YACT: Buying a car that was a former lease

[rayray2]

I think we would all agree that buying a car that was a former rental is not always a good idea because there is a high probability that it was ragged on on more than one occasion.

My question is what about cars that were leased? Do you think that people who lease vehicles are more likely to abuse them than people who purchase them? Should a car that was previously leased be priced less than a comparable vehicle that was owned?

 

[CraigRT]

i wouldn't abuse a lease vehicle... you gotta pay for any damages at the end of the lease.... i'd treat it as if it was paid off %100 my own.

i think you'd be fine with a leased car.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: rayray2
I think we would all agree that buying a car that was a former rental is not always a good idea because there is a high probability that it was ragged on on more than one occasion.

My question is what about cars that were leased? Do you think that people who lease vehicles are more likely to abuse them than people who purchase them? Should a car that was previously leased be priced less than a comparable vehicle that was owned?

1. You really can't beat on a lease and not expect to get charged for it when you turn it back in so people are generally pretty nice to them.

2. Dealers often by previously-leased cars at auction for next-to-nothing so you have a LOT of bargaining room when shopping for one. I got a great deal on my Altima this way.

 

[rayray2]

Great..... thanks for your input lifers!

 

[DaWhim]

my family bought a lease car, very bad

 

[Sluggo]

My wife leases her car, and its an absolute cream puff. She follows all the maintenance schedule, and drives a whopping 8-10,000 miles a year.

Two years old and still looks and smells brand new.

BTW, I found out through carfax (after buying it) that my SUV used to be in the rental fleet, I bought it with 47,000 miles on it, 2.5 years later it has 120,000 miles on it and has had no problems. Unlike my wife, I hardly ever take car of my car. I dont think anyone could thrash it as hard as I have, and I seem to have has great luck with it. So who knows on buying a car from the rental fleet.

 

[Asharus]

I would definitely not buy a car off a rental fleet, but buying an off-lease car is fine. Great bargains..

 

[Spencer278]

Buying off lease should be as safe if not safer then buying a trade in or private sale of the same type of car. With buying off lease you know why the car was sold. With any other purchase except salvage, you don't know why the person is selling it and the owner might know something is going so they want to unloaded it on a unwitting purchaser before it gets bad enought to be noticed.