[Closed] VWFS end of lease damage - leniency if new VW ordered?

Would fixing it not be more cost effective?

<this may not be good advice> For what it’s worth, my couple of hundred quid invoice for various issues at the end of my last lease got lost, only just found it and realised that they didn’t bother chasing me for it. Makes me wonder if it’s one of those ‘chancing their arm’ type charges that they’ve no hope of actually enforcing. Fair wear and tear is rather subjective after all <this may not be good advice>

Depends on the dealer (if you're doing a dealer switch) IMO. Had my Fabian assessed at the end of the lease to see what deal could be done and they were prepared to waive the excess mileage, ignore the two stone chips on the bonnet and wouldn't charge me for replacing the rear bumper after having a towbar fitted if I signed up for a new Fabia. Didn't go through with it in the end as the cost to change and have a new towbar fitted made it not worth it to me but the deal was there to be had. If I was just handing the car back it would have been a £900 bill but I just paid the balance off and kept it instead.

Had mine fixed at chips away and then no charges. My previous Mazda had been destroyed by the kids. Fortunately the big end bearings failed and. They wrote the car off at the time of renewal!

Get a quote if it’s fairly minor stuf.

If you owned the car would you have taken better care of it? I've had a few lease cars and owned cars and all have been treated the same, so no charges for returning.
Appreciate this sounds old skool, but you should look after stuff you are given as if it was your own. If you damage the vehicle then you should pay to fix it...or if that isn't your thing then you hand it back and take the cost of someone else fixing it on the chin.

If you damage the vehicle then you should pay to fix it…or if that isn’t your thing then you hand it back and take the cost of someone else fixing it on the chin.

As much as I agree with this as a general rule, but the OP hasn’t asked for dodgy ways to avoid paying what is due.
Sounds like he’s happy to pay but wondering if he’s likely to get a better deal if he orders another car at the same time.

No different to asking if dealers offer better deals or higher trade in valuations at certain times of the year/month.

VW will just want to off load that car to auction ASAP. The chances are any charges are no cheaper than if you had to get them fixed yourself. A fair few times I’ve not been charged for company fleet returns despite some various obvious damage which either wasn’t picked up somehow, or was and they still forgot to invoice. There again, I’ve been charged for stuff which which I should not have been.

My sister leased a follow on vehicle and was told to take the old one straight to auction house. Didn't go anywhere near the dealership.

When my other half traded in the PCP'd VW for a new one, they ignored all the damage with no charges. Damage included curbed wheels, scratched and lightly dented front, rear bumper and a wheel arch, plus scratches to the interior plastic. I couldn't believe it! Went well beyond reasonable ware and tare.

Similar situation for the mother in law. She drove her VW into the house (literally into the living room..) and then a few months later got rear ended at quite some speed. The car was fixed by VW, but there was was still signs of damage and scratches. That's also been traded in for a new one with no charges.

Ps: Neither of them get to drive my car.

The BCA charges are quite reasonable and are detailed in our PCH documents - you should know exactly what is likely to be charged. Then make a judgement as to whether them letting you off those charges outweighs being able to shop around

I don't think you can predict what they're going to charge you. My wife VT'd her Polo a couple of years ago, just before collection some swine whacked the wing mirror so it was sent back all stuck up with tape. No charge!! You might find they don't charge you for everything you expect them to.

I'm currently waiting for my citreon to be collected, I've heard PSA finance are a bit of a nightmare and I'm expecting a big bill. But that's just the way it goes, it's my fault and I accept i've got to pay what I owe.

I had a car on lease from VWFS which was collected directly by BCA. BCS and VWFS aren’t directly connected (apart from being contracted to dispose of the vehicle at auction) and I don’t think having another car from VWFS will sway the assessor.

Having said that, the fees were very fair - two scuffed alloys £50 each (19” diamond cut alloys, so not cheap to get done locally) and £200 for a large dent someone left me with in a car park..

If had two contrasting experiences with VWFS, a 104k Touran with a cracked bumper, a few third party car park scrapes, a scratched window and a wing mirror driven along the quarter panel got no charge. Yet a mint 30k Caddy no damage they got out the fine tooth comb, florescent light, black and white striped card and found two panels with damage that wasn't visible to the naked eye, or the dealer who'd supplied it & was supplying its replacement. They wanted 2x£120 +VAT.

I have a leased car, Prof North has PCP’d car sitting in the drive waiting to go back on a VT. She has a replacement car (which is already scraped...).

I look after my cars, so will ensure any damage is sorted (so far two minor scrapes from idiots in car parks). It’s a 2 year lease, so will just sort before it goes back. The excess mileage will be a tougher one.

Prof North’s car has had a significant rear end shunt so needs a report from the insurance co on how it was repaired before BMW FS/Alphera will take it back without hassle.

A ‘standard’ stone chip on the bonnet (or even a few of these) should not be classed as beyond normal wear and tear. There are fairly clear guidelines to follow, if you have purchased through any reputable company.

Blimey, what's everyone doing to get 'em scraped up. Dodgems ?

Just making progress.

Had an A4 on lease and the chap who inspected (he inspects VWs too) it told me to NEVER get it repaired before sending it back, the charges are much lower than repairs. I was a bit surprised as this was contrary to everything i'd read online. I ended up paying about £500 more than if i'd just left the damage.

I have a extensively damaged Touran with significant end of lease charges likely! But keen to order another, particularly if it cuts me some slack on the damage on the existing!?

You have to chuckle at the thought that the fee just disappears. It will be absorbed in the deal. Probably along with a soft future value for the new car because it'll come back ruined like the original.

Lease co's aren't charities. You are doing the paying.

I'd say the two aren't connected.

How would VAG finance know about what you were doing at the time that the BCA is checking your car?

And why would they care they are different ends of the business.

Rone has it.

The company who have collected my cars are just the ones who are selling it on or attanged to collect. The deal is done for the new one without even seeing the old one. I've had one set of chances over the years but they were too stupid as they didn't have the inspection paperwork so ended up being billed themselves.

If you owned the car would you have taken better care of it? I’ve had a few lease cars and owned cars and all have been treated the same, so no charges for returning.
Appreciate this sounds old skool, but you should look after stuff you are given as if it was your own

One of the things that puts me off leasing is I'd be more paranoid about the car being damaged. My current car I bought out-right (albeit second hand). since then it's been keyed and picked up a few dents (only one of them my fault) so I don't think 'taking care of it' is really the issue if the damage comes from other people (especially when you're not present).

Rone +1

Not linked. BCA assessors just have a list of cars to collect, so they fill out the bog standard forms, no matter whom is doing the leasing.

You could increase your chances of a blind eye by offering your assessor a nice cup of tea!

Have got away with a lot, and I’m a rate tart and just go to the cheapest, so have never renewed with the same company.

Last one (Volvo from Volvo Leasing / Lex) had a nail in the tyre (picked it up the day before collection), a six inch scratch, chewing gum on the seat (not mine) and pads scouring the discs.

The scratch was estimated at £450 by a local body shop (hence I decided to chance it) and main dealer brakes (inc new discs) were £650, so I had no intention of paying for the new owner.

Not a penny was invoiced.

Overall, I’d chance not doing the work. If any issues are picked up, the charges seem to reflect a decent price, unlike the ambitious costs invented by hire car companies.

Final thought is that I often wonder how much the cars actually fetch. Have been tempted to go along to the auction to see (they’ll usually tell you which site, but not the auction date).

VWFS can now offer you the chance to buy back your car before your end of lease, but the price seems to reflect a main dealer premium. Can’t believe they’d actually get anything like that at auction.

Additionally I've never been charged anything on returning cars.

Unless you're a real scruff - you'll probably be within the terms. They sometimes log the scratches etc but that doesn't mean you will get a bill.

VWFS can now offer you the chance to buy back your car before your end of lease, but the price seems to reflect a main dealer premium. Can’t believe they’d actually get anything like that at auction.

That's happened to me - I think you can negotiate. Didn't bother.

With both of the cars, we drove to VW and dropped them off at the same time as collecting the new car. The damage was assessed by VW when the new car was ordered. No BCA assessor present when initialed assessed at VW or subsequently dropped off.

I had a lease through VWFS a few years ago. At the end of the lease term, a separate inspection was done a day before pick up and to be honest, he was very harsh.

I had a small scratch on the rear bumper and a little stain on the passenger seat (water mark from a leaky cup). I managed to clean the seat as advised and the bumper was hardly noticeable.

When the guy came to pick it up from BCA, he did comment and say he can't see me being charged for the estimates. Then about a week later, I got an email trying to invoice me for the seat and bumper (around £400!).

I just replied to the email saying that the seat was already clean and I'd happily pay for the bumper if they could provide and invoice of the completed work (I also sent a paper copy via recorded post).

I eventually got a reply saying that they'd forget the fees as a good will gesture... Basically just trying it on for extra money. The car went straight to auction.

Cokie - PCH (lease) or PCP?

I’d happily pay for the bumper if they could provide and invoice of the completed work (I also sent a paper copy via recorded post).

Does sound like they were trying it on to squeeze some more cash out of you but if they'd stood firm presumably they don't have to provide an invoice for the repair, can't they just state that's their estimate of how much it devalued the car's resale price?