Early Lease Termination
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Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2020
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From: Vienna, VA
'20 GLS580, '18 S560
Early Lease Termination
Currently on the last leg of '24 S580. my final payment is at the beginning of January.
if I pick up the facelifted' 27 S580, typically how soon would MBFS let me get out?
or does anyone know any way to get out even sooner? Other than buying the vehicle?
if I pick up the facelifted' 27 S580, typically how soon would MBFS let me get out?
or does anyone know any way to get out even sooner? Other than buying the vehicle?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
You can also trade out vs turning in if they can get your residual in a trade in offer. Thats what I always do, I traded my S560 in with 5 payments remaining.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2023
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From: Los Angeles
I traded my '24 GLE 53 lease for a '26 63 lease w/ 2 years left on my contract - The dealer will work magic if they want new car sales... However, it did cost me an add'l $3K down.
Last edited by Chop77; Mar 1, 2026 at 09:45 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
The payoff on any lease is the residual plus all the remaining payments. When they have a car they can discount they use that discount to help you absorb the negative equity in, but you’re paying it one way or the other. If they “required” a down payment that means that they were financing more than the lender would allow which means the negative equity was quite significant.
So if you owe $90k and the car is worth $60k and they can discount the new car $10k, they will roll the $30k into the new car if the lender will allow it. They will only allow like maybe 115% of the MSRP to be financed. So if the new car is $100k they need another $5k, which is why they needed the additional down payment. $100k-$10k (discount or rebate)+ $30k (negative equity) is $120k, 5k over the max so they would make the customer pay $5k out of pocket.
No way out of a lease that early without getting hosed unless you can get someone to assume the lease. 6 months is a different story but not 24 months.
Last edited by SW20S; Mar 2, 2026 at 12:08 AM.
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Current/Last 5-years:GLS;G70;Alpina B8;X7;Accord. Sold:X7,TeslaS;S560;S550,X5;530e;L.Navigator;LS460
You can't simply get out of a 2-years like that without paying for it somehow.
Last edited by S_W222; Mar 2, 2026 at 12:25 AM.
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Junior Member
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From: Los Angeles
No smoke and mirrors in the calculus - MSRP was $143K, got it for $135K. I owed $77K on my lease, they gave me $74K. They were aggressive w/ their discounts/incentives... even w/ 24 months left and on current MYs. I'll more than likely terminate this lease early too. I rarely keep a vehicle more than 2.5 years and it hasn't been an issue w/ any brand.
Edit: I didn't have to pay anything out-of-pocket, but I did have a monthly payment number in mind and used the $3K to close the deal. My original point being, you can typically get out of a lease early if you're willing to pony up some cash.
Edit: I didn't have to pay anything out-of-pocket, but I did have a monthly payment number in mind and used the $3K to close the deal. My original point being, you can typically get out of a lease early if you're willing to pony up some cash.
Last edited by Chop77; Mar 2, 2026 at 09:52 AM.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2021
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From: Fleriduh
W212 E63S Wagon - GSL580 - E63 - E350 - C300
@Chop77 I dunno man. I have not leased a car in years (it is not good option for me). But, I lease a TON of things (Medical devices)...I have never, not once ever seen an easy way out of a lease with out paying off the full contracted figure (in one way or another). MB Financing is not the same company as MB USA (granted, one would not exist with out the other). Recently we were offered an "early out" on a lease of a pair of SRT machines - when doing the math (not the calculus, the math)...it was not too hard to find that they just rolled the number left on the current financing into the theoretic new term of newer machines. This would be the same for a car (and what I have seen again and again) - If the money on the capital to the theoretic value of the vehicle is $3000 - they either add it to the new note @ $3000/term - or, in your case just have you write a check.
Lease I am stuck with now - a manager signed a lease for 60/mo on a $600k piece of equipment where the buy out today is the same dollar figure as if we just make every payment - makes me want to smack some folks :-)
Lease I am stuck with now - a manager signed a lease for 60/mo on a $600k piece of equipment where the buy out today is the same dollar figure as if we just make every payment - makes me want to smack some folks :-)
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
The difference with a car is that it has resale value. I don't know if SRT machines have a used market and if it has resale value. So, trading out of a lease works the same as trading out of a loan. The dealership buys the car from the bank. They actually get a preferred buyout price and don't have to pay tax, so they can buy it for less than if the lessee would buy it out. What gets rolled into the new lease is any negative equity, not the entire amount that's still owed on the car. In the example above, the buyout was $77k and the dealer offered $74k for the trade, so $3k in negative equity that got rolled into the new lease. That negative equity can either be paid with a larger down payment or a larger monthly payment. There's no magic. Just a straight forward trade.
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From: Fleriduh
W212 E63S Wagon - GSL580 - E63 - E350 - C300
This would then cost another $20k or so to get certified for patient care. It is not too far of a strech from a car lease as there is a theretic residual value of the device after the term of the lease.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 3,109
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From: U.S.
Current/Last 5-years:GLS;G70;Alpina B8;X7;Accord. Sold:X7,TeslaS;S560;S550,X5;530e;L.Navigator;LS460
No smoke and mirrors in the calculus - MSRP was $143K, got it for $135K. I owed $77K on my lease, they gave me $74K. They were aggressive w/ their discounts/incentives... even w/ 24 months left and on current MYs. I'll more than likely terminate this lease early too. I rarely keep a vehicle more than 2.5 years and it hasn't been an issue w/ any brand.
Edit: I didn't have to pay anything out-of-pocket, but I did have a monthly payment number in mind and used the $3K to close the deal. My original point being, you can typically get out of a lease early if you're willing to pony up some cash.
Edit: I didn't have to pay anything out-of-pocket, but I did have a monthly payment number in mind and used the $3K to close the deal. My original point being, you can typically get out of a lease early if you're willing to pony up some cash.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
https://www.ebay.com/itm/257159935888
This would then cost another $20k or so to get certified for patient care. It is not too far of a strech from a car lease as there is a theretic residual value of the device after the term of the lease.
This would then cost another $20k or so to get certified for patient care. It is not too far of a strech from a car lease as there is a theretic residual value of the device after the term of the lease.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11,400
Likes: 5,324
From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
Sounds like a good deal, congrats!. I don't lease at all regardless. I am not ready to lock myself into a car as well as monthly payments for a fixed period if time. I just buy what I want and can afford, sell it when I want something else, and arguably my ownership cost is way way way lower than leasing for each and every car I bought recently. U just need to know how to buy and sell.
Last edited by superswiss; Mar 2, 2026 at 02:14 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,061
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
It all depends on the car. Like I said the buyout is the residual plus all the remaining payments, so if someone can give you in trade that payoff figure, then you're out. On some relatively in demand cars (like AMG SUVs) this might work out, but on an S Class its not gonna work out lol. Trust me, I've been leasing and trading out of cars like this for a long time. They depreciate way faster than the buyout ticks down, until you get into those last few months no trade in scenario is going to work without considerable negative equity.
Member
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 212
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From: Harrison, ME
2025 S580
I leased a 2019 CLS and found it a really sexy looking car (in Ruby Black) that was noisy on the highway, had really uncomfortable seats, and significant rear suspension noise when going over anything other than a mild bump. Asked the dealer about terminating the lease and was told I needed to pay the full value of the lease. Suffered with the car for the 36 months, though at the end, since it was the COVID era with limited inventory, the dealer wanted to buy it from me for $10K over what my end of lease purchase price was. So it worked out monetarily, though my butt paid the price. My 2024 E450 AT was purchased, was a disappointment after the first month, and was easily disposed of 11 months later (though with the depreciation hit). So purchasing over leasing does give you a bit more flexibility.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Corona Del Mar, CA
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
I ventured from my luxury sedan comfort zone into a new, loaded 2014 ML350 BLUETEC that I special ordered and leased. I soon saw the error of my ways and with the way MBFS leases were written then, I simply listed the vehicle here on this site and quickly found a very qualified member who assumed the lease. If I am not mistaken, he loves the ML and STILL has it! Those were the good, old days when MB & others were concerned that their customers were happy with their products.
When I found myself unhappy with my leased 2022 S580, with the current lease language, I found it virtually impossible to get out of the lease without taking a $30K+ hit. But, some of the issues causing my unhappiness with the car were not simply how uncomfortable it was and one day—about 11 months into my lease—caused the car to abruptly & completely shut down during a drive on a busy highway. After 45 days in the Fletcher-Jones Service Department, it was bought back as a lemon. WHEW!
Had the lease in 2022 been the same as in 2014, very soon after taking delivery, I would have simply taken a modest hit, found someone to assume the lease and just might still be driving a MB today. It’s funny how things work out sometimes.
When I found myself unhappy with my leased 2022 S580, with the current lease language, I found it virtually impossible to get out of the lease without taking a $30K+ hit. But, some of the issues causing my unhappiness with the car were not simply how uncomfortable it was and one day—about 11 months into my lease—caused the car to abruptly & completely shut down during a drive on a busy highway. After 45 days in the Fletcher-Jones Service Department, it was bought back as a lemon. WHEW!
Had the lease in 2022 been the same as in 2014, very soon after taking delivery, I would have simply taken a modest hit, found someone to assume the lease and just might still be driving a MB today. It’s funny how things work out sometimes.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,061
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
We've heard
COVID caused many manufacturers to change their lease terms. Its much harder to trade a lease in on another brand car nowadays. You do have to understand about a lease though that it is a contract for a term. When leasing an apartment or a house the same thing happens, people want to exit the lease early and they don't understand why they just can't...well you signed a contract to pay the landlord a certain amount of money and when you breach that agreement they are damaged. Its important to do your due dilligence BEFORE entering into an agreement and make sure you like a car, etc. Signing a lease on a car you've never even test driven is just a poor decision that you deserve to lose money on.
Always best to make sure you can and want to fulfil your obligations under an agreement before signing that agreement.
COVID caused many manufacturers to change their lease terms. Its much harder to trade a lease in on another brand car nowadays. You do have to understand about a lease though that it is a contract for a term. When leasing an apartment or a house the same thing happens, people want to exit the lease early and they don't understand why they just can't...well you signed a contract to pay the landlord a certain amount of money and when you breach that agreement they are damaged. Its important to do your due dilligence BEFORE entering into an agreement and make sure you like a car, etc. Signing a lease on a car you've never even test driven is just a poor decision that you deserve to lose money on.
Always best to make sure you can and want to fulfil your obligations under an agreement before signing that agreement.
Last edited by SW20S; Mar 5, 2026 at 11:34 AM.
Out Of Control!!
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
Indeed. Despite what's been said about trading out, a lease is ultimately more restrictive as you don't own the thing you are leasing. So, you can't just sell it, modify it etc. Lots of people for example violate their lease agreements by modifying the car they are leasing. That's technically a breach of contract. A car lease is kinda strange compared to an apartment lease in that the lessee is responsible for servicing the car, although you can always add prepaid maintenance which may even increase the residual and at least partly pay for the maintenance. I don't remember if MBFS does this, but back when I leased with Audi, adding prepaid maintenance increased the residual by 1%, which essentially paid for the services for the lease term. But at the end of the day, you are renting a car for an agreed length of time and an agreed upon mileage, in exchange for a fix amount of money over that term. Can't just dump it if you don't like it anymore half way through the lease.
Last edited by superswiss; Mar 5, 2026 at 12:30 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
Indeed. Despite what's been said about trading out, a lease is ultimately more restrictive as you don't own the thing you are leasing. So, you can't just sell it, modify it etc. Lots of people for example violate their lease agreements by modifying the car they are leasing. That's technically a breach of contract. A car lease is kinda strange compared to an apartment lease in that the lessee is responsible for servicing the car, although you can always add prepaid maintenance which may even increase the residual and at least partly pay for the maintenance. I don't remember if MBFS does this, but back when I leased with Audi, adding prepaid maintenance increased the residual by 1%, which essentially paid for the services for the lease term. But at the end of the day, you are renting a car for an agreed length of time and an agreed upon mileage, in exchange for a fix amount of money over that term. Can't just dump it if you don't like it anymore half way through the lease.
Most residential leases (I own a property management firm) the tenant is responsible for regular maintenance. So replacing filters, yard work, gutter cleaning etc. If something breaks then the landlord would have to repair it, so not unlike a vehicle lease when the vehicle is under warranty. Apartment buildings are different, but I'm talking about residential leases where there is an individual landlord.
Last edited by SW20S; Mar 5, 2026 at 03:19 PM.
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From: Costco
2023 S500
I purchased the lease damage waiver on mine. I know people think it’s a ripoff but lease returns aren’t like the “old days,” where the dealership does the review and tend to be lenient with damage or excess wear if you intend to lease another. It’s all third party inspection now and I know the waiver will pay for itself as I curbed my front wheels, scraped/deformed the front bumper undercarriage on a parking lot barrier, and have a deep bare metal scratch on the door thanks to some unknown person at Costco. Oh, and I intend to turn in my car with near bald tires assuming I can safely make it there.
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