Thoughts on buying a used Model 3 from Hertz?

[YellyYeti]

Any thoughts on buying a high-mileage (~80k miles) 2021 M3 SR+ like this one, for a college-bound child? The SR+ range would be plenty, the price seems lower than anything else I've seen, but the mileage is a bit concerning as it is getting very close to the Battery and Drive Unit warranty limit of 100k miles. They probably would probably keep the car beyond the college years, as long as it still served their purpose and still ran.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

I don't think I would do that. 80K on a 2021 is almost 27,000 miles per year of abuse by people who don't know how to use the car. My crusty old uncle used to say that buying a rental is like marrying a prostitute, you know nothing about the past, but that many people abused the poor thing. I too am looking for a cheaper Model 3, wait until the Highland updated Model 3 comes out and the legacy 3 market will collapse, then pick a keeper.

 

[LoudMusic]

Well considering I have a 2019 M3+ with half the miles that I'd like to sell in a couple months, I'm curious to see what happens in this thread.

 

[Black306]

Personally, I’d be very reluctant to buy a rental car knowing how bad they can be used.

If your concern is mileage, there are other slightly more expensive cars with less miles.

49.5k miles for $24.3k.

2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus Sedan Available Near Fort Lauderdale, FL | 15928070

Hertz Rent2Buy allows you to test drive a vehicle for three days before you buy. If you are interested in this 2021 Tesla Model 3 then book your test drive for stock number 15928070 today.

www.hertzcarsales.com

 

[Zythryn]

Agree with Xeno, rentals are some of the most abused cars on the planet.
I’d steer clear.

 

[RichAZ/CapeCod]

Any thoughts on buying a high-mileage (~80k miles) 2021 M3 SR+ like this one, for a college-bound child? The SR+ range would be plenty, the price seems lower than anything else I've seen, but the mileage is a bit concerning as it is getting very close to the Battery and Drive Unit warranty limit of 100k miles. They probably would probably keep the car beyond the college years, as long as it still served their purpose and still ran.

I'll be the contrarian here. The ad stated you could rent it for a "special rate" for three days. Well, do just that and check out the car as thoroughly as possible, then make your decision.

Rich

 

[YellyYeti]

I don't think I would do that. 80K on a 2021 is almost 27,000 miles per year of abuse by people who don't know how to use the car. My crusty old uncle used to say that buying a rental is like marrying a prostitute, you know nothing about the past, but that many people abused the poor thing. I too am looking for a cheaper Model 3, wait until the Highland updated Model 3 comes out and the legacy 3 market will collapse, then pick a keeper.

Did some more digging, likely the high-mileage in short period means that these are the results of the Hertz Uber Tesla rental program? It would be a bit better if they were Uber drivers who put on the miles. I will also observe the market when the Highland comes out, we don't really need anything realistically until summer-ish.

Personally, I’d be very reluctant to buy a rental car knowing how bad they can be used.

If your concern is mileage, there are other slightly more expensive cars with less miles.

49.5k miles for $24.3k.

2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus Sedan Available Near Fort Lauderdale, FL | 15928070

Hertz Rent2Buy allows you to test drive a vehicle for three days before you buy. If you are interested in this 2021 Tesla Model 3 then book your test drive for stock number 15928070 today.

www.hertzcarsales.com

That is starting to inch closer to what Tesla is selling directly, which I think most everyone would agree would be a much safer bet.

https://www.tesla.com/m3/order/5YJ3E1EAXMF920554?postal=32771&range=200&region=FL&coord=28.800557,-81.30693149999999&titleStatus=used&redirect=no#overview

 

[Xenoilphobe]

I'll be the contrarian here. The ad stated you could rent it for a "special rate" for three days. Well, do just that and check out the car as thoroughly as possible, then make your decision.

Rich

 

[fholbert]

I’ve purchased two non-ev vehicles from Hertz and have nothing but good to say about those purchases. Who takes better care of vehicles than a fleet owner?

Both vehicles were low mileage, the purchase was cheaper than I could have bought anywhere else. They were so cheap I called them throw-aways. In November 2019 I purchased a ‘19 Sonata hybrid, it had 18,000 miles and cost $19k. All vehicle history down to oil changes was shared with me. All door dings are repaired. A couple years later I started getting warnings about something high-voltage. Took it to a dealer and it was fixed under the new car warranty.

As far as who drove the car, not a worry. I used to be a frequent flyer and rented cars 3 to 5 times a month, cars are not trashed. Besides, who drives a car harder than I?

 

[brkaus]

We have a 2018 3 LR with 56k miles. Our plan is to give to the college kids and get a new one for us

 

[Xenoilphobe]

Recommend doing a quick search on YouTube "rental car abuse". I agree with @fholbert most of use don't do this, but it only takes a couple of renters who don't give a F. The last car I got smelled like some weed head decided to hot box the car for a month.

 

[Dracaris]

Come to think of it, I might be reluctant to buy a used EV near the end of its battery warranty period unless the seller can show me a report that says the battery is in great shape, or unless they're nearly giving it away. If there's a decent chance I'd have to replace the battery out of warranty, I'd want to get the used car inexpensively enough that the cost of a replacement battery pack wouldn't make me decide it's better to just donate the thing to one of those charities that will haul the car away.

 

[fholbert]

Come to think of it, I might be reluctant to buy a used EV near the end of its battery warranty period unless the seller can show me a report that says the battery is in great shape, or unless they're nearly giving it away. If there's a decent chance I'd have to replace the battery out of warranty, I'd want to get the used car inexpensively enough that the cost of a replacement battery pack wouldn't make me decide it's better to just donate the thing to one of those charities that will haul the car away.

Hertz does sell a generous extended warranty. Suggest you say no, you’ll get a better price when the paper is being done.

 

[fholbert]

Recommend doing a quick search on YouTube "rental car abuse". I agree with @fholbert most of use don't do this, but it only takes a couple of renters who don't give a F. The last car I got smelled like some weed head decided to hot box the car for a month.

Were you renting from the big two? I’d expect that from Dollar or Thrifty, Hertz and Avis always had clean, fairly new cars.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

Were you renting from the big two? I’d expect that from Dollar or Thrifty, Hertz and Avis always had clean, fairly new cars.

Enterprise

 

[fholbert]

Enterprise

Yea, like I said I’ve drove several hundred rental cars in North America, maybe a thousand. I rented from Enterprise twice, the second time no other options were available.

 

[tashtibet]

if you could get $4K used EV discount-gonna be fun.

 

[YellyYeti]

Does anyone know if used Model 3's qualify for the 2024 Used EV Tax Credit? New Model 3's don't qualify anymore, so does that mean that used ones don't either?

It looks like the Highlands are now available to order, let's see if that moves the used prices.

 

[Unclepaul]

Buying used from a rental fleet has always been the same. Pricing is good, but you have a huge number of unknowns.

 

[Richbot]

I say go for it. Worst case, you have to fix it out of warranty. That's a pretty good worst case, and it's the case that I have been driving almost all of my fancy expensive (when new) used cars in for almost all of my life

The warranty period isn't a magic forcefield that prevents failures (just look at my brand new, still under warranty Model X, lol) nor is it a timer for when things will suddenly start failing.

If it racked up that many miles, as a rental, in 3 years, the car was probably fast-charged a lot and that's just going to mean a little worse range than a new one from deg, I'd just be ready to manage expectations on range/road-trippability going into it