Mis-sold ex rental?

MilduraS

I'm surprised by most of the responses on here. Do the people suggesting hire cars are thrashed about do it themselves?

I'm extremely careful with short term hire cars out of fear that I'll be charged hundreds for a minor scratch. You have no control over the garage they choose or the length of time repairs take so you could be facing a bill for repairs at a dealer and charges for loss of profit while the car is out of use.

I've also had a car on PCP which I cleaned every two weeks and regularly checked for any minor scratches and damage. I also checked and changed/topped up the fluids every months or so. I was always very conscious of the fact that it was not my car and I would be responsible for whatever fees they claimed.

By contrast, when I've owned my own cars I've gone months without washing them, ignored any scratches, topped up fluids only when forced to and done nothing beyond the normal services. In those cases I figured a minor drop in value wasn't worth the hassle of spending so much time looking after a car.

vikingaero

MilduraS wrote: »

I'm surprised by most of the responses on here. Do the people suggesting hire cars are thrashed about do it themselves?

For every 10 decent people hiring there's going to be one person abusing a hire car. Certain criminal groups will get a clean person to hire a car so they can go about their unlawful business/deal drugs/transport across county lines etc. In that time the car could be "sublet" to 10 or 20 other drivers without the knowledge of the hirer.

neilmcl

vikingaero wrote: »

For every 10 decent people hiring there's going to be one person abusing a hire car. Certain criminal groups will get a clean person to hire a car so they can go about their unlawful business/deal drugs/transport across county lines etc. In that time the car could be "sublet" to 10 or 20 other drivers without the knowledge of the hirer.

TBH, the same could be said for any type of car ownership. You might "buy" a used car with one "careful, lady owner" but that's no guarantee that the car has been driven correctly and not thrashed or had it's clutch, etc abused by poor driving.

MilduraS

I hadn't considered the possibility of people using hire cars for dodgy things though as Neil says, the same could be said of any owner.

My boss comes across as the sort of person who drives 10mph under the speed limit and diligently takes care of his car just because that's what you're supposed to do. He's actually a terrible driver who has had several prangs in the few years that I've known him, including three while I was in the car. I've also witnessed a few near misses. He gets accident damage repaired under his insurance but when it comes to normal maintenance and replacements he drives until the car fails because he's doesn't want to pay out of his own pocket. His five year old A5 looks nice and well looked after but I would pay a grand for it knowing how he's driven it!

motorguy

vikingaero wrote: »

For every 10 decent people hiring there's going to be one person abusing a hire car. Certain criminal groups will get a clean person to hire a car so they can go about their unlawful business/deal drugs/transport across county lines etc. In that time the car could be "sublet" to 10 or 20 other drivers without the knowledge of the hirer.

Oh come on. Frankly thats internet scare mongering.

Could happen once in a blue moon and as likely to happen to a "privately owned" car.

motorguy

As per other comments, any time i've hired a car i'm extremely careful because i am afraid of any surcharges these days.

The car has been checked over and warranted by Mercedes and the main dealer as fit for the Approved Used scheme, meaning it was a grade A car. Lower grade cars end up in car supermarkets, non franchised dealers and auctions and often need paintwork or repairs to get them up to standard.

I dont see what the issue is frankly. Any used car you wont know its absolute history and even a dealer demo car is probably lent out daily and a "one owner company car" could have been driven by goodness knows how many employees.

O/P, i'd suggest you made a considerable saving over buying new and thats what attracted you to the car. Even if you didnt ask directly if it was a hire car, presumably any checks or examining the car yielded no signs of abuse.

I really cant see what the issue is.

AdrianC

Is buying a car that might once have had something naughty in the boot really a major issue, anyway? It's not still in there, is it?

Car_54

vikingaero wrote: »

For every 10 decent people hiring there's going to be one person abusing a hire car. Certain criminal groups will get a clean person to hire a car so they can go about their unlawful business/deal drugs/transport across county lines etc. In that time the car could be "sublet" to 10 or 20 other drivers without the knowledge of the hirer.

Do you watch much American TV?

vikingaero

Car_54 wrote: »

Do you watch much American TV?

County line trafficking of people and drugs. Nothing to do with American TV. Keep up.

waamo

One in ten hire cars used for human trafficking and drug running? Crikey if the police pulled over every hire car then crime could be cleared up overnight.