Leases and buyback negotiations?

[TripleTransAm]

Does it ever happen that a dealer renegotiates a buyback price (the price to buy the car at the end of a lease) at the end of a lease?

I ask because the stated buy-back price on my leased MM#1 is so misaligned with market realities (especially now that all the 2003 - and some 2004 - leases are expiring). I'm not complaining: the high buyback (and an initial good discount off the MSRP) allowed for very attractive lease costs, especially since we prepaid the lease at the moment of signing to avoid interest payments.

I'm tempted to dump MM#1 without so much as a hint of remorse and tell them "just try and get any sort of decent wholesale price while trying to rid yourselves of this car" (which makes sense, considering I got MM#2 for a much more market-realistic price!). However, I'm wondering if this situation would put them in a position of wanting to renegotiate the buyback to avoid getting stuck with a vehicle that's going to wholesale far below what the buyback is set at.

[STLR FN]

It's possible. Never know though till you try. Worst they can say is no.

[01 Interceptor]

If it's through Ford Motor Credit...chances are very slim. My parents had a '97 Mountaineer that we had on lease. At the end of the lease(in 2000) we wanted to purchase it, but we weren't going to pay 4k more than one on the lot because this was the one we wanted and had since new. The dealership wanted to do it, because it was a guaranteed sale...FMC said no. In the end, FMC took the Mountaineer back and probably ended up selling it for about what the other one on the lot was going for, if not less. We would've bought the one on the lot if it were red. Maybe they've changed their policy since then...good luck either way.

[RCSignals]

You had me worried there Steve, for a moment I thought you were going to try to keep MM#1 :eek:

Don't turn your back on that car, I have a feeling it is Christine reincarnate

[ADE 1000]

My family leases cars often and we have had sucess in renegotiating the buyback price on several of them. It all depends on what financial institution the vehicle is leased through.

Ford Motor Credit and GMAC typically will not budge. However, others like Bank One, Chase, and even Chrysler financial will .

[Bradley G]

That is partially due to: the factory sponsors thier own auction.
They incur less expense selling it off lease.
Still best to ask
My family leases cars often and we have had sucess in renegotiating the buyback price on several of them. It all depends on what financial institution the vehicle is leased through.

Ford Motor Credit and GMAC typically will not budge. However, others like Bank One, Chase, and even Chrysler financial will .

[magindat]

Negotiate directly with the lease company, not the dealer. I have had one successful buyback at a lower price and one I ended up telling them to take their car and shuv it.

[n-cherok]

with all the leases that ive termed over the years of a Finance manager at a dealer, if you ever want to try to negotiate the buyout you have to call your local ford credit service center, not the regular ford credit to like make payments and such, it really depends on you region if they will let you buy it for less, because if you return the vehicle, ford credit will loose quite a bit of money, so it may be worth a try