According to car experts, you must change the engine oil after 5,000 to 6,000 miles. After crossing this threshold, you won’t get the desired performance from your vehicle. Besides, your vehicle will start to overheat, and the engine may seize up.
But do rental car companies change oil like other vehicle owners on a regular basis? Or do they ignore the car oil change and keep it for the next vehicle owner?
Do Rental Car Companies Change Oil?
You should know that the car rental companies are here to make money, and their vehicles are their main income source. If they don’t take care of their vehicles, soon they will be out of business. So, for their own interests, rental car companies change the engine oil and maintain their vehicles with regular servicing.
Where to Take Enterprise Rental for Oil Change?
You have rented a vehicle from the Enterprise and drove more than 5,000 miles. Now, it is time to change the engine oil of the vehicle.
For changing the engine oil, you will have to drive your Enterprise Rental vehicle to the nearby Firestone Service Center. Don’t worry, you won’t have to pay any fees for changing the engine oil. It can take an hour to change the oil. When the oil change is done, you will be ready to drive the rented vehicle again.
What Services Are Included with Rental Car Subscription?
When you opt for a car rental service, rental companies tend to offer certain services such as tire replacement, oil change, and other vehicle maintenance. If the car needs basic maintenance, usually, you won’t have to pay any additional fees. However, if the car needs complicated and costly repairs that aren’t covered by the rental agreement, they will demand fees from you. That’s why before renting the vehicle, check what car services are included in the standard maintenance. Also, as a part of the rental policy, you’ll have to make the rental vehicle available to the rental company for routine maintenance.
Apart from these scheduled maintenance, reputed car rental companies also provide roadside assistance. They will offer roadside assistance such as replacement for the lost key, roadside vehicle support, lock-out service, etc.
As the rental vehicles are maintained properly, you can even purchase these rental cars at a lower price.
Pros of Purchasing a Rental Vehicle
· Less Expensive
When rental companies purchase a vehicle, they buy in bulk. As a result, they can buy cars at a lower price. And when they sell their used cars, they list the vehicles at a discounted price. Usually, depending on the vehicle’s condition, mileage, and model, you can purchase the vehicle at 10% cheaper than the market price. So, if you are on a tight budget, purchasing a rental vehicle is a go-to option for you.
Besides, many a time, rental car companies sell relatively newer cars. If you can get to those cars, you will get a new body, engine, and newer features at a relatively low price.
· Buying Process is Easy
Reputed rental companies such as Enterprise and Hertz offer a 3-Day Rent to Buy program. As a part of this program, you can rent a car for three days, and if you decide to buy that car, you won’t have to pay any rental fees. Besides, these companies offer a seven-day return policy. It means, after purchasing a car from these rental companies, if you don’t like the car, you can return it and purchase another if you want to.
· Warranty
When you purchase a used vehicle, usually, you don’t get any warranty. On the flip side, when you purchase a vehicle from a rental company, you get warranty for 12 months or for 12,000 miles. During this period, if anything happens to the vehicle, rental car companies will be responsible for it, and you won’t have to pay for any repair.
Disadvantages of Purchasing a Rental Vehicle
· Cars with more miles
If you are planning to purchase a used vehicle from a rental company, few thousand miles on it. Usually, rental cars have a mileage of around 14,000. However, you can see vehicles that have mileage 2x, 3x more than that. So, if you are not comfortable having such as high mileage vehicle, you should avoid buying vehicles from a rental company.
· Used and driven by many
Vehicles at a rental company have been driven by a lot of drivers. So, it is difficult to figure out how the car was driven or handled.
Verdict on Purchasing Used Cars from a Rental Company
If you are on a budget and can compromise with the mileage, you can purchase a vehicle from the rental company. However, while purchasing the vehicle from the rental car company, check the duration of the factory warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions about Oil Change and Car Rental Companies
All reputed car rental companies look after their vehicles and do routine maintenance checkups like regular oil changes, tire replacement, changing gear oil, etc. So, if you are planning to buy a car and are on a tight budget, purchasing a car from these rental companies can be a great option.
It is advised to use 5W30 engine oil for your Toyota. It has higher viscosity that suits the 4 and 6-cylinder engines.
If the rented vehicle had a full tank of oil during the renting, you’ll have to return the car in the same condition. That’s why before renting the car, check the oil tank of the car.
All cars including Avis rental cars need an oil change, and it is standard practice to change the engine oil after every 5,000 miles. If you neglect regular engine oil changes, the engine will start to deteriorate. Besides, your vehicle will overheat and reduce its performance.
Conclusion
Reputed rental car companies change the engine oil and do other car services for their own interest.
After renting a car, if you have driven more than 5,000 miles, you should change the engine oil. Contact the rental car company for details if you don’t know where to change the engine oil and do other car maintenance. Also, while renting the car, ask what services come with the rental subscription.
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