If I said to you that you should consider buying an ex-hire car, you would laugh at the idea! After all, careless drivers will have thrashed and abused hire cars, right? It turns out that this stereotypical view of ex-hire cars is without foundation these days!
Your instinct will have doubtless made you steer clear from the prospect of buying an ex-hire car. But in today’s blog post I will give you some reasons why you would be stupid not to take advantage of such a proposition!
Ex-hire cars have been well treated
A lot of people consider ex-hire cars to be vehicles that have spaceship mileage and are tatty. But nothing could be further from the truth!
Car hire firms lease their vehicles from fleet management companies. Those are the same companies that supply your company car, for example.
As part of the lease deal between car hire firms and fleet companies, cars can only do a certain amount of mileage each year. If the mileage is coming up to its pre-agreed limit, the car hire firms will hand the car back to the fleet company and get another car.
Another fact that people seldom realise is that the mechanical components on hire cars get checked on a weekly basis. How often do you check your car for mechanical problems?
Renters drive their hire cars with due care and attention
Have you ever hired a car from someone like Avis, for example? If so, you will be aware of the financial penalties that can sometimes arise with hire cars. The insurance excess is usually in the thousands, and renters have to pay for any major vehicle damage.
Because of those facts, renters are less likely to drive their hire cars with disdain. Some will even go so far to avoid parking in areas where the car is likely to have accidental damage, such as in supermarket car parks!
That is good news for you, because it means ex-hire cars are in pristine condition. Some will even look like they are brand new!
Ex-hire cars are mainstream
Have you ever been to a used car dealership such as Sandles car supermarket? Perhaps you might have attended a car auction in your lifetime? If the answer to either of those questions is “yes,” it is likely you will have come across an ex-hire car.
Nine out of ten cars that go back to the fleet company from the car hire firm often end up at car dealer forecourts or in used car auctions.
Full service history
For the most part, you can end up taking a gamble when you buy a used car. The great thing about ex-hire cars is that they have documented service history.
As part of their lease agreements with fleet companies, car hire firms must maintain their vehicles. They must do so as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Ex-hire cars have average mileage
Cars that hire firms used don’t haven’t travelled more than 10 to 12,000 miles per year. So you need not worry about buying a car with higher-than average mileage.