Due to the current shortage of new and used cars, vehicle prices have risen significantly. At the same time, high inflation is reducing financial leeway. This is a difficult time for the car trade, which is having a negative impact on profit margins. Lease returns, on the other hand, can increase these margins, as the vehicles have a significantly lower purchase price than comparable used cars. But what are the bargains all about? We explain!
Leasing involves renting a vehicle - usually a new car - from a private individual or a company. After the contractually agreed leasing period has expired, the lessee has two options: He can either buy the car, in which case it becomes his property, or he can return it to the dealership. In the second case, the vehicle is referred to as a lease return, precisely because it was returned after the lease agreement.
If you want to buy a lease return, you can expect a number of advantages:
Favorable purchase price: When comparing different offers, it quickly becomes apparent that lease returns usually impress with particularly favorable prices. Compared to similar used cars, the costs are usually significantly lower. This enables higher profit margins and ultimately more leeway in negotiations with end customers.
Guaranteed checkbook maintenance: The dealership does not know in advance whether the lessee will end up taking over or returning the vehicle. For this reason, particular importance is attached to ensuring that all maintenance and inspections are carried out in a timely and professional manner. This is usually stipulated in the contract. When the vehicle is returned, an intensive inspection is carried out, including professional reconditioning if required. So if you want to buy a lease return, you get a car that is guaranteed to have had all the prescribed workshop visits.
Vehicles with good conditions: Lease returns are often particularly lucrative vehicles. For one thing, they are usually only between 2 and 4 years old. This means that they have already lost most of the depreciation that a new car suffers in the first year. Nevertheless, due to their young age, they are good used cars that will give their owners a lot of pleasure.
Top equipment: What's more, in commercial leasing in particular, there is usually no skimping on equipment. The vehicle is one of the company's flagships, which should convince customers. This is why leased vehicles are often equipped with leather seats, automatic gearboxes, large navigation systems or good media equipment. If you want to buy a lease return, you usually get a young used car with above-average equipment at a comparatively low price.
First-hand vehicle: Another advantage of leasing returns is the fact that the vehicles usually only had one previous owner. In commercial leasing, the fleet is carefully planned, and even in private leasing it is rare that the lessee can no longer pay the monthly installment. This means that information about the vehicle, including maintenance and inspections, remains clear.
As lease returns mainly come from commercial leasing contracts, they often already have a high mileage despite their young age. This increases the risk that wearing parts, such as suspension joints, are already at their limit.
In addition, leased vehicles are often treated more as a utility item than a collector's item. In plain language, this means that someone who has been saving for their own car for years will take great care, for example, to warm up the engine sufficiently or not overstress the turbocharger. If, on the other hand, it is clear from the outset that the vehicle will be replaced by a new one after a few years, these protective measures are sometimes dispensed with.
Basically, the same things should be checked as when buying a conventional used car. First of all, this includes a careful look at the initial registration and mileage. The checkbook should then be examined in detail.
The next step is to ask about other workshop visits, in particular whether wearing parts have already been replaced, whether the vehicle has required unscheduled repairs and whether it has been involved in an accident. The date of the last general inspection can provide further information.
If possible, the car should now be thoroughly checked inside and out. Obvious defects that have not been discussed should not really be found if you want to buy a lease return. However, some repaired areas may indicate that the vehicle has not been handled with the utmost care.
A thorough inspection should be concluded with a test drive. This is where the overall impression of the vehicle can be rounded off.
If you decide to buy a lease return, you are usually not making a bad choice. Vehicles with a very high mileage may have a lower resale value, but they are also cheaper to buy.
Particularly good bargains are often hidden behind leasing returns from private contracts. This is because the car is often treated like a commercial vehicle in commercial leasing. Another insider tip is leasing returns from residual value leasing. Here, you can assume that the lessee has treated the vehicle with care, as they will have to pay for any defects when they return it.
There are two reasons for this: On the one hand, most of the depreciation that a new car suffers in the first year has already been paid for by the lessee. On the other hand, the returned vehicles often come in large numbers, for example when a company returns its fleet. Car dealerships, on the other hand, need the space and want to pass on the vehicles quickly.
Depending on the model, mileage and condition, savings of up to 60% on the new price are possible.
Most lease returns are former company vehicles, often from the field service. They need cars that can be seen by customers and offer plenty of storage space for work materials. This is why mid-range or luxury class diesel vehicles are often offered in estate car versions.
As soon as the vehicles have a particularly high mileage and typical wear parts have not yet been replaced, caution is advised. On the other hand, you are usually better off with a returned vehicle that has been driven by a private individual.
