Beware ex-rental bargains
Submitted: Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:16
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Brid from Cost Effective Maintenance
I'd always thought that ex-rental 4x4's and cars would be pretty good buys, but I've had two reports from trade customers needing to desludge recently purchased ex-renters...both from the same company, and both the usual low kms you expect from rental companies.
The diesel 4x4 had done around 40K and the petrol
sedan around 60K. The mechanics opinions were that these vehicles had never had an oil change. It's not very often we see vehicles under 100,000kms severely sludged, so I would agree with this conclusion.
So if you are considering buying an ex-renter, be sure to check out its service record, examine the oil condition, and look for any evidence of sludge (eg inside oil filler/valve cover).
Some 20 years ago, I had some dealings with the Qld fleet manager for the then Telecom. At that time their policy was to properly service all the major plant (Trucks, dozers,etc), but light vehicles were on breakdown maintenance only. That is, no oil changes, spark plugs, etc. Overall, it was cheaper, and few problems were encountered with light vehicles during their Telecom service life. That situation changed later on of course, but it's the same economics being used in the rental car situation presented to me.
I have no idea if this applies to all rental companies, or just the
well known one mentioned to me. The message is don't assume that because rental cars are always(?) detailed nicely, deodorized, etc, that they are also serviced
well too.
Regards
Brid
Reply By: marq - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:44
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:44
It's happens - like service depot's - make sure you check the engine oil has been changed before you drive away in your vehicle.
--
Like Black Toyata in
Dalby QLD - tried to tell an older female family member that she "had" to spend over $3000 to fix the key that was not functioning properly (remote to open the doors on a RAV). At least she said "I think about it".
Ended up just needing a battery replace in the key remote (which cost $9) - which is what most of us would expect.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Visitor - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:45
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:45
A rental does approx 150,000kms a year....
Does anybody ever wonder how they can buy these cars with 60,000kms on them after two years??????....
Then we do our first oil change and say It's not very often we see vehicles under 100,000kms severely sludged............
If you knew how easy it is to turn back a digital speedo and
cook the service books you would die with a leg in the air...
AnswerID:
192131
Follow Up By: Footloose - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:52
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:52
I knew a guy who worked preparing (2wd) vehicles for a big auction place in
Brisbane. They regularly turned the clocks back for selected vehicles he claimed. Highly illegal, and very profitable.
I know you can buy puters to fudge some speedos.
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Reply By: Flash - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:51
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:51
Son's best mate works for the local 'Yota dealer as a third year apprentice.
They regularly see vehicles (sedans, 4Wd's etc) with 50k or MORE from major rental companies which have NEVER had an oil change. The oil that comes out is more sludge than oil....
He says they often remove the sump plug and nothing drains until they poke a screwdriver up the hole and probe around!
Bloody incredible.
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:57
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 10:57
if they are only keeping them for 50k klms why would they bother servicing
Rentals are flogged mercylessly, I wouldnt go within lightyrs of one.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:02
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:02
PS. If I ever do
cape york, im hiring a britz,and will let that fall apart on the corrigations instead of
mine.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Patrol22 - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:52
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:52
Truckie.....the GU won't have a problem with
Cape York...
mine has now done the trip 3 times and still no rattles. First time I did it with the OEM undercarriage I bottomed out a few time especially when the shockies heated up...but the next two on OME Nitrochargers and voila...all hunky dorie.
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Follow Up By: Visitor - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 13:39
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 13:39
I think thats the softest thing you have ever said....
PS. If I ever do
cape york, im hiring a britz,and will let that fall apart on the corrigations instead of
mine.
Why dont you go up with a tour group in a bus....
*light humour*
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 13:54
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 13:54
Truckster
Let me get this right, you are saying the GU isn't up to the task of a
Cape york trip? :-)
Here is a suggestion for you.........you won't have any problems with this.
Site Link
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 14:03
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 14:03
Nope not sayin it wont handle it, but from all reports I hear of the road up there its pure corrigations from start to finish. If so, why subject yor own car to that shti if you dont have to?
I bleep in hate corrigations to start with more than scruby or yellow protestors wanting me to say sorry - the
Woods point road bleep s me off, so the cape would really bleep me.
Probably wont ever have enough time to drive up there from here anyway, so a fly drive is about my only option.. contractin sux sometimes.
Best mate worked at (cant think of name of the joint) landy place (which appears as though they dont do landys anymore?) on cnr frankston dande road in carrum downs, and from what he told me over the 2 yrs he was there, I wouldnt bleep on one. He makes a fortune from Yarders Still!
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 14:21
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 14:21
Well Truckster, everyone to their own of course; mind you I'd have no concern taking 'The Landy' to
Cape York, a few corrigations ain't gunna bother it, unlike some other fourbies that was it was made for.
Now what was that about pi@#ssing on something :-)
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:07
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:07
I think your missing the whole point - my car I would take it easy in.. A rental, I would superglue the loud pedal to the floor without concern for any damage.
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:33
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:33
Nah....I think you're missing the point. I'm winding you up (in jest) over your comment "PS. If I ever do
cape york, im hiring a britz,and will let that fall apart on the corrigations instead of mine". Given your propensity to wind up others, especially when it comes to Landrovers, I couldn't let the opportunity pass when you appeared to be saying the GU wasn't up to the task of tackling
Cape York (go back and read your comment - it's a gem)
Good luck, and enjoy your weekend..............glad I got a bite!
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 17:13
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 17:13
but I never said that the GU wasnt up to it. I must of missed that part.
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 19:50
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 19:50
Quite correct....I'll stand corrected in this instance, you simply implied it would fall apart on the corrugations.........sounds like it isn't up to it to me!
But having said that, I'm on my first beer for the weekend, so best I just go and have some fun now.
Have a good one.
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Reply By: res.q.guy - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 11:16
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 11:16
A mate of
mine hired a vehicle from
Darwin a few weeks ago. While waiting for his family to return from shopping he actually was reading the owners manual, service books etc in the glove box, and found a form stating at what klm reading the speedo is to be turned back, and to what figure it was to be turned to.
Don't belive the spedo reading ................
Regards
Neil
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 11:45
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 11:45
Hired a rental last February when I flew into
Townsville.
I was sent out to the car, and as I always do, first thing I did is go right over the car for dints and scrapes and photo them.
But I also do an engine check, oil,
water battery etc.
Hire rental person that walked past give me a real funny look.
Most people just hop in and drive.
This time, all was OK, but I have had batteries with almost no
water, low oil etc. The people at the counter are that flat out sometimes they do what they can but they don't have that sort of assistance.
Have you seen any one lift the bonnet on a rental car when they pick it up?
My 4wd travelling habit is to check all these things including tyre pressure at the start of each day. Look for things in the engine bay rattling loose, fraying fan belts, oil on the ground under the car. A lot easier to fix on a cold engine. Who else does it?
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Follow Up By: Member - MrBitchi (QLD) - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 14:23
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 14:23
Used to call that a "first parade". Very deep doo-doo if you didn't do it, so now it's a habit.
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Reply By: 3.0turbob - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:31
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:31
I posted something similar a week or 2 ago. The guy across the road from me works for a rental mob here in
Sydney. Often he brings home a vehicle that hasn't been rented for the day/weekend. He recently bought home a 3ltr Patrol, had the bonnet up. I went over to talk to him ( because I have one) to check it out. I pulled the dipstick and there was no evidence of oil on it! There was a small list of other things I found disturbing with it.
Rob
AnswerID:
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Reply By: TerraFirma - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:34
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 12:34
With all that sludge rolling away in the crank and bearings youd reckon that in some time damage would be done. I'd imagine plenty of extra friction too. A good job for CEM Oil Flushing Solution no doubt..!
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Reply By: old mate - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 15:19
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 15:19
I used to work for a major rental company and have dealt with a lot with other major comanies through work/travel with both car and 4WD. The major companies look after and service their vehicles regularly because they don't need the hassle and cost of a breakdown or tow back to the yard but more importantly they care about their reputation.
Some of the smaller companies that do el cheapo rentals rent out a lot of stuff that shouldn't be on the road anyway. I mean you roll up at a small suburban car rental yard and they give you a 10 year
old car with 340000kms on it for $25/day,
well what do you expect.
Looked at an ex Hertz troopy pop top a few years back being sold by Hertz. I asked for and was promptly shown service records and they would allow an independent inspection if I wanted. Not all ex rentals are bad.
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Follow Up By: stevesub - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:31
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:31
I agree. We own an ex-Hertz pop-top Troopy. Bought it at 150,000km, now done 215,000 trouble free km's - other than the dreaded gearboz to transfer case shaft stripping its splines but that is all Troopys from 2000 to 2003, not only ex-rentals.
Interesting that we bought the vehcile from Orix lease cars (Hertz had leased the Troopy from orix).
I have had a couple of Orix lease cars and they get real up-set if you do not get the vehcile serviced. Also in the Hertz booklet in the vehcile, they had a section to make sure that renters who have the vehicle for a long time were encouraged to get it serviced (paid for by Hertz) at less than the manufacturers sevice intervals.
Stevesub
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Reply By: Kiwi Kia - Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:50
Friday, Sep 01, 2006 at 16:50
Work mates son does servicing on lease vehicles. He is given a definite time to do the service, if something needs attention and he runs out of time then the remaining service items don't get done!
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