Your car lease is due in one month and you’ve started to talk to friends and family about what your lease end responsibility is. There are many misconceptions about what your lease end responsibilities are and what is expected by the manufacturer (factory leasing company). As far as kilometres and residual value go there is no grey area. But what is “average” wear and tear? What should you do to protect yourself?
The idea that the dealership or manufacturer is trying to rack up as many chargeable damages is ridiculous. By nickel and diming the customer they could lose potential business from you in the future. They have set a future value as to what this vehicle will be worth and it must follow some basic criteria. If you are not buying out their leased automobile they must try and sell it for the value they have forecasted. This means it must take minimal work to recondition it and send it into the used car market. I have worked at a dealership and the leasing company is usually pretty good about a few nicks and scratches. If you have any major dents, deep gouges, interior burns, bald tires, broken windshield, or pieces missing from the vehicle they will fix this at full retail rate. They do not shop around to get you the best price to limit your charges. My suggestion is to visit your dealership a month before your lease is due and ask them to give you any advice on what may be charged. In most cases, if it’s a reputable dealership, they will have all kinds of sources to make sure you vehicle is up to par at a much lower price than the manufacturer will find.
You can save yourself hundreds of dollars by shopping around a few body shops to see who can perform the touch ups or repairs. You do not have to get your car completely detailed and have the engine shampooed. A light vacuum and most over the counter cleaning supplies will get your interior up to par. Cigarette burns are something that definitely is frowned upon by manufacturers. There are many companies out there that specialize in tear and burn removal at a fraction of the price the leasing company will charge you.
The last thing I wanted was my customers to receive were large bills after they returned their lease. I had put in 3 years of hard work and now all my rapport had been thrown out the window by something that I could not control. If you feel you have been treated and serviced fair for the duration of your lease please listen to the staff at your dealership. They have seen these charges before and will most likely help you avoid them at all costs. Leave yourself enough time to get the work repaired, if a body shop experiences a heavy snow fall and you need your stone chip repaired by tomorrow then your chances are slim to none.
Some basic steps can turn your lease end experience into a painless process. This is not the casino and they will not forget to check your bald tires and miss your cracked windshield.
Thank you for reading this first segment of my Leasebusters Lease-Blog. We at Leasebusters encourage you to make your comments and we will publish your thoughts and continue these informative segments based on your participation and encouragement.
Happy motoring – leasing – financing – owning and enjoying…..
Ryan Thompson
Account Manager |