Rental car and new car shortage combined with increased demand driving price spikes, travel changes Peer-sharing car rentals gaining traction Major rental car operators sold off more than 770,000 cars as the pandemic pulverized demand. Now, they canât buy back inventory fast enough because thereâs no inventory to buy. and last updated 2021-07-20 00:31:25-04 DENVER -- Cruising around in one of Justin Villaâs Jeep Rubicons feels about as Colorado as travel gets. âYou can fit four passengers,â Villa said. âPlus, your luggage, plus your skis. Guests love it.â Villa and his wife, Meagan, started renting out Meaganâs Jeep in November 2019, and now they have a fleet of five Rubicons, plus a Ford F-250 pick-up.