Should you’re in want of low-cost transportation you possibly can rating a deal on a used automobile from Hertz Automotive Gross sales, which sells licensed pre-owned vehicles, nearly all of that are sourced from rental fleets. I did it years in the past as a broke school pupil after I picked up a Chevy Sonic hatch for below $10,000. Sadly, not each automobile Hertz sells is an effective deal, particularly in case you’re out there for a Toyota 4Runner or a Ford Mustang Mach-E.
First noticed by Carscoops, Hertz has a variety of late mannequin Toyota 4Runners and Ford Mustang Mach-Es on the market at its dealerships throughout the nation, and never a single one is listed for a very good worth. The 4Runners are the worst. As of this writing, Hertz at the moment has 151 Toyota 4Runners on the market in its stock. Normally, these costs wouldn’t be a lot of a problem given how agency of a grip 4Runners have all the time had on resale values — it’s why you possibly can nonetheless discover some 25-year-old examples going for over $30,000 — however this example with Hertz is a bit totally different.
For one, these are used rental vehicles, which frequently have tough histories that not many house owners are conscious of. Second, a brand new technology of Toyota 4Runner simply went on sale, which makes these costs much more ridiculous. Take this 2024 4Runner SR5, the bottom mannequin of the previous technology. With simply 12,560 miles on it, Hertz is wanting $43,710 for this 4Runner. Should you test that worth towards different used 4Runners on the market it suits proper in line, however once more, this can be a used rental automobile that’s doubtless led a tough life. Don’t take into consideration going for the next trim in case you don’t need to pay extra. A ‘24 4Runner TRD Off-Highway with 24,806 miles is listed for $47,594. Bear in mind a brand-new 2025 4Runner begins at $42,220, together with vacation spot, and a brand new ‘25 TRD Off-Highway is simply $3,046 greater than that used Hertz providing. What’s worse is that many of those 4Runners are listed with out photographs, so in case you’re taken with one you need to both make your solution to the dealership or request pics from the vendor.
Should you’re out there for a Ford Mustang Mach-E, you also needs to look elsewhere. There’s at the moment 90 Mustang Mach-Es listed on the market at Hertz; 19 of them are top-of-the-line Mach-E GTs, and never a single one could be had for below $35,000. In the meantime you will discover lower-trim Mach-Es below $20,000 in case you can cope with greater miles, and it’s not exhausting to seek out GTs with comparatively low miles for properly below $30,000. This 2023 Mach-E on the market in Southern California has simply over 6,200 miles on it and it’s simply $27,998. Most of the examples at Hertz have low miles no less than, below 10,000 in some instances, although that’s not an excuse for this pricing. The opposite 71 Mach-Es Hertz has on the market will set you again almost double these costs, and for good purpose: Each single one is a Hertz-only Shelby particular version of the Mach-E GT, they usually all put on $60,000 worth tags. That’s an enormous ask for what’s mainly some particular trim, paint and some aero bits. You’ll be able to simply choose up a model new Mach-E GT for lower than the worth of a used Shelby Mach-E. Some sellers even nonetheless have 2023 fashions which might be 1000’s off MSRP.
These costs are complicated in that they don’t actually appear to consider depreciation or observe common market traits. Eager to know extra about Hertz’s pricing technique, we reached out to see how the corporate goes about pricing its automobiles, particularly the 4Runner. I used to be instructed that, like most sellers, market circumstances and car provide are the principle drivers of how Hertz determines its pricing. For the reason that 4Runner is in excessive demand, they’re going to get priced accordingly. Mix that with the 4Runner’s near-immunity to depreciation and Hertz’s no-haggle pricing, and you’ve got some excessive priced 4Runners. In fact, I used to be instructed that Hertz all the time goals to cost its automobiles beneath market values, and the 4Runner is simply an “outlier.”
So in case you’re out there for a Toyota 4Runner or a Ford Mustang Mach-E, our recommendation is to buy round earlier than you decide to paying new automobile costs for a used ex-rental mannequin.
