I have always been loyal to businesses that treat me well and give me due respect: don't lie or omit the truth. There was this dealership that I had an ongoing relationship with for 5 years, it was the first place I took my car to in this new town after moving. Never asked for a discount, always did the regular/recommended maintenance there. I know I could have gotten better deals in other places, but these people did what I needed them to, and they did it well. Five years, man, I trusted them with my car, blindly. One day the front of the house rep that used to take care of me moved on, took a job somewhere else, and a new guy came in. My car had this loud starter that every dealership wanted to replace on my dime because "it was dying." The started "was dying" for over 8 years, until my SO totaled the car, but I digress. I had just had some regular maintenance done, drove out of the lot, and went home. I was gonna run errands later and when I got in the car it just gave a click noise, some electrical weird stuff, and nothing… wouldn't turn. I thought it was the battery, but how?! My neighbor gave me a jump and I drove straight back to the dealership, bummed out, but not super upset. When I get there, I realize one of the front lights is out. So this rep has the audacity to tell me that "Your electrical issues are because of your starter! If you replace it, all your problems will go away, I guarantee you!" Now, I know how to work on cars and motorcycles, but I don't advertise that because I like to see what people will tell me when they think I don't know anything about it. So, well, now I was really upset that this guy was reaching that far, but I decided I would have to do some inspection of my own first. Scheduled to bring the car in a few days later so he would stop bothering me and went to autozone. Popped the hood, and pulled the bulb out and it had tons of grease in the contacts. I thought, WTF? Pulled the other bulb out and it did not have grease… I hadn't changed those bulbs in a while, so I got a pair of new ones at autozone and replaced them. Just like that, my battery/starting problems went away. So, I figure someone in the mechanic bay put grease on the lightbulb contacts, and that grease shorted intermittently when I turned the key. Took me 1h to figure that out. The next day I went back and talked to the rep. First I canceled the appointment. Next, I told him how I fixed the issue. And then I told him that someone in there had done this to the car and I was really suspicious about this insistence on replacing the starter. He admitted to nothing, of course. Their general manager was there and saw that I wasn't happy, so he wanted to talk to me. I told him that what angered me the most was not that someone lied, but that after 5 years of good work and business relations now I could not trust them any longer: "how can you run an inspection on the car for an electrical issue and conclude it's the starter before you even look at the burnt light bulb?" I left and took my business elsewhere. The electrical problem never returned. The starter never died.
Also I found if a rental car was in a small accident like backing into a pole and they have there own shop where it doesnt get reported to a insurance it wont come up on carfax as being in a accident..
Immigration passed a rule and its called the Shannon falcon rule. She'd insist her client could not be deported because she wrote them a letter. Immigration went further and said a receipt of a letter is not a guarantee of not deporting the person in question. A letter from them was just acknowledging the fact she sent them a letter on behalf of her client.
My parents bought a used rental car and it lasted twelve years. We bought one that was great but unfortunately after three years chipmunks got into it and chewed up the electrical system and seriously damaged it so after several attempts to repair it we got rid of it.
A few years ago my wife and I rented a car from Enterprise for a 2 week vacation. We lived in NY and took it to Florida. In Florida, the oil change reminder came on and I called Enterprise. They asked if I could bring it to a quick nationwide oil change place they dealt with. I did and had the oil changed. When I returned the car in NY Enterprise gave me even a higher discount because I had the oil changed which only cost me time. (The oil change place was a block from where we were staying)
Why on earth would you buy a used rental car when there are boat loads of slightly used, low mileage former police cruisers for sale every day? These vehicles are serviced regularly and generally driven slow and sensibly.
I bought a rental car. It is a 2008 Dodge Magnum Station Wagon. I bought it because I've been in love with those cars ever since they came out, and it was several thousand dollars under Bluebook valuation. It had 70,000+ miles on it, and the data sheet clearly stated former rental car. I don't remember what year I bought it now, but I figured the price was enough below valuation, that I could well sink a couple of thousand in repairs in it, if need be, and still at least break even. Turned out it did need a number of repairs, mostly the computers. Every one in the car eventually got replaced, from the CPU to all the sending units. Once that got straightened out, over a period of about 4 months, the car has been running well. It's got 204,000 miles on it now, just passed smog here in CA, and it's a wonderful handling car. A number of repairs were occasioned by Dodge's use of a lot of plastic components that failed, but have nothing to do with it being a rental car. I still consider it a good deal.
We found out our Blazer was a Avis rental car…we found a sticker in the back…it ran great….tho 7 years later the tailgate lock broke…my husband fixed it…there was going to be a big mechanical problem…so we traded it for a new Subaru Outback Touring car…
That’s a first! While I can’t count the times abused customers have told tales of abuse at the hands of car dealers, this is the form rat time I’ve heard of the salesman getting upset. “Beat like a rented mule” is still a valid principle.
Per my Socio-Psych professor in college, cars sales people tend to test high in sociopathy. Having tried (poorly) my hand at selling used cars some years earlier than college, I can attest.
Steve — I worked for the NYC zone of Avis RAC in the mid-1980s. Mid-summer of 1985 Avis held a big used car sales event at the Nassau Coliseum. I happened to be in the corner with the Toyotas when they flung the doors open at noon. I had 22 signed contracts before we closed at 8pm. Regarding the purchase of any former rental car, I can only say it depends on the car, the miles, and the city. Des Moines or Columbus, OH cars are probably OK, but NYC or LA, not so much. Catching cars for scheduled maintenance in smaller cities is easier. Cars are usually cycled out of the fleet with mileage between 15K and 18K. Cars of this vintage can usually be sold at retail blue book, and are probably a good value. Cars under 18K have probably had NO corrective maintenance done, but might have had warranty work performed. "Program" leased cars were sold back to GM, Ford or Chrysler, which then wholesaled them. Cars with over 20K typically get wholesaled or sold at auction. Not sure if it's still true, but the RAC companies buy or lease a lot of otherwise undesirable cars from Detroit, in part to help the manufacturers meet CAFE standards with ugly, under powered cars. Avis used to rent the Renault Dauphin. You had to push in the turn signal to honk the horn. The horror!
It's precarious enough dealing with a Salesman selling a new car, but when they change the description of the car to pre-owned somehow we're supposed to be relieved? ( More euphemisms that are developed to disarm your Natural Instincts.)
Opinion pieces used to be known as editorials, and editorials used to come with a closing statement that a responsible opposing view point would be given equal air time. I might be just a little older than you.
While there is a small amount of humor in your presentation, your constant giggling undermines your credibility.
Did the poor littlte car salesman get his feelings hurt lol
Poor fella needs to seek out therapy
definition of used car salesman;
Accursed Thief
I KNEW I KNEW YOUR NAME FOR A REASON!!!
Had a guy find a couple ounces of meth under the front seat of the rental car.
I have always been loyal to businesses that treat me well and give me due respect: don't lie or omit the truth. There was this dealership that I had an ongoing relationship with for 5 years, it was the first place I took my car to in this new town after moving. Never asked for a discount, always did the regular/recommended maintenance there. I know I could have gotten better deals in other places, but these people did what I needed them to, and they did it well. Five years, man, I trusted them with my car, blindly. One day the front of the house rep that used to take care of me moved on, took a job somewhere else, and a new guy came in. My car had this loud starter that every dealership wanted to replace on my dime because "it was dying." The started "was dying" for over 8 years, until my SO totaled the car, but I digress. I had just had some regular maintenance done, drove out of the lot, and went home. I was gonna run errands later and when I got in the car it just gave a click noise, some electrical weird stuff, and nothing… wouldn't turn. I thought it was the battery, but how?! My neighbor gave me a jump and I drove straight back to the dealership, bummed out, but not super upset. When I get there, I realize one of the front lights is out. So this rep has the audacity to tell me that "Your electrical issues are because of your starter! If you replace it, all your problems will go away, I guarantee you!" Now, I know how to work on cars and motorcycles, but I don't advertise that because I like to see what people will tell me when they think I don't know anything about it. So, well, now I was really upset that this guy was reaching that far, but I decided I would have to do some inspection of my own first. Scheduled to bring the car in a few days later so he would stop bothering me and went to autozone. Popped the hood, and pulled the bulb out and it had tons of grease in the contacts. I thought, WTF? Pulled the other bulb out and it did not have grease… I hadn't changed those bulbs in a while, so I got a pair of new ones at autozone and replaced them. Just like that, my battery/starting problems went away. So, I figure someone in the mechanic bay put grease on the lightbulb contacts, and that grease shorted intermittently when I turned the key. Took me 1h to figure that out. The next day I went back and talked to the rep. First I canceled the appointment. Next, I told him how I fixed the issue. And then I told him that someone in there had done this to the car and I was really suspicious about this insistence on replacing the starter. He admitted to nothing, of course. Their general manager was there and saw that I wasn't happy, so he wanted to talk to me. I told him that what angered me the most was not that someone lied, but that after 5 years of good work and business relations now I could not trust them any longer: "how can you run an inspection on the car for an electrical issue and conclude it's the starter before you even look at the burnt light bulb?" I left and took my business elsewhere. The electrical problem never returned. The starter never died.
When I hear program car. I hear pervious company car. So yes its was beat on.
We’ve bought rental cars, have had good luck with them. However, our current two vehicles were bought new in 2005 and 2014.
It’s a crap shoot, I think the average car owner abuses their car and does zero maintenance so the rental cars have a slight edge.
Drive like a sport, pay like a sport!
I beat the snot out of rentals lol
Good job!
Also I found if a rental car was in a small accident like backing into a pole and they have there own shop where it doesnt get reported to a insurance it wont come up on carfax as being in a accident..
This is funny!
Rental cars are not properly broken in. They hit the road at highways speed that damages the rings.
Immigration passed a rule and its called the Shannon falcon rule. She'd insist her client could not be deported because she wrote them a letter. Immigration went further and said a receipt of a letter is not a guarantee of not deporting the person in question. A letter from them was just acknowledging the fact she sent them a letter on behalf of her client.
Euphemisms to sell a car. Isn't "She's a beauty" an euphemism?
I upset a serial killer once. He clipped out a bunch of newspaper letters to notify me about it.
I wonder how many used car salesmen buy former rental cars for their own use.
YOU GO STEVE!!!
Sellers are only offended, furious and upset, when someone tells the truth, soooo…yeah, take that for what it is…
My parents bought a used rental car and it lasted twelve years. We bought one that was great but unfortunately after three years chipmunks got into it and chewed up the electrical system and seriously damaged it so after several attempts to repair it we got rid of it.
A few years ago my wife and I rented a car from Enterprise for a 2 week vacation. We lived in NY and took it to Florida. In Florida, the oil change reminder came on and I called Enterprise. They asked if I could bring it to a quick nationwide oil change place they dealt with. I did and had the oil changed. When I returned the car in NY Enterprise gave me even a higher discount because I had the oil changed which only cost me time. (The oil change place was a block from where we were staying)
Why on earth would you buy a used rental car when there are boat loads of slightly used, low mileage former police cruisers for sale every day? These vehicles are serviced regularly and generally driven slow and sensibly.
Redefining words…politicians and non elected bureaucrats like at the alphabet agencies are real good at stuff like that.
I have bought bad used cars before. I bet you any money I was more upset about my "Ouchi" than that used car salesman was about your article…
I bought a rental car. It is a 2008 Dodge Magnum Station Wagon. I bought it because I've been in love with those cars ever since they came out, and it was several thousand dollars under Bluebook valuation. It had 70,000+ miles on it, and the data sheet clearly stated former rental car. I don't remember what year I bought it now, but I figured the price was enough below valuation, that I could well sink a couple of thousand in repairs in it, if need be, and still at least break even. Turned out it did need a number of repairs, mostly the computers. Every one in the car eventually got replaced, from the CPU to all the sending units. Once that got straightened out, over a period of about 4 months, the car has been running well. It's got 204,000 miles on it now, just passed smog here in CA, and it's a wonderful handling car. A number of repairs were occasioned by Dodge's use of a lot of plastic components that failed, but have nothing to do with it being a rental car. I still consider it a good deal.
Good.
We found out our Blazer was a Avis rental car…we found a sticker in the back…it ran great….tho 7 years later the tailgate lock broke…my husband fixed it…there was going to be a big mechanical problem…so we traded it for a new Subaru Outback Touring car…
We could call used up hookers program girls
That’s a first! While I can’t count the times abused customers have told tales of abuse at the hands of car dealers, this is the form rat time I’ve heard of the salesman getting upset.
“Beat like a rented mule” is still a valid principle.
Stop being so dam logical.
And is that a Corvette on your shelf behind you? If it is please put it back.
Lol😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅🤣🤣🤣🤣
Those car salesman are like hiring a handicap person at a fast food restaurant,,lol what a life to be a CAR SALESMAN… 👀 MOST OF THEM ARE JUST LAZY,, 😂
we lucked out, in 1996 my mom bought a toyota camry that was a rental fleet car, and it was fantastic the entire time she had it.
Per my Socio-Psych professor in college, cars sales people tend to test high in sociopathy. Having tried (poorly) my hand at selling used cars some years earlier than college, I can attest.
Mr used car salesman the statute of limitation has expired to be upset.
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised that a rental car gets better maintenance than from other owners.
Steve — I worked for the NYC zone of Avis RAC in the mid-1980s. Mid-summer of 1985 Avis held a big used car sales event at the Nassau Coliseum. I happened to be in the corner with the Toyotas when they flung the doors open at noon. I had 22 signed contracts before we closed at 8pm. Regarding the purchase of any former rental car, I can only say it depends on the car, the miles, and the city. Des Moines or Columbus, OH cars are probably OK, but NYC or LA, not so much. Catching cars for scheduled maintenance in smaller cities is easier. Cars are usually cycled out of the fleet with mileage between 15K and 18K. Cars of this vintage can usually be sold at retail blue book, and are probably a good value. Cars under 18K have probably had NO corrective maintenance done, but might have had warranty work performed. "Program" leased cars were sold back to GM, Ford or Chrysler, which then wholesaled them. Cars with over 20K typically get wholesaled or sold at auction. Not sure if it's still true, but the RAC companies buy or lease a lot of otherwise undesirable cars from Detroit, in part to help the manufacturers meet CAFE standards with ugly, under powered cars. Avis used to rent the Renault Dauphin. You had to push in the turn signal to honk the horn. The horror!
Used car salesmen will get upset at anything that makes it harder for them to rip people off.
It's precarious enough dealing with a Salesman selling a new car, but when they change the description of the car to pre-owned somehow we're supposed to be relieved?
( More euphemisms that are developed to disarm your Natural Instincts.)
Steve my only thought was what are they called the car, if you ask them what a program car is?
our hero!
Pre-owned=Used
Sooner or later, someone's gonna call it Lehto's Law. Wait, that sounds familiar… 🙂
Opinion pieces used to be known as editorials, and editorials used to come with a closing statement that a responsible opposing view point would be given equal air time. I might be just a little older than you.