Car leasing has become an increasingly popular trend and will surely see a rise in 2024.
Leasing a car instead of buying one allows you to save money and use it for other things.
Since leasing a car comes with different flexible deals, it allows you to choose a newer and more expensive car than if you were to make a purchase.
While leasing a car is a great idea for people who want to save cash, convenience, and flexibility, many people who come to lease cars do not know that some tips and strategies can make leasing the car cheaper and more flexible as well.
While some of these options may not be available at every car dealership, with the help of these tips, you should be able to choose a car lease plan that will suit your needs.
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5 Best Tips for Leasing a Car
1. Consider a one-pay lease
The first tip for leasing a car in 2024 is to consider a one-pay lease. Some car dealers will reduce your lease interest if you decide to pay for the lease upfront.
An example is if you want to lease a car for three years at a monthly payment of 350 dollars, it would cost you 12,600 dollars total.
If you decide to pay for the entire lease upfront and your dealer gives you a 25-dollar discount in interest, you will save almost 1000 dollars.
A one-pay lease also can help you if you do not qualify for a monthly lease. Leasing a car is more difficult for a tourist to a new country with no credit history.
If you’re in this situation, offering to pay for your lease upfront will most likely get you that lease.
Before choosing the single payment option, you should first ask your car dealer how much you will save if you pay your lease upfront and If you will get a refund if you return the car before the lease ends.
2. Choose a mileage that suits your needs
It is common to hear that leasing a car is not good for people who drive long miles; this is not the case.
Depending on your dealer and the type of lease you set up, leasing a car might not be a bad idea for you if you’re travelling.
The type of car you want to lease also affects if you can get a high-mileage lease that will not hurt your pocket.
If you’re going to be driving long miles with your leased vehicle, you should request more miles when initiating your lease.
While the extra miles do not come for free and will increase your monthly payment, the extra fee will be worth it. You should note that you will not be refunded if you do not use the extra miles you’ve paid for.
3. Understand Leasing Terminology
When going to lease a car in 2024, a good tip to have up your sleeve is to understand the terms of your lease. Terms like residual value, which is the car’s anticipated value when the lease is over.
Another term to take note of is capitalized cost or cap cost. Cap cost is the price of the car at the beginning of the list with all additional fees.
4. Extend your lease monthly till you get your new car
This tip is for people who tend to panic toward the end of their lease. Panicking towards the end of your lease, especially if you do not have a replacement lined up, is not strange.
To ease your mind, most car leasing companies will allow you to pay for the month-to-month extensions till you are ready to buy the car or lease a new one.
5. Get someone to take over your lease to avoid early termination penalties
Suppose you lease a car and want to terminate the lease before it expires. In that case, you will be subject to an early termination penalty.
This tip is a way for people in this situation to avoid paying off the early exit penalty.
You can get someone to take over your lease if you terminate it early. Some website platforms can help you to find someone to take over your lease.
Aside from saving money, Leasing a car can be as flexible and convenient as you need it to be. While these tips are helpful to you, you should consider using a good dealer to get great deals on car leases.
