Keeping a leased car in perfect condition can be fairly difficult, especially when you get a lot of use out of your car. Accidents are common in any condition, particularly in the colder months. Even if you haven’t been in an accident, small dents and scratches can happen, leading your leased car to look worse for wear by the end of your lease period. 

However, returning a damaged car at the end of your lease can cause you to pay a lot of fees and penalties depending on your dealership. You may run the risk of paying a lot more in damage fees than you should. Instead, getting your car checked out by an auto body shop before returning it can help you avoid these fees and have a smooth return process with your car dealer. 

Car Lease Inspection

If your lease return is coming up, it might be helpful to take a look at what car lease inspectors look for when they check your car for damage. 

This can include a variety of things, but typically involves: 

• Damaged car body due to dents, dings, scratches, or even due to improper body repair work 
• Worn out and dented wheels from hitting curbs 
• Upholstery tears or burns that are irreparable by simple refurbishing 
• Cracks and stars on the windshields 

How To Avoid Damage Fees On Your Leased Car

1. Maintain Your Car’s Condition With Regular Inspection 

While this is more of a preventative measure, if your lease return date is not for a while, it might be helpful to inspect your car thoroughly as regularly as you can. Certain events and usage can also call for more careful inspection. For example, if you have taken a long road trip, inspect your car and make sure you get any damage repaired as soon as possible. Better yet, bring your car into an auto body shop if you think there may be some damage to it. Getting a professional’s help will avoid any trouble in the future. 

2. Get Your Car Serviced Regularly 

Getting your car serviced as regularly as recommended, usually every 12 months or every 12,000 miles is important. Servicing will involve checking for brakes, oil, filters, and engine condition and can help you drive safer, in turn avoiding accidents while you drive. Regular car servicing is a financial investment that you could benefit from down the road.

3. Bring Your Car To An Auto Body Shop Before Returning 

Ready to return your car? Even if you have taken the preventative measures and taken great care of your car, bringing it to an auto body shop can be helpful. Our damage appraisers at SK Auto Body can thoroughly examine your car for any small signs of damage that may not be acceptable during return at a car dealership. Getting the damage fixed up front can help you avoid damage fees, which can cost you much more than what you might pay for some repairs at an auto body shop. At SK Auto Body, we will work with you to make sure your car repairs are done quickly and with great care. 

Just leased a new car and want to know how you can take good care of it? Want to get an inspection in the middle of your lease? About to return your car and want to make sure it’s in pristine condition before heading to the dealership? SK Auto Body has your back. 

Reach out to us about any questions you might have! 

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🗺️Stop by: 348 Howe St, Methuen, MA 01844⁠