I am very anal about how my cars look inside and out leased or owned. One of my buddy owns a detailing business and he is curious if he can spin off car protection services for leased cars. Like offering inside/out ceramic coating and yearly check in services for a reasonable amount. He asked me if i care that much about my leased car and be willing to invest $500 - $700 to protect the car. I would, but love to get your perspective.
Iām very anal about my cars and strictly lease but I do the work myself. Detailing the interior and exterior.
For $19 a month (tax included) I pay for an unlimited car wash pass, so I generally wash my cars there a few times a week. I have access to their free vacuums so just use that after done running thru the wash.
I have my own collection of pastes, waxes, tire dressings etc and DA polisher with pads (in the event I need to remove swirls etc) and plenty of interior cleaning products
My cars are showroom condition year round .
Iāve always told my friends, the captive bank should pay me a dispo fee for how I turn in my cars. 
I just prefer my cars to be spotless year round.
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Wouldnāt that be nice? if the dealerships start rewarding for spotless car return and give credit towards your next car?
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Why would the āDealerā give that? Before 2021 they really didnāt care about return cars as most would go to auction.
Both of my cars are leased (2020 BMW m340i and 2020 BMW X5) and both are ceramic coated and get monthly hand washes, along with touchless washes in between. For me itās not so much about longevity as it is about just having a nice looking car especially since I paid a good chunk of money for them.
However, on the flipside you get people saying things like, āI donāt care to maintain it because Iāll just return it at the end of my leaseā. Thereās threads in various forums about things like proper break-in, followed by multiple posts from people saying they just gunned it from day 1 ābecause itās a leaseā. I donāt know that any amount of marketing magic will get these people to change their minds.
I keep my leased cars in tip top condition. Regular hand washes in the summer, immaculate interior (even with kids), etc. I have always done this and canāt imagine not taking pride of āownershipā in my car even if my ownership is rented 3 years at a time. But I do the work myself. I have a car wash cabinet in my garage and I donāt mind spending 2-3 hrs outside in the nicer months to maintain my cars. Would I spend $500-700? that depends on the service and condition of my car. I have gotten leased cars detailed before. $250 range. So I guess I would spend $500 if I needed it.
I keep my cars in very good condition. Maintenance, detailed Exterior/Interior and Tires/Alignment/balancing. People say it is a waste of money especially on a car that is owned by the bank. But I just donāt like driving around in a beaten up car, and as long as I keep up with the maintenance I know it wouldnāt get stranded.
I even get the 1k break-in Oil Change done, keeping it at less than 65 mph or whatever the manual suggests. Whoever gets my used car is getting a very well maintained car
Last six months of the lease it starts getting regular gas, automatic car washes - I wash by hand. I only had one car that I drove thru the entire lease though.
This is nice input gang! much appreciated! now i have a justification when my wife asks me, why is the rack in the garage have so much car cleaning, multiple buffers, pads and cleaning solutions and why i need two wash buckets with two cleaning shamis for each! and why i have car soap on subscription from chemicalguys!
I just say itās a cheaper hobby than gambling
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If I have my own car it is kept spotless both inside and out.
My wife and I currently share 1 car as we both work from home. Our dog goes everywhere with us and I have given up on trying to keep the interior or exterior clean.
or subscriptions to certain adult sites lol
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Since you seem like an expert here, Iāll ask.
What is the easiest way to keep cars clean throughout the year? I donāt want to spend too much time cleaning (maybe once a month) and I would like it to be economical too. What would you suggest?
Upkeep. That is the secret. Maintain a certain level of clean, and the vehicle never gets āreal badā.
Honestly, what he said above. Its upkeep/maintenance. Regular washing, keeping the paint defect free and ensuring the paint is protected (ceramic, wax, etc). Thereās no one product that you can apply and be ādoneā with it.
Honestly, not only do I enjoy cleaning/polishing and maintaining my cars but its also therapy for me. I can sit outside (when the weather allows) and spend an hour or two on a Sunday, cleaning/polishing and can look back and crack open a cold one to look at the fruits of my labor. Something rewarding about that.
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Well I paid $1000 for ceramic and $700 for front bumper PPF on my M4 and I will probably pay another $1500 for PPF on the 718 (ceramic coat myself this time), so yes. Wasnāt unusual for clients leasing to pay $1195 for ceramic coating inside/out when I sold BMW.
Nice wam22! i thought about PPF too, but they got expensive. Might ask my buddy to do itā¦and its ok to return the lease car with PPF on it?
Sounds like we are very similar lol. My vehicles are always spotless, and almost always the cleanest used vehicle you can find. I love sitting out with music and drinks, cleaning & admiring. 
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its all about maintenance. But also do Ceramic coating inside and outside, and do maintenance wash and maintenance spray coatings. Avoid drive through car washes if you hate clear coat scratches (i hate them). If you want to be double protected get PPF on the most impact areas. Maintenance will be a breeze. I wash my car every other weekā¦winter or summer. Takes me about 20 minutes with pressure washer and foam cannon
its a therapy for sure and toss in a beer or two there and its heaven 
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Whatās a clear coat scratch?
Also, I wouldnāt want to pay $2k for ceramic coating on a leased vehicle.