What is the Difference Between Used Cars and Rental Cars?

Say your friend has a car that he/she had bought directly from the carmaker’s dealership 3 years ago. If he sells that car to a dealership, the vehicle will be sold as a used car. Now, consider the major US car rental services like Enterprise, Avis or Hertz. They also buy new cars for their fleet. And they also sell these cars after a certain number of years. You can buy them directly from those companies or through used car dealerships. These second type of vehicles are known as rental cars. As evident, the first stark difference is that used cars previously had human owners whereas rental cars were owned by enterprises. And this very fact creates the other considerable differences that you need to consider while shopping for used cars.

Rental cars roam around in the hand of multiple drivers

The business model of car rental services surrounds the fact that they are willing to rent their cars to anyone who has a driver’s license. These people know that the car does not belong to them. Hence, they have no obligation to take care of the car as if it was their own. Now, imagine the number of drivers these cars tend to visit and multiply the abuse by that many times. Although rental companies have a set of rules to protect their cars from being mishandled, rarely can they assure 100% care. And a car is bound to age early if it sees multiple drivers in a very short span of time. Used cars, on the other hand, do not come with this problem. A typical used car will see a maximum of 2-3 actual owners who will actually take care of the cars before falling into your ownership.

However, used cars face neglect as well

There are owners who do not treat their cars well. Without regular maintenance and servicing, such cars will develop rust and other such fatal complications that may very well turn the used car into a tin box. These cars appear as cheap cars for sale as the owners fail to sell the vehicle to good dealerships with a strict absorption process and are stuck with no other option. Rental cars are better as compared to these. Even when they change hands frequently, the companies have to maintain their fleet regularly to provide the quality they promise and you generally get vehicles that had all their scheduled servicing done.

Rental cars come with very high mileage

Rental companies always look for ways to keep their cars on the road. That is how they generate their revenue. Naturally, rental cars, being almost always on the move, have high odometer readings by the time they enter the “for sale” phase which is another crucial indication that the car has considerably aged. In a matter of one year, a rental car can very well see 40,000 miles on it when the average acceptable mileage range is 12,000-15,000 miles in a year. When you buy a rental car, the vehicle will already be 2-3 times older than it should be. If you opt for a reputed buy here pay here dealership, you have a better chance of getting a good used car in Greer, South Carolina, with decent mileages for obvious reasons. Rarely do used cars see such high odometer readings on them when compared to rental cars.

And you do not get many options with rental cars

Rental car inventories have limitations both on models and their specifications. The companies sell only a selected batch annually which may or may not contain the vehicle of your choice. Plus, in order to reduce operation costs, rental companies mostly buy the basic trims of new vehicles without many added features. Thus, if you want tinted glasses on your car along with modern infotainment, sunroof, and cup holders, there is a good chance you will not find a vehicle that will match your desire. And the major compromise comes on the ground of safety where rental cars just have the basic installations. Any typical used car in Duncan, SC, will have most of these features. And you can always get your options in top dealerships that house a massive inventory.

Which one to buy then?

If you can live with the drawbacks of rental cars, you can definitely look into them as one of your potential options. But if the cons are making you apprehensive, then look at used cars in Greer, South Carolina in trusted dealerships. On any given day, used cars can outweigh the benefits offered by rental cars. And if you buy from a genuine dealer, you can buy cheap and get a warranty with used cars as well. Take your time to decide and select right.