Lease terms are a tricky topic to navigate – with annual mileage, your budget, and the lease length, there’s plenty to consider.
Now, choosing your car lease deal shouldn’t be stressful. But if you’ve made a start and found yourself stuck, this article should help.
At LeaseCar, we have broken down the ways to pick the best lease term for your lifestyle. The best bit? There are just five simple steps!
We’ve been helping drivers across the UK discover their perfect lease car deal for more than 25 years – will you be next?
Get in touch with us to find out more.
Let’s Start at the Beginning, What Even Is a Lease Term?
A lease term is defined as being the complete period of time that you lease a car from a leasing company. Sometimes referred to as a contract length, it will either be presented in months or years – for example, 24 months or 2 years.
Lease terms are split by either short-term or long-term car leases.
Each leasing provider will have their own definition of short and long-term leasing. However, most typically:
- Short-term leasing is under a year.
- Long-term car leases are usually anything above a year and can last for up to four years.
Follow These 5 Easy Steps to Choose the Best Lease Term for You!
Now you know what a lease term is, we can get around to picking the right one for you and your lifestyle!
- The Length of Your Lease
We’ve already discussed the difference between short and long-term lease car deals, but how do they impact you?
The longer your car lease deal, the cheaper your monthly rental may be as you can spread the cost of your agreement over a longer period of time.
It’s no secret that cars depreciate in value, so much so that it is estimated that cars lose 50% of their value within the first three years of their life.
This is where car leasing has numerous benefits over car ownership, as you do not have to worry about depreciation at all!
2. Your Annual Mileage
We understand that calculating your annual mileage isn’t always the easiest task, but it’s worth doing!
This impacts your lease term as the higher the annual mileage you choose, the more your monthly rental will be.
Most people prefer to err on the side of caution and round up their estimated annual mileage. That way, if any unexpected longer trips are taken, these have been accounted for.
By giving yourself extra leeway, you won’t get an excess mileage charge if you do go over the annual mileage on your lease term.
3. Assess Your Budget
We know that money is never an easy topic, but it’s important to evaluate your finances before choosing your lease car term.
You should take into consideration your regular outgoings as well as what would happen if something sudden – like redundancy – hit and you couldn’t afford to pay your lease anymore.
One of the many positive aspects of car leasing is that your monthly rental is fixed. Due to this, you can factor this into your budget and assess accordingly.
Once you know how much you can afford to spend on a lease, then you will be able to choose a lease car deal that not only fits your budget but also meets what you need from a car.
4. Recognising the Type of Car You Need Not Just Want
Speaking of which, we all want the latest model of a car. We’re only human!
State-of-the-art technology, immaculate interiors, glossy paintwork – what’s not to love?
However, sometimes these things we dream about are just that, dreams, rather than specs we actually need.
For example, it may be necessary for you to have:
- Large boot space
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane departure
Therefore, when deciding your car lease deal, it’s important to prioritise the needs you require rather than wants – like heated seats.
Think about your day-to-day driving habits.
Are you dropping the kids off at school, playdates, or extracurricular activities? If so, it may be important to you to have lots of space for little legs and all their bags.
Do you find yourself driving across the country for work? If that’s the case, comfy seats and cruise control may be high on your priority list.
Once you know what is essential for your new car, you can ensure your new lease meets all of these requirements.
5. Fair Wear and Tear
Wear and tear is part and parcel of driving – and car leasing companies know this!
This is why most, if not all, car leasing businesses allow for fair wear and tear on their car lease deals.
Unsure about the jargon? The British Vehicle Renting and Leasing Association has released fair wear and tear guidelines so that you know exactly what constitutes ‘fair’.
Essentially, as long as your car is returned to the leasing company in a roadworthy condition, you will be within the T&Cs.
Now You Know How to Pick the Best Lease Term, Take a Look at Our Car Lease Deals
And that’s it – just five steps to choosing the best car lease term.
It really is that simple!
Here at LeaseCar, we have a wide range of lease car deals with various specifications, prices, and lease lengths. This way, you can find the right lease term for you and your lifestyle.
However, if you’re still a bit unsure, why not reach out to our UK-based team? With more than 25 years of experience, we will be more than happy to discuss our options with you so you feel more confident about your decision.
Or, if you’d prefer, you could simply fill out our online contact form. We’ll get to work right away so that you’ll be on the road as soon as possible!