How to Lease a Car in Cullman

After you’ve compared leasing vs. financing, and you’ve chosen to lease, it’s time to kickstart the process. If you’ve never leased a car, you’re probably wondering, “How does car leasing work?” In our guide below, Mitch Smith Chevrolet, Inc. answers your most pressing questions. Read on to learn about the following:

• Starting a Lease
• What to Do During Your Lease 
• What to Do at the End of Your Lease 

Starting a Lease

You’ve already chosen a car that suits your budget and lifestyle. So, here’s what you need to do next:

1. Budget: Car leasing in Cullman, AL is a popular choice because it’s affordable. However, you’ll still need to budget for your monthly lease payments. Our payment calculator can help.
2. Figure Out How Much You Drive Yearly: Car leasing comes with mileage restrictions, so you want to make sure the mileage cap aligns with your driving needs. 
3. Get the Best Offers: Explore our lease offers and new vehicle specials for savings on your next leased vehicle. 
4. Negotiate: After you’ve chosen a car, you can negotiate the amount you’ll pay monthly. You can also trade in a car to reduce your costs. 
5. Sign and Drive: Make sure you understand the fine print concerning things like penalties for excessive damage or going over your mileage restrictions. You’ll also have closing costs and taxes as well. 

What to Do During Your Lease

There are some restrictions and other points of interest that you should be aware of before leasing, such as: 

1. Mileage Restrictions: If you exceed your allowed milage during your lease, you’ll have to pay a penalty. 
2. Maintenance: Keeping up with maintenance is critical when you lease. Otherwise, you’ll be responsible for repair costs when you return the car. 
3. Alterations: When you lease, you don’t own the car. Most of the time, alterations of any kind are prohibited by the lease. 
4. Breaking Your Lease: If you break your lease, you’ll more than likely have to pay a penalty fee, which will be outlined in the initial terms and conditions. There are always exceptions, of course, but we recommend not breaking your lease. 

What to Do at the End of Your Lease

When your lease ends, you have a few options available to you. You can take any of the following courses of action: 

• Return your leased vehicle 
• Exchange your leased vehicle for another leased car 
• Extend the lease on your current car 
• Purchase your leased car outright 

Whatever you choose to do is entirely your decision. If you return or exchange your leased vehicle, you’ll need to do the following:

• Clean the vehicle 
• Bring any paperwork
• Pay any fees 

Lease a Car Today at Mitch Smith Chevrolet, Inc.

Ready to lease your next vehicle? Mitch Smith Chevrolet, Inc. can answer any questions you may have about the leasing process. Contact us online or give us a call at (256) 507-9952 to schedule an appointment with our finance team. In the meantime, you can browse our car buying tips for more finance and insurance information.