When I bought my car and traded my old car in

I had to sign a form stating that my car wasn't used as a:

Taxi

Learner Car

Hire Car

so it gives you a good case for complaining

Although most nearly new cars, even if owned by Skoda or any other make are going to be used and abused. If it is not your own car most people will rag the guts out of them

+1

Usually hire cars end up at those car supermarkets, not in the dealer network. They're also usually owned by an umbrella company not the manufacturer or the rental company.

Same applies to ex lease.

My current vrs was a hire car, i didnt know this when i bought it as it was sold as 1 previous owner.

The dealer may have mentioned it was a skoda owned car or similar, but didnt mention it was a hire car.  It was 9 months old with 11k miles on it for a little over 14.5k (cr170).

However, it was what i thought was a great price, and i had the option of having my deposit back if i didnt like it when i picked it up. I got a reasonable trade in for my fabia, and travelled 200 miles to collect it.

Everything suggested the mileage was correct such as tyre and disc wear (nearly none), and that it had been serviced as the oil was clear/grey rather than black.

 

When the V5 arrived i saw it was owned by a hire company. Initially i worried a bit but was very happy with the car, and happy with the price paid. Nearly 2 years on im still happy and the car is still in great condition, no different to that if i had owned it since new.

 

Who knows how any car is driven before you buy it second hand, or even what problems its had before. If youre happy with the car, the price,  and have warranty through the skoda network enjoy the car!

 

I tend to keep my cars for 5 years so im not sure the inital history will have much impact on trade in value (might struggle to give it away then!)

You never know how a second hand car has been treated before you buy it.

A one private owner with low miles sounds ideal, but that ONE owner could have been a numpty who couldn't give a chuff about treating it well. Most garages will prep a car to hide any previous mis-treatment and therefore you are generally none the wiser.

I have had numerous nearly new cars & the previous owner history has never been indicative to any future faults.

If the car is as described and your happy with the car then keep it. I am sure the first question the dealer would ask if you returned it would be 'what faults / problems are there with the car?'. If there are none at all it would sound a little daft to ask for an exchange or refund.

Hire cars can suffer a hard life (I've worked for Avis and National as drivers).

 

They can also enjoy a very stress-free life (long term rental with a caring driver).

 

It's a gamble, but then so is buying any used car. It is impossible to know how any used car has been driven.

 

My concern here is you have been overcharged as well as mis-sold.

 

Whether we like it or not ex-hire cars are worth less than an ex-lease or privately owned identical car.

 

This is the reason Skoda UK, and the dealer network do not disclose the cars history. This isn't the first thread of this nature.

 

If you are happy to keep the car and feel you paid market value (based on a non rental car) I'd be looking for some cash back.

 

Or was the car a bargain? In which case, again if you are OK with owning an ex-rental, I'd say you have nothing to worry about - until it comes to resale time.

Edited 4 December, 201312 yr by silver1011

Registered keeper and owner are not necessarily the same thing.  Skoda could well have been the owner if the hire company were leasing it from Skoda.  Who's to say that if it were owned and used by Skoda that it would have been treated any differently.

 

I've worked for a couple of hire car companies, the cars do get used, but with the high insurance excesses both on the staff and customers they don't tend to get damaged for fun.

 

Most of the late used stock on the mainstream manufacturers forecourts is going to be ex rental, when I worked in car hire, they were turning their fleet over nearly 3 times a year, which amounted to nearly 30,000 units.  It's this supply that keeps used car prices down.  Looking in the trade price guides, used car prices don't vary according to who the last keeper was.

 

My 22 year old Ford is still going and that started out with Europcar.

I sat beside someone this weekend, while they took a demo car for a test drive. All I can say is god help the person that buys this as an ex demo as the clutch was ridden for the whole journey!

End of the day if you are happy with the deal and you have a decent warranty I wouldn't worry just drive it.

Or excersise the Skoda 30 day or 1000 miles return policy

Wow, I didn't expect such a response. Thanks to all of you for your views.

The garage have offered to pay for the next 2 services. No cash, nothing else.

I'm mulling it over...but I feel I was duped and am concerned that any mechanical faults may not come to light until further down the line.

It's your prerogative what you do, but as I understand it's a one year old(ish) car that, according to your first post, you're happy with other than it being an ex-hire car?

 

Me personally, I would be inclined to take the next 2 services from Skoda and see it as a result. OK, you might have bought a car that had one previous owner who drove it everywhere like it was stolen. I'm going to assume you have somewhere approximating 2 years of warranty on the car - that should go someway to looking after you if any problems do arise.

+1

Usually hire cars end up at those car supermarkets, not in the dealer network. They're also usually owned by an umbrella company not the manufacturer or the rental company.

Same applies to ex lease.

Bristol Street Renault have large numbers of ex-Enterprise Clios (and probably Meganes as well).

IMO I would give it back if you can. Why - its on your mind. No matter what, now every time anything goes wrong you are going to be saying to yourself "Is this because it was ragged when it was young"

 

If you keep it you could push them for 3 services and an extra years warranty. The two services will cost them less than £100. It will cost them a lot more if you give it back so push them for more.

Agree asking for an extra year warranty, especially if you plan to keep it for long.

IMO I would give it back if you can. Why - its on your mind. No matter what, now every time anything goes wrong you are going to be saying to yourself "Is this because it was ragged when it was young"

 

If you keep it you could push them for 3 services and an extra years warranty. The two services will cost them less than £100. It will cost them a lot more if you give it back so push them for more.

+1

 

If it's worrying you (which it is or you wouldn't have posted on here, I guess) then definitely return it and buy elsewhere.  What Wardy said earlier about misrepresentation is still true - they didn't give you the complete picture of the car's history.  And it definitely doesn't fit with the whole aim/direction of the Skoda Approved scheme.

Bristol Street Renault have large numbers of ex-Enterprise Clios (and probably Meganes as well).

 

Having the word Renault on the rear is a good reason not to buy one, never mind being Ex Rental   

Does it not affect the warranty if its an ex hire car? I thought that it lost some/all of it.

I don't think so having read the Skoda New Vehicle Warranty below.

http://www.skoda.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/Brochures/Warranty-Booklet-single.pdf

I'd push for extra warranty if you are happy with the car.

I'd let it be. You'll have at least 12 months warranty left I'm assuming? Any issue will come to light by then IMO.

If you don't like it simply pay more and buy brand new. Can't have it all.

I'd rip their arms off for those free services.

I'd let it be. You'll have at least 12 months warranty left I'm assuming? Any issue will come to light by then IMO.

If you don't like it simply pay more and buy brand new. Can't have it all.

I'd rip their arms off for those free services.

Hi

 

I have posted under the legal/insurance section but wondered what this section thought, after giving me lots of useful help previously.

 

I bought a 2012 Octavia 3 weeks ago. Skoda main dealer. Happy with car. Was told by dealer that there was 1 previous owner which was Skoda UK.

 

However, V5C just arrived in post from DVLA.

 

Previous registered keeper is a National car Rental company car firm, not SKoda UK.

 

I never would have bought an ex-rental car, just don't feel comfortable with it. Was clearly told "one previous owner, car is from SKoda UK"

 

Has anyone else been stung like this and can they recommend an appropriate course of action?

Phone SKODA uk to check things out first.

 

Go back to dealer, see the top man, be assertive but not rude, Tell him you're extremely unhappy, as above, and want to return the car. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I'd go back to the dealer before you phone SUK and try and give the car back like that first. Explain that you feel that you were misled after asking who previously owned the car and only got part of the answer. Ask the sales manager why the sales person would with hold the fact that it was an ex rental car other than the fact that he thought that he would loose a sale. If that doesn't work the thank the service manager for his time and tell him (not rudely) that you will be taking the matter up with SUK. This will cause one of two things to happen. The sales manager may reconsider his decison and say that you can swap/hand back the car (he may not offer you the swap/hand back option in the showroom but may phone you in the next couple of days and offer it if he has your phone number) or it will make no differance at all.

 

 

When on the phone to SUK tell them that you feel that the car was mis sold and tell them the story that you have told us and that you would not expect an ex rental car to be an approved used car since it has more than likely been thrashed and see what they say. When you are on the phone to them ask what the warranty situation is because I'm not convinced that it will have a full warranty on it since it's been a rental and if they say that it has a full warranty left ask for it in writing so if something does go wrong and SUK try to wriggle out of fixing it under warranty you can then pull out the letter that they sent you and they won't have a leg to stand on.

Edited 5 December, 201312 yr by Blackline Stu

I think I'll go back to the dealer and tell them that they have mis-sold me the car and ask them to take it back.

They wont want to, i'm sure.

So if I can get 2 years extra on the warranty and 2 services I will be satisfied.

I am annoyed that they have duped me, but my concerns now are purely maintenance and reliability issues.

Having said that, I am concerned that a future buyer may not want the car if they know it is ex-rental.

 

I'd let it be. You'll have at least 12 months warranty left I'm assuming? Any issue will come to light by then IMO.

If you don't like it simply pay more and buy brand new. Can't have it all.

I'd rip their arms off for those free services.

You sound like a car salesman!

Be careful with what you post on here mate regarding what you will be satisfied with, as I'm aware many dealerships monitor this site.

Good luck with the outcome.

FP.

I bought my Octavia from Blades last year, it was 10 months old with 8000 on the clock, ex Skoda car I was told.

I got a great deal on the price

When I got home I saw on the V5 it was ex hire.

I went to the hire companies local office, they gave me full details of the number of times it had "been out", any comments from customers and staff and end of life report........this was very detailed, and positive.

24,000 miles and 16 months later, now showing 32,000 miles, the car hasn't missed a beat, apart from two services the only thing that's been done is a leaking aircon condenser replaced under warranty.

Fingers crossed that you have the same experience if you keep the car

Regards all

Juan

Sent from my iPhone using my thumbs

Edited 5 December, 201312 yr by Its me

I bought my Octavia from Blades last year, it was 10 months old with 8000 on the clock, ex Skoda car I was told. I got a great deal on the price When I got home I saw on the V5 it was ex hire. I went to the hire companies local office, they gave me full details of the number of times it had "been out", any comments from customers and staff and end of life report........this was very detailed, and positive. 24,000 miles and 16 months later, now showing 32,000 miles, the car hasn't missed a beat, apart from two services the only thing that's been done is a leaking aircon condenser replaced under warranty. Fingers crossed that you have the same experience if you keep the car Regards all Juan Sent from my iPhone using my thumbs

 

Lots of people buy ex rental carsand are happy with them but it would just be something that niggled me at the back of my mind the whole time I owned the car. I mean I know just how hard a lift the lease vehicles at work get and I wouldn't have one if they gave it to me for free.

Garage have offered me 3 services. Refused to extend warranty. Think its time to invoke the 30 day return clause