Returning a lease car — what counts as normal wear and tear?
When a lease car is returned, a line is drawn between normal wear and chargeable damage. Here is the difference — and what is worth repairing before you hand it in.
Returning a lease car — what counts as normal wear and tear?
Short answer: Normal wear is the traces that naturally follow from age and ordinary use — small stone chips at the front, light wear on seats and steering wheel, fine wash marks in the paint. Dents, scratches through the paint, a cracked windscreen, kerbed wheels and missing services count as damage and are charged at return. Much of it is cheaper to repair in advance than to receive as a deduction.
Normally accepted
- Small stone chips on the bonnet and front from ordinary driving
- Light wear on upholstery, steering wheel and gear lever consistent with age and mileage
- Fine wash marks in the paint
- Minor marks on sill plates and in the boot from normal loading
Usually charged
- Dents and scratches through the paint — including "parking dents" on doors
- Kerbed or damaged wheels
- Cracks or larger stone chips in the windscreen
- Interior damage — tears, burn marks, stains that cannot be cleaned
- Missed services or gaps in the service history
- Missing equipment — keys, charging cables, parcel shelf, the second set of wheels
What we see most often at the workshop
Every autumn we get lease cars in a few weeks before return, and the pattern is the same: minor damage that could have been fixed affordably with smart repair — a door edge here, a wheel scratch there — is left until it appears as a deduction in the return report. In our experience, a check-up well before the return date almost always pays off: you have time to fix what is cheaper to repair than to be charged for, and to skip what is actually normal wear.
How to prepare the return
- Book an inspection of the car in good time — ideally a month or more before return
- Make sure all services are done and documented
- Repair minor damage professionally: smart repair, paintwork or stone-chip repair
- Return the car clean — a dirty car gets a stricter inspection
- Collect keys, charging cables and both sets of wheels
Is your business returning lease cars? We handle the inspection and repairs for you — read about our company-car agreement or call 41 17 32 24.
Specialists at Din Firmabil AS — a certified auto workshop in Sandefjord
Frequently asked questions
Can I repair damage myself before returning the lease car?
What happens if the service schedule has not been followed?
Is it worth fixing a stone chip in the windscreen before returning the car?
Need help with your car?
We are here for you. Book online, or call us at 41 17 32 24.
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