Normal Wear vs. Chargeable Damage: How to Judge Your Own Car
Leasing companies define 'excess wear' in their contracts. Here is a practical way to walk around your car and sort scuffs from bills.
Every lease contract allows for some wear. A car that has been driven for three years will have small marks, and the contract acknowledges that. The question is where "normal" ends. The line is written in your paperwork, usually as a wear and use guide, and it is more specific than most people expect.
Start with the document, not a rule of thumb
Find your lease's wear and use guide, or ask your leasing company to send it. Many include measurements: a dent smaller than a certain size, a scratch shorter than a certain length, tire tread above a minimum depth. If a size is stated, use a ruler. If it is not stated, you are relying on the inspector's judgment, which is a good reason to have a pre-inspection.
A walk-around in six zones
- Paint and body: Check each panel in daylight. Look for dings, creases, and scratches that go through the clear coat. A fingernail test helps: if your nail catches, the scratch is deeper than the surface.
- Glass: Chips and cracks in the windshield are commonly treated differently from tiny pits. Check the contract for size limits.
- Wheels and tires: Curb rash on wheels, uneven tire wear, and mismatched tire brands are all common charge items. Measure tread depth with a gauge.
- Interior: Stains, burns, tears, and odors can be chargeable. Normal seat creasing generally is not.
- Under the hood and underneath: Fluid leaks and missing items may be noted. Make sure your service records are up to date.
- Equipment: Both keys, the manuals, any removable cargo items, and the original equipment that came with the car.
Repair first, or pay the charge?
Sometimes a repair shop will fix a dent for less than the lessor would charge. Sometimes the lessor's own rate is lower than a retail repair. Get a quote, then compare it to the figure on the inspection report. If you are fixing something, keep receipts, because it helps if there is a dispute later.
Also keep in mind that if you are buying the car, none of this may matter in the same way. A purchase usually means the lessor is not inspecting for return condition. You would still want to know about problems for your own reasons, which is the point of our Inspect Before You Buy episode.
Photograph everything
Take clear pictures of every panel, the wheels, the interior, and the odometer on the day you return the car. Time stamps matter. If the lessor later claims a damage item, your photos show the car's condition when it left your hands.
When you disagree with a charge
- Ask for the itemized inspection report, not just a total.
- Compare each item to your contract's wear and use guide.
- Ask what the charge is based on: a repair estimate, a flat schedule, or a lost resale value.
- Put your dispute in writing and keep a copy.
How this connects to your decision
Wear charges are one side of the return-versus-buy scale. If they are large, buying looks better. If they are small, other numbers matter more. Our disposition fee post covers the other fixed charge that comes with returning a car.
Champion Auto Finance
Thinking about buying out your lease? Learn more and get started at championautofinance.com, or ask Joe a question.
More from the blog
- Add-Ons Offered With a Lease Buyout Loan: GAP, Service Contracts and Saying No
- Wear-and-Tear Charges vs. Buying Your Lease: What the Inspection Decides
- The Odometer Statement You Sign When You Buy Your Leased Car
Champion Auto Finance is a NJ DOBI-licensed financing partner, not a lender, coordinating lease buyout financing for drivers nationwide. Approvals and terms are subject to lender underwriting. Nothing on this site or in these episodes is legal, tax or financial advice.