I am currently in a lease for 2019 Nissan Leaf. The car has low mileage and I would like to keep it. I went to a local dealer in Glendale, California and the dealer is asking for an extra fee of $1595 on top of everything else. They claim that the market is difficult right now, so this is a “standard” market adjustment that they are making for anyone trying to buy out the lease.
When I objected to the fee, they mentioned that they are open to negotiating it a little bit. Which further makes me feel that this is a fake fee.
From what I have read on this site, this tack-on should not be legal. My contract states $300 for the Purchase Option residual + tax and any official DMV/state fees.
Can anyone recommend a dealer in Southern California that does not engage in such deceptive practices?
Before others chime in, NMAC requires you to buy it thru a dealer, they charge a $300 fee but dealers can tack on whatever the hell else they want. So yea, call another dealer.
Is there a specific California code you could reference that I can catch up on?
Nissan wants dealers to assist, but Dealers don’t have to do it unless they are able to rack up some extra charges. The consumer is stuck in the middle. Feels like a bit of a conflict of interest.
if you are keeping the car for a while buy an extended service contract. the profit from warranty will be enough for the dealer to let you buy the car at residual
The only reason I am keeping the car for a bit is due to incredibly high markups and costs on a new vehicle. My original goal was to take this car for a 3-year lease and then re-assess the EV market. With a lot of new cars coming out I was thinking that the next car, something with closer to 300-mile range would be the one I keep for a while.
So, this car will hold me over until we get out of this crazy chip shortage and there are more EV choices out there. I imagine this may happen in about a year or two. So, I don’t plan to keep this car for longer than that.
People should take it one step further and leave bad reviews for all the greedy savages who want to charge market adjustments for regular cars and BS fees to return a lease.
Are you certain about that in California ? As I recall, in California, you can buy out your lease directly from the finance arm. There needn’t be a dealer involved per California regulations.
I hope NMAC is sued for this type of practice, nobody should need to go to a dealer to buy out their lease. They should just be able to pay the residual, and a disposition fee, and tax.
There’s no reason for a dealer to be involved other than to give customers a hard time and make profit on fees.
The recent contracts I have seen from NMAC specify it must be bought out through the dealer. I think you’d have a hard time with a lawsuit over having to buy it out at a dealer when the contract you signed specified that.
I guess everyone leasing a new nissan or infiniti needs to try to never execute the buyout. Or, if one likes the car, just buy it I suppose. It’s in the contract, and it may be legal, but it’s unethical in my opinion.
There’s been some anecdotal reports of NMAC bending the rules and letting some people buy directly, no? I’d raise hell with them about it, especially given the negative press they have been receiving lately about this exact issue.
