How to Avoid Buying a Used Rental Car
![](../assets/images/news/clunker.jpg)
A car that's been abused is obviously not going to last as long as one where the owner treated it like their baby.
This is why most experts advise not to buy a car that's been used as a rental or commercial vehicle. When most people rent cars, they don't have a vested interest in the long-term reliablity of the car.
Most will floor the accelerator every chance they get. Some people even use rental cars as if they're stunt cars, trying to pull off 360 degree spins and abusing the braking system.
Knowing which cars are used most often as rental and commercial vehicles can help you avoid buying one.
Automotive Fleet Magazine released a list of cars most often used as fleet vehicles. Some on the list, such as the Ford Crown Victoria, are used mostly as taxis and police cars and usually aren't found too often as used cars.
If you're interested in buying one of the cars on the list, we advise you find one being sold by a private party. Make sure it is a one-owner car, not one that has been resold already. If the car is being sold on a dealer lot, our recommendation is to stay away. Chance are the car was purchased at auction from a rental or fleet company and the dealer doesn't have any obligation to reveal this fact to you.
Top 20 Cars Used as Rental or Commercial Vehicles
Rank | Vehicle | % Sold to Fleet |
1 | Ford Crown Victoria | 94.0% |
2 | Chevrolet Uplander | 90.0% |
3 | Dodge Magnum | 69.7% |
4 | Lincoln Town Car | 66.1% |
5 | Chrysler PT Cruiser | 61.5% |
6 | Chrysler Sebring | 58.3% |
7 | Dodge Durango | 57.7% |
8 | Mitsubishi Galant | 55.7% |
9 | Suzuki XL7 | 55.7% |
10 | Mercury Grand Marquis | 55.4% |
11 | Dodge Avenger | 53.9% |
12 | Pontiac Grand Prix | 53.3% |
13 | Ford Taurus X | 51.4% |
14 | Dodge Caravan | 51.3% |
15 | Dodge Charger | 51.1% |
16 | Chevrolet Impala | 50.8% |
17 | Ford Taurus | 48.0% |
18 | Kia Sedona | 47.9% |
19 | Dodge Caliber | 47.3% |
20 | Cadillac DeVille | 46.3% |
![](/assets/images/cartoons/dealership.jpg)
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
![Gregg Fidan](/assets/images/gregg/profile-pic.png)
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
July 2024
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared July 2024 Jul 25, 2024
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Jul 25, 2024
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Jul 25, 2024
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Jul 25, 2024
- Best Car Deals by Category Jul 18, 2024
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Jul 18, 2024
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Jul 18, 2024
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Jul 18, 2024
- Best 0% Finance Deals July 2024 Jul 11, 2024
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Jul 11, 2024
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Jul 11, 2024
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Jul 11, 2024
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Jul 04, 2024
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Jul 04, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars for 2024 Jul 04, 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Jul 04, 2024
June 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Jun 27, 2024
- Best Car Deals for 4th of July 2024 Jun 27, 2024
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Jun 27, 2024
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Jun 27, 2024
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Jun 20, 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Jun 20, 2024
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jun 13, 2024