We had an on-site Enterprise location for 10 years. I wouldn't buy a former rental with someone else's money. Those cars get the snot beaten out of them, and they don't get maintained at all.
I had that same position for a lot of years for a pretty legit reason. When I was in my 30s I did some travel for the corporate over lords and I hammered some rental cars just because I could. Ya get bored when yer on the biz trip and it is somebody elses car. see also: damage waiver insurance that lets you just walk away from it. Yes, swapping avis abuse stories was a thing.
In 2016 my girl bought a 2012 200 convertible with 60k on the clock. CarFax said no accidents. 1st owner was Enterprise car rental in Florida and they put 30k on it. Other 30k came from 2 subsequent owners including one that had it repossessed within a few months of buying it. Gave it the usual used car stink eye, found a couple dings but everything worked. Dealer picked it up at auction, put new tires and brakes on it. At some point I noticed a big oil stain where it had been parked and the sales weasel didn't take it at well when I took the position of this deal doesn't move any where until you put this thing on a lift.
Turned out to just be an oil pan gasket but the wrench that got under it with us also mentioned how he had replaced the front fascia / bumper cover and the battery which wasn't disclosed earlier. In the end we bought the thing and they replaced the oil pan. Have since put another 70k on it while only feeding it tires, brakes, a wheel bearing and a couple other small bits.
I'm still suspect of ex-rental cars but this one worked out for us and I'm thinking that's more about how it was built rather than how it was or wasn't maintained by the rental company. There may also be something to be said for it being a fairly expensive car to rent that was based in a vacation destination. More tourist miles than bored businessman miles and probably not that many kids flogging it like a rented mule.
As for the article in the OP, doesn't really say anything new or useful - when yer looking at a used car, look at it like it's a used car. Current condition means more than how it came to be in that condition. I also disagree with the idea that a used rental is gonna be significantly cheaper than a comparable. Yer not gonna get a $20k car for $15k just because they're turning over the fleet and wanna get rid of it. Rental car companies are in the car flipping business and try to get max value for retired assets just like everybody else. Best you're gonna do is low end of book value based on higher mileage and more dings.
