Does it make sense to rent a car just for an all around 8 hour drive in order to "not put wear and tear on yours"?

Charles Davis answered

I know people that have done that, especially when car rentals have a weekend special.

Corey The Goofyhawk , Epic has no limit, answered

A good amount of our customers at Enterprise Rent A Car actually do this. In fact, during my time with Triangle Rent A Car, we actually used that as part of our advertising.

In case that is confusing: I was hired by Triangle Rent A Car and became part of Enterprise when they bought out our company. I really need a new job...

PJ Stein answered

It really depends on the size/type of the vehicle you rent. I am taking such a trip on Sunday and it is 500 miles round trip. I will be driving my husband's SUV that is far from great on gas mileage. I think it get 23/mpg on the highway. Sure I could rent an economy car that gets twice as many miles per gallon, and probably get it at a reasonable rate. The gas savings alone could pay for most of it. I however need the space in an SUV because I am rescuing a 55 lb. Dog. To rent an SUV the cost goes WAY up, and there will be little if any gas savings to off set the cost of renting. 500 miles is really negligible in the grand scheme of wear and tear.