When it comes to car purchases, you need to make sure you’re getting a quality car—nothing’s worse than spending thousands of dollars on a lemon. When you’re already on a budget and looking for a vehicle, you need to make every dollar count. Instead of a brand new car, you should consider purchasing a certified preowned rental car.
Before we go further, I’d like to give a little backstory as to who I am. My name is Lauren Regan—I grew up in Metairie and graduated from the University of New Orleans with a BS in Sociology. With a passion for communication, problem solving, and relationship building, I applied for a job with Enterprise Holdings the summer before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. It was a difficult time for the whole community but as I witnessed how Enterprise embraced its employees and the city that had crumbled around many of its locations, I knew I had found a great place to build a career. I began my career in the rental segment and worked my way up to a Branch Manager position within a few years. After years of continuing to grow, in 2018, I was promoted to the Car Sales division and currently hold the position of Business Development Executive.
I sat down with Area Car Sales Manager with Enterprise Car Sales John Moggio, who has over 20 years of experience in the preowned car industry. Read our questions and answers from our sit down for valuable tips that will help you out when you go to purchase your next vehicle.
Is there a difference between a rental car and a certified preowned car?
Certified preowned means the vehicle is used and backed by the manufacturer. These vehicles are typically only a few years old with low mileage. Rental cars simply refer to how the vehicle was used previously. Enterprise carefully selects and purchases vehicles from the rental fleet to offer for sale. Most of our rental cars aren’t very old, have low mileage and are still backed by the manufacturer.
What are some of the most common questions customers have when they come in to purchase a car?
The most common question is about the quality of the vehicle. All of our vehicles go through a rigorous 109-point inspection, and a free Car Fax report is available on every vehicle we sell.
Several customers also ask us if our cars come with a warranty—the answer is yes. Every vehicle we sell comes with a 12-month, 12,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. There is no additional charge for this.
If someone wants additional coverage, we also offer additional services for purchase. Our cars even come with a one-year road side assistance plan, and it’s already included in the price of the vehicle. These are a few of the features that make buying a vehicle from Enterprise Car Sales a great value.
What’s a 109-point inspection? What’s everything they inspect?
Our 109-point inspection, also known as the Enterprise Certification process, is a bumper-to-bumper inspection. We check the exterior, interior, warning lights, fluid levels and condition, hoses, everything under the hood and under the vehicle. All vehicles also go for a test drive before they can pass the inspection process.
Who inspects these vehicles, and who fixes issues that are found in the car?
The 109-point inspection is done by an ASE Certified Technician. If an issue is found that can be repaired and still meet our quality standards, the technician will repair or replace that item. In the event that damage is found that would prevent the vehicle from qualifying as one of our sales vehicles, it would never end up on our lot.
What makes Enterprise Car Sales different than other dealers?
Well, Enterprise Car Sales is affiliated with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. We have been in business for over 35 years selling high-quality preowned vehicles. We select the majority of our inventory from the Enterprise car rental fleet.
We only select the top 5% of vehicles from the fleet; the rest go to auction and then go to other used car lots. This gives us the largest selection with a variety of makes and models. We see this as an advantage. Additionally, we have a strong commitment to customer service. Our process is designed to help each customer find the perfect vehicle for them.
Our team of sales consultants is committed to giving our customers the best buying experience. They understand that to work well with any customer, we must first understand their specific needs before any suggestions are made. I could not be prouder of how our salespeople put the needs of the buyer ahead of their own. Of course, our No Haggle Pricing does help us stay focused on the customer.
No Haggle Pricing? What is that?
No Haggle Pricing is the best way to buy a vehicle. Our prices are clearly marked on each vehicle and displayed on our website. This helps give you confidence that you are getting the same deal as anyone else who would be interested in the vehicles. When you remove the negotiation from the car buying process, it allows you to rest easy and enjoy the shopping and buying experience based off of a flat number.
It is, and should remain, exciting to find the right vehicle and drive home in a new car. That is what we want our customers to remember: the joy of finding the right vehicle.
What can interested buyers expect when they go to Enterprise Car Sales?
When you come in to Enterprise Car Sales, the process is different than that of other car lots.
Members will be greeted by one of our professional sales consultants. Before you walk on the lot and start looking for cars, the sales consultant will invite you into an office to get to know more about you and what you need in a vehicle. This allows us to understand what you’re looking for so that we can make the best suggestions. Once we have identified the must-haves, we will recommend vehicles. We may even view a few from the website that fit your needs.
You can select a few from the list that you would like to see. You’ll then visit the lot and see the vehicle. We go on a test drive and answer any and all questions you have. We’ll demonstrate some of the car features at this time too. Once you determine which vehicle you would like to purchase, we go back into the office. Once you’re 100% certain that this is the car for you, you will meet with a member of our management team to go over options and financing. We work closely with our credit union partners like Pelican State Credit Union to find the right interest rate, terms and payments. Finally, before the member can drive off in their new car, we help them find the right insurance.
If you’re looking to get a new car, but want to save money and get a certified preowned vehicle, come visit us. Our rental cars are certified preowned, and they go through a rigorous inspection process so you can drive off the lot with peace of mind.
Have you ever considered buying a rental car? Let Pelican know in the comments below!
Lauren Regan grew up in Metairie, LA where she attended Archbishop Chapelle High school and the University of New Orleans. She currently holds a position with Enterprise as a Business Development Executive, is a mother of two, a huge Saints and LSU fan, and a lover of live music and festivals.
