DennisMitchell

DennisMitchell

Even when I lease, I would never treat the vehicle other than loving and nurturing it.

The fact is when you are at lease-end, your vehicle may have more value than the lease residual. You can parlay that excess value in a cost reduction for your next lease or purchase.

snagitseven

True car enthusiasts treat their vehicles, leased or owned, as an extension of themselves and maybe even as a part of their family. Thus, those people have respect for their machine and take care of it accordingly.

Others who don't have this connection treat their car as simply a possession to be used and, in some cases, abused. It is just a thing with no more personal attachment than a coffee pot.

Is either person's approach right or wrong? Probably not but most of those who are here at AW would more than likely fall into the first category.

TorinTPG

This thread reminds me of why I like to buy new and baby it. Never know what the previous owner did to it 😊

Eli McCraig

Whoever buys my returned lease is a very lucky driver. I detail weekly, only use shell 93, get all maintenance by original dealer, and drive the car like it should be driven- with performance in mind. I don't redline shift, or do launches but it gets a healthy workout almost daily.

irenesbob

I have leased my last four Audi's since 2005 and have treated each of them like I intended to keep them for 30 years. I don’t get the OP's suggestion that you beat a leased car. It is like saying you trash a hotel room because you don’t live there. Trailer trash mentality?
Disgusting viewpoint to me. When I rent a car for travel (business or personal) I check the oil, tire pressure, adjust/fill if necessary and wash the car if it gets dirty. The OP's comments disturb me when I see the condition the US has gotten into with so few of our fellow citizens giving a hairy rat’s about things including others. This does relate to the OP's statement, since there is an "other person" who is likely to buy the car once the lease is up.
Isn’t the OP the same person who reveled in being an “Audi family” that loves tossing back a few beers with Dad and siblings over how much they love German cars? Typical “all about me and mine” people who could care less what their actions do to others. Probably Trump (or worse) supporters. Sad.

snagitseven

Not sure but the OP is the one that ordered a car before shopping around, discovered he was paying too much, backed out of the deal, got his deposit back and went elsewhere without giving the dealer a chance to match the price.

Vermilion

I do love my S3 and treat it as part of the family. But after being involved in a hit and run that messed up the front bumper and fender and my dealership having it for 40 days to fix the AC, some of the new has definitely worn off and I'm not really babying anymore.

superswiss

OP, I think your original post was a bad choice of words. Beating on a car implies carelessness and disregard for it. I don't think that's what you meant. Driving an S or RS hard after properly warming it up, winding it out all the way to redline on a regular basis, taking it to the track or go canyon carving is not beating on the car. These cars were built with performance driving in mind. As long as you maintain it in accordance with how you drive it, it's all good. Having said that, though, it's inexcusable if you treat a leased car worse than you would your own property. That is frankly not much different from trashing a hotel room or being a slob at somebody else's house.

This reminds me of how I often take the loaners through the car wash shortly after leaving the service department. Not to mention the soda and coffee spills I often find in them.

dans3

Exactly why i will never buy a used car!!!! LMAO