HELP - lease car damaged just before return!

[ghibbett]

Hi All,

My Wife's lease car is due to be collected this Friday having had it for 3 years. The general condition is (was) very good, however at the weekend she managed to scrape it down a wall

There's no time to get it repaired before Friday, therefore we're going to have to hand it back with the damage and pay the bill. So the question is, are they going to go to town with the repair costs, or are peoples' experiences that they're fair with them?

Damage consists of a scraped front bumper, scraped and dented front wing, and lots of scuffs and scratches to the wheel centre (one wheel). The front wing has also been pushed back slightly, meaning the passenger door can no longer be opened.

The car is a Skoda Yeti and is leased through Arval.

[Super Slo Mo]

Usually they have a fixed price per item of damage. So a scuffed wheel would be, for instance, £50, a scratched wing, £75 etc. However, your damage sounds a bit more than a scuff and a scratch, so I don't know.

[PistonTim]

They will absolutely ruin you, can you not get it repaired via insurance and delay collection?

[essayer]

I suspect they'll just pass on whatever a main dealer bodyshop quotes for a full repair - you might not be able to claim via insurance if that happens?

[Wooda80]

Unless your insurance excess is very high it sounds likely to be an insurance job anyway? In which case the overall cost may be academic.

ETA if so inform your ins co asap as anyone would if it was their own car. The insurance will settle the bill even after the car has been returned

[sunbeam alpine]

My GF's current company car comes from Arval. Her previous cars were via Leaseplan.

She's not yet had the car a year - she was one of the last to swap over - but the way Arval handle returned cars at the end of contract has caused quite a lot of bad feeling amongst her colleagues. Leaseplan seemed to be a lot more relaxed.

Several of her colleagues have had charges applied from Arval which never happened with Leaseplan.

For this reason, I'd be inclined to get insurance involved.

[Super Slo Mo]

Following my previous answer, why don't you ring the leasing company and ask them. They usually use 'menu' pricing for assessing damage, although this may be too heavy for this.

Having dealt with leasing companies before, they are usually fairly easy to talk to.

It's worth a shot.

[ghibbett]

Thanks all so far

Regards calling Arval, we have done that this morning and they have simply stated they recommend we get it fixed before hand back. No answer as to the fact there's no time to do so with the current planned collection. They were completely unhelpful.

[simo1863]

Recharges are now regulated by the BVRLA https://www.bvrla.co.uk/service/fair-wear-and-tear...

The scratches and scuffs won't be astronomical charges but a dent to a panel will be a fair bit (as they'll often charge for a replacement, rather than a repair).

[ToothbrushMan]

i dont see why a company should be "relaxed" at all if their car is damaged they will want all costs covered unless the lease spells out fixed damage costings. Reasonable is probably a better word.

From an earlier thread you could try a smart repair LOL. (joking, dont)

[ghibbett]

Okay after a bit of digging, I've found Arval's (who do use the BVRLA guidelines) costs:

Wheel repair = £60
Bumper = £80
Front Wing = will need a replacement at OEM cost.

I have called a local Skoda dealer and a new front wing is £170. However it'll need painting and fitting. What sort of cost would this be? £200?

[Super Slo Mo]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Arval are huge, so I'd expect so, in fact I've just seen the OP's reply that states they do indeed.

[Sheepshanks]

ghibbett said:

I have called a local Skoda dealer and a new front wing is £170. However it'll need painting and fitting. What sort of cost would this be? £200?

Based on recent experience with a bodyshop, I'd be absolutely gobsmacked if the damage you described isn't at least £2-£3K.

Even if you can get a cheap job somewhere there's every chance the lease company's inspection will pick it up and you'll get spanked big time.

[TooLateForAName]

I'd be hitting ebay and the breakers to try and find a replacement wing in the correct colour.

Wings are typically just bolted on so not a huge job to change.

I think your chances of getting it fixed by friday at any sort of bodyshop are remote.

[RSTurboPaul]

This thread is worthless without pics

[Pericoloso]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

"Scraped and dented" in the OP sounds like a replacement ,unless you have shares in Isopon.

[cootuk]

Any chance you could extend the lease by a month or two to give you time to get it fixed?

[ghibbett]

Here we go...

[Super Slo Mo]

Sheepshanks said:

Based on recent experience with a bodyshop, I'd be absolutely gobsmacked if the damage you described isn't at least £2-£3K.

Even if you can get a cheap job somewhere there's every chance the lease company's inspection will pick it up and you'll get spanked big time.

I wouldn’t be so sure, my wife had to have the whole left side resprayed on one of her previous lease cars. It was a fairly cheap job, and wasn’t quite the correct shade, but it was shiny and otherwise undamaged so the lease company accepted it.

I’m not saying it would be the case here but if it’s a reasonable repair (ie not a rattle can job) then I would be surprised if there’s an issue.

In fact, I did a rattle can repair on a lease car some years ago, although spent a lot of time on it so it looked nice, albeit not quite the right shade of blue (again). Same story with the lease company, no real biggie.

If it was me in the OP’s position, I would be inclined to take my chances sending it back as it is as there’s not enough time to fix it.

[numtumfutunch]

cootuk said:

Any chance you could extend the lease by a month or two to give you time to get it fixed?

My thoughts too, if its off the road being fixed then can you SORN it and insure appropriately?

And surely you're not the first person this has ever happened to? Id have expected the lease company to have a guideline for this scenario