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Hertz Buying Used?

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Old Feb 26, 2009 | 5:10 pm
  #1  
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Hertz Buying Used?

Just returned a corporate BMW 3-Series to the local airport.

I'm very suspicious that it was a used vehicle that Hertz purchased for use in their higher-end fleet. The tags expire exactly one year from a week ago, the car had a few kilometers over 20,000 and it was in absolutely immaculate shape. The interior was spotless and it drove like it was new.

Anyone else had similar experiences lately?
lardiop is offline  
Old Feb 26, 2009 | 6:29 pm
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Don't trust the tags, because they can often be transferred from vehicle to vehicle (ie. my plates expire in July 2009, but I bought my car used in December 2007).
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Old Feb 27, 2009 | 2:13 pm
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yes - I've had brand-new-to-Hertz used Explorers at ATL twice in the past year. All in good condition, so can't really complain.
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Old Feb 27, 2009 | 4:12 pm
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In the US and Europe, the rental car standard at the major companies is brand new. The mom-and-pop shops rent used cars, often with mileage caps and geographic restrictions. On the contrary, in South America, Asia, and Africa, local branches of familiar US-based affiliates may rent out what we would consider old pieces of junk. It depends on what the local market will bear, both in terms of service as well as price. Perhaps that bit of thinking is starting to permeate this country as well, unfortunately.
Auto Enthusiast is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2009 | 4:44 pm
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Sometimes auto dealers own franchises and use their cars as 'special' rentals.
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Old Feb 27, 2009 | 6:41 pm
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Does it matter if it's used? I bought a "Certified Pre Owned" 3 series in 2002 and it was pretty good. Couldn't tell it was used unless you looked at the odometer. With auto manufacturers cutting their high volume, low profit, fleet programs, the cars have to come from somewhere.
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Old Feb 28, 2009 | 7:07 am
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How can you be sure that the cars were "new", and not just well-detailed? A good detail shop can do amazing things for the interior of a vehicle. Occasionally, a rental comes back so thoroughly trashed that cleaning it is beyond the capabilities of the airport facility.

Then again, when I worked for one of the major rental agencies in college, we purchased a few truckloads of Tauruses from Avis to supplement our fleet. Aside from the Avis stickers still on them, we could tell the difference because they had center-console shifters, while our native Tauruses had column-mounted shifters.
SixAlpha is offline  
Old Feb 28, 2009 | 5:07 pm
  #8  
 
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Yes, Hertz have purchased used vehicles in the past but they are always less than 1 year old.
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Old Mar 1, 2009 | 1:21 am
  #9  
 
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Last week I had a 2008 Sonata V6 with 41,000 km on it from National in YYJ. When I opened the glovebox it had a Hertz damage report form in it. So I guess the reverse is true too.
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Old Mar 1, 2009 | 10:24 am
  #10  
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I've heard that Enterprise, with their franchise group business model, allows them to purchase additional vehicles at retail to supplement their fleet as they see needed. This explained why at my neighborhood branch, I saw a Chevrolet Aveo hatchback with a Chevrolet dealer sticker on the trunk and a Hyundai Accent sedan with a local Hyundai dealer's name on the license plate frame.

I'm guessing the person whose employer purchased the Tauruses from Avis worked at Enterprise, because they are the only "major company" who does not use a corporate-owned fleet that can randomly circulate the country. Thus, Enterprise branches can purchase whatever they want, because the cars must be returned to sender.
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Old Mar 1, 2009 | 10:07 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Auto Enthusiast
I've heard that Enterprise, with their franchise group business model, allows them to purchase additional vehicles at retail to supplement their fleet as they see needed. This explained why at my neighborhood branch, I saw a Chevrolet Aveo hatchback with a Chevrolet dealer sticker on the trunk and a Hyundai Accent sedan with a local Hyundai dealer's name on the license plate frame.

I'm guessing the person whose employer purchased the Tauruses from Avis worked at Enterprise, because they are the only "major company" who does not use a corporate-owned fleet that can randomly circulate the country. Thus, Enterprise branches can purchase whatever they want, because the cars must be returned to sender.
You guessed correctly. You are mistaken about their business model, however. There are no franchise locations at Enterprise - all locations are corporate-owned (albeit it's a goofy corporate structure). Enterprise places all vehicle orders at the beginning of the year directly with the vehicle manufacturers - the individual branches cannot purchase cars. To maintain goodwill with their local dealerships, the cars are sent to pre-selected dealers who "fulfill" the order (and thereby get a very tiny cut of the "sale"). The dealers are not supposed to place any markings on the cars, but a few slip through, which would explain your Aveo.

Since this is the Hertz forum, I should note that the last time I rented from my local HLE there was a Hyundai Sonata on the lot with markings from an Atlanta Hyundai dealer.
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