Buying a Rental Car? What You Need to Know
Oct
23
Written by:
OMVIC Communications
Monday, October 23, 2017
Rental vehicles are usually of the current or previous model year, with relatively low mileage and factory warranty. And because it’s used and there’s no freight or PDI charge they often come with a discounted price. But there are some consumers who forego these benefits and steer clear of daily rentals. Here’s why:
Condition: Many drivers have driven the vehicle, with unknown driving styles.
Appearance: If the car wasn’t well maintained there could be more bumps or scrapes, and interior stains from spills.
History: Many rental companies are self-insured therefore vehicles in their fleet that are involved in collisions are repaired by the rental company. Because of this the accident history of a daily rental may not show up on a vehicle history search like CarProof or AutoCheck.
Not knowing the car’s history is arguably the most important point.
Normally, OMVIC doesn’t recommend consumers take a vehicle with low kilometers, still under factory warranty, purchased from a dealer - for a pre-purchase inspection. But, because the history of a former daily rental may not be determined when buying a former daily rental – that an inspection may be wise.
Note: Under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002 a dealer is obligated to disclose if a car was a former rental unless subsequently owned by a non-dealer. Consumers have up to 90 days from the date of delivery to cancel a contract if the dealer fails to make this disclosure.
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