Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Why should I use an auto broker?

Think of working with LeaseBroker like having a specialist by your side in court — someone who lives and breathes this world and knows exactly how to protect your interests. Buying or leasing a car is often the second largest financial commitment you’ll make, and going in alone means dealing with complex offers, hidden fees, and pressure tactics.

As your independent car broker, we use our experience, data, and long-standing relationships with dealers and funders to negotiate on your behalf and secure terms you wouldn’t usually see on the forecourt. Because we place consistent volume through our trusted partners, they’re able to go sharper on pricing — and we pass those savings and advantages directly on to you.

Is a broker going to slow things down?

Actually, it’s the opposite. Working with LeaseBroker saves you time at every stage.

You don’t need to spend evenings scrolling listings, calling dealers, chasing quotes, or sitting around in showrooms. We handle the search, comparisons, negotiations, paperwork, and handover for you — while keeping you updated with clear options to choose from.

Our process is designed to be faster, easier, and more efficient than going direct, so you get the right car on the right terms without the time-wasting and guesswork.

What if I don’t live nearby?

No problem. Most of what we do can be handled remotely by phone and online, so you still get the full broker experience without ever stepping into a showroom.

If you’re within our service area, we can arrange everything for you — from sourcing and negotiating to paperwork and delivery. If you’re outside that area, we’ll let you know upfront what we can and can’t do, so your time is never wasted.

Will I save money?

In most cases, yes — and often significantly.

Because we compare offers, challenge pricing, and leverage our relationships with dealers and funders, our clients regularly secure deals well below typical retail figures. Instead of paying “walk-in” showroom prices, you benefit from broker-level terms, sharper discounts, and properly structured finance.

The result: you get the right car, on the right deal, with money saved and no hidden surprises.

What if I have bad credit?

Bad credit doesn’t automatically stop you from getting into a car.

We work with a panel of specialist lenders who regularly help customers with low or rebuilding credit. Our role is to match you with the right options, structure the deal properly, and present your application in a way that gives you the best possible chance of approval — often at competitive rates.

We’ve helped many clients with imperfect credit secure a vehicle and start moving in a better direction financially, and we’ll always be upfront about what’s realistic for your situation.

Do you work with all car brands?

Yes. As an independent broker, we’re not tied to any single manufacturer or dealership. We work across a wide network of main dealers and approved partners, which means we can help source virtually any make or model you’re looking for — whether you’re buying or leasing.

Should I research more before contacting you?

If you’d like to, absolutely — but you don’t need to.

Our job is to do the heavy lifting for you: market research, comparisons, spec checks, pricing, and deal structures for both buying and leasing. Share your needs, budget, and any cars you’re considering, and we’ll come back with clear, honest options so you can make a confident decision without spending hours online or visiting multiple dealerships.

Even if you’re still “shopping around”, we’ll work to beat or validate the quotes you’ve found and give you straight advice on what’s genuinely a good deal.

Commonly Used Terminology

Here are some common terms that consumers should know before leasing a vehicle.

Allowable Mileage

This is the number of miles you are allowed to drive over the term of the lease. Often this is stated as the number of miles per year you can drive. Most leasing companies allow 12,000 miles a year. On a three-year lease, that means you can drive a total of 36,000 miles. If the allowable miles are exceeded, you typically must pay between 10 and 25 cents per mile.

Capitalized Cost

Often called the cap cost, this is basically the negotiated price of the car and all the options. This becomes one of several figures used in calculating a monthly lease payment.

Depreciation

This is the amount by which a vehicle loses its value. In leasing, depreciation is the difference between the new car’s cost and the value of the car at the end of the lease (plus tax, interest and various leasing fees).

Drive-off Fees

This is the amount of money you must pay to begin the lease. Typically, this includes various DMV and leasing fees plus a security deposit. Some people who want to reduce the amount of their monthly payments will also make a cap reduction payment. This is cash, paid up front, and it becomes part of the drive-off fees.

Early Termination

This means you want to get out of the lease contract before all your payments have been made. After 24 months of a three-year lease, for example, you might decide you no longer can afford the car, or you are sick of it. So you decide you want to terminate the lease. This is very costly since leasing companies require you to make all the remaining payments and pay a penalty. There are ways to minimize or eliminate this cost. There are companies that can help you find another consumer to assume your lease. There is also a chance that you have equity in the vehicle and can sell it and payoff the finance company.

Excess Wear and Tear

Most lease contracts have a clause which states that the person leasing the car is responsible for the cost of “excess wear and tear” to the vehicle when it is returned. When cars are used, they will eventually show signs that someone has been in them. What is considered excessive? Check your contract for specifics. But keep in mind that it is important to have the car washed and detailed before you return it. This can go a long way to avoiding having your security deposit revoked or extra charges levied by the leasing company.

Gap Insurance

If your leased car is stolen or totaled in an accident, there might be a gap between what your insurance company will pay you for the loss and the amount you now must pay to the leasing company. If you take out gap insurance (it is included in some lease contracts), this will cover you for this loss.

Incentives

This is money that the manufacturer or dealer offer the consumer to promote the purchase or lease of a vehicle. Automakers use incentives to balance inventory or to clear out excess stock of certain models. Dealerships are also offered incentives by manufacturers for selling a specific amount of units.

Inception Fees

Up-front money due at the time a car lease is signed. It includes first month’s payment, tag and title fees, cap cost reduction (down payment), sales tax on down payment and sometimes security deposit.

Invoice Price

Manufacturers ship cars to dealers with an invoice on the car. This is the price the dealer is expected to pay the manufacturer for the car. Anything price above invoice paid by the consumer is considered dealer profit.

Lessee

This is the person who has leased the vehicle.

Lessor

The lessor is the party who is leasing the car to you. Even though the dealership is arranging the lease, the lessor is often a bank or the financial arm of a car manufacturer.

Money Factor

Also called a lease factor or even a lease fee, this is the interest rate you are being charged. It is expressed as a multiplier that can be used to calculate your monthly payments. For example, 7.2 percent interest, when expressed as a money factor, is .0030. To convert a money factor to an interest rate, multiply by 2,400. To convert an interest rate to a money factor, divide by 2,400. (Always use 2,400 regardless of the length of the loan.)

MSRP

This stands for Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price and is also referred to as “sticker price”. Many dealers will try to base their leases on MSRP or above. However, you can negotiate a lower price to base the lease on. Remember it is only a suggested price.

Payoff Amount

Sometimes called buyout amount, this is the amount of money you have to pay to own the car. The payoff amount might be different from the residual value because of a refunded security deposit.

Residual Value

This is the leasing company’s prediction of what the car will be worth at the end of the lease. The residual value is also important because it affects your monthly payment. The higher the residual, the lower your monthly payments.

Sales Tax

A portion of every monthly lease payment is paid for sales tax. However, you pay tax only on the amount of the car’s value you are using. In other words, rather than paying 8 percent sales tax on a $20,000 car (assuming the sales tax in your county is 8%), you pay 8 percent of the $8,000 the car declines in value as you drive it.

Security Deposit

The security deposit is usually equal to one monthly payment. Multiple security deposits can sometimes be made to reduce the interest rate and, consequently, the monthly payment.

Sticker

Also known as MSRP. This is the price they suggest the dealer to sell the car.

Subsidized or Subvented Lease

To make leases more attractive to consumers, manufacturers sometimes subsidize or subvent the leases. This means that they are either offering very low interest rates or they are inflating the residual value of the vehicle. Both tactics have the effect of lowering the monthly payment for the consumer.

Terms

This is the length of the lease agreement. Typical leasing lengths are 24, 36, 48 and 60 months. However, sometimes lease agreements are for 36, 38 or 40 months (to make the lease payments appear smaller). We recommend that consumers choose a 36-month lease term.