Should I Add A Car Maintenance Contract To My Contract Hire Agreement?

With Car Leasing, there’s no avoiding the costs of servicing, repairs and tyres on your lease car – but these costs can be greatly reduced by planning ahead and adding Maintenance to your lease contract.

Maintenance Contracts are optional, but can provide peace of mind by protecting you from unforeseen expenses. They enable you to budget for all your motoring costs, and usually work out less expensive than paying for parts and labour as required.

By adding a Car Leasing Maintenance Package, you can protect yourself against unexpected costs and price increases on parts & labour, and enjoy the benefits of guaranteed fixed cost motoring for the entire term of your contract.

The aim of a fully maintained contract is to provide you with a ‘fixed cost motoring solution’ throughout the duration of your Contract Hire Agreement.

What are Car Maintenance Contracts?

Maintenance Contracts are Car Leasing or Contract Hire agreements where the cost of most, if not all, of the following items are included in your monthly rental:-

1. Routine Servicing (as required by the Manufacturer)
2. Repairs
3. Tyres
4. Batteries
5. Exhausts
6. Breakdown Recovery
7. MOT

All new vehicles come with a Manufacturer’s Warranty, which guarantees to replace failed components for a fixed period of time with no charge for the parts or labour, subject to the vehicle being looked after and serviced at the correct intervals.

But this should not be confused with a Car Maintenance Contract, which covers you for the cost of routine servicing, and any components and tyres that wear out gradually due to normal usage.

These things are not covered by the Manufacturer’s guarantee, and are costs that you must bear as and when they occur, unless a Car Leasing Maintenance Package has been taken out.

Car Leasing agreements can have Maintenance Service Contracts added to them whether you choose Business Car Leasing or Personal Car Leasing.

Benefits of adding Maintenance to a Lease Contract

These are the benefits of Car Leasing Maintenance Contracts:-

• You benefit from fixed cost motoring for the duration of your car leasing contract
• Adding a Car Lease Maintenance Package to your contract is cheaper than paying for servicing and repairs as needed
• You can be confident in the knowledge that there will be no unexpected bills when things go wrong
• You are protected against any future increases in price on parts and labour
• All servicing and repairs are carried out by an approved garage in your locality
• Worn or damaged tyres will be replaced by an approved dealer in your locality
• You do not have the hassle of having to pay for work done and then claim it back
• There is reduced administration as there are no supplier invoices or expense claims to fill out
• Your lease car is kept in peak condition throughout the term of your contract, so there is less chance of you falling foul of Fair Wear & Tear or De-Hire Charges when your contract ends
• There is usually a 24 Hour dedicated Driver Support Hotline for all Maintenance queries
• The repairing garage can usually arrange for your vehicle to be collected and returned to you, or a courtesy car provided
• After a service or repairs, your lease car is usually returned washed and valeted
• Breakdown services are included (Roadside Rescue, Recovery & Home Start) for the duration of the contract

It’s always best to take your lease car to your local Main Dealer for servicing and maintenance, as they are the experts for your make (even if the vehicle was not supplied from there). However, this is not compulsory and you can use any reputable independent garage qualified to do the work and stamp the Service Book.

Please remember that all Maintenance Contracts are not the same, and different leasing companies will include different things in their car leasing maintenance packages. So please check this out carefully.

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Source: http://www.car-leasing-guide.com/blog
Link: http://www.car-leasing-guide.com/car-leasing-advice/maintenance-contracts

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