I just got my first issue of Bottom Line Magazine, and it had an article about not getting overcharged when your car lease is up. I just got done with a car lease of my own, and I used a few of these tips. I also wanted to pass along my experience as it may help some of you out there.

  • Try not to lease from Chrysler
    I have leased from GM and Chrysler, and Chrysler charges you $300 if you do not lease another Chrysler car when you are done with your lease. My uncle got out of this $300 charge by calling and stating he was a Chrysler employee for 30 years and a Chrysler retiree. GM does not have a charge like, and I do not think any other car company does. Chrysler does not tell you about this charge up front either. I had to find out about it through my uncle, and he found out about it from the bill.

  • Chrysler tried to charge me $112 to damage to the left front fender. Problem was this was fixed by a Chrysler dealership. All I had to do was fax in the bill from the dealership, and they threw away the $112 charge. It was funny, the lady on the phone from Chrysler Financial could not believe that a Chrysler dealership had fixed the car because it was in such bad shape.
  • If there is damage that is repairable (like a broken windshield), get it fixed before you turn it in. The dealership is never the place to go to have something on your car fixed, unless it is under warranty. I got the windshield fixed for $100, and the dealership wanted to charge me over $300.
  • If you do get something fixed, do not involve your insurance company. If the damage is expensive enough that it costs more than your deductible, you should have had it fixed before you turned the car in. Most damage should cost less than your deductible anyway, so there is no reason to involve the insurance. If you do involve the insurance company, they might tag you as an insurance risk and raise your premiums.

Needless to say, Chrysler Financial called me and told me I owed $250+ for turning in my lease. After talking with them, they are sending me a check. I don’t mind Chrysler cars, my wife is driving a very nice Town and Country for very little money, but you need to watch out for their hidden fees.

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