Car leasing maintenance packages: Your questions answered
A lease car maintenance contract can help you spread the cost of unexpected repair bills, but are they right for everyone? We weigh up the pros and cons...
After finding the right car leasing deal to suit your needs, the next step is considering whether you want to take out a maintenance contract as well. Much like the leasing deal itself, a maintenance contract lets you spread the cost of any servicing, replacement tyres and a range of other repair costs into a fixed monthly fee.
A maintenance contract can give you peace of mind against any unexpected repair bills you might not have budgeted for. However, is it worth the additional monthly expense?
Here, we share some of the most frequently asked questions about car maintenance contracts to help you determine whether they’re worth your money.
What is a lease car maintenance contract?
A lease car maintenance contract generally covers the basics involved in an annual service along with any wear-and-tear items that could impact the roadworthiness of the car. However, it’s highly likely that your car maintenance contract won’t cover every component fitted to your car.
Most contracts won’t cover repairs to the following:
- Bodywork damage
- Paintwork damage
- Cracked or chipped windscreens
- Missing items (such as wheel trims or door mirrors)
- Stolen items
- Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) on diesel-engined cars, and catalytic converters
In some cases, tyres and brakes also won’t be included, whereas some components will only be covered after a certain amount of miles. For instance, with some policies, you might not be able to get your clutch replaced under the package if the car has covered less than 75,000 miles.
As a result, it’s a good idea to check the full content of any maintenance package you’re interested in before you sign up.
It’s also worth noting that lease car maintenance contracts won’t cover the cost of repairing any damage that was caused by driver error (including misfuelling), vandalism or acts of God, such as flooding.
Are MOT tests covered under lease car maintenance contracts?
Since most lease contracts last for two or three years, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to book an MOT for your car. However, for cases in which the contract lasts longer, a lease car maintenance contract should cover MOT tests.
What maintenance contract options are there?
Not all maintenance contracts are created equal. You could get a contract that only covers your car's tyres or a service, maintenance and repair contract that includes UK breakdown cover and a courtesy vehicle while your car is being repaired.
It’s worth noting that some parts not covered by a lease car maintenance contract, such as windscreen repair or replacement, are usually part of a fully-comprehensive insurance package.
I have a maintenance contract, how do I book an appointment?
When you sign up to a maintenance contract, you should receive a maintenance contact number from the finance company. If your car needs routine maintenance or a repair, you can use this number to book the vehicle into a local approved garage.
A franchised dealer or an authorised VAT-registered agent should be able to carry out any work that’s required as stipulated by the contract, but it’s worth checking the fine print before deciding who to use.
Is a lease car maintenance contract worth it?
To find out whether a lease car maintenance contract is right for you, assess the overall cost throughout the whole contract term. To do this, you’ll need to know:
- The mileage you’ll likely cover throughout the leasing agreement
- The service schedule recommended by the manufacturer
- The cost of a service at an approved garage
- The cost of replacement wearable components (eg: tyres, brake pads)
This information should give you an idea of the sort of money you’ll pay to keep the lease car properly maintained, and whether a maintenance contract is good value for money. It’s also worth considering whether you’d prefer to spread the cost of maintenance bills throughout the contract term, which can help you avoid covering big bills in one go but result in higher monthly bills.
Will I benefit from a maintenance contract?
Choose a maintenance contract if…
- You cover more than 15,000 miles per year
- You operate a fleet of company cars
- You’re leasing a car for a long time
Don’t choose a maintenance contract if…
- You cover a low annual mileage
- You’re leasing a car for less than two years
- You want to keep your monthly payments to a minimum
