Re-leasing vehicle at end of lease? | FerrariChat

Re-leasing vehicle at end of lease?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by dantm, May 12, 2008.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. dantm

    dantm Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,103
    YYZ, BOS, SFO
    Full Name:
    Dan B.
    So my 2006 BMW Z4 lease is coming to an end this summer (3 months). BMW sent me info w.r.t. different options but they won't allow me to discuss re-lease terms with them prior to 60 days before lease end (apparently because of changing residuals and money factors).

    I had some questions for the group:

    (1) is there anywhere where I could find the ballpark numbers for my car (i.e. if my lease was ending today or in 1-2 months, what would be the numbers I'd be looking at;

    (2) do they let me keep the miles if I'm under or they re-set to 0 upon the start of the new lease (i.e. if I used 15K of a 20K lease and I renew for a 20K lease, will I end up with 25K?).

    (3) in general are re-lease options a good idea?

    Any other thoughts please let me know. I had a great deal on my 2006 and it's a fun car so I would not mind keeping it for another ~2 years.

    Thanks!!
     
  2. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    With a new lease comes new terms, I assume you will lose the miles you didn't use unless you barter with your salesman. Also to find out ball park numbers it would depend on what the numbers were to begin with. I've given some customers deals and I've nearly made others take out second mortgages. You could always search the net for a car like yours with the same options miles etc. Call the dealership and ask what you would be looking at.
     
  3. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    May 27, 2004
    19,749
    FL
    Full Name:
    Sean
    I re-leased my M3. 18mos was the best monthly cost, mileage was not a factor and the release was about 22% less.
     
  4. darkalley

    darkalley Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2004
    826
    Full Name:
    Jim
    bmw and mercedes are about to get KILLED on cars coming off lease. Both companies are going to lose insane amounts of money.........
     
  5. darkalley

    darkalley Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2004
    826
    Full Name:
    Jim
    Used-car price slump slams luxury makes

    Arlena Sawyers
    Automotive News
    May 5, 2008 - 12:01 am ET

    ENLARGE
    The residual effect
    New: A 2005 BMW 530i, shown, was projected to retain a wholesale value of $26,600 after 36 months — the length of a typical lease. 36 months later ... The 530i actually sold for an average wholesale price of about $23,000. Source: Black Book


    Used-vehicle prices are slumping in the United States, just as cars and trucks coming off lease are crowding the upscale pre-owned market.

    That's bad news for several luxury import brands and their captive finance companies, which rely heavily on leasing. Their used vehicles now are selling, in some cases, for thousands of dollars less than the automakers expected.

    Last week, BMW AG said it had taken a $372 million charge to reflect falling U.S. resale prices. The company reported a first-quarter pretax profit of about $844 million, down 24.8 percent from the year-ago quarter.

    BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer said the company's income from sales of end-of-lease vehicles in the United States was substantially less than anticipated.

    “The resale conditions of cars after the leasing period have worsened,” Reithofer said during an earnings conference call. “The fact that a large number of leasing contracts ended in the first quarter of 2008 compounded the situation.”

    Jan Ehlen, a spokesman for BMW North America LLC, said the number of BMW vehicles that came off lease between September 2007 and March 2008 rose 50 percent from the year-ago period. Ehlen declined to say how many off-lease vehicles BMW expects to send to the U.S. used-car market this year.

    Sales volume isn't BMW's problem. The company sold 34,461 certified used vehicles in the first four months of 2008 — 30.7 percent more than in the same period of 2007.

    Lower prices

    But those vehicles aren't bringing the resale prices that were predicted. When BMW's 2005-model vehicles were new, their average residual value — the projected wholesale value after three years — was $28,618, said Ricky Beggs, managing editor of Black Book, a guide to vehicle prices.

    Like other automakers, BMW generally leases vehicles for 36 months. So the 2005 models are coming off lease and joining the used-vehicle market now. Beggs said those cars and trucks are selling for an average wholesale price of $25,607 — more than $3,000 less than projected.

    Similarly, Beggs said, 2005-model Mercedes vehicles had an initial 36-month residual value of $34,472. But the current average wholesale sales price of those vehicles is $29,733 — more than $4,700 less.

    Executives of Daimler AG, Mercedes' parent company, said last week that the company had “sufficiently covered” the value of its off-lease vehicles. Daimler did not take a charge against first-quarter earnings.

    The problem is less pronounced for Lexus, Beggs said. Its 3-year-old used cars and trucks are selling for an average wholesale price of $23,571 — about $1,400 less than their projected residuals, he said.

    Overall, about 2.2 million off-lease vehicles will join the used-vehicle market this year, CNW Marketing Research predicts. About 1.9 million end-of lease vehicles were remarketed in 2007, compared with 1.8 million in 2006 and 1.7 million in 2005, CNW said.

    The increased supply of used vehicles and a sagging economy are driving down prices. In March 2008, average wholesale prices of used cars and trucks were 2.4 percent lower than in the year-ago month, ADESA Analytical Services said. Prices of luxury cars dropped 2.5 percent, and prices of luxury SUVs fell 9.3 percent.

    Automakers typically subsidize lease deals through their finance companies, to moderate monthly payments and keep lease volume high. Car companies can get burned when resale prices fall considerably below predicted residuals.

    CNW projects the industry's residual gap this year at about $6 billion. The record gap was about $10 billion in 2001, CNW said.

    "Economy is driving it'

    Between March 2007 and March 2008, the value of used luxury and near-luxury vehicles depreciated by 20 to 22 percent, Beggs said. In a good year for the industry, he said, that rate would be 15 to 17 percent. “The overall economy is driving it,” Beggs told Automotive News.

    Martin Hansberry, general manager of Tulley BMW in Nashua, N.H., said BMW is offering a range of initiatives to stimulate sales of certified used vehicles. They include special finance rates and more money for dealer advertising.

    “In the last six months they really stepped up their efforts,” Hansberry said.

    Tim Markel, a BMW, Mini, Land Rover and Jaguar dealer in Omaha, Neb., said he is committed to adding many of the BMW cars and trucks his dealership leased to his used-vehicle inventory. But X5 SUVs account for too many of those vehicles, he said.

    Compounding his problem, Markel said, is that customers are trading in big pickups and SUVs from other automakers for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Prices of used full-sized trucks are falling faster than those in other segments, he said.

    “Either I find a way to retail them, or they go to the auction,” Markel said. “There is pressure coming from two or three directions.”
     
  6. dantm

    dantm Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,103
    YYZ, BOS, SFO
    Full Name:
    Dan B.
    Interesting...

    I had the same issue with the Z4 that I got ~2 years ago (end of July 2006). Even back then the buy-back price (or the end-of-lease price that I can buy the car at) was much more than what 2 year-old cars were selling for (on eBay or otherwise). So I knew it would not make sense for me to buy-it at the end of the lease.

    The bad news for me is that I got a very advantageous lease deal originally (at a 0.98% interest rate), so the payments were very low. Right now, the car lease money factors from BMW are higher (i.e. ~3 - 4 % interest rate). The residuals have stayed approx. the same, and also prices have inched up.

    All in all most likely a higher $ monthly payment.

    Talked to the dealer as well; I guess their main goal is to move me into a new lease rather than re-lease the old car (money for the dealer is in the new car sale, right?).

    Thoughts, comments?

    Thanks!
     
  7. technom3

    technom3 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 29, 2007
    18,638
    Phoenix AZ
    Full Name:
    Justin
    don't release you car... you are going to be paying WAY more money than you should


    As a former BMW dealer I can tell you that you just need to go in and pick out a new one. The current incentives on New BMWS is ridiculous. Its a great time to lease a new one. They currently even will give you $2000 for turning in your lease early and getting another lease from them. You should really go down to the dealer and check it out.
     
  8. dantm

    dantm Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,103
    YYZ, BOS, SFO
    Full Name:
    Dan B.
    That is interesting...

    How *early* is early to turn the car back and qualify for the $2K? Also any idea of the money factors on re-leased cars? They would most likely be higher than for a new one (since old car = higher risk/etc.).

    Thanks.
     

Share This Page