A percentage of all vehicles sold are leased and normally covers three to four years. Once the contract ends, you can either opt to buy the car for the remaining value or finish the lease. Remember, there is a difference between buying and leasing a car.
Buying vs. Leasing
When buying a car, you are paying for the full price of the unit over a period of time and usually takes between three to seven years. On the other hand, if you are leasing your car, you only pay for a certain portion or percentage of the unit’s full price.
How to Prepare for Inspection
Whether you plan to buy your car or finish the lease, you are required to undergo a car inspection at the end of your lease. Your vehicle will be checked for the usage, condition, wear and tear, mileage, and other maintenance issues. This will determine the value of your car.
In this case, here are some steps you can follow on how to prepare your vehicle for the inspection.
- Check your mileage – Usually, a three-year lease allows you to drive a maximum of 12,000 miles annually. Avoid going over the maximum allowed. Otherwise, you may be asked to pay a fee per extra mile.
- Have your car detailed – Use the KevianClean Interior Defense to clean the interior of your vehicle. This will improve the look and feel of your car. Make sure your car is thoroughly detailed and cleaned before submitting it for inspection.
- Check the pre-inspection checklist – The list usually includes checking the interior and exterior part of your vehicle, mechanical functions, tire conditions, and other car parts. Ask a professional mechanic to go through each item and if there are any problems, have it fixed immediately.
- Maintain the original parts – When you are preparing your car for inspection, you need to bring your car back to its original state. If you did any modifications, make sure you undo it. Otherwise, you may get charged for any modifications done to your car.
After your lease contract ends, you are required to return your car to the dealership. An inspection is mandatory before the car dealership accepts your unit. This is why it is important to get a professional mechanic to check your car thoroughly inside and out. Any problems should be fixed prior to inspection to avoid depreciating the value of your vehicle.