Are you thinking about buying a secondhand vehicle for yourself? Do you have any idea how many of the used vehicles come from the used car dealerships? Most people buy the vehicles from the second-hand store without knowing the history of the vehicle and they are often used by many Advantage car rental companies.

If you are thinking about making some purchase form the second-hand auto market, you should at least be aware of the history of the vehicle. Knowing the history of the car you are choosing can help you to make an important purchase decision. In the following section of this article, we have talked about the ways you can spot the difference between a car with a renting history and a normal second-hand vehicle. Check it out.

Check the History

As we have mentioned easier, knowing about the history of the vehicle is one of the most important steps that you should take before making the payment for the car. Ask the dealer to give the VIN of the car. Use the VIN to search on the internet about the history of the car. If the seller does not want to provide the VIN, it is better not to make the deal. You can also try to find the 17 digit VIN on the windshield or the interior of the car.

Choose the website

Once you get the VIN, you have to choose the website where you could search the history of the car. While some of the third-party sites charge a nominal amount of money for finding the history, others are completely free.

By availing paid services, you would be able to get a more comprehensive picture of the history of the car and decide whether it is worthy of your investment.

Is It Wise to Purchase a Rental Car?

If you find out that the second hand vehicle of your choice used to be a rental car, then you face an inevitable question. Should you buy the car or not? The answer to this question is not that simple. Whether you should buy a rental car depends on many different factors. Here is the list of factors that you should consider while making the final decision.

Price

Check whether the price of the car you are eyeing is cheaper than the other rental cars available to the dealer. With most rental companies reducing their fleet size, the market is flooded with the pocket-friendly yet good quality cars. While this is great news for the buyers, you should check the vehicle report thoroughly to make sure whether the car has any defects.

Age of The Vehicle

The age of the vehicle is a significant factor that you must consider before making the decision. However, do not ignore the mileage of the vehicle. There are some vehicles that are significantly new but have run a lot of miles in a short span. However, if you find a somewhat slightly-used older model, it is always wise to grab the deal. Also, check the warranty and the vehicle report to find out if the vehicle is as good as it sounds to be.

Maintenance History

The maintenance history of a vehicle can tell a lot of detail without overwhelming the buyer. Check the maintenance history to find out whether the car has gone through any significant maintenance. Try to find out whether the vehicle has any known issues.

This checking should not be done only for the rental cars, non-rental vehicles might also have some maintenance issues. So, it does not matter whether you are buying an old vehicle of a car rental service or a regular second hand vehicle, you should check the maintenance history of the car no matter what.

Drawbacks of Buying a Rental Car

There are a couple of drawbacks for buying such cars. One of the biggest issues is that the cars of the renting agencies often have to withstand the brunts of different styles of driving. While one driver likes to use brakes often, other ones might take some hard stabs at the accelerator during the drive.

These driving styles often cause wear and tear on different internal parts of the car. Also, more often than not, the customers of the rental agency fail to take care of the vehicle. Ther is no doubt that people would think twice before squeezing their own cars in a tight spot. However, they do not think twice before driving the rented vehicle aggressively. As a result, more often than not, the rental cars come with a few more bumps, nicks and spill stains inside the vehicle than the regular second-hand ones.

All in all, there is only one simple solution that can help you to make the decision easily. While checking the vehicle that came from a car rental, you should take a trusted mechanic with you to make the inspection. The mechanic can check the health of the car and advise whether you should buy it or not.