Leasing - General Discussion

[Mark V GTD]

Yes - I had an inspection due last March for a late morning. I got up early and had the car looking immaculate inside and out and it was a nice fine day. Then the (BCA) guy messages to say he will be late. Then messages again, to say he will be even later. He eventually turns up around 8.00pm, in the dark, by which time its raining too. " I will do my best but there will need to be another inspection when it gets to the depot because of the weather and darkness" he says. I tried not to respond with anything sarcastic and just smiled and offered him tea or coffee. As it was he couldn't find any issues with the car and drove it away. That was the last I heard regarding its condition.

[jonny996]

A question for the experienced,
My next lease could be my last one, if I take a 48 month deal it will see me just past my planned retirement with a responsible tax free lump sum.
My thinking is lease a nice car now that I want to take into retirement on a 48 month 5Kpa mileage (to keep payments down) & look to buying it off lease at end of the deal.
Anyone done this or see a flaw in the plan?

[Gazzab]

jonny996 said:

A question for the experienced,
My next lease could be my last one, if I take a 48 month deal it will see me just past my planned retirement with a responsible tax free lump sum.
My thinking is lease a nice car now that I want to take into retirement on a 48 month 5Kpa mileage (to keep payments down) & look to buying it off lease at end of the deal.
Anyone done this or see a flaw in the plan?

Depends what you mean by a nice car. Leasing isn’t currently as cost effective as it was. Is 5k pa enough? Is the value of the car at month 48 going to be right for purchase? What if they want more than book?

[jonny996]

Gazzab said:

Depends what you mean by a nice car. Leasing isn’t currently as cost effective as it was. Is 5k pa enough? Is the value of the car at month 48 going to be right for purchase? What if they want more than book?

One persons nice is another's waste of money but I would be aiming for a £50K+ retail SUV(As name suggests I have 996 for fun), as I would be looking to purchase the car at the end of the lease does the matter of the 5K mileage allowance really matter. Affordability is not the issue it is VFM. So has anyone used a lease as a method to purchase & retain a car?

[Gazzab]

jonny996 said:

Gazzab said:

Depends what you mean by a nice car. Leasing isn’t currently as cost effective as it was. Is 5k pa enough? Is the value of the car at month 48 going to be right for purchase? What if they want more than book?

One persons nice is another's waste of money but I would be aiming for a £50K+ retail SUV(As name suggests I have 996 for fun), as I would be looking to purchase the car at the end of the lease does the matter of the 5K mileage allowance really matter. Affordability is not the issue it is VFM. So has anyone used a lease as a method to purchase & retain a car?

That’s my point. I bought my current lease and it was ok ie the cost of the lease plus the purchase price were maybe 10 to 15% (guessing) below the p11d. But a discounted new car could have been cheaper. The point is the purchase price at the end of the lease (assuming they allow you to buy it) is guess work until they make an offer. That offer might be rubbish. SUV leases don’t tend to be bargains - maybe the odd Volvo is. So I doubt the numbers will work.

[C70R]

Gazzab said:

jonny996 said:

Gazzab said:

Depends what you mean by a nice car. Leasing isn’t currently as cost effective as it was. Is 5k pa enough? Is the value of the car at month 48 going to be right for purchase? What if they want more than book?

One persons nice is another's waste of money but I would be aiming for a £50K+ retail SUV(As name suggests I have 996 for fun), as I would be looking to purchase the car at the end of the lease does the matter of the 5K mileage allowance really matter. Affordability is not the issue it is VFM. So has anyone used a lease as a method to purchase & retain a car?

That’s my point. I bought my current lease and it was ok ie the cost of the lease plus the purchase price were maybe 10 to 15% (guessing) below the p11d. But a discounted new car could have been cheaper. The point is the purchase price at the end of the lease (assuming they allow you to buy it) is guess work until they make an offer. That offer might be rubbish. SUV leases don’t tend to be bargains - maybe the odd Volvo is. So I doubt the numbers will work.

I wonder whether just negotiating well or buying smartly (e.g. pre-reg or nearly new) would yield a more predictable result in the longer term?

[PenelopaPitstop]

jonny996 said:

One persons nice is another's waste of money but I would be aiming for a £50K+ retail SUV(As name suggests I have 996 for fun), as I would be looking to purchase the car at the end of the lease does the matter of the 5K mileage allowance really matter. Affordability is not the issue it is VFM. So has anyone used a lease as a method to purchase & retain a car?

Only a few companies are selling cars at the end of lease (PCH) and price may not be as expected. PCP might be better option, as you can buy car at the end and you know the price upfront.

I tried to buy car from VWFS twice and first time price was ridiculous and car landed on a market for 8K below purchase price. In second case, purchase price was almost the same as retail price that would also include 12 months manufacturer warranty.

Now I'm trying to buy car from Leasys and price is 1.5K below retail but still more than I want to pay. Prices of used cars went up and purchase price is higher than I expect to be, when I took a lease. I had some assumptions regarding value after 2 years.

[Thomas-7n5dy]

Hi guys

Looking for some advice. Leased A1 through lease plan and now needs first oil change service.

Their guidance says and vat registered garage can be used provided all parts replaced are manufacture approved (presumably the oil in this instance?)

I’ve got a quote from local Audi garage of 311 which is ridiculous for just an oil change. Has anyone had experience of not using a main dealership? I tried speaking with local listersVW and they said they can’t record the service electronically as not a VW.

[Gazzab]

Audi used to price match. Get a written quote from an indie and get them to match.

[C70R]

Is it OK that I find it weird that people are so surprised by the cost of servicing at dealers?

Surely if you're leasing a new car and you're that cost-sensitive, then you should be looking into these things earlier.

I had my BMW serviced at the local dealer in Battersea at the end of last year, and it was expensive but entirely as expected.

[Wagonwheel555]

C70R said:

Is it OK that I find it weird that people are so surprised by the cost of servicing at dealers?

Surely if you're leasing a new car and you're that cost-sensitive, then you should be looking into these things earlier.

I had my BMW serviced at the local dealer in Battersea at the end of last year, and it was expensive but entirely as expected.

Unless it had full dealer history already, I don't see the point in going back to a dealer after this. Once you take it outside the dealer network, there is little benefit in going back unless its simply convenient for you or the price doesn't matter.

For new cars however, I would always get dealer servicing within the warranty period regardless of what the contract says because you can bet your life the dealer will try to wriggle out of a warranty claim if you got it serviced elsewhere. Even if the law says they can't, I wouldn't want the drama of having to try and have a back and forth about it with them.

Our Mini is PCP and the contract states it needs to be dealer serviced so I priced it up and it was about £950 for 2 year, brake fluid at year 3 and major at year 4. Called up and got a service plan, £600 for all three which covers my 4 years of ownership. Im not entirely convinced I could get it any cheaper at an independent garage for £600.

I like fixed priced servicing as well, you can go on the BMW website and it tells you the cost. So many times I have been to random garages and they say things like 'Oh about £130' and come to payment its shot up to £160 for some reason.

Each to their own but personally I would just get a service plan that covers my ownership if its 3-4 years or just accept the first service is £250-£350 at the dealer on a 2 year lease.

[Jennings44]

I am returning my Kia Sportage (financed through AMD who have been atrocious but that’s another story) and the inspector has quoted £650 for a small hole in the carpet where the heel of my foot has been placed during driving.

We have not accepted this and will dispute the charge as we consider it excessive.

Has anyone had a similar experience

[Gazzab]

Jennings44 said:

I am returning my Kia Sportage (financed through AMD who have been atrocious but that’s another story) and the inspector has quoted £650 for a small hole in the carpet where the heel of my foot has been placed during driving.

We have not accepted this and will dispute the charge as we consider it excessive.

Has anyone had a similar experience

What does your contract say?
Why do you dispute / consider it excessive?
Did it not come with mats?

[Canon_Fodder]

Jennings44 said:

I am returning my Kia Sportage (financed through AMD who have been atrocious but that’s another story) and the inspector has quoted £650 for a small hole in the carpet where the heel of my foot has been placed during driving.

That sounds like one of the most literal examples of wear and tear you could wish for. It's worn and torn.

They'll drop the charge most likely - the 'inspectors' just try it on sometimes.

Edited by Canon_Fodder on Thursday 11th February 14:16

[MattyD803]

jonny996 said:

A question for the experienced,
My next lease could be my last one, if I take a 48 month deal it will see me just past my planned retirement with a responsible tax free lump sum.
My thinking is lease a nice car now that I want to take into retirement on a 48 month 5Kpa mileage (to keep payments down) & look to buying it off lease at end of the deal.
Anyone done this or see a flaw in the plan?

My dad did exactly this on his 2016 Kia Sportage GT-line.....originally a 3 year lease, which he then extended by a year which took him up to retirement/lump sum and bought it. That was his plan all along.

I know things have changed a lot recently, but all things told, his lease costs plus his final purchase price were still lower than an equivalent PCP over the term, and he remains over the moon with his high spec, 1 'careful' owner car, with another 2 years warranty cover. I think he ended up paying £12.5k for the car, which was closer to £15k on a kia forecourt.

I'd say go for it, just run the same figures through someone like Drive the deal or Carwow to see how an outright purchase or PCP might look an alternative option, but as am example, taking a Golf 8 GTi as a current example, leasing is a far more cost effective model at the moment - especially because their APR is 4.9% and VED is included.

All I would say is be aware that you are not "legally entitled" to purchase your Personal Contract Hire vehicle, but a family member can - but easily worked around.

[Wagonwheel555]

Jennings44 said:

I am returning my Kia Sportage (financed through AMD who have been atrocious but that’s another story) and the inspector has quoted £650 for a small hole in the carpet where the heel of my foot has been placed during driving.

We have not accepted this and will dispute the charge as we consider it excessive.

Has anyone had a similar experience

As asked already, surely you got floor mats when you leased it?

I don't think I have bought a car in my life (new or used) that didn't have floor mats.

I suspect the carpet is one big bit, i.e. they would need to remove all seats and replace the whole floorpans worth of single carpet which probably accounts for the £650 bill so that doesn't surprise me.

Normally carpet holes wouldn't be wear and tear but on the basis you likely didn't get mats included, its worth arguing.

[Jennings44]

Sorry just throwing the Mrs under the bus. It was her car and I must admit I didn’t even think about getting car mats. None supplied with the car I’m afraid

I wil have to check the contract and see what it says. I guess if the small print requires the installation of appropriate mats I’m scuppered!

[l354uge]

Abit confused with stoneacre, ordered a seat mii from them mid January, estimated delivery March/April.

Had an email every week saying no update on build week. But other people on the forum who ordered have build weeks (one of them end of Feb, someone who ordered end of Jan has a date too), they've been emailing the same person as us.

We asked why we haven't had a date while others have and she said it was due to a delay in the system? But everyone else has had dates from the same person.. We told them we want the car ASAP so starting to worry we won't get ours till late May.

[C70R]

l354uge said:

Abit confused with stoneacre, ordered a seat mii from them mid January, estimated delivery March/April.

Had an email every week saying no update on build week. But other people on the forum who ordered have build weeks (one of them end of Feb, someone who ordered end of Jan has a date too), they've been emailing the same person as us.

We asked why we haven't had a date while others have and she said it was due to a delay in the system? But everyone else has had dates from the same person.. We told them we want the car ASAP so starting to worry we won't get ours till late May.

Worth just getting on the phone, rather than playing email tennis.

[Mark V GTD]

Wagonwheel555 said:

I don't think I have bought a car in my life (new or used) that didn't have floor mats.

Indeed - I even put my own floor mats over the supplied floor mats to protect them!