(WSVN) - She leased a car she loved, and now that the lease is expiring, she wants to buy the car at the price listed on the original contract, but then she got one surprise after another when trying to buy it, so she sold Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser on checking into it.
When Stephanie wanted to lease a car three years ago, she had one in mind.
Stephanie Bevill: “I loved the vehicle very much.”
Loved it so much that instead of turning it in as the lease expires, she decided to buy it.
Stephanie Bevill: “I had not driven it a whole lot during the pandemic.”
Stephanie contacted a dealership and was told they would give her two options to choose from to buy her leased car.
Stephanie Bevill: “There was one option that gave me a payoff of $33,000, and the second one was $35,000, and I’m thinking, ‘What?'”
Stephanie was surprised, since the paperwork she signed when she leased the car said it would cost her $28,155.60 plus taxes, tag, licenses and registration to buy the vehicle.
Stephanie Bevill: “The price that I agreed to that is documented and spelled out very clearly.”
Now the new paperwork showed a $1,995 certified pre-owned fee and a pre-delivery service charge.
Stephanie Bevill: “It was a delivery charge for the car, and I’m thinking, ‘I have the car.'”
There was the sales tax, which she does have to pay, and $646 for non-tax fees.
Stephanie Bevill: “I don’t know what any of that is.”
What she does know is she wants to buy the car at the price she agreed to when she signed the lease.
Stephanie Bevill: “Help me understand. Is this legal to really do this?”
Well, Howard, if you want to buy the leased car you have been driving, can you get it for the price on the lease or, legally, can they add new fees?
Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: “Yes, they can charge those fees if you buy through the dealer, because they have to find the bank to loan you the money, and they pay for the tag, title and taxes. You can avoid that by going to your bank, get the financing for the car and pay those fees at the tag agency, but remember, that’s a lot of work to do, and it might be tough if you have never done it before.”
I contacted the dealer, and they couldn’t have been any nicer. They explained they were giving Stephanie options, that the extra costs cover their labor to inspect the car to confirm for the lender it’s in good shape, and they have to pay out of their pockets for taxes, tag and title.
Stephanie was then sent the official lease buyout document without the fees, got the financing from her bank and took care of everything else.
Stephanie Bevill: “I am the owner of my car. I am so excited.”
Excited to own the car and proud she was able to get it done.
Stephanie Bevill: “It was a lot of work, but thank you so much, Patrick, for working with me, for going the extra mile with me.”
Glad we could help, and Stephanie is right: it’s work to do it yourself, but one reason it was worth it to buy the three-year old SUV is that it only has 14,000 miles on it. It has a long life ahead of it.
Feel like you have bought a problem you want to re-lease? Let us work on a deal for you. We don’t charge fees. We are free and sometimes worth it.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
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Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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