Lease return $687 bill!!!

[Pezrock]

I returned my 2017 Ram Express 6 months early on a buy out. There was normal wear and tear. I asked the sales rep to take a look at the car and I pointed out one dent in the tailgate that was concerning to me. He said I should be fine. I placed my drivers license over it and my drivers license covered it. I went home with my new 2019 Warlock. Today Chrysler Financial sent certified mail a bill for $687 and cited 2 dents no scratch and one dent with scratch. I was told if I stuck with a new Chrysler I was going to be alright and they usually don't bill for minor things if you stick with them. I have 7 days to dispute and 10 days to send in a new estimate from another repair shop. I don't even have the car and live 60 miles away from the dealership. What would you do if this were you?

 

[McBroom]

I'd have a serious conversation with the dealership. You'd be surprised at how much you can get done on the phone with the salesman and then keep moving up chain of command till you have the conversation with the GM. They have ways to fix minor problems like this.

Blue Mule

 

[Fast69Mopar]

I'd have a serious conversation with the dealership. You'd be surprised at how much you can get done on the phone with the salesman and then keep moving up chain of command till you have the conversation with the GM. They have ways to fix minor problems like this.

Blue Mule

I agree. I would have a serious conversation with the salesman and if that doesn't get you anywhere I'd speak with the GM. They have a way of working things out with Chrysler. I would still dispute the bill for the lease return.

 

[bm02tj]

Most cases it is the dealer that owns the lease return not the mfg
it is in house the charges so they can sell for a bigger buck if they even fix it
I never lease but worked for a company that did they learned you get the full return cost before signing for the new one

 

[88ROOK]

whoa, was this a new truck you're returning? so were the dents there when you got it? if not why do you think you shouldnt pay for it, dents are not normal wear and tear. people always trying to pass the buck on to the next guy, just take responsibility for truck and bill and move on...second if you believe anything a salesman says, you an idiot

 

[chrisbh17]

Im going to guess sales rep is not equal to who actually evaluates the lease return.

Sales wants to....sell you something. Preferably for even more money. They are, inherently, "yes men".

I suppose you could take it up the chain at the dealership, but if you've already signed into the new lease/sale, I would think they have the upper hand at this point.

 

[16RamHemi]

how long have you had the new truck? This was treated as a lease turn in or a trade in? Two different situations....

 

[300MAG]

Nothing wrong with trying to call the dealer but the infamous it shouldn't be a problem line from the salesman is too funny, but for the reality just a driver's license could cover a decent size dent so I really think you're on the hook for it. Worst case appeal the cost on repair method with pent less dent removal being an option on the dents and buffing/polishing the scratch out if not too deep.

Sent from my GM1917 using Tapatalk

 

[cwendel]

I would dispute it. They should have done the look over and had you sign that the dents and scratches were where they were. Like a rental car return.
That is key, because you have the option of having those fixed on your own and they removed the choice from you. Also, if the ding fell under the contract agreed size, then you owe nothing. Have to always read the contract. And yes, there is acceptable wear and tear on parts and body panels. Should all be listed in the contract.

2013 2500 6.7 cummins crew cab. white and stock as can be
using Tapatalk

 

[IRSmart]

I'd have a serious conversation with the dealership. You'd be surprised at how much you can get done on the phone with the salesman and then keep moving up chain of command till you have the conversation with the GM. They have ways to fix minor problems like this.

Blue Mule

That won’t accomplish anything. The dealer has nothing to do with a lease return. We don’t own them, we just hold them while the leasing company comes and picks it up. Dealers can’t influence the leasing company in any way.

Most cases it is the dealer that owns the lease return not the mfg
it is in house the charges so they can sell for a bigger buck if they even fix it
I never lease but worked for a company that did they learned you get the full return cost before signing for the new one

Nope. See above.

 

[16RamHemi]

i would make 2 phone calls. first would be the salesman. Remember though....he may have seen this be fine in the past, but now acceptance could change. One guy may have more give than another. lots of scenarios. It is roulette turning in leases. Unless you do a prearranged assessment, you dont know what to expect. 2nd call would be to fca.

I turned in my last ram and the GM of the dealer i purchased my current truck said i should be fine. Truck was great besides one scratch on bottom of front bumper from a snow bank. I took my chances. i knew that he could be misleading or wrong and i would have to live with it. I got lucky and nothing owed besides mileage. I also turned in a honda crv. Vehicle was great besides the tires. I called honda financial just to ask about using the damage allowance they have towards mileage....in that phone call they noticed that i had been a long time honda customer and were happy to forgive my 2500 mile overage. All i owed was the turn in fee.

Where you stayed with a ram product, you should have more leeway. your dealer should go to bat for you. Do not hesitate calling fca and talking to them. You may get someone who will help you out. Never know.

 

[IRSmart]

i would make 2 phone calls. first would be the salesman. Remember though....he may have seen this be fine in the past, but now acceptance could change. One guy may have more give than another. lots of scenarios. It is roulette turning in leases. Unless you do a prearranged assessment, you dont know what to expect. 2nd call would be to fca.

Neither call would be productive. Not the first, for my reason above, nor the second, since FCA is not the leasing company.

OP, you need to talk to the only people in the world that matter here: your leasing company (Chrysler Capital, Ally, etc.). No one (repeat, no one) has the power to reverse or influence this turn-in charge but them. Any other advice here that is not exactly what I just said is wasting your time.

side note: dents are not normal wear and tear. And future reference, you can get a lease inspection before you turn your car in so you know what to expect.

 

[PowrRam]

I returned my 2017 Ram Express 6 months early on a buy out.

Let me guess. You got a letter from the dealer saying they were looking for used trucks and your truck was a candidate for a buyout. It's likely you had put on less miles than the lease allowed, making the truck attractive to the dealer's used car lot. Usually this means the dealer intends on buying the vehicle from the bank, in this case Chrysler Finance and resell it.

There was normal wear and tear. I asked the sales rep to take a look at the car and I pointed out one dent in the tailgate that was concerning to me. He said I should be fine. I placed my drivers license over it and my drivers license covered it.

Usually, when you get to about three months left in the lease the bank sends letter explaining what sort of damage may be subject to repair charges. They typically include a template with examples of the sizes of acceptable damages. I've leased many vehicles (nine) over the years and the usual standard for dent damages is an area about the size of a half-dollar. Unless your sales rep is new, he/she should have known this. In any event, the sales rep is not the decision-maker on damages, it is the bank, in your case Chrysler Finance. Also, dealerships typically have designated people that look at the condition of lease return vehicles and don't leave it up to the sales rep. Not only that, the dealership is not the final authority on this, the leasing bank is the final authority.

When I've reached a lease end the bank sends out a representative from a company not associated with the bank, that is in the business of assessing damages to leased vehicles. They spend about half an hour inspecting the vehicle, taking pictures, measuring tire tread depth, driving the vehicle, etc. Then you get a written statement of their findings. The ONLY time I did not go through this process was the one time I did an early return, buy out type of deal.

I went home with my new 2019 Warlock. Today Chrysler Financial sent certified mail a bill for $687 and cited 2 dents no scratch and one dent with scratch. I was told if I stuck with a new Chrysler I was going to be alright and they usually don't bill for minor things if you stick with them. I have 7 days to dispute and 10 days to send in a new estimate from another repair shop. I don't even have the car and live 60 miles away from the dealership. What would you do if this were you?

I would start with Chrysler Finance. Tell them you turned the lease in early to the dealership and the dealership said there would be no damage charges incurred to you since you were writing a new lease with Chrysler Finance. I would also mention that you never received the lease end information kit regarding damages from them since it was an early lease return. The only thing you knew about damages was what the sales rep at the dealer was telling you and the rep assured you there would be no damages assessed.

I would also complain to the dealership's new car manager. Don't bother talking to anyone below this level. Play dumb, maybe hint that you are looking to turn in your vehicle and have questions about dent damages. Ask them if there is anyone qualified at the dealership to assess damages or if someone at the bank needs to look at it. Once you get an answer you can decide how to proceed. If he says only the bank can decide this then you can tell your story about how you did a new deal with his dealership based on the sales rep being the person claiming there would be no damage. If the sales manager says he is qualified to assess damages then you can say that only the sales rep looked at your vehicle and based on his recommendations you proceeded to do a deal on a new lease.

The best outcome would be for the dealer to pay Chrysler Finances for the damages to your old truck. That should be your negotiating stance. The dealership misrepresented the severity of the damages and you were stuck with the consequences. Meanwhile, the dealership wrote a lease deal based on the misinformation.

Finally, if possible, I'd find out what happened to your truck. I bet the dealership bought your old truck from Chrysler Finance and resold it, without fixing the damages. If that is the case, why were you charged for the damages?

 

[Pezrock]

Ok. I'm on the phone now with Chrysler Financial. They are being pleasant on the phone. So far they gave me $250. I'm in communication with the dealership and will post the results. So far better than where we started.

 

[cwendel]

Neither call would be productive. Not the first, for my reason above, nor the second, since FCA is not the leasing company.

OP, you need to talk to the only people in the world that matter here: your leasing company (Chrysler Capital, Ally, etc.). No one (repeat, no one) has the power to reverse or influence this turn-in charge but them. Any other advice here that is not exactly what I just said is wasting your time.

side note: dents are not normal wear and tear. And future reference, you can get a lease inspection before you turn your car in so you know what to expect.

Dent and ding are two different items. A ding can be covered by a DL. A dent can not. They do not change the term, only the sizing. Most contracts allow for dings as long as they are no larger than a quarter.

2013 2500 6.7 cummins crew cab. white and stock as can be
using Tapatalk

 

[16RamHemi]

Neither call would be productive. Not the first, for my reason above, nor the second, since FCA is not the leasing company.

OP, you need to talk to the only people in the world that matter here: your leasing company (Chrysler Capital, Ally, etc.). No one (repeat, no one) has the power to reverse or influence this turn-in charge but them. Any other advice here that is not exactly what I just said is wasting your time.

side note: dents are not normal wear and tear. And future reference, you can get a lease inspection before you turn your car in so you know what to expect.

yes...chrysler capital, that is who i meant by FCA.

 

[Pezrock]

whoa, was this a new truck you're returning? so were the dents there when you got it? if not why do you think you shouldnt pay for it, dents are not normal wear and tear. people always trying to pass the buck on to the next guy, just take responsibility for truck and bill and move on...second if you believe anything a salesman says, you an idiot

88ROOK, I dodn
88ROOK, maybe next time you should read the original post a little closer. With that, the dealership said if the dent can be covered by a drivers license, than it would be considered normal wear and tear. I covered the dent with my drivers license and that was that. I was also a return customer to this dealership and salesman because of a positive past experience. As far as passing the buck, pretty confident that I and others wouldn't characterize this situation that way. If they simply said "yes car owner you will be charged for that dent", I would have had an opportunity to repair it at a better price. I am one of many people that go through similar situations when they turn in their lease. Most of us truck owners work for a living and probably most of us are blue collar. Surprise bills suck even in a good economy. A returning customer willing to give the dealership future referrals has value to it. Maybe enough value for Chrylser to waive a fee like this. Thank you everyone. Hopefully this post helps one of you in the future. I got $250 credit and will be paying the rest. Next time I will do things differently. I attached a photo of the truck. The dent is in the top left of the tailgate. 88ROOK send me the contact information of the guy that pissed in your cheerios.

 

[Random_Walk]

I suppose you could take it up the chain at the dealership, but if you've already signed into the new lease/sale, I would think they have the upper hand at this point.

Well, they could - for now. But remember - leases are short-term, and he's gonna give that back in what, 2 years? This means when they ask "so what would you like to lease next?", he can relay this little tale and then explain that he's going to another dealership (or worse, another brand) because of it.

Dealerships like to make money, yes, but they like keeping future customers even more. If the sames-critter doesn't understand that, the general manager of the joint damned sure will.

Now what IRSmart said makes sense, though I am curious as to the possibility of the dealership taking on at least part of the bill and considering it a marketing expense?

Overall, I would rather eat broken glass and wash it down with gasoline than to lease any kind of vehicle... period.

 

[88ROOK]

88ROOK, I dodn
88ROOK, maybe next time you should read the original post a little closer. With that, the dealership said if the dent can be covered by a drivers license, than it would be considered normal wear and tear. I covered the dent with my drivers license and that was that. I was also a return customer to this dealership and salesman because of a positive past experience. As far as passing the buck, pretty confident that I and others wouldn't characterize this situation that way. If they simply said "yes car owner you will be charged for that dent", I would have had an opportunity to repair it at a better price. I am one of many people that go through similar situations when they turn in their lease. Most of us truck owners work for a living and probably most of us are blue collar. Surprise bills suck even in a good economy. A returning customer willing to give the dealership future referrals has value to it. Maybe enough value for Chrylser to waive a fee like this. Thank you everyone. Hopefully this post helps one of you in the future. I got $250 credit and will be paying the rest. Next time I will do things differently. I attached a photo of the truck. The dent is in the top left of the tailgate. 88ROOK send me the contact information of the guy that pissed in your cheerios.

View attachment 192046

I did, so let me break it down for you since you dont understand what you wrote.. first you said the salesman said "you SHOULD be fine" so I'm guessing you dont understand that, "SHOULD" is not a positive answer. 2nd you said they said was If I stuck with a chrysler I was going to be alright and they "USUALLY DONT" bill for minor things, now once again "USUALLY DONT" sure as hell isnt telling me that they are not going to bill me but they could, have to understand what they are telling you before get your panties in a bundle. Understanding what they are telling you is key here. so because you didnt get a written statement of the damage or statement saying YOU WONT BE CHARGED( cause you know thats a positive sign them telling you in writing i wont get a bill) you get all pissy when they send you a bill

 

[16RamHemi]

I see two separate situations here that some are blending into one. The first is what you were told by the dealer. Should and shouldn't are not straight forward terms like saying will and won't. The dealer mislead you and they should go to bat somewhat for a returning customer.

The other situation is how leases truly work. I feel this is what 88ROOK is commenting towards. The leasing company wants to get everything they can from you. Damage is a big one. I told the example of how Honda waived my mileage overage just because I was a returning customer. They didn't have to do that. I was prepared to pay for it. I just simply asked if I could use the damage allowance towards mileage and they did that for me. Do they all do it? No. If I hadn't called I would have paid.

Op should be upset at the dealer. But at the same time understand it was not their vehicle. They don't charge this stuff. The leasing company does. They can charge whatever the contract says they can charge. Now if you would have treated it like a trade in to the dealer we would be talking completely different.