Hertz Is So Desperate To Unload Tesla Inventory It's Asking Customers If They Just Want To Keep Their Rentals

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Hertz Is So Desperate To Unload Tesla Inventory It's Asking Customers If They Just Want To Keep Their Rentals [UPDATE] - Jalopnik

Hertz bought a bunch of Tesla Model 3s for its rental fleet and quickly realized that Tesla depreciation would be extra bad at scale. In an aggressive effort to sell off its remaining Tesla inventory, the rental company is sending extra cheap buyout options to rental customers. If you like your...

jalopnik.com

 

[davidvel]

Hertz Is So Desperate To Unload Tesla Inventory It's Asking Customers If They Just Want To Keep Their Rentals [UPDATE] - Jalopnik

Hertz bought a bunch of Tesla Model 3s for its rental fleet and quickly realized that Tesla depreciation would be extra bad at scale. In an aggressive effort to sell off its remaining Tesla inventory, the rental company is sending extra cheap buyout options to rental customers. If you like your...

jalopnik.com

Fake news. They are asking customers if they want to buy it, not just keep it after rental.

 

[Luanne]

Fake news. They are asking customers if they want to buy it, not just keep it after rental.

Not fake news, just a misleading headline. If you read the article it does say they offer the sale of the Tesla at a reduced rate.

 

[Brett]

Not fake news, just a misleading headline. If you read the article it does say they offer the sale of the Tesla at a reduced rate.

yes, misleading thread title / headline - Hertz (like all auto rental companies) has many high mileage autos for sale

But some people like Tesla ... elon !
.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-soars-1-5-trillion-150000012.html

 

[jp10558]

This is similar to lensrentals.com - if you rent camera gear and it's "easily" replaceable, they'll let you buy it with the rental applied as a credit. Sometimes this is a good deal, other times not - depends on their used sale rates on the specific item. On the plus side, it's a way when you're out in the boondocks to actually get hands on the used lens or camera you want to buy, and for longer than 30 minutes in a parking lot if buying on marketplace or whatever. And then you're getting that exact copy. It can matter - sometimes lenses have more variance in copies than you'd like.

 

[Talent312]

I once tried to return a can opener to Amazon.
They gave me a refund and told me to keep it.
Apparently, they knew it wasn't worth the trouble.
.

 

[davidvel]

Not fake news, just a misleading headline. If you read the article it does say they offer the sale of the Tesla at a reduced rate.

Fake news (headline). Not reading this clickbait. Hertz sells all of its cars, not just Tesla.

 

[Passepartout]

They are deeply discounting those rental returns- sale offers. I read of one Model 3 ('24 model) with like 13,000 miles for less than half sticker price. Many have more miles, but still. . . . Now, it's unknown how a daily rental would be cared for- like ';preconditioning the battery? Limiting charging to 80%? Since EVs don't require oil changes etc, how much other maintenance is done?

I won't be buying one, but SOMEONE will.

 

[jp10558]

They are deeply discounting those rental returns- sale offers. I read of one Model 3 ('24 model) with like 13,000 miles for less than half sticker price. Many have more miles, but still. . . . Now, it's unknown how a daily rental would be cared for- like ';preconditioning the battery? Limiting charging to 80%? Since EVs don't require oil changes etc, how much other maintenance is done?

I won't be buying one, but SOMEONE will.

Yea, I have 0 interest in a Tesla, but you get that price low enough and someone will see value there. Like I always say, there's always a number for just about anything - it may not be realistic, but it's there. If you offered me a late model Tesla for $1,000 - I would consider it just cause it's cheap lol.

 

[dougp26364]

Considering these cars are driven by hundreds, if not thousands of people over their life as a rental, plus the though that renters might not drive them as carefully as they would their own car, it would have to be a really steep discount before I’d even consider buying a rental. I have my doubts routines maintenance is even done very well on these cars. Somehow I can’t see a corporation putting a cent more into their inventory than is absolutely necessary. Because everything is done in house, it would be difficult to determine the exact history of the car, including accidents and repairs. Carfax relies heavily on insurance claims to gather their information and, if the repairs are done in-house, nobodies going to know.

We were in Kauai when I inadvertently high centered the rental. I was looking the situation over to try to either avoid damaging the car or minimizing damage when a couple of surfer dudes walked up. One asked, “Is it a rental?” When I said yes his answer was, “Well just blaze in dude!” Thus is the opinion of enough renters I’d be skeptical of buying a rental car after it’s been driven 60,000 or 70,000 miles.

 

[Carolinian]

Hertz is in the second round of downsizing its EV fleet. Apparently they aren't as popular with renters as Hertz expected. This is a good gimmick to try to unload some of them. There is also German auto insurance company data that shows a significant percentage of people who have owned EV's buy a traditional gas or diesel car afterward.

Heck, if someone gave me a functioning car for free, I would take it, even IF it were an EV. I don't think anyone would seriously take that meaning of the headline.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Considering these cars are driven by hundreds, if not thousands of people over their life as a rental, plus the though that renters might not drive them as carefully as they would their own car, it would have to be a really steep discount before I’d even consider buying a rental. I have my doubts routines maintenance is even done very well on these cars. Somehow I can’t see a corporation putting a cent more into their inventory than is absolutely necessary.

What maintenance do you have to do on these cars?

 

[dougp26364]

What maintenance do you have to do on these cars?

Depends on the make/model and what’s listed in the owners manual.

Regular oil changes with the correct oil and transmission service come to mind. Brake fluid needs changed out as recommended. One car I own lists spark plugs changed at 60,000 miles. The other two list spark plugs at 150,000 miles. The serpentine belt, which runs everything under the hood, needs to be inspected and replaced. I have our cars inspected on a regular basis and maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and as things begin to wear out.

 

[dougp26364]

This guy might be more opinionated than hard facts, but he is entertaining in his explanation as to why you shouldn’t buy a rental.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Depends on the make/model and what’s listed in the owners manual.

Regular oil changes with the correct oil and transmission service come to mind. Brake fluid needs changed out as recommended. One car I own lists spark plugs changed at 60,000 miles. The other two list spark plugs at 150,000 miles. The serpentine belt, which runs everything under the hood, needs to be inspected and replaced. I have our cars inspected on a regular basis and maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and as things begin to wear out.

I think @TolmiePeak was asking about Tesla maintenance requirements.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Depends on the make/model and what’s listed in the owners manual.

Regular oil changes with the correct oil and transmission service come to mind. Brake fluid needs changed out as recommended. One car I own lists spark plugs changed at 60,000 miles. The other two list spark plugs at 150,000 miles. The serpentine belt, which runs everything under the hood, needs to be inspected and replaced. I have our cars inspected on a regular basis and maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and as things begin to wear out.

Oil change on a Tesla? Do you have to replace the fuel filters and head gaskets as well?

 

[WinniWoman]

I once tried to return a can opener to Amazon.
They gave me a refund and told me to keep it.
Apparently, they knew it wasn't worth the trouble.
.

That has happened to me several times with different items.

Except once they threatened to charge me months later if I did not send an item back and even though I had emails proving they said to keep the item, they persisted.

I got so tired of trying to resolve it I eventually sent it back. Luckily I still had it unused in its original packaging.

 

[dougp26364]

I think @TolmiePeak was asking about Tesla maintenance requirements.

In that case, I have no idea about maintenance. All electric is something I have been sold on yet.
I thought Hertz was trying to unload both gas and electric. I didn’t realize it was exclusive to Tesla’s

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Oil change on a Tesla? Do you have to replace the fuel filters and head gaskets as well?

Or the spark plugs?

 

[TolmiePeak]

Or the spark plugs?

With all of the theft going on maybe I should start a business to install theft proof catalytic converters for electric vehicles. I could issue a 100% guarantee my device would prevent them from getting stolen.

 

[WorldT]

In that case, I have no idea about maintenance. All electric is something I have been sold on yet.
I thought Hertz was trying to unload both gas and electric. I didn’t realize it was exclusive to Tesla’s

They are selling both gas and electric. Actually, every rental agency always have cars available for sale at some point. The discussion here is just about electric cars. More specifically Tesla vehicles.

Hertz Car Sales | Buying a Car Made Better

Shop Hertz Car Sales for below market no-haggle prices. We have thousands of vehicles from coast-to-coast that include a warranty and a buy back guarantee.

www.hertzcarsales.com

 

[Roger830]

It seems like a good deal for someone interested in buying a Tesla.
In the comments section at the end of the article there was such a person that said he wanted to buy one,

"until I actually looked at their inventory: 11 tesla cars :-( - hundreds of miles away from where I live (some even in Hawaii)
oh well - I’m sure this got some website viewers."

 

[WaikikiFirst]

every rental agency always have cars available for sale

I am amazed this has to be pointed out. Oh well, click-bait headlines beat reality more & more & more & more & ...

 

[WaikikiFirst]

not that I know anything, but we just got back from the airport in a Lyft that was a very nice Tesla. idky but my wife chatted with him about his car. This is a guy who puts a LOT of miles on a car and he did not agree with the supposed "minimal maintenance" for EVs. One thing he pointed out is "This car is really heavy so I go through tires like crazy". Just one Lyft drivers opinion, I guess.

 

[davidvel]

not that I know anything, but we just got back from the airport in a Lyft that was a very nice Tesla. idky but my wife chatted with him about his car. This is a guy who puts a LOT of miles on a car and he did not agree with the supposed "minimal maintenance" for EVs. One thing he pointed out is "This car is really heavy so I go through tires like crazy". Just one Lyft drivers opinion, I guess.

Or he drives a LOT of local miles.