Five money-saving tips for your next car lease

We all like to get value for money, in a day and age of inflation, post-pandemics, and a ‘cozzy livs’ (cost-of-living crisis) testing us, and our wallets. There has never been a better time to make your money work harder for you.

I know we keep going on about it, but there are just so many perks of car leasing to get through, and we want you to know them all.

Flexibility – it’s a great thing (I’m not talking about being able to drop into the splits at any given time). But flexibility when tailoring your lease term, so the lease works around you. Not the other way around.

Once that’s been decided, you avoid the chance of surprise costs popping up – always at the most inconvenient times.

 

Consider no deposit lease deals

At the start of every lease, you’ll be asked to commit to an initial payment– this can range from one to nine months, depending on your funder. If you’d rather not part with a big chunk of cash right away, go for the smallest initial rental and keep things light on your wallet.

In short, how much you want to put down upfront is similar to when you buy a new phone. The bigger the initial upfront cost, the cheaper the monthly lease payments.

But don’t stress.

It’s worth exploring all your options. Sometimes, even a lower initial rental can lead to surprisingly competitive monthly payments. The difference might not be as big as you think.

Add maintenance at the start of your lease

Adding a car lease maintenance package at the start of your lease is like giving your future self a big, stress-free hug. It can save you money down the road and keep those pesky, surprise bills at bay.

From scheduled services and MOTs to even tyre replacements, your maintenance package typically covers it all. It’s just a small monthly payment that could save you big in the long run.

You can easily roll the cost of your maintenance package into your monthly payments, so when it’s time for your annual service or MOT, you won’t be sweating.

All those mechanic and garage appointments — planning them, paying for them, all separately. Not anymore, it’s all taken care of.

Yes, it really is that easy.

One thing to keep in mind: if you decide to add the package halfway through your lease, you might need to pay for the first half of the package upfront.

But hey, a little planning now could save you a lot later.

Ford Puma stop-start engine button

Choose an accurate but fair mileage

If you know you’re up and down the M5 every other weekend, then maybe choose a lease deal with more than 5,000 miles per annum, or else you may end up with some hefty mileage penalties at the end of your lease.

Be sure to be honest about how many miles you plan to drive. Mileage limits range from 5,000 to 30,000 miles, with plenty of options in between.

Depending on how many miles you go over, those excess charges could be even more than what you’d pay for the higher mileage option in the first place – the old adage “failing to plan is planning to fail” feels applicable in this situation.

Just like with the initial rental, the difference in price between mileage options is often smaller than you’d think.

So have a good look through the options before you commit to one for the next two to four years.

Ford detailing

Consider in-stock vehicles

Thanks to global stock shortages post-Covid and post-Brexit, among many other factors in supply chain and delivery disruptions, it’s always a good idea to double-check the availability of the car you had in mind for leasing.

Why not save yourself time and money by checking out cars that are already in stock and ready to roll?

From 2020 to 2023 there was a global semiconductor chip shortage, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which continued for three years after the pandemic due to the surge in demand, shocking supply chains globally. Nearly eight million cars couldn't be produced due to this shortage – quite the domino effect.

You never know what geopolitical event can disrupt your dream car’s production line.

By checking our stock, you can skip the long wait and still get all the cool tech and features you want without having to settle for less. 

It's a win-win for both your time and your wallet.

Search by budget

Carparison's car search tool lets you browse all our lease deals and filter by your budget. 

Take your time, put your feet up, get comfy to browse all the options in your price range and find the best bang for your buck.

Already have your dream car in mind?

By using the car search tool, you can compare its specs to others in the same price range, you might surprise yourself and find a better and cheaper alternative from another brand. Why miss out on other options?

These days, most models come packed with cool features, so you don’t have to splurge to get all the bells and whistles you’re after.

Leasing is here to help budget and save you money on vehicle depreciation, whilst opening up opportunities for customers to come away with a much newer car that would be in their budget buying outright.

Carparison is always here to help you find your dream lease deal, and now you have all the tips and tricks to do so.

Happy hunting!

Time to put these tips into practice.

Ryan Darby

Ryan Darby

Ryan takes the lead on all things 'wordy'. With a sports media background, a true passion for cars, and a LOT of driving experience under his belt, he'll make sure you have all the information you need, when you need it.