And data for Enterprise, because it's a private company, isn't available. Dollar Thrifty, the smallest of the three, nearly never uses this option, choosing instead to rely principally on the used car market to dispose of its used vehicles. In 2011, nearly half of cars sold by Avis and a quarter of Hertz's were so-called 'program' cars subject to such agreements. Under these programs, manufacturers agree to repurchase the vehicles at a specific time and/or price in the future, subject to certain conditions, or to guarantee the depreciation rate on the cars throughout the holding period. All statistics relate to 2011 vehicle purchases for the domestic market.Дisposing of the used cars In addition to buying a lot of cars, companies like Hertz sell a lot as well.ДЄs a general rule, rental car companies buy a large portion of their vehicles subject to repurchase or depreciation programs with the vehicle manufacturers. Source: Annual reports and author calculations. And as you can see below, a significant proportion are purchased from American car companies like Ford (NYSE: F), General Motors (NYSE: GM), and Chrysler - making rental car companies some of their most important individual customers. On average, then, these four companies potentially buy nearly 2 million cars and trucks each year. To put it another way, each year, they turn over roughly 92% of their respective vehicle inventories. According to the annual reports of Hertz, Avis, and Dollar Thrifty, rental car companies typically hold their vehicles for anywhere between 4 and 22 months, with an average holding period of 13 months. 309.ДЇeeding the beasts With fleet sizes in the six- to seven-figure range, it should be no surprise that rental car companies are the largest purchasers of cars and trucks in the United States.ДЄlthough precise figures for the industry are elusive, it isn't difficult to get a rough idea. By comparison, its next largest competitor, Hertz, weighs in at No. 190 on the Fortune 500 if it were publicly traded. It's number 15 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Corporations, and in terms of revenue, it would rank around No. Enterprise is the largest rental car company in the world.

How long to keep car