Hertz's used car retailers. Considering what a rental car goes through, would you buy one (assuming the price was about $2k less than normal retail)?
I'd assume that the people who rent these cars probably aren't going to thrash them, and you know the car was maintained. The S60 I rented had 15k and still felt tight (despite some minor bumper rash.) I'd only worry that the break-in period wasn't quite the way I'd drive a car I bought new - but honestly, I could only afford such a car if it was used and coming off of lease anyway, so chalk that up to the "you never know" file....
(PS - I'd rather this stay in the Car Lounge, as it's more about the wear and tear issues rather than the financial aspect of purchase.)
Tom

 

[90 GT-G60]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (or other premium car)? (mutcth)

I know 2 people who have bought a Volvo this way. My brother in law and my sisters boyfriend. They bought them from a Volvo dealer. They both were 2001 S60 wagons fully loaded. They had about 24K miles on them. I believe they bought them between $25-$26K. The list price was $32K IIRC. If I could have aforded it, I would have bought one.

 

[gtivr4]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (90 GT-G60)

quote:[HR][/HR]I know 2 people who have bought a Volvo this way. My brother in law and my sisters boyfriend. They bought them from a Volvo dealer. They both were 2001 S60 wagons fully loaded. They had about 24K miles on them. I believe they bought them between $25-$26K. The list price was $32K IIRC. If I could have aforded it, I would have bought one. [HR][/HR]​

the blue book or the original purchase price? I would much rather get an off-lease vehicle.. At least then someone has probably cared for it a bit. Then again, its not like the people that rent Volvos abuse them as much as some cars.

 

[Obin Robinson]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (or other premium car)? (mutcth)

Volvo? the only Volvo that really grabs me is the P-1800 and the P-1800ES. those are way too cool. Other Volvos? not really. they're like plaid pants... looks great on everyone else but me.
obin http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[Katie-S]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (Obin Robinson)

Heck no. Whenever I rent a car I slap it silly, regardless of make. Others do the same, I'm sure.

 

[jaydub]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (sharkracer)

but i'm sure whoever would be renting the Volvo would have to pay more to do so. I see what you're talking about mutcth, but i don't know if I could ever get past the car having been a ****.

 

[Blue Flame]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (jaydub)

my dad has an S80 T-6, and i can tell you first hand after driving it many hundred of times, this is no "plaid pants". This is a "rip your pants off" while screaming "help me mommy" type of ride........

 

[GTI JIM]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (Blue Flame)

well, honestly, i think buying a certain type of rental car would be ok. I mean, if its a volvo sedan, its being mostly rented by familes. Parents usually don't drive insane with kids in the car (soccermom?), but when you rent a car, it either means A, your on a trip, and you don't know your surroundings, or sometimes where your even going, and when your lost, you usually don't beat on the car... B, their getting it as a replacement to something that happened to their own car, so they MIGHT beat the crap out of it

 

[rockit]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (sharkracer)

quote:[HR][/HR]Heck no. Whenever I rent a car I slap it silly, regardless of make. [HR][/HR]​

my thoughts exactly.

 

[mutcth]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (sharkracer)

quote:[HR][/HR]Heck no. Whenever I rent a car I slap it silly, regardless of make. Others do the same, I'm sure.[HR][/HR]​

LOL! Got to admit, I wound out the S80 quite a bit, but occasionally flooring the car (without manually shifting the automatic) is different and much less damaging than doing neutral drops or driving the car off-road....
My only problem is that I know people who are leasing cars who "slap it silly" too....
Tom

 

[Dinosaurius]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (mutcth)

Would I? Sure.
All else being equal, I'd rather have a high(er) mileage car that is very well maintained than a lesser mileage with spotty maintenance.
Yes, people beat up on rentals as well as their own leased cars. Who choses a Volvo rental to beat up on? Yea Tom, as you pointed out, you've floored the car (Volvo rental). Big deal. You're probably the exception rather than the rule for Volvo rentals.
Do they have any V70s? A nice 1999-2000 V70 R AWD would sure be nice! But then, if they did I'm sure it would have led a hard life.

 

[mutcth]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (Dinosaurius)

quote:[HR][/HR]Do they have any V70s? A nice 1999-2000 V70 R AWD would sure be nice! But then, if they did I'm sure it would have led a hard life.[HR][/HR]​

That would be nice indeed. But the hottest thing I saw at this Hertz was a very nice black V70 2.4T with the 17" wheel package. The S80 I drove had the base engine - hence the need to floor it....

(Dinosaurius, what I meant to say is that like you said, I probably treated the car as harshly as it's going to see - and flooring it isn't very bad on the Abuse-o-meter.)
What might be tempting as well is the X-type 3.0 I saw....
Tom


[Modified by mutcth, 4:37 PM 2-13-2002]

 

[landrumdh]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (or other premium car)? (mutcth)

I would never touch an ex-rental or company car. People here talk about trashing them all the time and they just get beat on b/c it's not the renters problem. My dad's company Van that's almost 2yrs old with >50k mi on it we have beaten to death!! I feel sorry for whoever gets it after my dad. It really needs to goto the crusher!

 

[gtivr4]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (mutcth)

The scarier piece may be the kids that move the car around teh lot and stuff... they are more likely to abuse the car (like flooring it when its cold, stupid stuff like that)

 

[GeoffD]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (or other premium car)? (mutcth)

quote:[HR][/HR]Would you buy an ex-rental?[HR][/HR]​

You've got to be kidding.
The cars that go into the rental fleets often start out as the rejects. They're the cars that failed inspection on the assembly line or fell off the car carrier and got reworked. That's always been where GM, Ford, and Chrysler unloaded their rejects and it's the same for imported cars. Once they end up in the rental fleet, they end up being driven by people like me. In a rental car, I simply don't care and I happily flail the daylights out of the thing.

 

[2lowA4]

Re: Would you buy an ex-rental Volvo (GeoffD)

quote:[HR][/HR]Would you buy an ex-rental?You've got to be kidding.
The cars that go into the rental fleets often start out as the rejects. They're the cars that failed inspection on the assembly line or fell off the car carrier and got reworked. That's always been where GM, Ford, and Chrysler unloaded their rejects and it's the same for imported cars. Once they end up in the rental fleet, they end up being driven by people like me. In a rental car, I simply don't care and I happily flail the daylights out of the thing.[HR][/HR]​

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
Im with you there...I wouldnt touch a rental, unless it was an absolute steal!!