By Tom Roberts
If you’re new to car leasing you’ll probably be wondering how to lease your first car. It may seem a little daunting, but the process couldn’t be easier. You simply choose your ideal vehicle, decide on the details of your agreement (like how long you’d like to drive your car), plus provide a few details (like your annual mileage). You’ll then get a free quote for your monthly payments and if you’re happy to go ahead, we’ll help to take care of the rest.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of how to take out your first car lease to show you just how simple it is.
Five Steps To Start Your First-Time Lease Deal
First off, there are five key factors which will affect your lease deal. You can choose your preferred options for each one. Each factor will affect the monthly cost of your lease vehicle so you’ll need to decide based on your driving needs and budget.
Vehicle - choose your perfect lease car from our wide range of makes and models.
Mileage - choose the number of miles you’re likely to travel each year. We recommend overestimating to avoid excess mileage charges.
Upfront payment - also referred to as an initial rental, this is a payment you make at the start of your agreement. It’s usually one to 12 months of the value of your lease deal. The higher your upfront payment, the lower your monthly costs.
Contract length - choose how long you want to lease your new car before upgrading again.
Maintenance - choose whether you’d like a car leasing maintenance package, which covers servicing, tyre replacements and other factors for as little as £20 per month extra.
1. Choose Your Vehicle
The first thing you’ll need to decide is which vehicle you’d like to lease. You should choose the make, model, specification and fuel type that’s right for you and your budget.
Browse our latest car lease deals by manufacturer or vehicle type to see which car takes your fancy. Consider how much room you’ll need for yourself and your passengers, especially if you’re leasing a family vehicle.
Another key factor you should consider is your fuel type. Electric car leasing is increasing in popularity, with more people looking for environmentally-friendly driving. Once deciding on fuel type, you’ll have a choice of vehicles and specifications – covering engine or battery size, colour and interior.
2. Choose Your Mileage
A key factor when taking out any car lease is your annual mileage, as this affects your monthly payments and you may be charged if you go beyond the agreed limit. However, this is calculated across the lease term – if you choose 10,000 miles per year on a four-year contract, for example, the overall cap for the duration of your contract is 40,000 miles.
Consider the journeys you usually make when deciding your mileage, whether it’s commuting to work or travelling for holidays each year. The average UK mileage is between 7,000-8,000 miles per year, but we recommend overestimating to reduce the chance of incurring excess charges.
3. Choose Your Upfront Payment
The upfront payment, also known as initial rental, is separate to your monthly instalments and allows you to pay off a higher proportion of the overall lease costs upfront. As such, a higher upfront payment will result in reduced monthly payments as more of the cost has been covered at the start of the agreement.
These payments are usually the equivalent of one, three, six, nine, or twelve months upfront. For example, if you have a £200 per month contract with six months upfront, you will pay £1,200 then £200 a month for each remaining month of your contract. A smaller upfront payment would result in higher monthly costs, while a larger initial payment would reduce the instalments further.
4. Choose Your Contract Length
Contracts are typically two, three, four or five years. Choose a contract length that’s right for you considering how long you’d like to keep or to drive the vehicle and when you’re likely going to want to upgrade.
You should also consider that you will need to MOT a vehicle that is older than three years old.
5. Add A Maintenance Package
Something you’ll have to decide is whether to add a maintenance package to your lease for additional peace of mind. Maintenance packages are charged at a low monthly fee that is included in your car leasing contract.
The maintenance package includes:
● Routine servicing and maintenance.
● MOTs, when required.
● Batteries, brake pads, and exhaust replacements due to fair wear and tear.
● All warranty work.
● Work to ensure roadworthiness such as engine coolant.
● Tyre replacement including one accidental damage per year.
● Full RAC breakdown cover.
● Up to seven-days vehicle replacement due to a breakdown.
What You’ll Need For Your First Lease
You’ll also have to prepare a couple of things in order to take out your lease which you’ll find below. These include basic personal details, proof of ID and car leasing insurance.
Details And Documents You Need For Leasing
Once you’ve chosen your perfect lease deal, you’ll have to fill in your personal details used for eligibility and credit checks.
You’ll also have to electronically sign your leasing and finance documents and provide a copy of your ID and proof of address.
First Lease Car Insurance
Once you’ve agreed to your first car lease you’ll have to take out an insurance policy before you can take delivery of the vehicle. You should take out a fully comprehensive policy for the duration of your contract.
For everything in one place, Vanarama also offers insurance policies for leasing customers to ensure you get the best policy for you.
Why Choose Vanarama For Your First Lease Car?
Vanarama is the perfect choice for taking out your first lease deal. We will guide you through the process and find the best and most affordable lease deal on a vehicle that’s perfect for you.
We also offer:
● Lowest price guarantee*.
● Free home charger when leasing an electric car.
● Free and fast delivery.
● No admin fees.
● 30-day returns*.
● Road tax included.
New to the world of leasing? For more information, head to our car leasing guide.
*Terms and conditions apply.
