Leasing a car - what happens if there's damage but you want to buy the car at the end?

xxxpinkladyxxx

I've never leased a car before, but thinking this might be a good option for us now but I was just wondering about any possible damage to the car.

So most cars probably get little stone chippings to the bodywork if you drive on motorways, plus there's the risk of the idiots that open their car door and smack it into your car in the process, or scrape your car and drive off. All these things have happened to me. So if you plan to buy the car at the end of the lease, if you don't get any little dings or scrapes repaired, are the leasing company likely to charge you more to purchase the car, i.e. they know you're in a situation where, if you keep the car, it's up to you whether to get it repaired or not, or get it repaired and then return it to the leasing company.

Hopefully that makes sense!

Mercdriver

It's not normally possible to buy the car at the end of a lease.

Are you sure it is a lease and not a PCP? If it is a PCP and you pay the optional lump sum at the end of the agreement, it doesn't matter about the condition of the car

xxxpinkladyxxx

We're not currently leasing. We're thinking about it. Do you not normally have the opportunity to buy at the end? I thought you did for some reason.

Mercdriver

xxxpinkladyxxx wrote: »

We're not currently leasing. We're thinking about it. Do you not normally have the opportunity to buy at the end? I thought you did for some reason.

No, not normally on a pure lease. On a PCP which many people confuse with a lease, it is part of the package to pay the optional balloon payment.

Some lease companies do allow you to purchase the car, but not necessarily at a price which you would want to pay. It's not the normal way though.

xxxpinkladyxxx

This is where I saw about buying a leased car

https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopping/5-reasons-buying-your-leased-car-209158

AdrianC

xxxpinkladyxxx wrote: »

This is where I saw about buying a leased car

https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopping/5-reasons-buying-your-leased-car-209158

Even before we consider whether that site is even vaguely realistic or not, did you notice that it's a US site? Are you in the US?

xxxpinkladyxxx

AdrianC wrote: »

Even before we consider whether that site is even vaguely realistic or not, did you notice that it's a US site? Are you in the US?

Question 1: Evidently not, because...
Question 2: I am not in the US.

wymondham

When I leased a Seat Leon (using VWFS) I was asked if I wanted to buy the car at the end. Didn't get the chance with the Ford lease...

might change depending on lease company?

Indout96

PCP you can normally buy at the end, the figure is set at the start of the agreement.
PCH you can not normally buy at the end, our Volvo V40 is PCH and it was pointed out several times that there was no option to buy at the end. Car did not stay with the dealer at the end.

almillar

HP - Hire Purchase - you pay off the entire car - you own it at the end
PCP - Personal Contract Purchase - You pay for part of the car, and have the option to buy it at the end, with the 'balloon payment', or hand it back
PCH - Personal Contract Hire - You hire the car and hand it back at the end. You have no right to buy it, but the leasing company might have a policy of offering it to you at a price to be agreed.
BCH - Business Contract Hire. See above, plus VAT!

Jumblebumble

Mercdriver wrote: »

It's not normally possible to buy the car at the end of a lease.

I disagree
I know for sure that Leaseplan and Arval who are amongst of the biggest that do let you buy
More and more of the lease companies are allowing you to buy