Rent-to-Buy?

This is a kind of random question, but I'm interested in opinions, so here goes.

Back story:
On March 6th I was hit by a car. I've been riding a rental bike, theoretically paid for by the insurance company (I have to pay up front and then be reimbursed), since the crash as I wait for my regular commuter bike to be repaired.

The bike shop I'm renting from is a very small affair, and I rented directly from the shop owner, who told me he had planned on selling the bike for $450, but that he'd happily rent it to me for $150/week until my bike is repaired (he was also thinking about keeping it as a shop rental bike). The rental bike is a used Cannondale H600 Hybrid.

It's been over 6 weeks since I rented the bike. That's $900 for the rental so far, and the shop working on my normal bike said "Maybe this week," but made no definite promises.*

Question:
Should I see if the shop I rented the Cannondale from will just give me the bike, since by the time I return it to them, they'll have gotten more than double the intended sale price for it?

* My decision-making process on choosing this shop is a whole 'nother post. Let's not even get into why it's taken almost 2 months to get my bike repaired...

You could ask, but I really doubt they'd do that. Their rental rate is based on a risk assessment by them of how long you'd need it.

I would also be concerned that it might jeopardize your ability to be reimbursed as you've "bought a new bike" instead of just using a bike for as long as you need. Do you have an attorney working on your case?

I would ask the renting shop if you could keep that bike, yes.
Reminds me of the "rent to buy" programs that our kids had for their musical instruments...

But why would you buy a bike for twice its price? It's like leasing a car, and buying it at the end for more than it's worth.

Blueberry has a good point about working with an attorney. Sage advice from a wise woman.

I'd be a bit miffed (ok, MORE than miffed) if the shop that was making a killing renting a mediocre, used, older bike was also the one that was the entire reason that I'd had to keep it that long.

I'm sorry, but 6 weeks is entirely unreasonable for a repair unless you knew up front about the time and had been kept up to date. Doesn't sound like that's the case because I seriously doubt you'd have agreed to the rental if you'd have known it would have been that long (and thus that much $$$).

Heck, given this time lapse you could have gotten a passible beater off craigslist for a couple hundred (sans insurance involvement), and just sold it for about what you paid for it at the end of this fiasco.

I have no idea what the actual situation is here (and don't need to), but you and the owner/manager of the shop need to sit down and have a very frank conversation about this situation.

I'm not convinced that the solution is to ask him to let you keep the bike necessarily, but perhaps reduce/remove the rental fee, especially for the weeks far beyond initial estimates. (It is NOT unheard of for shops to hand out "demos" free if they screw up a repair estimate and the rider NEEDS a bike. Typically done for planned races/tours/etc, but still).

I don't think they're the same shop:confused::confused:

If they are - then they *should* be giving you the rental for free at this point. Otherwise, I stand behind my earlier advice:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blueberry

I don't think they're the same shop:confused::confused:

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Hummmm, good point, I totally could have read that wrong??? :confused::confused::confused::confused: