| On the day the new car lease is over it is time to take | | | | I would point out chargeable damage on the lease |
| the lease vehicle back to the dealership. At this point | | | | vehicle and provide helpful instructions for the repair of |
| you can either go into another new car lease or just | | | | the deficiencies. |
| walk away. | | | | The new car lease company paid for this service in |
| But in either case the lease vehicle will be inspected | | | | full. |
| and this can get tricky. Each dealer handles the lease | | | | As a Side note you have to remember that the |
| return differently. | | | | leasing company has planed to resell the lease vehicle |
| Some dealerships just say thank you very much and | | | | in question as a low mileage perfect looking vehicle. |
| let the lease company handle the post lease inspection | | | | This sale brings top dollar resale values and is how the |
| including contact, negotiation and billing for required | | | | company makes multiple incomes from just one unit. |
| repairs to the lease vehicle. | | | | First they made money on the new car lease and the |
| You will also find that some dealerships will perform | | | | required repairs to return the car to top-notch condition. |
| the off lease vehicle inspection and report to you | | | | Then they make money on the resale of the vehicle. |
| directly. | | | | This double profit system is why they are in this |
| What will they report on you ask. The new car lease | | | | business. |
| contract stated you would be responsible for any | | | | If bad things happened to this car while you owned it |
| damage to the vehicle that was considered above | | | | you will have to pay for the restoration of the unit. |
| and beyond normal wear and tear. | | | | As far as the BMW inspection procedure the |
| This statement alone (that you signed off on) is very | | | | company had me take digital pictures of the damage |
| ambiguous and open to interpretation. What is normal | | | | and also the current odometer reading and VIN plate |
| wear and tear? Again this will be different between | | | | to assure they where in the loop about the current |
| individual new car lease companies. | | | | condition of the lease vehicle. |
| In my experience the lease vehicle provider will let you | | | | I would also perform a complete mechanical inspection |
| slide on a few minor nicks and scratches. But will | | | | and forward the results to the company. The |
| charge you full retail price for repairs such as body | | | | inspection was very thorough and often the vehicle |
| damage and vandalism damage. | | | | would require tires to be replaced. |
| This is why you would want to prepare the lease | | | | BMW required 4/32 of tread or more to be on the |
| vehicle for turn in before the off lease inspection | | | | tires at the time of turn in. Tires can be expensive on |
| occurs. You can fix the car cheaper on your own by | | | | some vehicles. |
| shopping around for the best prices on the needed | | | | Most people did not like the inspection procedure even |
| repairs. | | | | though I was there to help them. For many this was |
| When the new car lease company's saw their | | | | the first time they could actually see the costs involved |
| customers upset to the point of refusing to lease a | | | | with leasing the vehicle and having to return the car or |
| vehicle again they developed a strategy to assist on | | | | truck for resale. |
| the new car lease turn in procedure. | | | | It is human nature to get attached to your car. And to |
| Some company's started providing a free inspection a | | | | have someone point out its deficiencies can be |
| month before the end of the new car lease contract. | | | | unsettling. My advice is to obtain a written guideline for |
| This helped prepare the consumer of what to expect. | | | | what is required at the end of the new car lease |
| This is where I came in. I worked for BMW North | | | | contract. |
| America as an independent contractor and performed | | | | Take the required steps and repair the lease vehicle |
| these free inspections. | | | | yourself as opposed to letting the company do it for |
| I was paid to go out to the lease vehicle and educate | | | | top retail prices. You can save hundreds of dollars buy |
| the consumer on what they would be charged for on | | | | doing it yourself. I hope this sheds some light on the |
| turn in. What I found was most of these people never | | | | end of the new car lease turn in procedure and that |
| read their new car lease contract and where not | | | | your lease vehicles turn in goes smoothly. |
| ready for what was to come. | | | | |