Leasing a Volvo is a fantastic option for some people, particularly if you’re the type of auto enthusiast that enjoys driving one of the most recent models and experiencing all the advances made in Volvo design and functionality. Leasing keeps your monthly payments low and puts you into a brand new Volvo pretty much as frequently as you would like. However, there are two facts about leases that many people either don’t know or don’t consider:
- You may return your leased Volvo to any authorized Volvo dealership, such as Volvo Cars of Dublin.
- You need to plan carefully to ensure that you’re not hit with unexpected fees at the end of your lease.
Return Your Leased Volvo to Volvo Cars Dublin
As the San Francisco Bay Area’s newest Volvo dealership, Volvo Cars Dublin wants people to know that they can return their leased Volvo to us, regardless of where they originally leased it. For Volvo drivers living in the East Bay or Tri-Valley area, we may now be the most convenient Volvo dealership to where you live or work. Our Volvo Lease experts would be happy to help you through the entire lease return process and ensure that you’re aware of all options and incentives available to you when your lease ends.
You May Owe Money When You Return Your Leased Volvo
Another factor that many people driving leased vehicles don’t consider until it’s too late is that your lease specifies terms that could expose you to unexpected costs when your lease ends. These were undoubtedly explained to you at the time you leased your Volvo, but that’s a busy, exciting time, with lots of new information to consider. Specifically, we want to discuss the two most common and avoidable fees assessed at lease end: 1) excess mileage fee, and 2) excess wear and tear fee.
Excess Mileage Fee — Your lease is almost certain to include a stipulation as to the number of miles you can drive during the term of your agreement. That “allowance” of miles is one of the determinants of the cost of the lease. As an example, your lease may say you are allowed 10,000 miles per year over the course of 36 months, i.e. 30,000 miles for a 3-year lease term. The lease should also specify how much you will pay for any miles driven beyond that 30,000-mile limit. That charge is often in the 15¢ to 25¢ range for each mile driven beyond the limit, but it varies from lease to lease. To continue this example, let’s assume that you drove a total of 36,000 miles during your lease term and your per mile charge for excess mileage is 15¢. That means you would owe for an additional 6,000 miles at 15¢ per mile, or $900.
Excess Wear and Tear Fee — When you lease a vehicle, it’s assumed that you will “use it”, but not “abuse it”. In other words, your lease assumes a normal level of wear and tear over the course of the lease term. It is expected that the tires will be lower on tread depth, the interior upholstery will show signs of use, and there may even be some minor scratches on the exterior. These would likely fall under the heading of “normal wear and tear”, assuming they’re not severe. What is very likely going to be considered “excess wear and tear” are dents, torn upholstery, chipped or cracked windshield, and badly scuffed wheels. Unlike the excess mileage fee, the total you pay for excess wear and tear is going to be subject to estimates of what it will take to repair the damage.
How to Avoid Excess Fees on Your Leased Volvo
Fortunately, both of the above fees can be significantly reduced or eliminated entirely with a little planning. This is why Volvo Cars Dublin’s experienced Volvo Lease experts encourage customers to start planning anywhere from 8 to 12 months ahead of their lease’s end date. This will allow you time to adjust your driving patterns to avoid exceeding your mileage limit by much, if any, and you will also have the information and time needed to correct issues that could result in excess wear and tear fees.
Schedule a Free Lease-End Consultation at Volvo Cars Dublin
One of the complimentary services we offer is a free lease-end consultation. We encourage you to take advantage of this service well in advance of your lease end date so you have ample time to consider your options or take corrective measures—as mentioned above—to avoid lease-end fees. Below are some of the topics our Volvo Lease experts would like to cover with you.
- Assess mileage driven thus far and identify how many miles, on average, you should target driving in the remaining months of your lease. The goal is to avoid excess mileage fees at lease-end.
- Complete a quick visual inspection of your leased Volvo to see if there are clear examples of damage that would result in a charge for excess wear and tear. With that information, you can then decide if you want to have that damage repaired or simply pay the fee.
- Consider the primary options available to you when your current lease ends. These are: 1) turning in your current Volvo and trading up to a new Volvo and fresh lease, 2) buying your current Volvo outright, and 3) simply returning your Volvo and not replacing it.
- One of the topics our Volvo Lease experts are discussing with customers in the current automotive market is the challenges of replacing your leased Volvo at the time your lease ends. Given the severe shortages of new Volvos, it may be best to place a custom order for a Volvo several months in advance of your current lease’s end date.
- Current incentives are another important topic to consider, because Volvo will occasionally run a lease special that will allow you to end your lease a few months early, skip payments for those final months, and drive away in a brand new Volvo with little or no additional money spent.
Volvo Cars Dublin / San Francisco Bay Area
Volvo Cars Dublin is located in Dublin, CA, conveniently near the I-680 and I-580 junction. As an Authorized Volvo Dealership, Volvo Cars Dublin serves the East Bay’s Tri-Valley communities and beyond, attracting Volvo enthusiasts from throughout Northern California. Volvo shoppers will find an impressive selection of New Volvos, Certified Pre-Owned Volvos, Used Volvos, and a range of other quality used cars for sale or lease. Volvo Cars Dublin also accepts all Volvo lease returns and will purchase your current vehicle, whether it is a Volvo or not, and regardless of whether you purchase a replacement vehicle from the dealership. Additionally, current Volvo owners will appreciate Volvo Cars Dublin’s Authorized Volvo Service Center, where customers enjoy seasonal service specials and can have warranty and recall work performed, along with regularly scheduled and recommended Volvo maintenance.