Imports Now Out Number Domestics In Rental Car Fleets

If you're renting a car this summer, chances are good that it won't be American.

For the first time, U.S. auto rental companies are buying more foreign vehicles than domestic brands.

Through the first six months this year, only 48.8% of the new vehicles going into rental fleets came from General Motors, Ford or Chrysler, compared with two-thirds a year earlier, according to data supplied by trade publication Automotive Fleet.

Just three years ago, more than 8 in 10 vehicles sold to rental fleets such as Hertz, Enterprise and Avis came from the Big Three. Now those lots are filling with models from Hyundai, Kia, Toyota and Nissan.


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Agent009 - 7/23/2009 2:37:57 PM

+4 Boost

I wonder about this too. This is exactly why the domestics are pulling out of that industry. The resale values were simply hurt too much.

I would imagine if the rentals maintained the same mix of cars as the general populous, then all values would be affected about the same and the no one would be at a disadvantage.

SP2Hybrid - 7/23/2009 2:04:11 PM

+4 Boost

Didn't the US manufacturers announce about a year or two ago that they were actively reducing their fleet sales? At the time they were saying there was hardly any margin in that and it pushed the residuals/resale values lower and that negatively affected the sale of new vehicles.
If indeed they were correct in their statements back then, then maybe this is good news for Detroit.

inspirion7 - 7/23/2009 3:41:08 PM

+3 Boost

It is amazing how the tide has turned in almost every avenue for the domestics. Domestics were once panned for having too many rental "fleet" models, and how that didn't set well with most on this forum especially. Will there be a huge defect from imports because of this? No. Individuals are too smart to be one issue type. But it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the near future.

rxh8me9000 - 7/24/2009 1:21:36 AM

+1 Boost

Hm,went down to fl on vacation this year and saw mostly american cars as rentals (lots of v6 mustangs and caravans). In ny i see mostly american cars as well.

XYZZ - 7/25/2009 8:03:07 AM

0 Boost

my accountant brother in honolulu used to know a guy who ran a rental car operation. they preferred toyotas because they LASTED LONGER with less maintenance. on his recommendation, my brother switched from nissans to toyotas for himself and his wife.

this was some TWENTY YEARS ago.

some fleet operators pick cars by LOW COSTS or great deals offered by the mfgrs. some focus on minimal OPERATING EXPENSES.

toolatetorace - 7/25/2009 2:19:45 PM

0 Boost

Doesn't the Prius row look they are all wearing a smile. Back to the topic ., what do they mean , they will not be all American . According to the Toyota promoters , the Camry is as Amrican as apple pie . Funny how the word foreign can have a blurred meaning at times

toolatetorace - 7/25/2009 7:55:25 PM

+1 Boost

1UAW , I was trying to sound silly like the Toytoa boosters on this site I thought you would have saw through that one with me picking on the prius . I agree with you 100 % . I cheer for the home ( automakers ) team and it looks like we are pulling ahead