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Private company

Rent-a-Wreck

Logo: Jmanelli, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons3

American car rental company

Rent-a-Wreck is an American car rental company that rents vehicles that have been previously owned by individuals or other car rental companies. The company operates primarily in neighborhood locations, often connected to or in close proximity to repair facilities, car dealerships or other automotive-related services. Certain Rent-a-Wreck locations offer airport pick-up and drop-off services.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1968Founded1

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Rent-a-Wreck is an American car rental company that rents vehicles that have been previously owned by individuals or other car rental companies. The company operates primarily in neighborhood locations, often connected to or in close proximity to repair facilities, car dealerships or other automotive-related services. Certain Rent-a-Wreck locations offer airport pick-up and drop-off services.2

The story

Rent-a-Wreck was founded in 1968 in Los Angeles, and sold its first franchise in 1973. Since then, it has opened franchised locations in 41 of the 50 U.S. states, Scandinavia, and Sint Maarten island in the Caribbean. The company's spokesman in TV commercials was comedian Arnold Stang.

Rent-a-Wreck was purchased by JJF Management on January 26, 2006. In 2017, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Longtime employee Jason Maneli became president of Rent-a-Wreck in July 2018.

From Wikipedia’s article on Rent-a-Wreck, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1968Founded Founded1

Sources

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