If you’re in the market for a car, buying a used rental vehicle may seem like a great value. After all, if you can shave off some of the price in exchange for a few miles off the odometer, you’re getting a good buy in the long run. Right?
Well, you may want to watch the latest viral TikTok by self-proclaimed personal car-buying advocate Tomislav Mikula (@tomislavmikula). Mikula tells his viewers, “Do Not Waste Your Money” in the video’s caption.
In response to a commenter who asked his opinion of buying a used rental vehicle, Mikula says, “Don’t.” He then states that if a car is up for sale, a history of being a rental car is “one of the biggest red flags that I have.”
While telling his viewers that he understands why they would buy a rental car due to their low prices, he states, “I almost never buy rental cars, and these are the reasons why.”
Why does he avoid buying rentals?
“They just are going to be beat up,” he claims. “The best analogy that I have is that when someone spends 40, 50, 60 thousand on a car, they really want to take care of it. But the second you are renting a car, that goes completely out the window.”
“I don’t care if you’re driving a Mercedes-Benz or a Tesla, you are going to drive that car a lot more aggressively than you would your own, and that is the biggest problem I have with these cars,” he tells his viewers.
He claims the cars are “not driven responsibly” and often “not maintained well either.”
“My philosophy with used cars is always to buy the best-quality car at the best-quality price,” he adds.
Mikula concludes, “If you’re considering buying a rental, just don’t.” The July 12 post has over 82,700 views of this writing.
Mikula’s company, Deliverd, claims to “navigate the car-buying landscape with a personalized touch, ensuring the vehicle you choose aligns seamlessly with your needs and aspirations.”
Viewers were split
Despite Mikula’s credentials, many of his viewers took to the comments section to disagree.
LionO_1787 (@LionO_1787) wrote, “I bought a rental car that had 20k miles on it (assuming overstock). I still have it but now with 170k miles.. zero issues.”
Another viewer commented, “I bought a 2018 Toyota Carolla from a rental company. In the last 4 years, I have had zero issues.”
“I bought a rental car with 90,000 miles. Was well taken care of, maintenance, cleaned and lasted another 175,000 miles before I totaled it. I would never buy a sports car rental though,” another added.
@tomislavmikula Replying to @Sean Williams Do Not Waste Your Money #carbuyingtips #carbuying #delivrd ♬ original sound – Delivrd
However, many commented that they were on board with Mikula’s statements.
Ryan (@22.esh) wrote, “I work at a Toyota dealer & I see what the used rentals my dealership buys looks like vs a lease turn in…. spend the extra cash.”
“I did this and definitely regret it,” another commented.
What do experts think?
According to Car Gurus, buying a rental is a mixed bag,
While rental cars are “Typically Newer Models,” they “Often Have High Mileage.”
“A one- or two-year-old rental car will likely have higher mileage than a similar privately owned car,” the site continues. “The big rental companies usually sell vehicles at 25,000 to 40,000 miles—and these miles tend to be hard-driven ones since they come from multiple drivers who may not be inclined to take good care of the car.”
Lending Tree states that “while a rental car may be well-maintained and be in good cosmetic condition, “In addition to the car having higher mileage, some of its drivers likely treated it roughly. Not used to the car or the local roads, a slew of drivers may have accelerated hard and slammed the brakes throughout the rental period. Hard driving can wear out a car faster than the mileage would reflect.”
However, Lending Tree notes, “Rental car companies, including Enterprise and Hertz, offer a fixed, no-haggle price. You don’t have to stress about negotiation. They may also make a no-haggle offer for your trade-in and provide a set menu of other add-ons you might want.”
Bottom line? Buyer beware. While a rental may be the best fit for your wallet, be extremely careful when buying one.
As Mikula said in an email to the Daily Dot, “Rental cars are like playing the lottery. Sure sometimes you win…. But the odds are never in your favor.”
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