Lease takeover experience
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Super Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 721
Likes: 74
From: NYC
2016 c450 / 2016 VW Jetta 1.8t / 2006 Wrangler X
Lease takeover experience
I haven't been on the board for a bit. My wife and I just had our first kid 7 months ago so he's kinda been my new favorite thing to play with.
I still have my c450 lease until 4 of '20 and am considering my options for getting out early. The car has 12000 mi with 18000 left on the lease. I returned our Jetta so now the family is making it happen with the Mercedes and my Jeep. It works for now but we're going to need more room.
Has anyone ever done a lease transfer with Mercedes financial, or used services like Swapalease or Leasetrader? My greatest concern is the liability issue once the car is turned over. Am I still listed on the title or lean? Can I be held responsible for any issues with the new leasee?
Thanks in advance.
BTW AWE Track exhaust for sale.
I still have my c450 lease until 4 of '20 and am considering my options for getting out early. The car has 12000 mi with 18000 left on the lease. I returned our Jetta so now the family is making it happen with the Mercedes and my Jeep. It works for now but we're going to need more room.
Has anyone ever done a lease transfer with Mercedes financial, or used services like Swapalease or Leasetrader? My greatest concern is the liability issue once the car is turned over. Am I still listed on the title or lean? Can I be held responsible for any issues with the new leasee?
Thanks in advance.
BTW AWE Track exhaust for sale.
Super Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 836
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From: Massachusetts
2018 C43 AMG Brilliant Blue Metallic
I tried to swap a lease with my Acura.
The whole lease is transferred to the new owner.
They have to qualify just like yourself and if they have better or worse credit that could impact the payment.
I was not successful with swap a lease and ended up paying 3500 out of pocket to get out of lease.
Honestly it was a nightmare.
The whole lease is transferred to the new owner.
They have to qualify just like yourself and if they have better or worse credit that could impact the payment.
I was not successful with swap a lease and ended up paying 3500 out of pocket to get out of lease.
Honestly it was a nightmare.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 510
Likes: 64
From: Dallas Texas USA
2023 AMG EQE 53
MB will usually try to take you out early if you lease another onMB, depends on vehicle, dealer and time of year. I've had them take me out as much as a year early and on one car not at all.you walk away from the old lease clean, not your problem but of course you have a new lease. shouThey Youalso waive anyadispisition fee. l'd talk to your dealer.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Mercedes C43
MB will usually try to take you out early if you lease another onMB, depends on vehicle, dealer and time of year. I've had them take me out as much as a year early and on one car not at all.you walk away from the old lease clean, not your problem but of course you have a new lease. shouThey Youalso waive anyadispisition fee. l'd talk to your dealer.
For most cars, once the transfer is complete, the whole lease moves over so no liability would stay with you (Audi is one exception that you would remain liable).
The key to transferring the lease will be your monthly payment. People looking to get a transfer on your lease are going to want a considerably better deal than they can get walking into their dealership. Typically that means, unless you put down some cash to get your lease payment down, it won’t transfer easily. Another option is to kick in a cash incentive if your lease payment isn’t especially attractive.
Last edited by bjarble; Feb 7, 2019 at 08:01 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 199
From: Brooklyn, NY
2018 GT R; G82; M340
I've done one with my old C450. It's an easy but not a quick process as MBUSA takes their time to process it. Usually you will have to offer the incentive to attract someone to take over the lease...
Try Swapalease. I'm actually just posted my C43 over there as I'm preparing to take a delivery of the C63
Good luck!
Try Swapalease. I'm actually just posted my C43 over there as I'm preparing to take a delivery of the C63
Good luck!
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Mercedes C43
Swapalease and Leasetrader are the 2 main ones, but seems like Swapalease gets more traffic. Although my last one was a private transfer initiated from the forums on the Leasehackr website.
My area doesn’t have a lot of the cars that I like, so I usually end up flying 1-way, picking up the car and driving home. I’ve gone to Chicago, Philly and New York.
Mercedes is crazy slow with theirs. Usually takes 1-2 weeks to send around the paperwork. Once the paperwork makes it back to the manufacturer, BMW was taking 2-3 days to finalize, Mercedes took almost 3 weeks!
My area doesn’t have a lot of the cars that I like, so I usually end up flying 1-way, picking up the car and driving home. I’ve gone to Chicago, Philly and New York.
Mercedes is crazy slow with theirs. Usually takes 1-2 weeks to send around the paperwork. Once the paperwork makes it back to the manufacturer, BMW was taking 2-3 days to finalize, Mercedes took almost 3 weeks!
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Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 202
Likes: 31
From: Chicago
2019 C43 AMG, 2016 BMW M235xi (gone)
I had a similar experience with BMW. I was super impressed with how BMW finance handled the lease transfer. They have a solid process that was incredibly seamless. BTW, a key question to ask is whether or not MBUSA lease transfers include a complete release of liability on the car. I remember years ago when looking to exit an Infiniti lease, my name would have remained on the paperwork as a responsible party. BMW provided a full release. You were done with the car once the paperwork was complete. There real issues there. First, you don't want to held responsible if the new lessee defaults on payments. Second, in the vent of a theft or loss of the vehicle, you don't want to be responsible for any shortfall on the part of the bank (although gap insurance usually covers that). Third, you want to get involved in a lawsuit should the new lessee run over a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
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Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 170
Likes: 28
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Too many
with MB and BMW once you transfer the lease , you are not responsible for any damage or missed payments .. basically you are out of the picture
VW group including Audi and Porsche still the first owner/lessee will be responsible for default of second lessee so it is not worth transferring
I have transferred lease with both BMW and Benz , the key is you have to give people very good reason to take over your car as compared to buying new , and most of the time it will be financial
if your lease is aggressive , then this will work in your favor
the few times I have done it , it was very easy process , as long as both parties are honest and responsible
I will suggest keeping exhaust till you transfer the lease, it night be an incentive to seal a deal
I threw in a winter wheel/ tire set that I used for one season when I transferred my M3 lease ... original price of set was 3 k , so used probably was worth 1500 dollars , but the guy loved it ,
try listing here first though unfortunately this forum does not get a lot of traffic
GL
VW group including Audi and Porsche still the first owner/lessee will be responsible for default of second lessee so it is not worth transferring
I have transferred lease with both BMW and Benz , the key is you have to give people very good reason to take over your car as compared to buying new , and most of the time it will be financial
if your lease is aggressive , then this will work in your favor
the few times I have done it , it was very easy process , as long as both parties are honest and responsible
I will suggest keeping exhaust till you transfer the lease, it night be an incentive to seal a deal
I threw in a winter wheel/ tire set that I used for one season when I transferred my M3 lease ... original price of set was 3 k , so used probably was worth 1500 dollars , but the guy loved it ,
try listing here first though unfortunately this forum does not get a lot of traffic
GL
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11,400
Likes: 5,324
From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
Lease transfer may not be worth it. Depends on how much money you put down at the beginning and/or if you have equity. You'd potentially leave money on the table or as others have said have give incentive to take over your lease. However, you can trade in a leased car pretty much like any other car. A dealer will buy out the lease and if you have equity you can apply it towards your next car or get a check. If you are under water, then obviously you'll have to come up with the difference. If you are planning on getting into something else, then I would just pursue the trade-in route.
Last edited by superswiss; Feb 8, 2019 at 06:48 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 24
Likes: 1
C43 AMG
First time poster here, and happy to make it this one if it saves even 1 person from derailment as I wish it did for me:
One other issue with transferring the lease might be getting someone approved in the first place. I found a 2018 C43 on Swap A Lease, initiated the process with the other guy, and MB sent me a link to their credit application. First, I was denied with a 791 credit score. Then I re-submitted with a co-signer with a credit score near 830 and 20 years of auto history, including 3 MB's (one of which's lease just ended with all payments made). We were denied once again. This was last Thursday/Friday.
The kicker - I walked into an MB dealer Saturday afternoon and left with a brand new 2019 C43.
Multiple threads around and plenty of other people who have had the same issue. It seems to me that MB purposely denies more-than-qualified lease transfer applicants in order to force a) the original lease holder to stay, and b) the aspiring lease holder to give in and get a new one directly from them. Damn unethical if you ask me, but not sure how much can be done.
One other issue with transferring the lease might be getting someone approved in the first place. I found a 2018 C43 on Swap A Lease, initiated the process with the other guy, and MB sent me a link to their credit application. First, I was denied with a 791 credit score. Then I re-submitted with a co-signer with a credit score near 830 and 20 years of auto history, including 3 MB's (one of which's lease just ended with all payments made). We were denied once again. This was last Thursday/Friday.
The kicker - I walked into an MB dealer Saturday afternoon and left with a brand new 2019 C43.
Multiple threads around and plenty of other people who have had the same issue. It seems to me that MB purposely denies more-than-qualified lease transfer applicants in order to force a) the original lease holder to stay, and b) the aspiring lease holder to give in and get a new one directly from them. Damn unethical if you ask me, but not sure how much can be done.
Last edited by navalos; Feb 19, 2019 at 12:39 PM. Reason: More info
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 199
From: Brooklyn, NY
2018 GT R; G82; M340
First time poster here, and happy to make it this one if it saves even 1 person from derailment as I wish it did for me:
One other issue with transferring the lease might be getting someone approved in the first place. I found a 2018 C43 on Swap A Lease, initiated the process with the other guy, and MB sent me a link to their credit application. First, I was denied with a 791 credit score. Then I re-submitted with a co-signer with a credit score near 830 and 20 years of auto history, including 3 MB's (one of which's lease just ended with all payments made). We were denied once again. This was last Thursday/Friday.
The kicker - I walked into an MB dealer Saturday afternoon and left with a brand new 2019 C43.
Multiple threads around and plenty of other people who have had the same issue. It seems to me that MB purposely denies more-than-qualified lease transfer applicants in order to force a) the original lease holder to stay, and b) the aspiring lease holder to give in and get a new one directly from them. Damn unethical if you ask me, but not sure how much can be done.
One other issue with transferring the lease might be getting someone approved in the first place. I found a 2018 C43 on Swap A Lease, initiated the process with the other guy, and MB sent me a link to their credit application. First, I was denied with a 791 credit score. Then I re-submitted with a co-signer with a credit score near 830 and 20 years of auto history, including 3 MB's (one of which's lease just ended with all payments made). We were denied once again. This was last Thursday/Friday.
The kicker - I walked into an MB dealer Saturday afternoon and left with a brand new 2019 C43.
Multiple threads around and plenty of other people who have had the same issue. It seems to me that MB purposely denies more-than-qualified lease transfer applicants in order to force a) the original lease holder to stay, and b) the aspiring lease holder to give in and get a new one directly from them. Damn unethical if you ask me, but not sure how much can be done.
