Finding damage on a leased car can leave you questioning where you should go first. Dealerships hold a certain standard for the condition their leased vehicles come back in. Due to that, your initial instinct may be to simply avoid the dealership and have the vehicle repaired yourself.
At Andy Mohr Collision Center, we want to help Plainfield, Indianapolis, Fishers, and Bloomington drivers know what to do when their leased car is damaged. Keep reading to learn the steps you can take to deal with this situation.
How Lease Returns Work
When you come back to the dealership to return your lease, there’s a process to the act of returning your car. Among the paperwork is the task of your dealership looking for any damage caused during the lease.
Some wear and tear is expected if you’ve driven the car for a few years and you’ve racked up tens of thousands of miles on it. There might be some tuning needed. What the dealership is looking for is obvious damage to the vehicle.
This could take the form of dents or scratches or maybe it’s abnormal amounts of undercarriage damage. Either way, your dealership will have a fee for any damages found on the vehicle.
Assess the Damage When You Find It
First things first, you want to know the extent of the damage you’re dealing with. If you’re dealing with a dent caused by a car door opening in a tight parking space, this is something you can just take to a private body shop for a quick fix.
In the event that you find yourself in a fender bender, you’ll want to make use of your insurance and have your car worked on by a professional. When you do this though, it’s important to be sure that you keep track of any information regarding your repairs.
Having your repairs performed by a professional and paid for by insurance, you can provide your dealership confirmation that your car was well taken care of.
Don’t Ignore Repairs
While it may seem reasonable to get by with minor scrapes and dents, the reality is it’s best to be honest when dealing with damage to a leased car. By taking care of any accident repairs yourself through your car insurance, you can feel comfortable that you performed the necessary work properly.
The reality is that even if you ignore minor dents and scratches or damage caused by a fender bender, the lease inspector will still probably find damage. It’s generally best to deal with any damage yourself to make sure the car is in good condition the day you bring it back.
Repair Your Leased Car at Our Service Center
If you have a lease that’s been in a collision, we can get it back into great shape at Andy Mohr Collision Center. We can perform body work, parts replacements, and detailing to get your car back in working order. If you’re a driver in the Plainfield, Indianapolis, Fishers, and Bloomington areas, schedule a service appointment with us today.
