Topic: Mazda / Ford Credit Lease Returns

[articsteve]

I never give a security deposit and after this I never will no matter how much I like the car. I would have lost it to these crooks.

For sure.  Good advice

[Trainman]

Opps, looks like Chrysler is at it too now:

Return fees for car leases 'absolutely outrageous', consumer warns
Last Updated: Monday, October 27, 2008 | 8:12 PM ET
CBC News

Some drivers nearing the end of their car-leasing contracts may want to brace themselves for some unexpected big bills, a fellow consumer warns.

Montreal-based Susan Scott said she was presented with a hefty bill after she returned her Chrysler mini-van to the dealership.

"To be told that my car, which was in good condition, needed $4,250 worth of work is absolutely outrageous," Scott said.

"I went through the roof."

George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association, said many companies have been hit with the dropping value of previously leased vehicles.

"They're trying to cover some of their losses on the re-marketing of the vehicles," he said, adding some consumers have been presented with bills weeks after their vehicles were returned and resold at auction.

New car leases used to account for nearly half of a dealership's business, but in a few months, that proportion has dropped to less than 20 per cent, according to auto analyst Richard Cooper of JD Power and Associates.

Auto Check Canada, a company that specializes in lease returns, calculated the repairs on Scott's van could be completed for half of what Chrysler estimated.

Ken Selcer, president of Auto Check Canada, said consumers are best off getting a second opinion.

"Once they know that a third party is involved, [the dealerships] tend to back away," he said.

[ktm525]

Opps, looks like Chrysler is at it too now:

Return fees for car leases 'absolutely outrageous', consumer warns
Last Updated: Monday, October 27, 2008 | 8:12 PM ET
CBC News

Some drivers nearing the end of their car-leasing contracts may want to brace themselves for some unexpected big bills, a fellow consumer warns.

Montreal-based Susan Scott said she was presented with a hefty bill after she returned her Chrysler mini-van to the dealership.

"To be told that my car, which was in good condition, needed $4,250 worth of work is absolutely outrageous," Scott said.

"I went through the roof."

George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association, said many companies have been hit with the dropping value of previously leased vehicles.

"They're trying to cover some of their losses on the re-marketing of the vehicles," he said, adding some consumers have been presented with bills weeks after their vehicles were returned and resold at auction.

New car leases used to account for nearly half of a dealership's business, but in a few months, that proportion has dropped to less than 20 per cent, according to auto analyst Richard Cooper of JD Power and Associates.

Auto Check Canada, a company that specializes in lease returns, calculated the repairs on Scott's van could be completed for half of what Chrysler estimated.

Ken Selcer, president of Auto Check Canada, said consumers are best off getting a second opinion.

"Once they know that a third party is involved, [the dealerships] tend to back away," he said.

Surprising that Chysler minivans are being resold at auctions. I figured that after 3 years these things would go straight to the crusher.

[safristi]

 the same OLD SONG...Pleeze RE_LEASE ME and I'll let ya GO...............on yer way sucker...........

[bobblehead]

 Saw that on CBC last night.

 They din't get a dime of the $450 they claimed I owed. It has been since May 19 and I told them to stick it. One call from a collection agency a few months ago and I told him to go straight to court. Never heard from them again. It is a big scam and most people are so afraid they just pay.

[quadzilla]

Thought I'd add my lease return experience here.

Setup up an appt with Autovin and dealing with the person on the phone was very painful. They said I could have one of two days during the next week and it will be either 8-12 or 1-5....So I asked will the person coming set a specific time within those hours. Her reply was, you can pick a time between 8-12 or 1-5, so I ask my question again.....still get a stupid answer and she doesn't answer my question.

She then goes on to tell me they person will call to confirm the appt with me. So I tell her to have the person call me in the office since I work and won't be at home during those hours. She goes on again about how the appt will be between 8-12 or 1-5, now she is starting to annoy me and sound like a recording. I repeat they MUST call me in the office and she takes my work number. Two days before the appt the guy calls me at home. Great communication.

I phone the guy and tell him that I'll have to now bring my car to work (I don't drive to work) since I can't take any time off to do this at home, he has no issue and he says that he will call me when he has finished his last appt to give me a heads up. He then called me once he was 5 minutes away so I could go out and meet him where I parked my car.

The guy shows up and is a nice guy, spends about 20 minutes going over the car and comes back with the dreaded windshield ding and 3 small dents in the door (stupid SUV drivers  ). When done he prints off a report and goes over it with me. We then have a short chat about if he likes the job (which he does) and it turns out he is also a car nut. Overall, really friendly and nice person.

I call Mazda Credit and ask can I return my car to ANY Mazda dealer and they say yes, so I drop it off at the one closest to where I bought my GTI. I pull in, sales person rushes to help me and I reply, just dropping off this lease return. He asks did I get it there, NOPE, well you can't do that. I say, tell Mazda that because they said ANY Mazda dealer. He goes on about some long, sad story how everybody is returning their cars and they have no room for them plus have to pay extra for parking to store the cars, blah, blah, blah. I say, phone Mazda to complain because I can fix this and I'm leaving my car.

He even asks can I take it to another one and I just say no, besides, I don't even have legal plates on the car and the insurance comes off in 10 minutes. The guy goes into another person's office (his boss, janitor?) to complain loud enough so I can hear him. Again, I don't care not my problem. I get one of their people to write down the final mileage, give them the keys and say, see ya. Have to say, that alone would make me not buy a car from them.

Got my bill yesterday (car was returned March 17th) and nothing new was added to it. Honestly, I had visions of me calling and complaining about extra charges being added so I'm glad it didn't happen.

In the end, my return was painless and smooth. Of course, my car looked great even with the 117,000kms I had on it.

Here is my question. If I find my car on a lot and NONE of those items noted are repaired, can I say I want my money back since they were never fixed?

[inco]

Interesting question Quad and I don't know the answer. I would think they would do the work, for sure the windshield, while the others could be an option.

Maybe it depends on who ends up with the car. Probably it gets auctioned off to so local guy who doesn't care might not, but a dealer might. That money you paid simply allows Mazda to lower the selling (auction) price I would think.

[Cord]

Here is my question. If I find my car on a lot and NONE of those items noted are repaired, can I say I want my money back since they were never fixed?

I guess if you wanted to make sure the damaged was repaired you should've had it repaired before you returned it. Inco is correct. They are collecting for the reduced value of their property as you agreed to do. It's not like someone at Mazda is now driving the car with dents and a cracked windshield after "ripping you off" by charging you for them. These cars are just inventory to be resold to a dealer. Isn't it obvious that a car is worth less if it has dents and a broken 'shield?

[johngenx]

Any dealer buying the car at auction will bid a bit lower if the glass is bad.  I don't know any decent dealer that puts a car (non-beater) without new or nearly-new glass, so they know they'll have to bear that cost.

[sailor723]

 I don't get one situation that has come up in several of these lease return threads. How can you get a bill weeks after you have returned the car? Don't you get some sort of a receipt saying "received in good condition" or "accepted by" ? I certainly would refuse to pay for anything that wasn't noted and agreed upon as abnormal wear and tear prior to or at the time of the return. Otherwise.who's to say the damage didn't occur in the dealer's yard or in transport to auction?

 We'll be returning (I think as of now) an 05 Maxima to Nissan in Sept. It should be interesting to see if they have gotten more picky since we returned the '98 Altima and the '02 Max (no problems or hassles what so ever on those ones). One thing I have in my favour if we do get into a tussle ,they have no security deposit.

[Cord]

I don't get one situation that has come up in several of these lease return threads. How can you get a bill weeks after you have returned the car? Don't you get some sort of a receipt saying "received in good condition" or "accepted by" ? I certainly would refuse to pay for anything that wasn't noted and agreed upon as abnormal wear and tear prior to or at the time of the return. Otherwise.who's to say the damage didn't occur in the dealer's yard or in transport to auction?

The people you drop the car off to don't collect payment for the damage. When you've had your inspection prior to dropping it off, you will get a copy of the inspection. Within 30 days you will get the bill to pay the leasing company for the damage.

I may have missed it, but I don't remember reading about anyone that was charged for something that wasn't noted on their inspection.

[quadzilla]

Here is my question. If I find my car on a lot and NONE of those items noted are repaired, can I say I want my money back since they were never fixed?

I guess if you wanted to make sure the damaged was repaired you should've had it repaired before you returned it. Inco is correct. They are collecting for the reduced value of their property as you agreed to do. It's not like someone at Mazda is now driving the car with dents and a cracked windshield after "ripping you off" by charging you for them. These cars are just inventory to be resold to a dealer. Isn't it obvious that a car is worth less if it has dents and a broken 'shield?

I wasn't suggesting I was ripped off in any way, just curious about the 'dents' being repaired. It makes sense that they are recovering loss value because of them, thanks for that explanation.

As far as the windscreen it was not cracked or broken so I'd bet 99% of the people could not find the 'very small ding' that was noted. Just like Wing noted in the first post about his Mz3, my 'ding' was also very small and hard to find. I just find it funny how they will find the smallest of dings in a windscreen but there could be something like a wheel bearing going out or the brakes are very close to being replaced.

For the record, my extra wear and tear charge was only $200. I was only curious about who the whole process worked.

[Cord]

I wasn't suggesting I was ripped off in any way,...

OK, that was just how I interpreted your question about getting your money back.

I just find it funny how they will find the smallest of dings in a windscreen but there could be something like a wheel bearing going out or the brakes are very close to being replaced.

That is because they sell these things at an auction. There is no opportunity for the bidder to check the brakes or wheel bearings. These days most bidders just see it on their computer screen for a few seconds. Visual damage is really all that matters in that situation, within reason of course.

[airbalancer]

"I just find it funny how they will find the smallest of dings in a windscreen "

A ding in a wind screen would look like crap

[webhead1]

I have a 2006 Ford Fusion lease which ends next month.  Back in October 2008 (approx. 45,000 kms) I experienced engine noise and took it to the Ford Dealer.  Was notified that the engine had seized and it needed a new one.  Was asked to provide service records.  After a few weeks of pushing the dealer submitted to Ford for warrantly and it was denied even though I received a message from the dealer that they had a Ford representative come out and inspect the vehicle and he supported the work under warranty.  Dealer wanted $3,800 to put in a rebuilt motor or $9,000 for a new one.  Needless to say I was frustrated and got a rebuilt put in for $2,700.  I took took the case to arbitration by using CAMVAP and won.  Ford was ordered to pay for the repairs and all the diagnostic charges from the dealer.  Now I am wondering how this will play out when I return the lease next month.  I have an inspection date set with Autovin in a few weeks.  Any input from anyone???

[Cord]

I took took the case to arbitration by using CAMVAP and won.

Good to hear. There is a vocal group that claims that CAMVAP never works for consumers.

Re: the lease return, they'll never know the engine was replaced. Even if they did, it wouldn't matter. You are allowed to repair the vehicle as long as it is done properly.

[natoer]

My Autovin inspection finished 30 min ago.  2006 Mazda 6. Overall no issues, with the exception of a some misalignment between the rear bumper and the right read fender at the wheel well. The attached photos show should give an idea of what I'm talking about - probably a couple of millimeters. The charge is $70 for bodywork...

[Thinking Out Loud]

My Autovin inspection finished 30 min ago.  2006 Mazda 6. Overall no issues, with the exception of a some misalignment between the rear bumper and the right read fender at the wheel well. The attached photos show should give an idea of what I'm talking about - probably a couple of millimeters. The charge is $70 for bodywork...

To push the fender IN or pull the bumper OUT?        For a large Tim Hortons Ill adjust it with a tug....on the BUMPER.