My lease is up

noonereal · #1 09-12-2009, 10:22 AM

My car lease is up at the end of the week and there is a car inspector out with my car now. I have been leasing cars forever and in the last 10 years I have leased 9 brand new cars. Generally for two years each.
Point is, I always simple go to the dealer and drop off the car. The salesman comes out to the car takes a quick look, (never taken a full minute) and I am on my way.

So this time for the first time a guy drove all the way out to my house, is taking dozens of pictures and said it will take him an hour or so to complete his inspection. Seems to me they have to pay him let's say $20 an hours X 3 hours (hour with car, drive out and back) pay for the car and gas ($50) he'll have to file his report with his office ($20) and of course his supervisor and shareholder will make money on this ($10). ($10 miscelanious like the pictures)

Now if Ford is billed $150 for this inspection, how much "stuff" do they need to find wrong with the car to justify the service?

noonereal · #2 09-12-2009, 10:29 AM

now let's say the air cooled seats don't work for example I will be billed. But the car is only two years old. How can Ford not take responsibility for making crap that fails in two years?? How can one fight back. You can't practically speaking. and that my friends is what is wrong with corporate American.
Don't even start me on the cell phones that come with a ione year grantee and a two year contract. What a gimmick that is.

Let me not get ahead of myself.

OvenMaster · #3 09-12-2009, 10:30 AM

A company will look for the smallest, most insignificant difference or discovery of damage while the car was in your hands in order to deny a claim or extract more cash. Even the slightest door ding or split seat seam will cost more than $150 to fix. If that happens, ka-ching! $$$ out of your pocket.

Back in the 80's, we rented a K-car for one day. We lost our $200 security deposit because the gas-pump jockey nicked the filler door jamming the nozzle in. We couldn't prove it was already there when we picked up the car.

merrylander · #4 09-12-2009, 11:33 AM

Our dealer used to have an Economy car rental (the "we pick you up guys") and when both our cars were in when the mice got into the wiring we were given a rental. They called late Friday afternoon and said the cars were ready. We drove ther and parked the car and handed the keys to the cashier. The rental desk was closed and no one thought to give them the keys until Monday - they tried to bill us for Thursday to Monday. They were politely told where to stick that bill.