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Lease Termination Fees and other costs

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  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Since you're both BMW experts (at least in my eyes), I'll ask you this question.

    My BIL has a 5-series on lease that comes due next month. I don't think he'll purchase it or lease a new BMW - any gotchas he and my sister should be on the look out for?

    At the moment, they are about 1500 miles over allotment, and the car is only driven a few miles a day. So, I've warned my sister that there will be some mileage charges (not sure what the rate is, but I'm figuring .20 a mile).

    Anything else? She tells me the car is in good condition.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    "Pull ahead" programs are pretty rare.
    FAIK, American Honda doesn't currently offer one,but that would be a question for a Honda salesperson.

    Pull ahead programs are usually offered by companies that have trouble moving iron(like GM), selling cars is not a problem for Honda.
  • im_brentwoodim_brentwood Member Posts: 4,883
    Michael,

    If the car's clean all he has to worry about is the mileage charges, if he's 1,500 miles over that's 20 or 25c/Mile so that will be deducted from his security deposit... otherwise as long as there's no damage they should be fine.

    Tell em to drive the new CTS.. I got to drive one today.. WOW!

    Bill
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Ah ... forgot about the security deposit! Guess that's what it's there for.
  • smogilsmogil Member Posts: 40
    So the lease on my Audi is up soon. However, my new car is taking longer than expected to arrive, so if I give it back at on time I'll be car-less!

    I called Audi and they said I can work out an extension on a month-by-month basis with the dealership. But I'll probably only need 2 weeks. So then I asked: what happens if I just return it late? The response was that I'd be charged a late charge, calculated as the pro-rated lease payment for the number of days it was late. I should 'notify' the dealership that it will be late.

    Does anyone know if this is correct? If so, what's the incentive of officially extending a lease, when you can continue to keep it at the same rate on a per-day basis?
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    The only drawback is if the lease co reports you as late to the credit bureau.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    This may or may not be an issue for you but if you properly extend the lease then you are alloted extra miles for the term of the extension. If you just drive it with out extending it then you do not get the miles.
  • cennis1cennis1 Member Posts: 31
    Well, the quick update - dealers first offer on the trade was $12,ooo and the payoff of the lease was $11,400, so I guess things worked out for us. $12,000 was right around where Edmunds, KBB.com and the NADA book said it should be, so we didn't even haggle too much. Car was really clean with only 20,000 miles in 29 months, so I guess that, and Honda resale worked in our favor.

    Got the wife a 2008 Pilot VP AWD under the national $309/month w/ $3,000 due at signning lease deal. With 57% residual and .00141 MF and a cap cost reduction of $2,000 on Honda's side (essentially giving it to me around invoice) seemed like a pretty fair deal. Again, not much haggling. Easy transaction, and the wife is happy. I've always thought the SUV thing was a bit silly, but it seems like a well-made vehicle and a reasonable value. And the wife is happy.

    Thanks for the feedback.
  • cllawcllaw Member Posts: 32
    Hi all

    I leased a 2006 VW passat 2.0T back to 2005, it was a 30 months lease and it had 6-7 months end and I'm currently consider whether I should do a early termination because the VW services just sucks and avoid the risk of wear and tears charge from VW as they are pretty tough on this from what I read in this forum

    Here is the detail about my lease
    2006 VW Passat 25,000/30 months lease, with 6 months left, wheels have some dents (can be fix or get a new set and trade in for the old set) and minor scratch in the front right and rear left (total fixable with about around 200 bucks) no other damage. Currently, I'm on 17000 miles and my guess is that I will be 5K-6K miles under by the end of the lease?

    My questions are as follow
    1: In the event I'm getting a new set of rim for the car, do I have to report that to VW if I do that before the lease end inspection?
    2: Can I get a the minor scratch fix before I have the inspection?
    3: Will VW allow early termination if I plan on doing so at around 3 left and let me walk away?
    4: Given that my miles usage are under the actual lease term, should I buy out the car and do a trade in?

    Thanks all for your help

    Alex :)
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    First of all,all early termination is,is that the lease co will allow you to return the car early HOWEVER you still have to make all the lease payments.
    Plus, if you do return the car early,those payments have to be made all at once.

    If you know there are things you will be dinged for,go ahead and get them fixed before the inspection.
    As for tradingt he car,it really depends on what the buyout is vs. what the actual value of the car is.
    You do not have to buy the car out to trade it in.
    In fact,you shouldn't as you would most likely ahve to pay tax on the buyout amount.
  • cllawcllaw Member Posts: 32
    Thanks Volvomax, really appreciate your response, I will follow you advice and get everything fixed up before I hand the car in.

    Thanks for your help
  • jarthanjarthan Member Posts: 2
    BC, I just was stung with the same and am also very PO'd. Like you, I wasn't told of this fee and didn't have such a fee on two previous leases with GM. Were you able to get it waived or reduced? Just got the notice and haven't called Chrysler Financial. Do you, or anyone else, have any advice? Thanks. :mad:
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Turn in fees are written on your lease contract.
    So, they are always disclosed.
  • ruzz1141ruzz1141 Member Posts: 13
    I have a leased G35 that I found a buyer for. I am trying to payoff my lease which end 07/08 early. IFS likes you go to a dealer who will charges all kinds of fees, and then they sell the car back to me, putting my name on the title, which in NC will result in me paying 3% tax on the car, even though I am selling to a 3rd party, who will also have to pay 3%.

    So, I contacted IFS for payoff instructions. They sent me a letter instructing me to payoff lease from a "financial institution" via cashiers check. Upon receipt of payment, IFS will send the title, bill of sale, and lien release to the "financial institution" who is then supposed to title the car to me.

    I contacted 2 banks I do business with, and neither wanted to get involved as they wanted no responsibility to receive and deal with the title. I paid off a lease in CA a few years back with IFS and sent them a cashiers check, and they sent me title directly, not requiring the bank to be the recipient. This whole bank as an intermediary is really screwing things up. My buyer has been more than patient over the last 3 weeks to work with me to make this work, but it seems almost impossible without going to dealer and getting charged all the additional doc fees, taxes, etc.

    Does anybody have any recent experience paying off their lease and can you elaborate on what exactly happened? I have called IFS 8 times already and keep getting mixed info.

    Please help, I am at my wits end! Thanks in advance.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Tax is not a dealer thing.
    If you owe the tax,you owe the tax.

    If IFS wants you to go thru a dealer,that is waht you have to do.
    VFNA operates the same way,lease buyouts are done thru the dealership.

    What you could see is if the dealer will just sell the car to your buyer,that way the tax is paid only once.
  • ruzz1141ruzz1141 Member Posts: 13
    Thanks for reply. The tax is a Highway Use Tax - I have been paying tax on car each month. I do not see the need to pay tax on a car that will be sold immediately (not used by me), and then the buyer pays same tax. It is all based on title changing hands. It is a weird law in NC.

    The dealer doesn't want to sell to 3rd party unless they make a ton of money on it. Ridiculous that they won't help out since I am buying my 3rd car from them!

    Thanks!
  • blov8rblov8r Member Posts: 567
    SMOGIL: If you're getting another Audi from the same dealer there's a fighting chance you can leverage your dealer to skip additional payment the extra couple or three weeks by simply telling him you'll get your next car elsewhere if he gives you a hard time. There's enough cushion in their pricing to bypass the few bucks they'd be trying to squeeze out of you, if they're smart. You have something they want ... money, and you can walk with your money and likely find what you want elsewhere with a more flexible dealer. Bart :shades:
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    You have only been paying tax on each payment not on the whole residual amount. The state wants their tax on how much you use up the car so if you buy the car at the residual amount you have to pay the full tax on the residual.

    It is not some weird law in NC it is true of nearly every state in the union for leases.
  • ruzz1141ruzz1141 Member Posts: 13
    Understand your point. But, if I turn around and sell it immediately, I won't be *using* any portion of the residual amount. The 3% is on the sale price, for Highway Use. If I don't own/use the car, and my buyer is subject to the same 3% since he is using it, it is essentially double taxation just because my name had to appear on the title to xfer over to him. I did not have this issue when I paid off my lease in CA.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    The 3% is on the sale price, for Highway Use.

    It is not a use tax. It is a sales tax. I don't think it is fair but two sales amount to two applications of sales tax.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • ruzz1141ruzz1141 Member Posts: 13
    This is from the NCDMV web site:
    http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_services/registrationtitling/taxHighwayUse.html-

    "North Carolina collects a 3% Highway Use Tax on vehicles in lieu of a state sales tax (General Statute 105-187.2). The tax is assessed each time a title is transferred. The maximum tax for commercial vehicles (vehicles with a weight greater than 26,000 pounds) is $1,000.00. All other vehicles are charged 3% with no ceiling.

    Money that is collected for the Highway Use Tax goes towards the North Carolina Highway Trust Fund. That money is then used to improve the roads of North Carolina. Additionally, another portion of the money collected for the Highway Use Tax goes towards the State's General Fund."
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Thanks, Ruzz. I sit corrected! :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • ruzz1141ruzz1141 Member Posts: 13
    No problem Tidester.

    I guess the real issue I need to call Infiniti Financial about is the idea that a "financial institution" must send the cashiers check for payoff, and in turn be the recipient of the title. No bank I talked to wants to get involved unless they are going to finance the car.

    Last time, I sent a cashiers check, and title was sent directly to me. We shall see...
  • delta737hdelta737h Member Posts: 626
    It's amazing to me that very few people review the early lease termination clause in their lease contracts to see how their unpaid lease balance is computed. It's even more amazing that many people don't have a mortgage loan amortization schedule or car loan amortization schedule that reflects their monthly loan balance.

    If people only knew how often banks/finance captives overstated loan balances and lease balances; they would be SHOCKED!!! I actually spoke with a Bank that overstated a friend's lease balance and they actually told me that they use straight line depreciation. I told her that if she used SL depreciation, the lease balance would be considerably less at this point in the lease! According to the lease contract, the actuarial method was to be used to determine the lease amortization rate. Once that's determined, it's used to amortize the lease in much the same way that an installment loan is amortized.

    My POINT is BE CAREFUL!!! So, here is some advice for whatever it's worth...

    Create a lease amortization schedule. In fact, if you have a mortgage loan or car loan, create a loan amortization schedule as well. They can be easily created in an excel spreadsheet. Need some assistance? I'll be glad to send anyone an excel spreadsheet that computes lease payments and includes a lease amortization template. If interested, email me at diffeq@zoominternet.net. So, why am I doing this? Because I'm a nice guy!

    John
    Medina, Ohio
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    "North Carolina collects a 3% Highway Use Tax on vehicles in lieu of a state sales tax (General Statute 105-187.2). The tax is assessed each time a title is transferred.

    Well, you just answered your own question.
    Tax is applied each time the title is transferred.
    Title would be transferred from IFS to you,so the tax is due.
    Doesn't matter that you aren't keeping the car.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    That is all well and good,but in my experience,of the bank says they want $X dollars,thats what it is.
    Regardless of how they computed it.
    Fact is, when you sign a lease contract you promise to pay the bank so many payments at such and such dollars.
    It doesn't matter that you end the lease early,the payments are still due.
    Yes, some banks do have penalty clauses. Most don't. Unless you are trying to end the lease very early on.
    You can create whatever schedule you want,but if you try and tell the bank that they are wrong on their payoff amount,they are just gonna laugh.
  • delta737hdelta737h Member Posts: 626
    Like a loan, leases have balances. If I terminate early, most lease contracts stipulate that my termination liablity charge equates to the unpaid lease balance less the wholesale value. And so, I need to be able to calculate the unpaid lease balance.

    Phraseology/terminology differs across fund providers. For instance, some contracts might compute the Upaid Book Depreciation as the unpaid lease balance less the residual value or, alternatively, as the total base payments remaining less the unearned lease finance charge. Either way I need to compute the lease balance or the unearned lease finance charge.

    Yes, you're obligated pay the remaining lease payments LESS THE UNEARNED LEASE FINANCE CHARGE... which must be calculated using the method described in the lease contract.

    And there are those fund providers that define termination liability charge as the unpaid book depreciation less the surplus (e.g., GMAC) where surplus is just the difference between the wholesale and residual value. If the wholesale is less than the residual, then you have a deficit instead of a surplus.

    It would behoove every lessee to maintain a lease amortization schedule or, at least, be able to compute the unpaid lease balance (called adjusted lease balance by some) in the event of early termination.

    The bank just doesn't pluck payoff figures out of the thin air. There is some mathematics involved. Why do you think so many lease contracts incorporate such terms as actuarial or constant yield method into their early termination clauses? It's there so that those inclined to do the payoff calculations will be able do so. Afterall, the banks can't collect anymore than what they're legally entitled.

    I did tell the bank that they're calculations were wrong and they weren't exactly laughing... at least not over the phone. In fact, they later agreed with my calculations and apologized. If you like, I can show you documentation. If they did laugh at me, I would be asking myself how many other lease balances were overstated? And so now we have a potential lawsuit... hardly a laughing matter no matter what comedy club you're patronizing!

    By the way, I also triggered a lawsuit against the largest savings bank in Ohio for mis-amortizing mortgage loans. Now, they're trying to settle a class action lawsuit. If they were laughing, it's doubtful that they're laughing now!

    http://ohiosavingsbanklitigation.com/

    You don't know me but I happen to be an actuary (FSA) as well as a PhD mathematician and so I usually know what I'm talking about in matters involving financial mathematics and probably more so than the banks do.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Yes, you're obligated pay the remaining lease payments LESS THE UNEARNED LEASE FINANCE CHARGE... which must be calculated using the method described in the lease contract.

    Yup, but that is a rather small number in most cases.
    Plus, that really only applies if you are TRADING the car in,and the bank is getting the payoff amount.
    If you are just ending the lease early,and not paying it off(in other words,the lease company is getting the car back) then you owe the remaining payments,PLUS whatever penalty clause is built into the lease.

    I don't care that you think you are some sort of rocket scientist.
    What I DO care about is you giving people inaccurate advice,because you THINK things should be a certain way.
    Bottom liner is, you aren't in the car business,and you aren't a banker.
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    ...how we've been getting along all these years without all this information.

    FWIW, volvomax does not "sound" foolish at all.... neither does he sound combative.

    -Mathias
  • delta737hdelta737h Member Posts: 626
    "...how we've been getting along all these years without all this information."

    What you don't know can hurt you. Perhaps a lot of people have been getting ripped off all these years. Pity.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    The clean up crew had a job to do in case you're wondering where your message went. :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    I don't care that you think you are some sort of rocket scientist.
    What I DO care about is you giving people inaccurate advice,because you THINK things should be a certain way.
    Bottom liner is, you aren't in the car business,and you aren't a banker.


    That was pretty funny :blush::)
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    The clean up crew had a job to do in case you're wondering where your message went.


    Ahh mann... I missed another great post :cry:
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    The truth shall set you free :D
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I missed another great post ...

    I'd share them with you but, you know, it's a privacy thing! ;)

    Besides, they had little to do with lease termination fees which, not so coincidentally, is the designated topic here. :)

    ( tidester, "Buying a Vehicle with Cash, Check or Credit Card" #118, 1 Oct 2007 5:45 pm )

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    I'd share them with you but, you know, it's a privacy thing!

    Again with the privacy laws. LOL that was great :blush:
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    See, now if you would have got all members to sign a "Required Action" notice then you could have told us. You know the form that says i will only release your info to people that have a need to know, i.e the bank, the state, your insurance company, and Edmunds members. :D
  • pinksnyperpinksnyper Member Posts: 75
    I have a 2005 accord coupe EX-L, lease ending this July. It has been a 45,000 lease, but I have 62,000 miles now and will suspect to have probably around 75,000 at lease termination. I am very interested in the new 2008 accord! My lease buy-out will be roughly $13,500 after tax in JULY should I decide to buy it, and currently is around $16,800. MY question is ....will the dealer help me with the mileage overage fees ($4,500~) in July if I want to buy a new car from them or am I stuck with this horrible fee and therefore pretty much stuck to buying the car out ?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    You're under no obligation to buy the car at the end of the lease. It's certainly possible the dealer can cut you a deal on the mileage if you buy from them. Anyone have experience with this?

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    I don't know about the other flavors but Ford is really taking this out of our hands. Now your turn in is handled by a third party so we are unable to do some of the creative turn ins we used to do in the past
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    The dealer cannot make the mileage fees go away.
    Either they pay it or you do.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Sadly, the dealers have no control over the lease end process,or the fees.
    Typically, the dealer would pay the fees in lieu of discount on the new car.
    Although, $4500 is a bunch.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 265,954
    Either way, you are going to be out some serious money...

    One thing that might mitigate your losses: If you trade your car in now for a new Accord, the dealer will buy the car (take it in trade), and they won't pay sales tax on it... So, your current $16,800 payoff might be less for the dealer... Assume $1000 of that is tax... so, the payoff for the dealer is around $15,800.. If they allow you $13,000 in trade value, your negative equity is only $2800, which might be an easier pill to swallow. It still isn't going to go away.. just easier to take.

    (all numbers for illustrative purposes only... no idea what the actual numbers will be, or even if they will be favorable)

    Oh yeah.. don't lease the next car.

    regards,
    kyfdx
    visiting host

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    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

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  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Now your turn in is handled by a third party ...

    Unfortunately, that is becoming the norm for most lenders as well.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • kita592kita592 Member Posts: 7
    I'm looking at leaving a car lease early (WAY) early. We inherited a vehical & it doesn't make sence to keep paying the lease if we don't need it. (+ the more money in my pocket monthly the better) What kind of penalties am I looking at? 1000$ 5000$??????
  • kita592kita592 Member Posts: 7
    Oh & no I don't think I'll ever lease again...
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Well, the penalty is that you have to make all the lease payments.

    there are basically 2 ways to end a lease early.
    Send in a check for the remaining payments or send the car back to the lender. The lender will put the car thru the auction.
    Whatever the difference between what the payoff of the whole lease is(payments PLUS residual) and what the car brings at auction comes out of your pocket.

    If you truly don't need the car,and don't have the money to turn it in, you could try to sell it or you could try one of those sites that specialize in transferring leases.
  • kita592kita592 Member Posts: 7
    Do they do it the same in Canada as the US??
  • kita592kita592 Member Posts: 7
    So what about these lease trade or assume websites any of them good??
  • kita592kita592 Member Posts: 7
    Ok so I have a question now, I want to return a lease early about 3 1/2 years early. We inherited a vehical... so what to do? I looked at the paper work and it says that we can return it but we have to get is apprasied + what I've paid already & what ever the difference is what I pay to get out? I'm wondering what the depreciation is on a 2008 Ford Escape XLT 4x4? Also I'm in Canada so the prices here are still significantly more then in the US. might anyone know? has anyone done anything similar?
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