How To Maintain Your Leased Car: 4 Tips from Archer Volkswagen
Leasing a vehicle is a choice that works well for many. Often, leasing means that you'll pay a smaller down payment and have lower monthly payments. You won't own the car outright, but you'll be able to trade it in for a newer car when the lease is up. However, when you lease a vehicle, keeping it well maintained is key. At Archer Volkswagen, we want you to know how best to treat your VW car or SUV. With that in mind, we've put together four things you should know about maintaining your leased car.
4. Watch for Wear & Tear
No matter how careful you are, regular wear and tear is bound to happen when you drive. The good news is that car dealerships understand this, which is why most lease contracts make a point to differentiate regular vs excessive wear and tear. Normal wear and tear usually won't require you to pay extra, and it often includes things like small nicks or dents in the body work that can be easily buffed out or worn tires that still have more than 1/8" of tread depth. However, excessive wear and tear will cost you. This can include things like scratched paint, dents that are larger than two inches, torn or burned upholstery, missing parts, and more. However, Volkswagen does offer a Lease Excess Wear Protection that can help protect you from some of the excess wear charges at lease end.
3. Don't Neglect Regularly Scheduled Service
Often, the cost of the scheduled service your VW will need is written into the lease contract so you don't have to pay at the time of service (if it's not, you can always ask for it to be added). This makes it easier than ever to get regular service--and getting it is important. In most lease contracts, there are penalties for not keeping up with service and keeping maintenance records. To avoid paying extra at the end of the lease, be sure you take your VW in when necessary.
2. Don't Go Above the Agreed-Upon Mileage
When you sign your lease contract, there will be a number of miles that you're allowed to travel. Going above these miles can make it necessary for you to pay more at the end of the lease. Usually, you'll need to pay a set fee for each mile you go over. What's more, driving too far above the mileage means that you may have to pay for more scheduled maintenance services that aren't covered in the lease.
1. Treat Your Lease Like a Rental
When you think about it, a lease really is like a long-term rental. So, it's a good idea to treat it that way. When you rent a car for a few days, you treat them with extra care. It's easy to forget to do the same thing when the timespan is years rather than days, so it's good to be reminded of this fact from time to time.
