Lease return questions

[avro206]

What are my obligations as to the conditions of turning in a lease?

Like condition of tires and brakes ect?

I know I will get dinged for the windshield but just wondering what else?

[Danko]

Chrysler will screw you if you let them. On one return they tried hitting me with excess wear, etc. I questioned it and they dropped it. On the latest, the return dealer felt compelled to find damage that did not exist and wrote down a scratch he should not have and Chrysler Financial wants us to pay for it and they have not done their Final Inspection yet and bill us without looking at the car. They also want to charge us sales tax on fees and that is not kosher in Michigan but they will get what you are willing to let them and I am done with Kryzlur but this last lease WAS an extremely well-priced monthly deal..............

[avro206]

guess I should have specified...its an 07 Cobalt.

I will be under on the mileage--have (4 year lease) 80,000kms and am at 43000 now with about 15 months to go.

[Danko]

My Chrysler comments should still apply but have you worked out an early return agreement? You may still be on the hook for further payments.

[MechEng]

Originally Posted by avro206

guess I should have specified...its an 07 Cobalt.

I will be under on the mileage--have (4 year lease) 80,000kms and am at 43000 now with about 15 months to go.

I'm curious about the same thing. I'm on my first lease which is also an 07 Cobalt 4 year lease 98000kms. I have 53000kms so far with 19 months to go so i'm a little under my mileage.

I'm curious as to how well GMAC in canada deals with lease returns.

I have some minor scratches on the hood from stone chips from freeway driving. Other than that the car is in good shape.

[zlohban]

I returned my first ever GMAC lease in July. I had already received a packet in the mail that explains dings, tire wear, etc.. I scheduled an appointment to return the car, most dealers have a specific salesperson that handles lease returns. I could return it at any GM dealer but did return from the one who wrote the lease.

I cleaned it to perfection inside and outside before returning the car and it did have a few dings and some places on the front bumper where my wife hit stuff in the garage.

Upon arrival at the dealership they did an inspection, checked for key fobs, manual, etc.. He marked excellent on the inspection because he said IF if was a trade-in he could put it directly on the lot without prep. What the dealer writes is important, he said the car will go to auction and GMAC will settle the account will his inspection report.

I was told by GMAC to quit paying the two payments I had left and wait for a final settlement statement. BUT they kept calling when I didn't make my payment, I would explain and the would agree BUT they kept calling on occasion.

It took about 60 days to receive the final statement and I worried most of that time. I owed $960 they deducted taxes and gave me a credit so I paid $560. The car sold at auction for $18,100 found on local dealer lot for $24,900, my buy-out was $20,900.

I bought an HHR on the day before GM filed bankruptcy for $16,600.

Overall I was happy with my GMAC lease but probably won't do it again because of the uncertainty.

[MrCritical]

If you have 15 months to go, get ready to write them a big check.

[megeebee]

If I were you, I'd wait until the 14th month and replace the windshield. If it has cracks in it, replace it with your insurance and pay the deductible.

With such little mileage, I wonder if your tires will be in need of replacement. They just need to be in one piece.

If there are any dents, take care of them. It'll be cheaper if you do it than if the dealer does. You can cover these under your insurance comprehensive.

If you're going to get another car, and at the dealer you choose to return it to, they'll be easy on you.

I turned in a 2005 CTS with 40K miles (8K under the limit) that needed the front facia to be touched up and I wasn't charged anything. In fact, the dealer liked it so much they bought it from GMAC, polished it up, and sold for a good profit within a week.

[Eric77TA]

I've returned a half a dozen SmartLease cars and have never had to pay out of pocket for any damages.

You can find the lease return kit that Zlobahn is referring to here:

http://www.gmacfs.com/us/en/objects/...return_kit.pdf

You can get an idea of what they look for by looking at the .pdf. I'm not sure if it's the same for Canada.

They can actually be pretty liberal on some items - 2" dents, 1/2" windshield cracks or spiderwebs, upholstery tears less than a 1/2".

One thing is you may be buying some tires. Do you have the Continental TouringContacts? I have a Cobalt (2006) also on a 4 year lease. Lease is up May 7 and I had to put new tires on last month.

Mine were already below 1/8th tread depth at 36,000 miles. Your tires must have more than 1/8th tread depth when returning a SmartLease. I figured if I had to get new tires, I'd rather get them to use myself for winter rather than buying them new ones right before I give the car back.

[avro206]

Originally Posted by Eric77TA

I've returned a half a dozen SmartLease cars and have never had to pay out of pocket for any damages.

You can find the lease return kit that Zlobahn is referring to here:

http://www.gmacfs.com/us/en/objects/...return_kit.pdf



One thing is you may be buying some tires. Do you have the Continental TouringContacts?

thanks! Tires are PIRELLI P6's

[Eric77TA]

Originally Posted by avro206

thanks! Tires are PIRELLI P6's

Count yourself lucky! The Continentals are abysmal. The worst OEM tire of any car I have ever owned. I'd likely never consider another Continental tire. Their only saving grace is I was able to replace them cheap. I hope the Pirellis are a little better quality.

[danimal30]

Which tires did you end up buying? How did you know that the tires were of the "same standards" for the lease? I have an '07 G5 GT that will be due in 7 months and I need to replace the tires, but I do not like the P6's. I was looking at a set of Hankook's and they look equal except the treadwear:

Pirelli P6 Four Seasons
P205/50 R17
Sidewall: Blackwall
Load Index: 90
Speed Rating: H
Load Range: XL
Treadwear: 400
Traction: A
Temperature: A

Hankook Ventus V12 Evo
P205/50 R17
Sidewall: Blackwall
Load Index: 93
Speed Rating: Y
Load Range: XL
Treadwear: 280
Traction: AA
Temperature: A

Will GMAC try to hit me for the Treadwear being less, or will they just be happy that there is more than the required 1/8"? I can't seem to find any information on acceptable replacement tires. Thanks.

[avro206]

Originally Posted by danimal30

Which tires did you end up buying? How did you know that the tires were of the "same standards" for the lease?

I spoke to a guy at the dealership over the phone. He said as long as they have tread! Even a slightly different size didn't bother him.

At the time I was thinking 215/50/17 or 225/24/17

I have tinted driver and passenger windows--which are illegal here---he had no problem with that.

I had a good look at my OEM P6's--they were 4/32---I would have a hell of time getting through winter and they would not last long enough anyways----and I did not want to give back the car next year with new(er) tires!

I thought about a solution... new reg all seasons would get me through but I wanted greater winter traction. Snow tires would work but I would still be stuck after winter and the P6's just wore out....what to do?

I went with Nokian WR G2--all weather tire. They have winter services symbol on them---are legal in Quebec as a snow tire (it's the law--you must have winter tires in Quebec) and they can be driven year round.

As good as a dedicated winter tire? NO
Better then the all season? YES

So I kept the P6's--and will out them back on the car the day before I go to return it--they sell the tires--I bet I can get $500 for them.

I have never had winter tires---these are the closest to it--I should do pretty well this winter!

[kaimeifun]

Well I have a big lease return problem. I live in the nyc area and my dealership closed. No other dealer wanted to take my car, 07 yukon, slt. So I called gm and they told me that they will send someone in a couple of days to pickup the car but before that, I would have to fill out an odometer statement and lock in the miles and I cannot drive the car. I said ok, a couple of days, I am going to park it in a garage at 30 dollars a day. A couple of days passed, and I called them back, they said that it is going to take a week or so. I informed that, you do know that I am paying for storing your car. They said oh well. A week passed, and I called them back and they said, oh iit is going to take a couple of weeks..and I told them the same thing again...you do know that it is costing me 30 dollars a day to store your car...and they said OH WELL..... It has now been a month, of course you do know that I moved the car and I have not heard anything from them. I wanna know, that if i still have the car in Feb., lets say, does it become mine, free of charge? GM is a monster...