Hi all - looking into buying out my 2018 Infiniti QX60. Both dealers near my house in San Jose, CA have mentioned that they need to do a safety inspection for $199 prior to doing a lease buy out. This is on top of the $350 purchase fee. Anyone have any experience with this? Is this by dealership, by state or an Infiniti requirement?
Why are you going through a dealer? Buy it directly from the bank.
But keep in mind, once the used car bubble bursts you’re going to be left holding an Infiniti-sized bag.
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Have you called Infiniti financial and asked them how to process the buy out of your vehicle at the contractually specified price?
If memory serves, Infiniti requires all buy outs in every state to be through the dealer.
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You are correct!
The safety inspection fee is new. They started charging this a few months back. It’s a deterrent to not buy your lease out. They need the used car inventory.
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I wonder if they can require it if it’s not in the purchase option clause in the OP’s contract.
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They can’t require it, but they also do not have to facilitate the buyout either.
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I would think that Infiniti financial would lean on some dealer to process the buy out without it though
Called Dealer #3 - he refuses to do any more Infiniti lease buy outs due to a contract issue with Infiniti.
Dealer #4 said the inspection is required but stopped short of telling me what happens if I don’t do it
Dealer #5 wanted $600 for the inspection but is now cutting price to $300. Said it’s required by law to make sure they’re not liable.
OK looked at contract more closely and it does have an open ended clause for inspection fees. Guess I’m stuck with it.
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Can you ask them to cite the law they refer to?
I’m also have QX69 and curious to hear their answer.
What a joke. You aren’t buying it from them, you are buying it from the bank. That would be like Best Buy being liable for a used TV you bought off Ebay.
i’d at least ask what kind of report they will provide you after this “inspection.”
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I am no fan on junk fees, but
As long as they actually do a multi-point inspection to ensure (for instance) brakes aren’t bad and tires aren’t bald, I don’t think $199 (plus disposition) to process your buy-out is unreasonable at all. 
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Freudian slip?
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Crap iPhone autocorrection while kids destroying the house…
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If it’s not in the original lease, how can they force you to pay more to buy it out ?
Unless the state mandates such a fee, I’d challenge this with a contract attorney…
The lease excerpt was posted above that does list this fee.
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Oh wow, never seen that before in my leases - will have to check my Honda lease if that is something I may have to face…
It could be worth it. If they find something unsafe you will be glad they found it BEFORE you dropped $20K or so down!
Kind of like a home inspection.