The market is flooded with offers to lease cars by the day. Many brands are struggling with new car sales and this is a way of getting cars out of the shop.
For many who dream of a new car, this can be tempting. And it can be a good way to get a new, safe car.
A small deposit, a fixed sum per month and a worry-free three-year warranty. You also protect yourself against an unexpected loss of value on the car. The leasing company takes that risk.
You can be ruined
Leasing click
However, there are a number of traps to fall into. Be sure to follow the services that the car must have at the right time, otherwise you risk a high bill.
Another thing you should be aware of is rent. A couple of years ago the interest rate was zero, and if you jumped at a good leasing offer then, you may have experienced that it doesn’t last forever.
DON’T FORGET SERVICE: – If you “forget” to service the leased car, you can count on getting a rather large bill for this when you hand in the car, says Ole Jørgen Berg-Nielsen of the company Autorelease. Photo: Rune Korsvoll
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Because as the interest rate increases came, the monthly amounts for the leasing also became higher. And if you did not sign a fixed-rate agreement, the monthly price may have almost doubled.
Extreme price differences
Do not drop service
– Leasing a car for three years can be a good way to get a new, safe car, if you do not have the opportunity to raise money to finance the purchase of the car. But it is important that you familiarize yourself with the rules that apply before you sign the contract. Some agreements have a fixed rate for three years, while others have a floating rate. Then the monthly amount increases. Observing the service intervals is also important, says Ole Jørgen Berg-Nielsen of the company Autorelease.
He has worked with leasing issues for many years and knows most of the things that can go wrong in such a lease. Many people with a leased car have been presented with a bill for so-called excess when they return the car after three years. According to the car dealer, it should cover extra wear and tear or faults on the car. Bills of NOK 20,000-30,000 are not unusual.
HERE’S THE ANSWER: Together with Leaseplan, NAF has created a leaflet that shows in text and pictures what is considered normal wear and tear and what you have to pay for when the car is returned. Photo: Rune Korsvoll
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Normal wear: OK
– If you treat the leasing car as well as if it had been your own car, it should be good enough to avoid extra bills, he says.
The main rule is that the car dealer cannot calculate costs for normal wear and tear. If the car has traveled 45,000 kilometres, then one must expect that it may have a small parking dent in the door from another car, explains Berg-Nielsen.
– It is also normal wear and tear if a rim has a scratch in the paintwork after coming across a kerb. Nor can he demand that you pay for new tires if the old ones are within the legal limit, says Berg-Nielsen.
The salt bath destroys the car
Don’t pay for this
The Norwegian Automobile Association (NAF) checks all cars from, among other things, Leaseplan when they are handed in after the end of leasing. Together, they have created their own guidelines for what is normal and abnormal wear and tear on the cars. These generally also accept the other large leasing companies. NAF has published guidelines for normal and abnormal wear and tear.
Something you have to pay for is if you have driven longer than what is agreed in the contract. For a car in the Golf class, the surcharge can often be around NOK 2.00 – 3.50 per kilometre.
