Buying a 2012-13 Genesis Sedan 3.8 Base Rental Vehicle

[Troutknoxville]

Man I really appreciate all of the feedback. It seems like it is 50-50 on buying the rental. If I go this path I will make sure to use your feedback and check the car with a professional. If something doesnt seem right its easy to walk and find another one down the road. Thanks again and I will keep you posted.

 

[shagnat]

Man I really appreciate all of the feedback. It seems like it is 50-50 on buying the rental. If I go this path I will make sure to use your feedback and check the car with a professional. If something doesnt seem right its easy to walk and find another one down the road. Thanks again and I will keep you posted.

Taking a used car to an independent mechanic is a "must" before buying any used car. However, a car with 20-30K miles that has been driven like it was stolen may not show up to the extent that it is perceivable to the best of mechanics. However, having being driving like it was stolen will definitely show up at 80K+ and over...... 80K being a number I just picked from the air. Just saying it may take some serious mileage before a rental or any used car that was driven hard and put up wet may take some time to show its abuse when younger, kind of like a woman!!

 

[shagnat]

Rental, Dealer Used, CPO, Private Party or any other condition other than new must be evaluated on a case by case basis. My goodness I would have though that you folks on here would know that there are always exceptions to any rule. The car is used bottom line........ it matters not who or what owned it, the car will tell the tail. Treat every used car the same no matter where or who she came from and you'll do fine.

Pictures tell you the model and maybe the color that's it. Put hands and eyes on it first; a lot of times this is enough to eliminate a ride from your list. Have YOUR mechanic or hire a pro to go through it. Do some homework, call Hyundai ask them to tell you about the car based on the VIN. You will be surprised at the stuff you can learn. If serviced at a dealer call that service department and talk to them. Heck if you have concerns about a particular dealer or lot call some local body shops/repair shops in the area and ask them about the place its crazy the info you can gain and all info is good some not so useful, but it all goes toward a better understanding of who and what kind of car your dealing with.

Gems are everywhere but they are hard to find; if you limit your search bases on prejudices, hearsay and conjecture you make your search that much harder.

Wow! Really??????

What owned the car????? How does that happen?

"tell the tail"????? Tail???? Maybe you meant "tale". And you're talking about people not being smart enough. At least learn the English language before you start hating on people and trying to use English. sheezzz..... some peeps are amazing!

 

[Troutknoxville]

Wow! Really??????

What owned the car????? How does that happen?

"tell the tail"????? Tail???? Maybe you meant "tale". And you're talking about people not being smart enough. At least learn the English language before you start hating on people and trying to use English. sheezzz..... some peeps are amazing!

Quit trolling...This is a safe place.

 

[GenesisCaptain]

Man I really appreciate all of the feedback. It seems like it is 50-50 on buying the rental. If I go this path I will make sure to use your feedback and check the car with a professional. If something doesnt seem right its easy to walk and find another one down the road. Thanks again and I will keep you posted.

I would give it much better than 50-50, but it is no substitute for giving any car a thorough inspection. Statistically, former rental cars and fleet cars have fewer issues at the wholesale level.

Two people responded favorably that they had bought former rental cars with positive experiences.

No one responded with any first-hand negative experiences. The negative posts were based on hearsay and extrapolations about how they drove a rental car once. Franchise buyers are selective and would have likely not bought a car that had odd substances on them or significant damage, cosmetic, or mechanical issues.

 

[Vermillion3]

Wow! Really??????

What owned the car????? How does that happen?

"tell the tail"????? Tail???? Maybe you meant "tale". And you're talking about people not being smart enough. At least learn the English language before you start hating on people and trying to use English. sheezzz..... some peeps are amazing!

Hey Shagnat!

 

[merlingt1]

I had the option to purchase either a 2011 or a 2012 rental 3.8L Genesis. I went with the rental and EXTREMELY glad I did. It was pre-certified used by Hyundai so I still have a large part of the factory warranty. It cleaned up REAL nice, no damage inside whatsoever, only a couple minor scratches in the exterior which are expected (barely visible after touch up paint). It was in far better condition than the 2011 one-owner vehicle. Take that for what it is worth... all cases may be different but worse case scenario is something breaks I have enough time in the warranty for them to fix it and they have to provide a loaner while it is being serviced.

 

[lncaylor]

I have only owned one car that was a rental in its previous life. I bought a Volvo from Hertz that was the most dependable car I ever owned--got 230,000 miles out of it before I got tired of it and sold it.

 

[WowCool]

1 vehicle that comes to mind:- in 2002 we bought a Sable Wagon
(ex rental/circa 1998) my wife & step daughter drove the doors off.. Apart from regular servicing the only issue was the interior door trim on the drivers door which needed a refit with new snappers etc.. September 2006 saw it's demise after it was T-boned by a drunken driver It was parked outside our house for the night, thankfully no one was in the vehicle.. Bye Bye Sable...
In the UK each vehicle has a Registration/Log Book - you can see every owner from day One.. Doctors & Bank Managers cars where always sought after, always regularly serviced, definitely looked after, mostly low mileage..
Happy & Safe Motoring To All................

 

[jkadagio]

I'd have ZERO worries about buying a former rental. The last Ford (Taurus) and last two Dodges (Grand Caravans) I purchased from the respective dealer lots were former rentals. I really have had no problems beyond expected wear items, when you'd normally expects those types of things to wear out (tires, brakes, etc..).

I just joined this site yesterday, as I'm considering buying a used (possibly 2012 base 3.8) Genesis. CarMax is coming to St Louis where I live, and from what I can tell, most of their cars are former rental/fleet/off lease cars. They are billed as the largest used car retailer in the United States. If a majority of these cars were abused and people over time found them to be unsatisfactory versus similar privately owned used cars, a company like CarMax wouldn't exist, let alone thrive and become the largest of its type in the country.

That being said, don't take this as an endorsement that ALL rental cars are great. In my car buying experience, rental/dealer fleet/etc. cars are often self repaired if damage occurs. And as one poster noted, that then means it still has a 'clean' no accident carfax report. I have come across many 1 to 2 year old prior rentals that I was considering purchasing, that when I really spend some time looking at the paint, and fit/finish of the body panels (on a nice sunny day) I can tell that the paint or surface finish differs slightly from the body panels right next to them. I steer clear of those ones, obviously.

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[7i bigblock]

Generally speaking rental cars get harsh treatment and can be touched up to make them look acceptable. It all depends on your expectations ,you get what you pay for. You would be better off getting a good price on a lease and buying the car at the end if you like it.

 

[visitor]

I would not let it deter me. I bought a Buick park ave As a former rental car, and it was the most trouble free car ive owned!

 

[Mark_888]

Generally speaking rental cars get harsh treatment and can be touched up to make them look acceptable.

I guess that depends on what you mean by "harsh." Having been on this forum for about 4.5 years, and reading threads like "how fast will the Genesis go?" I am not sure that a privately owned used Genesis would be any better than a former rental. It just depends on the original owner(s).

 

[merlingt1]

I guess that depends on what you mean by "harsh." Having been on this forum for about 4.5 years, and reading threads like "how fast will the Genesis go?" I am not sure that a privately owned used Genesis would be any better than a former rental. It just depends on the original owner(s).

Agreed, In general I would rather own a "well driven" but well serviced car than a poorly maintained car regardless of how it was driven. I have known people who never change engine oil during ownership Also, I doubt many people are renting Genesis 3.8L to joy ride them If it was another class of car (sporty model like a Camaro, Mustang, etc) then I would probably opt not to purchase a rental.