Lately, they’ve cut back the number they buy back, as they want to passthe cost of getting these ex-rentals reconditioned for resale onto the rental (^)
companies themselves. Most of us brokers still use the term “program car”for all of these near-new vehicles that saw rental service, regardless of who (^)
is reselling them, and they can be a good used purchase.
Yes, people do often drive rental cars hard. Despite this, the maintenanceand upkeep done on them by the bigger rental companies is rigorous and
they’re usually still under factory warranty. As long as you don’t buy onethat has been involved in a big crash, they can can save you thousands (^)
over a new example of the same model. Just follow the tips on how toappraise them, just like any other vehicle.
term—and are more enjoyable in the meanwhile. TIP: Program cars with more equipment are worth more long-
DEMOS
Dealer demonstrators that go over a certain number of miles (it varies stateto state) can end up as used cars. The ones I’ll focus on here are referred
to as “brass hat” vehicles. These are usually driven by upper managementor regional reps from the car companies themselves. Many have lots of
options, and they can make terrific used purchases. The car companiesgive the dealers large incentives (based on mileage and age) to sell them, (^)
ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.
barry
(Barry)
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