Should I buy a used car from a rental agency, police department or taxi-cab company?

Should I buy a used car from a rental agency, police department or taxi-cab company?

James Bell (Publisher, Auto Reviewer) gives expert video advice on: Where can I buy a used car?; How do I negotiate the purchase of a used vehicle?; How do I close the deal on a used car purchase? and more...

Buying a vehicle from a rental agency or an ex-police car or a taxi company or something is full of risk. Depending on your budget, depending on your circumstance, it may be your best option, in that you'll be able to buy much more vehicle for a much lower price than you may expect. However, you're also taking on a vehicle that's probably been driven much harder than normal, for many more miles than normal. That's not to say that it's going to blow up as soon as you drive it off the lot, but you're taking on a lot of risk in exchange for that lower price. You really need to have strong heart-to-heart with yourself to make sure you're willing to take on that risk of buying from a rental agency or police department.