YACT: My mom bought a new car, did she get a good deal?

[Vetterin]

From another Subaru owner (Legacy wagon) just let me say that the Forester is a rugged and reliable vehicle with good reviews. Like some have said, if your Mom is happy with it, that's all that matters. She bought a great SUV and with the extended warranty I wouldn't worry about a thing. Tell your Mom I wish her the best and to enjoy the ride.

 

[RollWave]

Originally posted by: jupiter57
I've always been under the impression that rentals are (usually) taken care of by the renter, to avoid any damage charges. I am sure there are the exceptions, though.

Off-lease vehicles, however, are a different story. I know a lot of lessees will drive the wheels off of them and never change oil & fluids. So long as they look good when they are returned.

That is so damned true. I know someone who did this for YEARS. He'd lease a sports car for 12 or 18 months tear it down (while keeping the exterior pretty) and then return it no problem.

 

[MX2]

I never abused my rental cars

In fact, I had one rental for such a long period of time (3+ months) that I began to take care of it as if it were my own vehicle. In the sense of cleaning it and stuff.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: SmoochyTX

Originally posted by: Gilligansdingy
haha...

she got boned....

Never ever ever buy a rental.

My current car was a rental. It was a great deal and it's been a fantastic car. Nothing wrong with it whatsoever. I don't put a lot of mileage on my cars so my mileage has already equaled out and right now I could sell it for at least $1500 profit.

Mine was also a rental... we will have had it three years come May, and put over 30k miles on it, and it's been just fine.

 

[yowolabi]

I don't think rentals are as bad as the perception. I never abused the rentals I got, and i'm sure most people don't. Then there's the bonus that rental companies are usually pretty good about maintaining their cars.

 

[gsellis]

I would guess it was a dealership rental. Considering who would rent it (non-WRX drivers), it probably was driven like my grandma drove it (not the one with the 90 in a 55 ticket, the other one who drove to the store and the grocery twice a week). Subaru drivers are even more unique than Saab drivers. Hardly any abuse at all.

 

[IGBT]

..doesn't sound that bad. Get all the fluids and radiator/heater hoses changed and it should be good to go.

 

[Mr Incognito]

I will abuse my daily driver more than my rental knowing that I will have to return the rental in a few days.

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: zoiks

Originally posted by: SmoochyTX

Originally posted by: Gilligansdingy
haha...

she got boned....

Never ever ever buy a rental.

My current car was a rental. It was a great deal and it's been a fantastic car. Nothing wrong with it whatsoever. I don't put a lot of mileage on my cars so my mileage has already equaled out and right now I could sell it for at least $1500 profit.

I think it all depends. Most people I know really abuse rentals.

I think that "abusing" rentals is very dependent on your definition of "abuse". If you define "abuse" to mean getting within 3000rpm of the redline and braking hard, then yes most of them are getting abused on a regular basis. If you define "abuse" as treating the car like General Lee, then no, most of them are not getting abused on a regular basis.

 

[Vic]

Wow... this thread is why car advice is mostly worthless on ATOT.

First, newer Subaru Foresters tend to hold their value extremely well and are extremely reliable (seen the 2007 CR auto guide that just came out?). She didn't get ripped off. The price is right.
Second, most people don't abuse rentals anymore than they might abuse their own car.
Third, the top-level rental car companies maintain their fleets far better than does the average private owner.
Fourth, the car is fully covered under the factory warranty still (in fact, it was Subaru that lost the landmark case on this issue 10 or so years ago).

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Vic
First, newer Subaru Foresters tend to hold their value extremely well and are extremely reliable (seen the 2007 CR auto guide that just came out?). She didn't get ripped off. The price is right.

Tell me about it, I wanted to get one (or an Outback) for some time, but even used they were out of my range.

 

[Jejunum]

no not really. we just bought a 2007 forester at invoice - incentive. What model did she get?

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Vic
Wow... this thread is why car advice is mostly worthless on ATOT.

First, newer Subaru Foresters tend to hold their value extremely well and are extremely reliable (seen the 2007 CR auto guide that just came out?). She didn't get ripped off. The price is right.
Second, most people don't abuse rentals anymore than they might abuse their own car.
Third, the top-level rental car companies maintain their fleets far better than does the average private owner.
Fourth, the car is fully covered under the factory warranty still (in fact, it was Subaru that lost the landmark case on this issue 10 or so years ago).

Does the 2007 CR auto guide include resale values?

 

[jjyiz28]

nada gives it a $18850, for that amount of mileage. i think everyone agrees nada.com is way more reliable info than the inflated price of KBB. bare bones forester, no special options. not to be sexist, but females going to a car dealership alone is like a fish swimming in a sharks pond. they always get ripped off.

 

[BCYL]

I drove rentals every week for almost 2 years, always beat the crap out of them... I would NEVER buy a rental myself, knowing what people like me do to them...

My gf even said I am a completely different driver in a rental vs my own car

 

[CaptainGoodnight]

What's up with people digging up old threads?

I've seen three such thread in the past 2 days :-/

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: BCYL
I drove rentals every week for almost 2 years, always beat the crap out of them... I would NEVER buy a rental myself, knowing what people like me do to them...

My gf even said I am a completely different driver in a rental vs my own car

Don't be gentle, it's a rental!

 

[Pocatello]

Your mom didn't get ripped off, it's not a great deal either. I'm a current Forrester owner myself, I like it a lot, especially in the winter.

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: Captante
I used to take rentals off-road, do neutral-drop burn outs, donuts on dry pavement & one time even got a Taurus sedan airborne out in the Arizona desert. (amazingly it survived with no ... erm ... well at least no VISABLE damage!))

Although I'm (somwhat) more responsible now that I've grown up, for obvious reasons I will never purchase a former rental!

Airborne taurus.....LOL!! Just remember, your being watched..

 

[TheGizmo]

Originally posted by: jjyiz28
nada gives it a $18850, for that amount of mileage. i think everyone agrees nada.com is way more reliable info than the inflated price of KBB. bare bones forester, no special options. not to be sexist, but females going to a car dealership alone is like a fish swimming in a sharks pond. they always get ripped off.

i just priced my car and it comes out as worth more money according to nada (comparing to KBB)

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Does the 2007 CR auto guide include resale values?

Nope, but they did recommend the Forester strongly, both new and used.


You guys act like a base model Forester can be damaged by the average rental car customer. Sorry no. This is the mild-powered mini-SUV version of a frackin rally car. They're infamously indestructible. If you didn't do any visible damage, then you probably didn't do any damage at all. Welcome to Subaru!

 

[Viperoni]

I did a burnout in a dodge charger rental with not even 4 digits on the odometer.
Well I tried to, POS didnt have enough power to get the tires spinning, and stupid ABS wouldn't let me lock up the front tires either.

In either case, the point is to NOT buy rentals lol.

 

[gsellis]

I remember an Autoweek article about rentals and race car drivers. This was after Days of Thunder came out. I think know Unser was one of them. They tried to hit the flashing light at the top of the tunnel with the rental at one of the tracks. It involved a dropoff into the tunnel, speed, and a Hollywood-style, Streets of San Francisco jump.

But they weren't renting Foresters.

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: gsellis
I remember an Autoweek article about rentals and race car drivers. This was after Days of Thunder came out. I think know Unser was one of them. They tried to hit the flashing light at the top of the tunnel with the rental at one of the tracks. It involved a dropoff into the tunnel, speed, and a Hollywood-style, Streets of San Francisco jump.

But they weren't renting Foresters.

I loved that part of the movie. "just to prove there are no hard feelings, we all gonna go out to dinner together".