Just returned my lease...
12-30-11, 03:08 PM
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Just returned my lease...
Just returned my lease for my 2007 Lexus GS350 AWD. Was a great car while I had it for four years, but it had to go back... Was getting bored and want to try something new.
The return process was actually quite easy. At first I was getting hassled by a sales rep every day with new e-mails about the new GS 350 coming out this March. This started about 2 months before my expiry date. That was getting annoying and I could really tell he just wanted to sell me a new car instead of answering my questions about returning my current car. I asked him to exclude me from his e-mail chain, and the messages stopped, so all good in the end.
I ended up taking the car back to the place where I serviced my car, instead of where I bought it. At first I thought I would get attitude for this, but they were really cool about it.
Process:
1. Made an appointment for vehicle pre-inspection 1 week before expiry
--- they do this so they can tell you if the "wear and tear" is more than they will accept. This way you know in advance if there will be deductions to deposit or penalties on the day you return. I would recommend doing this at least 2-3 weeks before as it will give you options to take to your own body-shop instead of accepting Lexus dealer price for repairs. I knew nothing was wrong with my car (only 50,000 KM and great condition) so 1 week was good for me.
2. Made an appointment for the day before my expiry with the lease return manager
--- so easy... just show up, they take off your plates, one last inspection, take your vehicle registration form (bring this with you, keep the plate version), and check "no" to a bunch of ridiculous used car questions (have you ever set fire to your car -- something like that..)
3. Wait for deposit in the mail...
--- This should only take 2-3 weeks, so hoping Lexus doesn't drag their heals or try and find a reason to deduct or delay my deposit refund... fingers crossed.
Overall, great experience with the car (once dash rattles fixed), no regrets, and easy lease return process (pending deposit refund). Props to Northwest Lexus (my service shop) for making it simple.
Figured I would share my experience... I still have a 2003 IS 300 and will keep that forever, or as long as it will live. And who knows what my next car will be, but it won't be the new GS...
The return process was actually quite easy. At first I was getting hassled by a sales rep every day with new e-mails about the new GS 350 coming out this March. This started about 2 months before my expiry date. That was getting annoying and I could really tell he just wanted to sell me a new car instead of answering my questions about returning my current car. I asked him to exclude me from his e-mail chain, and the messages stopped, so all good in the end.
I ended up taking the car back to the place where I serviced my car, instead of where I bought it. At first I thought I would get attitude for this, but they were really cool about it.
Process:
1. Made an appointment for vehicle pre-inspection 1 week before expiry
--- they do this so they can tell you if the "wear and tear" is more than they will accept. This way you know in advance if there will be deductions to deposit or penalties on the day you return. I would recommend doing this at least 2-3 weeks before as it will give you options to take to your own body-shop instead of accepting Lexus dealer price for repairs. I knew nothing was wrong with my car (only 50,000 KM and great condition) so 1 week was good for me.
2. Made an appointment for the day before my expiry with the lease return manager
--- so easy... just show up, they take off your plates, one last inspection, take your vehicle registration form (bring this with you, keep the plate version), and check "no" to a bunch of ridiculous used car questions (have you ever set fire to your car -- something like that..)
3. Wait for deposit in the mail...
--- This should only take 2-3 weeks, so hoping Lexus doesn't drag their heals or try and find a reason to deduct or delay my deposit refund... fingers crossed.
Overall, great experience with the car (once dash rattles fixed), no regrets, and easy lease return process (pending deposit refund). Props to Northwest Lexus (my service shop) for making it simple.
Figured I would share my experience... I still have a 2003 IS 300 and will keep that forever, or as long as it will live. And who knows what my next car will be, but it won't be the new GS...
Last edited by spider_55; 01-02-12 at 02:23 PM. Reason: Added pics
01-14-12, 12:00 PM
#2
Sad to see you get rid of the 3GS. You were one of the first guys in the GTA on CL that had a modded 3GS, from what I could tell anyway. My lease is up in April and I too am not liking the 4GS. Unfortunately for me, I'm way over my km allotment (I'm at 117,000km...) so I will be forced to buy it out, unless I can find someone to buy my car at the buyout price. That would then leave me with another problem: A replacement for the 3GS. Any front-runners for a replacement for your 3GS?
Just returned my lease for my 2007 Lexus GS350 AWD. Was a great car while I had it for four years, but it had to go back... Was getting bored and want to try something new.
The return process was actually quite easy. At first I was getting hassled by a sales rep every day with new e-mails about the new GS 350 coming out this March. This started about 2 months before my expiry date. That was getting annoying and I could really tell he just wanted to sell me a new car instead of answering my questions about returning my current car. I asked him to exclude me from his e-mail chain, and the messages stopped, so all good in the end.
I ended up taking the car back to the place where I serviced my car, instead of where I bought it. At first I thought I would get attitude for this, but they were really cool about it.
Process:
1. Made an appointment for vehicle pre-inspection 1 week before expiry
--- they do this so they can tell you if the "wear and tear" is more than they will accept. This way you know in advance if there will be deductions to deposit or penalties on the day you return. I would recommend doing this at least 2-3 weeks before as it will give you options to take to your own body-shop instead of accepting Lexus dealer price for repairs. I knew nothing was wrong with my car (only 50,000 KM and great condition) so 1 week was good for me.
2. Made an appointment for the day before my expiry with the lease return manager
--- so easy... just show up, they take off your plates, one last inspection, take your vehicle registration form (bring this with you, keep the plate version), and check "no" to a bunch of ridiculous used car questions (have you ever set fire to your car -- something like that..)
3. Wait for deposit in the mail...
--- This should only take 2-3 weeks, so hoping Lexus doesn't drag their heals or try and find a reason to deduct or delay my deposit refund... fingers crossed.
Overall, great experience with the car (once dash rattles fixed), no regrets, and easy lease return process (pending deposit refund). Props to Northwest Lexus (my service shop) for making it simple.
Figured I would share my experience... I still have a 2003 IS 300 and will keep that forever, or as long as it will live. And who knows what my next car will be, but it won't be the new GS...
The return process was actually quite easy. At first I was getting hassled by a sales rep every day with new e-mails about the new GS 350 coming out this March. This started about 2 months before my expiry date. That was getting annoying and I could really tell he just wanted to sell me a new car instead of answering my questions about returning my current car. I asked him to exclude me from his e-mail chain, and the messages stopped, so all good in the end.
I ended up taking the car back to the place where I serviced my car, instead of where I bought it. At first I thought I would get attitude for this, but they were really cool about it.
Process:
1. Made an appointment for vehicle pre-inspection 1 week before expiry
--- they do this so they can tell you if the "wear and tear" is more than they will accept. This way you know in advance if there will be deductions to deposit or penalties on the day you return. I would recommend doing this at least 2-3 weeks before as it will give you options to take to your own body-shop instead of accepting Lexus dealer price for repairs. I knew nothing was wrong with my car (only 50,000 KM and great condition) so 1 week was good for me.
2. Made an appointment for the day before my expiry with the lease return manager
--- so easy... just show up, they take off your plates, one last inspection, take your vehicle registration form (bring this with you, keep the plate version), and check "no" to a bunch of ridiculous used car questions (have you ever set fire to your car -- something like that..)
3. Wait for deposit in the mail...
--- This should only take 2-3 weeks, so hoping Lexus doesn't drag their heals or try and find a reason to deduct or delay my deposit refund... fingers crossed.
Overall, great experience with the car (once dash rattles fixed), no regrets, and easy lease return process (pending deposit refund). Props to Northwest Lexus (my service shop) for making it simple.
Figured I would share my experience... I still have a 2003 IS 300 and will keep that forever, or as long as it will live. And who knows what my next car will be, but it won't be the new GS...
01-15-12, 09:16 AM
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Yeah, they kind of got you in a bad place when you go over the km. Either buy it out drive it to the ground, pay the km penalty and walk away, or get another car from them and make them eat the km penalty. I am sure if you went for another Lexus they would take care of you, just don't expect the best purchase deal I guess.
Lexus pulled through in the end. They sent my full deposit back within a couple of weeks. Very happy with the service!
I am considering the following in order of preference:
Audi S4 (new face lift available to order May-ish with delivery near July - pure speculation)
IS350 - great car for the money, just don't know if I want to try another company. Never had a German... Also not sure I want to commit, as you know the IS will get the same facelift and interior changes as the GS next year (2013)
BMW 335 coupe - not sure if I wait for the F30 or try and get a deal on the current model
Mercedes CLS - used CLS 550 starting with 2009 model as big improvements to interior and nav - very big car, but man this is sexy
BMW 135 - I think this car is so ugly (3 series rear ended) but the fun to drive factor may be worth it - I had a big car for 4 years and considering going small and sporty - as long as rear facing car seat will fit...
Wish list:
ISF - too much $ and I will die in the snow, but I would love to have this car over any of the above
Mercedes C63 - same reason as ISF, I can't afford
What about you? What were you thinking of? Same size sedan as GS (Infiniti M), or going smaller and sporty, or bigger and more luxurious (BMW 7, CLS)? Also, due to your km usage, are you done with leasing?
Lexus pulled through in the end. They sent my full deposit back within a couple of weeks. Very happy with the service!
I am considering the following in order of preference:
Audi S4 (new face lift available to order May-ish with delivery near July - pure speculation)
IS350 - great car for the money, just don't know if I want to try another company. Never had a German... Also not sure I want to commit, as you know the IS will get the same facelift and interior changes as the GS next year (2013)
BMW 335 coupe - not sure if I wait for the F30 or try and get a deal on the current model
Mercedes CLS - used CLS 550 starting with 2009 model as big improvements to interior and nav - very big car, but man this is sexy
BMW 135 - I think this car is so ugly (3 series rear ended) but the fun to drive factor may be worth it - I had a big car for 4 years and considering going small and sporty - as long as rear facing car seat will fit...
Wish list:
ISF - too much $ and I will die in the snow, but I would love to have this car over any of the above
Mercedes C63 - same reason as ISF, I can't afford
What about you? What were you thinking of? Same size sedan as GS (Infiniti M), or going smaller and sporty, or bigger and more luxurious (BMW 7, CLS)? Also, due to your km usage, are you done with leasing?
01-17-12, 06:19 PM
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also... you can try finding someone to take over your lease now, instead of waiting for the end of lease. If they take over now, they can purchase car at the end of lease on their own, versus you having to purchase in April, pay tax, then selling the car to them, and having them pay tax on the sale.
Obviously, you would have to find someone that wanted to buy your car. But this way, you don't pay tax and have to sell the car for an additional 13% higher so you don't lose out.
Not sure if there is a cut off on when you are allowed to transfer a lease, as I am sure they don't want to encourage this in the last month of the lease, but that could be something to look in to... Just a thought...
Obviously, you would have to find someone that wanted to buy your car. But this way, you don't pay tax and have to sell the car for an additional 13% higher so you don't lose out.
Not sure if there is a cut off on when you are allowed to transfer a lease, as I am sure they don't want to encourage this in the last month of the lease, but that could be something to look in to... Just a thought...
01-18-12, 02:18 PM
#5
Those are some pretty nice cars you're considering. I flirted with the idea of the S5 but after optioning it out, couldn't justify the $70k+ MSRP they wanted for a car that had slightly better performance than a GS with questionable long-term reliability. But man is the S5 one nice looking car. (The facelift for 2013 doesn't look so great though, and it's a shame they're doing away with the naturally aspirated V8 for the supercharged V6.)
I also thought about the C63 just because of the flat out performance and the fact that for almost the same price as the ISF, you get a car that has more power and looks better (my opinion-- not a fan of the stacked, non-functional exhaust of the ISF). Again, still pretty pricey relatively speaking (almost $70k MSRP with the options I'd want). I'm a little put off by driving RWD since I drive quite a bit for work and find myself driving in areas with a bit more snow than Toronto (e.g. Barrie). The GS350 AWD with snow tires has been awesome up there.
I've never owned German either and thought maybe it'd be interesting to try and see what it's like to own one. Frankly I'm afraid of all the horror stories I've heard about the reliability of operating one.
I'd love to get into an LS600hL but that's a pipe dream. Even a 2008 LS600hL seems to go for like $60k+. I prefer larger cars over smaller cars so the S class looks nice but way way out of my price range. In fact, the GS, while it didn't break the bank, was a bit more than I was willing to spend when I first got it. I was initially looking at the IS250 AWD but found it way too underpowered (coming from a Nissan Maxima with 255 hp and a 6MT) and I've always liked the GS ever since I saw the 1GS as a kid, so I made the decision to spend a bit more than I had planned.
As for your suggestion about finding another owner for the car, yeah, the thought has occurred to me, and the used car prices seem to be around my buyout price, so I could potentially find someone to take over my lease, but then that still leaves me having to find another vehicle, and to be honest, there's no realistic vehicle out there that really makes me want to go out and pay the big bucks. The Equus looks interesting but there's no lease option and paying that much for a Hyundai is a little hard to do.
The GS rattles like no tomorrow (gave up on it after taking it in like 5 times-- out of warranty now so I might give it a go myself when the weather warms up) and the brakes are squeaky (even with the TSB "fix"), and sometimes I get a rough start noise from the engine, and the steering wheel makes a strange noise when I first start the car, but other than that, it's a pretty solid car.
At least those things won't leave me stranded on the side of the road (knock on wood).
Despite the driving I do, it makes sense for me to lease for however many years and then buy it out afterwards, as long as the buyout is around $30k. I do a lot of business-related driving and this makes the most sense for me, tax-wise.
So many nice cars out there, not enough money...
I also thought about the C63 just because of the flat out performance and the fact that for almost the same price as the ISF, you get a car that has more power and looks better (my opinion-- not a fan of the stacked, non-functional exhaust of the ISF). Again, still pretty pricey relatively speaking (almost $70k MSRP with the options I'd want). I'm a little put off by driving RWD since I drive quite a bit for work and find myself driving in areas with a bit more snow than Toronto (e.g. Barrie). The GS350 AWD with snow tires has been awesome up there.
I've never owned German either and thought maybe it'd be interesting to try and see what it's like to own one. Frankly I'm afraid of all the horror stories I've heard about the reliability of operating one.
I'd love to get into an LS600hL but that's a pipe dream. Even a 2008 LS600hL seems to go for like $60k+. I prefer larger cars over smaller cars so the S class looks nice but way way out of my price range. In fact, the GS, while it didn't break the bank, was a bit more than I was willing to spend when I first got it. I was initially looking at the IS250 AWD but found it way too underpowered (coming from a Nissan Maxima with 255 hp and a 6MT) and I've always liked the GS ever since I saw the 1GS as a kid, so I made the decision to spend a bit more than I had planned.
As for your suggestion about finding another owner for the car, yeah, the thought has occurred to me, and the used car prices seem to be around my buyout price, so I could potentially find someone to take over my lease, but then that still leaves me having to find another vehicle, and to be honest, there's no realistic vehicle out there that really makes me want to go out and pay the big bucks. The Equus looks interesting but there's no lease option and paying that much for a Hyundai is a little hard to do.
The GS rattles like no tomorrow (gave up on it after taking it in like 5 times-- out of warranty now so I might give it a go myself when the weather warms up) and the brakes are squeaky (even with the TSB "fix"), and sometimes I get a rough start noise from the engine, and the steering wheel makes a strange noise when I first start the car, but other than that, it's a pretty solid car.
At least those things won't leave me stranded on the side of the road (knock on wood).Despite the driving I do, it makes sense for me to lease for however many years and then buy it out afterwards, as long as the buyout is around $30k. I do a lot of business-related driving and this makes the most sense for me, tax-wise.
So many nice cars out there, not enough money...
Yeah, they kind of got you in a bad place when you go over the km. Either buy it out drive it to the ground, pay the km penalty and walk away, or get another car from them and make them eat the km penalty. I am sure if you went for another Lexus they would take care of you, just don't expect the best purchase deal I guess.
Lexus pulled through in the end. They sent my full deposit back within a couple of weeks. Very happy with the service!
I am considering the following in order of preference:
Audi S4 (new face lift available to order May-ish with delivery near July - pure speculation)
IS350 - great car for the money, just don't know if I want to try another company. Never had a German... Also not sure I want to commit, as you know the IS will get the same facelift and interior changes as the GS next year (2013)
BMW 335 coupe - not sure if I wait for the F30 or try and get a deal on the current model
Mercedes CLS - used CLS 550 starting with 2009 model as big improvements to interior and nav - very big car, but man this is sexy
BMW 135 - I think this car is so ugly (3 series rear ended) but the fun to drive factor may be worth it - I had a big car for 4 years and considering going small and sporty - as long as rear facing car seat will fit...
Wish list:
ISF - too much $ and I will die in the snow, but I would love to have this car over any of the above
Mercedes C63 - same reason as ISF, I can't afford
What about you? What were you thinking of? Same size sedan as GS (Infiniti M), or going smaller and sporty, or bigger and more luxurious (BMW 7, CLS)? Also, due to your km usage, are you done with leasing?
Lexus pulled through in the end. They sent my full deposit back within a couple of weeks. Very happy with the service!
I am considering the following in order of preference:
Audi S4 (new face lift available to order May-ish with delivery near July - pure speculation)
IS350 - great car for the money, just don't know if I want to try another company. Never had a German... Also not sure I want to commit, as you know the IS will get the same facelift and interior changes as the GS next year (2013)
BMW 335 coupe - not sure if I wait for the F30 or try and get a deal on the current model
Mercedes CLS - used CLS 550 starting with 2009 model as big improvements to interior and nav - very big car, but man this is sexy
BMW 135 - I think this car is so ugly (3 series rear ended) but the fun to drive factor may be worth it - I had a big car for 4 years and considering going small and sporty - as long as rear facing car seat will fit...
Wish list:
ISF - too much $ and I will die in the snow, but I would love to have this car over any of the above
Mercedes C63 - same reason as ISF, I can't afford
What about you? What were you thinking of? Same size sedan as GS (Infiniti M), or going smaller and sporty, or bigger and more luxurious (BMW 7, CLS)? Also, due to your km usage, are you done with leasing?
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