Just signed a deal for a new Audi SQ5 lease thanks to @Bostoncarconcierge. I opted to add Audi Care ($1350) and Lease Return Protection ($1100). But I’m not sure if I made the right decision. As I understand it, these can be canceled. I prepaid the Lease Protection and rolled AudiCare into the deal (idk why, I just did).
I am in the Northeast. Curious about folks’ opinions on either add-on and whether it is worthwhile.
AudiCare - yes. Lease Return Protection - probably not unless you trash your cars and know it will be hammered at turn in.
For AudiCare - the upfront cost is better than the service prices @ at the counter and your RV went up as well on your lease for having AudiCare.
Thanks, That’s what I thought for AudiCare.
For Lease Return, I don’t beat my cars up, but there’s always a chance of hitting something given living near the city (Boston). My wife’s car is a 2021 and there’s a ton of scratches on it, so that was my thinking. It’s only a 7500mi/yr lease so I don’t think the brakes or tires will be an issue. Pretty much just wanted to avoid a situation where I’m hit with a big bill at lease turn in for a dent and some scratches.
Car is not garaged and parked outdoors in a driveway. We don’t get hail often but it happens.
Personally I’m way ahead by skipping this every time. YMMV.
I was offered the same for my 2021 A4 45 Prem+. I definitely turned it down because I have yet be charged for any irregular wear and tear. For example, if I need tires I buy used before returning. Last three leases I purchased used tires with 85% tread and the most I paid was $200 including installation. For brakes, never an issue including my Lexus lease which was 15K a year and even after three years, was never noted as needed replacements. The only issue I have had was a cracked windshield. Again, went to local auto glass company and paid $200 for non OEM glass and was good. The complaint I have with German cars are the oil changes, they are among the highest next to British cars. The Rover family of cars charge about $700 for oil changes here in SOCAL. My neighbor who only leases MBZs since 2008, never goes to stealership oops I mean dealership for oil changes, he found a German mechanic shop and gets them done there. They can change oil and reset computers and he save (on average) $150 a change. He never gets challenged when he returns them in for a new one. Long story longer, the added packages are marked up 100% and rarely worth the money on a lease.
Only insure what you can’t afford to lose - life, health, liability, home and autos. Everything else self insure.
You’re going to have to have some very significant damage to incur $1100+ in charges at lease end. A normal dent or two and scratches here and there will be nowhere near that much.
When I turned in my SQ5 I had a pretty bad scratch on the rear bumper and decent curb rash on 2 wheels, thought for sure I would get charged but it was all noted as normal wear and tear, no charge.
I even lost 1 key during a move, dealer quoted $550 to replace, but the lease end charge was only ~$125.
For lease end protection, would Audi give prorate refund for 12 months lease? Or they have12 mos term?
What does Audicare give you that the warranty does not?
Lower maintenance costs?
Audicare has nothing to do w/ the factory warranty, AFAIK.
Audicare covers the periodic maintenance (10kmiles or 12 months).
ok seems a lot for oil changes…
post your contract so we can see how much this AudiCare is really costing you.
Audi is widely known for nasty lease end charges if you do not complete scheduled maintenance to a T. Purchasing AudiCare increases the RV of the lease by 1%, so your outlay is closer to $300 or so on a 2 year lease for all maintenance. They are not like BMW and others which cover the first 3 years of maintenance. I would agree that lease end protection does not seem like a good value in my opinion. One nice thing about AudiCare is it’s exempt from dealer markup and pricing is fixed from Audi corporate. Full disclosure. I purchased $999 AudiCare for my 2 year Q5e lease, which increased my RV by $640. OP must’ve done a three year lease.
I wasn’t aware that Audi had those stipulations as I’ve only leased BMW’s. I guess the real issue is what kind of maintenance is needed on an Audi in the first 3 years. Other than oil changes and maybe the cabin air filter?
Everyone stipulates that required maintenance be performed, but not the recommended ones.
I’m not sure AFS is any different to BMWFS in this regard.
Yeah, 3 year lease. Net cost is around $950 over 36 months. Would have been less if I paid it up front instead of rolling it in.
This was one of those big discount, but make up for some of it in add-ons deals.
MSRP 69200
12% dealer discount
$1500 incentive
Slightly marked up MF to .0017*
(Though, they may have marked it up further without me noticing until after the fact if I calculated it off the contract correctly).
Required purchase of ceramic coating at half off, $664
Audicare $1349, financed at $41.75/mo
Lease protection $1120, paid up front
Without the audicare my payment with tax was 704/mo, with it it’s $730. RV goes up 1% so it nets out at an extra $26//mo (936).
36/7500 mi
Cancel both and I get back the $1120, not sure how the payment changes if I cancel audicare and then also don’t know what the three services will cost in total. I was told the 10k service is $200. Service center wouldn’t tell me the cost of the next two services for the required elements. “It depends.” (Note I am in a HCOL Boston suburb and Audi requires services to be done at an Audi certified service center).
No that would be a violation of federal law. Dealer service can only be required if it’s free.
Yes, it can be anywhere. In my case, is it worth the headache to wait at an independent dealer that is further away from my home instead of a nearby Audi dealer with loaner cars over 2 years for $350? Absolutely not. To each their own though!
That’s different: Choosing to use the Audi dealer vs being gaslit into thinking it’s required
