Currently, when a lease is coming to its end, an inspector is sent to the home or business location of the leasee to check the car for wear and tear. If reconditioning is necessary, then the owner of the vehicle is responsible for the cost.
The inspector part of the turn in procedure is what people don’t like. And it is that which Mercedes is changing. The change will call for trained inspectors to check out the vehicle at the dealership. The inspection is a three point, 20-item review that covers the interior, exterior and equipment.
If repairs are called for, the customer can discuss them with personnel of the dealership. And the dealership has the authority to make the repairs if the customer desires. Some costs to the owner or leasee could be dropped through loyalty programs.
Dealers have mixed views of this plan. They like the fact that it brings leasees back to the original dealership from which they had leased the vehicle and puts them in a position to lease or buy another car from that dealership. However, dealers don’t relish the idea that they may have to present a bill to the customer for repairs to wear and tear. The program also allows the dealership to see the car and decide if they want to add it to their used car inventory.