How does the vehicle return process work?
Once your organization's vehicle lease contract expires, the vehicle is supposed to be returned to the business car leasing company at the location where it was initially collected. Here, we discuss the procedure of vehicle return in detail.
Over the last decade, the availability of business car leasing has enabled many people to relish the advantages that come along with it. It is a perfect deal for those who want access to the favourite, latest car models with advanced safety features, without bearing the accompanying financial burden.
Once your lease contract comes to an end, you have to return the vehicle to the business vehicle leasing company at the same location where it was collected from initially. However, there are multiple factors that come into play in the process of returning the car that one should be aware of. As a highly reputed, trusted, and one of the pioneers in the vehicle leasing and fleet management industry in India, we at ALD Automotive, keep the process simple and convenient, in order to give the user a hassle-free and pleasant experience. Here are some things one should keep in mind while returning the leased vehicle.
Once you return the vehicle, it goes through a thorough inspection, during which ALD ensures it is returned with all the essential items, including documentation, duplicate key, warranty book, owner’s manual, and original RC card. It also ensures the condition of the vehicle is close to what is expected considering its age, mileage and the normal wear and tear during the period of the lease.
After the inspection, the client’s representative and ALD will create a report that mentions the differences between the standard condition stated in the agreement and the present condition of the vehicle, thereby giving clarity on our damage assessment process.
The client coordinator has to be given the signed transfer, either at the delivery time or within 1 week from returning the vehicle.
There are certain types of damage that are acceptable for a returned vehicle, as follows:
Scratches, minor abrasions, damage to paint surface, or tyres with minimum tread.
Minor stone damage on the front of the vehicle, scratches and abrasions on door handles, faded paint work, and abrasions to paint work caused by equipment for car wash, and dents/depressions (under 2 cm in diameter) with the paint work unaffected.
Minor scratches on body mouldings, bumpers, or edges of the doors.
- Windows, lamps, and mirrors
Scratches on lamps, minor stone impacts on windscreen with no cracks, and additional lights that cater to legal requirements.
Faded surfaces, abrasions, normal soiling, and headlining which has soiling and light abrasions.
- Marks due to removal of accessories
Small concealed screw holes.
However, there are certain types of damage that are unacceptable while returning a leased vehicle, which are as follows:
Major abrasions, deformations, wrong type of rims, cracks, and bald/ damaged or abnormally bulged tyres.
Dents and depressions over 2 cm in diameter, with or without damage to paint work, collision damage that is not repaired, paint work requiring painting, dents or damage due to corrosion and roof racks, removal of stickers and tape, and repainting of panels without reporting to ALD.
Significant scratches on body mouldings and bumpers, missing or damaged tow bar covers.
- Windows, lamps, and mirrors
Cracks in lamps, broken lamps, damages and cracks from stones on the windscreen and other windows, mirrors that are scuffed and scratched, non-operating internally operated or torn-off or loose outside mirrors.
Persistent stains, cigarette cut/ tear or burn holes, animal hair, bad odour, stubborn stains, excessively soiled headlining that cannot be cleaned.
- Marks due to removal of accessories
Modifications that can’t be reverted to the original state, visible screw holes that can’t be concealed, damage to paintwork due to removal or installation of stickers.
Other than the types of damage mentioned above, there are various other things that are not acceptable at all, like not returning the equipment, missing wheel nuts, car music system, remote, speakers, tool kit, service manual, warranty booklet, jack and jack handle, owner’s manual, insurance policy, and vehicle registration certification.
To know more, please refer to our User Guide.
We, at ALD Automotive, yearn to give our clients an experience that they not only enjoy but also cherish forever. Our intention is to ensure that every process involved business car leasing is hassle-free.