Disadvantages of Car Leasing

Car Leasing allows one to drive a brand new car for a certain period of time while paying a monthly fee. There may also be an up-front payment to be made.

Many people lease a car so they can frequently change their vehicle according to their changing family or business needs. It also avoids the large capital expenditure needed to buy a vehicle. But while many find car leasing an advantage, some are hesitant to lease a car because it involves a contract, which can be very complicated if the leaseholder wishes to break the agreement before the end of the term. Although most car leasing companies can tailor a package that lets customers choose the duration they want to keep the vehicle, some unexpected circumstances, like a sudden move, may compel the leaseholder to break the contract.

Just as in leasing a building or an apartment, the leaseholder can only use the car for an agreed period; usually 12 months. Moreover, the car’s annual mileage is usually limited to 12,000 to 15,000 miles. The leaseholder may have to pay extra costs if he or she exceeded the annual mileage set in the contract. The leaseholder will also have to pay penalties for any scratches or dents.

The rates to lease cars are typically higher than repayment rates might be if you took out a bank’s car loan. In addition, car-leasing companies require the leaseholder to get comprehensive insurance cover that is agreeable to them.

Credit requirements for car leasing are also typically more stringent than for purchasing. Usually, a car loan only requires a credit score of 650 to qualify, but a leasing company would often require a score of 725.

Having said all that many people, particularly business users, find car leasing very convenient. It avoids expensive repair and servicing costs and vehicle excise duty which is paid by the leasing company.

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Car Contract Hire

In today’s modern world, many individuals seek to find the ultimate set of wheels to match their character and passion. To supply the ever-growing demand for cars, numerous methods have arisen to assist these individuals in getting their dream cars. With the recent growth of the car leasing sector, many companies now supply car leasing assistance to potential owners. One of these companies is Car Contract Hire Ltd, a UK-based car leasing company.

The company presents integrated car leasing schemes. With its reliable corporate links, which include some of the most established banks in the United Kingdom, the company is capable of providing customers with comprehensive car leasing services. Here, prospective car users can select their dream car from a wide array of cars, encompassing almost all car types. Specifically, the company also has some of the best and most sophisticated cars around. Cars available include Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and Mazda. To provide net-surfing individuals with access that allows them to inquire and make transactions, the company has a website that presents key information concerning its business. In addition, its website presents all the cars that are available for lease.

As cars further evolve into their meanest and leanest form, car-crazed individuals might wonder how they will have a chance to get into the groove by driving the latest cars around. With Car Contact Hire car leasing services, these individuals now have a chance to be in the fast lane, driving some of the world’s finest cars.

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Leasing the New 5-Door Seat Ibiza 1.2

Many people, nowadays, prefer car leasing instead of purchasing a brand new car. Having wide demands for cars, various car dealers are offering different selections of car models for lease. The contracts and prices of each car are based on the models as well as on their specifications and technical data.

Dealers have a long list of car models that are offered for lease. One of the possibilities for vehicle leasing is the wide selection of Seat Ibizas, a supermini) that is manufactured by the Volkswagen Group and is sold under the brand name Seat.

Seat has recently launched its newest model of Ibiza, the 5-door Seat Ibiza 1.2. It features the well-established design of Volkswagen with a distinctive feature of providing customers with a sporty feeling while driving the car. The car’s fuel consumption and its emissions of carbon dioxide of up to 144 grams per kilometre are both great. Seat Ibiza 1.2 specifications include: Driver and Passenger Front Airbags, Air Conditioning, Anti-theft Roof Antenna, Deadlocks, Central Remote Locking, and Electric Front and Rear Windows. It also has a CD player that adds to the customers’ comfortable driving. The technical data of this model includes a pulling power of 83/3000 revolutions per minute with a maximum speed of up to 103 mph.

With these features, Seat Ibiza 1.2 is the best option for those who want to lease a car at a low cost, either for personal or business use. Leasing this car will not only give customers a fun driving experience but it will also save them from paying the high taxes intended for new cars.

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Car Lease for the BMW

BMW cars are available for contract leases, including Contract Hire. In order to see a detailed list of available models visit a car lease website and look at a car model’s details by clicking on it individually. Each model has varying lease rates according to the model type and specification.

BMW’s models come at a range of fixed monthly rates, from the cheapest at £237 for a 1 Series Hatchback, to the most luxurious and high-end £2,185 for an M6 Convertible, available for Contract Hire on www.carleasing.co.uk.

Currently, the smallest car produced by the German carmaker is also the cheapest among its model range. It is the 1 Series Hatchback model. It has a wide array of derivatives available with fixed monthly rates with the Contract Hire financing method. Its 116i [2.0] 3dr derivative costs £237 per month, and the most expensive and top-of-the-line derivative, the 130i V Sport 5dr Step with automatic transmission, has a rate of £440 per month. The 1 Series Hatchback has a very wide range of model specifications to check out.

The most luxurious BMW car leasing option is the lovely M6 Convertible, followed by the M6 Coupe model. Both are high-performance versions of the 6-Series, which are the crowned jewels of BMW. The M6 Convertible has only one derivative, which is available on Contract Hire at a price of £2,019 per month. The M6 Coupe is priced at £2,077 per month.

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Varieties of Cars for Leasing

Car leasing does to a great extent let customers acquire a car of their choice, although this is a bit restricted with smaller and cheaper models. Furthermore, car leasing allows clients to have a very desirable car that might otherwise be outside their price range to purchase. With so many options to choose from – models, price, etc. – it can be quite difficult to decide which type or model you want to lease. In choosing your car, there are important factors to consider, including make, the intended use (hatchback, saloon or estate), style, fuel consumption, the safety equipment, and the security features.

 

In selecting you car model you must consider both style and practicality at the same time. There are eight basic body styles to choose from: saloon, estate, hatchback, SUV (sports utility vehicle), MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), off-roader or cabrio, convertible, and coupe.

 

The engine type you choose will affect the performance, running costs and the character of your car. In the UK, alternative fuels are just starting to become popular; currently the main choices are still between petrol and diesel. There has been a revolution regarding diesel engine technology, making the engines more efficient and with less emissions being produced. Thus, choosing a diesel engined car might be the better choice if you’re aiming for economy.

 

Having appropriate safety equipment is very important for a car. The safety equipment you must look for in a car includes ABS or anti-lock braking system, seat belts, air bags, headrests, and child seat fittings.

 

Security devices on modern cars are quite effective when it comes to keeping a thief at bay. Some of the additional security features that augment car protection include central locking systems, deadlocks, alarms, immobilisers, and tracking systems.

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Understanding Car Lease Pricing

In order to understand how providers calculate their car lease pricing, you need to think of a car or other vehicle as just an asset. Like most other assets, the value of a car decreases as time goes by because its functional life gets shorter. In business terms, a car’s value “depreciates” over time.

 

Since a vehicle’s total mileage is considered a main selling point, everyone knows that a used car with 108,000 miles on the clock has a lower value than one with 30,000 even if they are the same age. This is why lease contracts are usually short term with a restricted mileage of 10 to 15,000 miles.  This maximises the car’s value for resale.

 

Car leasing companies use lots of historical information to predict a car’s market value at the end of a contract. For example, consider a new car that is priced in a showroom at £24,500 (bear in mind that a leasing company never pays the list price for a vehicle). Depending on the car’s make and model, leasing companies have a very good idea what that car would be worth on the open market after one year, after it has been driven about 10,000 miles.

 

Therefore, this car’s original showroom value is £24,500, and its residual value after one year might amount to £19,000. The lease payments must cover the car’s decrease in value over the duration of the lease, together with leasing charges and interest charges.  This allows the company to make a profit when the car is resold on the open market.

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The Advantages of Car Leasing

Leasing a car as an alternative to owning a car can offer great advantages. So, how could you benefit from car leasing?

 

Firstly, leasing a car costs less than buying a new car. There can be a 30%-60% difference between monthly lease payments and car loan payments for a single car model for the same payment term. In addition, regarding the possibility of switching cars from time to time, car leasing is obviously advantageous as you do not suffer the depreciation costs you will suffer if you buy. 

 

The manufacturer’s warranty for a purchased car may last for only one year. If you don’t extend the warranty, which can be very costly, any repairs and replacement parts will be at your cost.  Add to that other required financial obligations, like your car insurance, excise duty and servicing, and buying a car can start to look very costly. If you lease a vehicle the leasing company shoulders many of these obligations.

 

Another advantage is that leasing can be more cost efficient, because some leases offer low down payments, no down payments at all, or cheaper rates. Others even accept car trade-ins as an alternative or simply as a way to lower rates. In this way, getting rid of an old car is easier, and you are saved the hassle of advertising and negotiating with private buyers.

 

Car leasing has many advantages and is very suitable for some people, particularly business users.

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Insurance for Leased Cars

Car leasing companies require their customers to have insurance coverage for the leased car that meets with their approval. Proof of this insurance must be produced to the company before the lease commences.  This is because the leased car remains the property of the car lease company and they, naturally enough, want to make certain that their property is sufficiently covered in case an accident occurs that destroys or damages the vehicle.  The car could also of course be stolen whilst in a customer’s care.

 

Many people feel that it is most convenient to use the insurance company that the leasing company might recommend, but in fact it pays to compare some quotes from other insurance companies. If you do this, you may well secure a lower premium. This will depend on your driving record; if you have more than one car in a family, car security, and where the car is kept when not in use. The usual factors, such as the car make or model, your claims history, possible repair costs, driver’s age and so on, also have an effect on insurance costs whether the car is leased or privately owned.

 

Regardless of the insurance company you choose, keep in mind that the particular vehicle or car that you lease affects your insurance rates. For example a very sporty car with a powerful engine will cost a lot more to insure than a standard saloon.  It is all about risk.  If you choose a car that is very sought after by car thieves this will also be reflected in a higher premium.

 

Can one find cheap comprehensive car insurance? The answer is no. But you can find cheaper car insurance.  The secret is to shop around.  But remember when leasing that the leasing company must approve the policy.

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Getting the Best Car Lease Deals

Finding and securing great car leasing deals is not very difficult if you know where to look.  There are several UK companies now operating in this field and most have an Internet presence, so your research is easy to complete.
 
The best car leasing deals are attached to cars with the following characteristics: high residual value at the end of the lease period (low depreciation), and those purchased at the best discounts by the leasing company.

 

A car with a high second hand value at the end of a 12-month lease will provide you with the best leasing deal. Cars such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Volvo are favoured by the companies because of their higher than average second hand values.  This residual is usually expressed as a part or percentage of the showroom price. The higher the residual percentage, the better lease deal it will be.

 

The money factor, or the lease rate, is also important in lease deals. Money factor is linked and related to the rate of interest. The APR (annual interest rate) can be computed by multiplying the money factor by 2400. An APR lower than the average new-car purchase interest rate will contribute to a good deal.

 

Getting a highly discounted lease price is obviously a bonus.  Good deals often become available on particular models so check regularly on the Internet to see what is available.  You might be lucky in that the car of your dreams comes on special offer.

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Parking advice: Where to park to ensure your car’s safety

When you park your car, you expect that it will remain safe until you return and not be damaged or stolen. The truth is that whenever you park your car, even if it’s outside your house, there is often some sort of security risk, however slim that may be. 

The gamble you take is whether your car is truly safe when you leave it. Taking some time to take note of the location of your car and what is inside the car can make all the difference in making sure your car comes to no harm. What follows is a short list of top tips to park safely and also maximise the chances of deterring any opportunist thieves.

Park in well lit, public areas

Car thieves tend to do their dirty work at night, usually under the cover of darkness. Making sure you park near street lights and not down quiet streets can make sure that any would-be carjacker will see your car as too much of a risk to try and steal or break into.

Park near CCTV cameras

As well as the previous point, parking within view of a CCTV camera could deter potential thieves from tampering and if it were to be damaged whilst you are away then there is probably a greater chance of finding those responsible with the help of the camera’s footage.

Keep all valuables and money out of sight

Having valuables such as expensive in-car equipment including satellite navigation units and mobile phones devices on view in your car is asking for criminals to break in. Money should also be hidden from view, make good use of your glove box and if this can be locked then make sure you lock it before leaving your car.  Wiping any obvious marks from satellite navigation mounts from your windscreen is vital too and that could be an obvious giveaway that you use and keep one in the vehicle.

Choose your parking space wisely

You may not think it is important but where you park in a public car park such as the supermarket can have consequences. It’s said that it is best to park away from the trolley shelter in car parks as some people are careless and don’t return them properly, causing them to roll away and possibly bang into and scrape your car.

Leave plenty of space either side of your car

Make sure that when you choose your parking space you are able to open your doors with adequate room. If you are parked too close to either side then it will make exiting the car very difficult and other driver may not be as careful with their car doors which could lead to dents or scratches.

These are just a few tips on parking but as long as you are aware of your surroundings and practice a bit of common sense then you should be able to avoid any dangerous situations and minimise risk in order to keep your car in perfect condition.

Related motoring subjects include: Car Finance, Welcome Car Credit & Bad Credit Car Finance

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