Car leasing: what customers should bear in mind

adminonApril 28, 2022February 4, 2022Leave a Comment

Car leasing can be interesting not only for the self-employed, but also for private individuals: as a rule, they receive a brand-new vehicle. However, there are a few things to keep in mind with leasing contracts.

By claudius maintz

In principle, leasing is a kind of rent: the car can be used for a certain period of time, for which a monthly fee is paid. The amount depends on the depreciation of the car during the leasing period (usually between 24 and 48 months). down payments of up to ten percent of the purchase price of the vehicle are common. the higher the down payment, the lower the monthly rate can be. There are now also leasing offers that can be concluded without an additional payment.

Vehicle remains the property of the leasing bank

The leasing bank buys the vehicle and becomes its owner (lessor) – not the customer! The customer only receives a right to use the vehicle for a limited period of time. Here, the difference to financing or installment purchase becomes clear: when buying a car with a loan from a bank, the buyer also becomes the owner from the beginning. Once the loan is paid off, you can keep the car.

Differences in car leasing contracts

At mileage leasing A mileage per year is fixed at the beginning of the lease. For deviations upwards and downwards, a bonus and malus amount is defined, which should be the same for more and less kilometers. Anyone opting for mileage leasing should know their mileage well. attention: due to corona and homeoffice this is currently often lower than usual. Even with a change of job or new life situations, the real mileage can change quickly.
With the so-called Residual value leasing at the beginning the value of the car at the end of the leasing contract is predicted. There is no mileage limit. At the end of the lease term, the customer (lessee) must pay the difference between this estimated value and the actual market price that can be achieved at that time.

Risks for consumers with residual value leasing

Unlike mileage leasing, the customer bears the full risk with residual value leasing. If the value of the car falls below the calculated value, the customer must pay the difference. There have been significant, unforeseen losses in value, for example as a result of the diesel scandal. For these cases, there are leasing contracts with right of offer – a subform of residual value leasing. the leasing bank can require the customer to buy the car himself in the event of a severe loss in value.

Another danger: some providers set the residual value unrealistically high when the contract is concluded in order to be able to calculate low leasing rates. At the end of the leasing contract, there is a large gap between the calculated and the actual residual value, which the customer has to pay.

It can also happen that there is a dispute about the residual value at the end because the lessor sets it too low – for example, because of alleged damage. It can therefore pay to have the car appraised by an expert shortly before the end of the contract. With mileage leasing, on the other hand, the dealer, manufacturer or bank bear the residual value risk.

customer pays for maintenance, insurance and accidental damage

Over the entire leasing period the car must be well maintained and cared for (contractual consumption). The customer is responsible for the car. As a rule, the customer must ensure timely maintenance, have repairs carried out at his own expense, pay taxes and take out insurance. In the event of a total loss, the installments must usually continue to be paid. The residual value also decreases, because the car is then an accident vehicle. This risk can be covered by so-called GAP insurance.

Car leasing offers tax advantages for business customers

No question: leasing is most interesting for business people. You can deduct the monthly installments from your taxes. When buying a new car, only one sixth of the purchase price per year is tax-deductible, but when leasing, the full rate is deductible every month.

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Handshake at the conclusion of the car leasing

For someone who needs a new vehicle but doesn’t want to buy or finance one, car leasing is an option. In contrast to buying a car, car leasing is quite profitable for some drivers. Instead of paying years of installments at the bank, you usually only bear the cost of a monthly "rent" and do not have to worry about selling it later on. this variant of vehicle ownership is becoming increasingly popular.

Since the end of 2008, car leasing has been a financial service requiring a license in the federal republic of germany. Leasing is easier than applying for a loan from the bank, which is why about one in five private cars is now leased. But car leasing is not always worthwhile for private individuals. in our magazine, we explain the advantages and disadvantages of this option, compare it to financing and buying a car, and look at special cases such as leasing used cars or without a down payment.

1. How does the car leasing work?

Car leasing means that interested parties rent the vehicle for a predefined period of time. The car, in most cases a new car, is used by the owner but remains the property of the lessor. This levies for the use a regular fee or a one-time payment. Providers of car leasing services include independent leasing companies, manufacturers and car dealerships.

Financing conditions depend on the provider: some require a monthly payment, others are limited to a payment at the beginning and at the end of the leasing period.

Only by serious reasons the contract of car leasing can be canceled, for example by emigration or theft. As long as the lessee is in possession of the vehicle, he is also responsible for maintenance work, repairs and insurance.

Mileage leasing

The most common way to lease a car is mileage leasing. Thereby a term is fixed directly at the beginning of the lease, you drive the car during the leasing period. If you drive more during the period, you have to pay for the additional kilometers. You will get a refund if you have driven less than agreed upon. Often the amounts for more kilometers are higher than the repayment for less kilometers. It is therefore worth taking a close look at the ratio in the contract beforehand.

Mileage leasing usually involves less risk for the lessee, provided he knows his average mileage. In most cases, the contracts also include a tolerance range of 1500 to 2500 kilometers, so that a realistic estimate will not result in unexpected costs.

Residual value leasing

With residual value leasing you enter into a significantly riskier form of leasing. In this case, the value is estimated before the contract is signed, how high the residual value of the leased vehicle will be at the end of the lease term. Based on this, the monthly leasing rates are then determined. If the value of the car is higher than the estimate, you get money back. As a rule, however, it is the other way round. If the car is worth less than previously estimated, the difference is due as an additional payment.

The lessee assumes the so-called residual value risk. It is not uncommon for the residual value estimate in the contract to be too high. Moreover, the residual value of leased vehicles is a very uncertain form of calculation basis. Market fluctuations do have a considerable influence on it.

A residual value leasing with right of tender also offers the option of buying the car at the agreed residual value at the end of the contract. However, the lessee does not have the right to buy the vehicle. If the agreed residual value is lower than the actual value, it is possible that the lessor will not agree to sell the vehicle. This form of leasing therefore also involves incalculable risks.

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test reports on car speakers can help you make a decision, but everyone perceives sound differently.

Drivers who with the windows down and the music as loud as possible driving through the city, everyone has probably already encountered. But it doesn’t always have to be about standing out. just put value on a rich sound, you will find standard speakers installed in the car radio and the stock speakers in most cases hardly satisfied its. This is especially true when you are listening to music with a higher volume want to play.

In order to optimal audio result to achieve, they individual components of the sound system in the car replace. However, they should make sure that these fit together, because even the best car speakers are of no use to you if your car radio is no performance can bring. But what is the best speakers for your car? There is no general answer to this question, but we can tell you what the best speakers for your car are which criteria you should pay attention to when you decide to give new car speakers to a personal test to be subjected to.

The best car speakers from the test at a glance

Size matters

When you compare different car speakers, you will notice that they are in different sizes are to be acquired. Before you start technical content When you are dealing with the question of how big the car speakers that are to be tested in your vehicle can be, you first have to find out how big they can be. It depends on the model and type of your car. The loudspeakers that are usually installed have a diameter of 10, 13 or 16 cm. To find out which dimensions are right for you, you don’t have to study car speaker test reports: an ruler to apply to the speaker you want to replace is sufficient. to finally find your personal comparison winner among different car speaker models, you will have to do some deeper into the material dive in.

Coaxial or component loudspeakers?

coaxial car speakers are much more compact compared to component speakers.

Before you try a car speaker in the test, you must first decide, which design it should have. You can choose between coaxial and component speakers. coaxial means coaxial and that is also the secret of this design: on a large loudspeaker is centered, i.e. on the same axis, a smaller appropriate. sound accordingly all sounds from the same place.

With one component speakers or compo this looks different. This is more of a set of different speakers, since woofer and tweeter not installed together are. This has advantages and disadvantages: basically, the human ear perceives it as a pleasant, when highs and lows sound from the same place. This is not the case if you have chosen a "split" car speaker for your test. With a compo they bring the woofers in the footwell on, while tweeter at head height install.

In this way, you can use all components of the align to the driver. While you will find that such speakers for your car in practice test something more complicated to mount are more expensive than coax models, but the more flexible in your combination possibilities.

No good sound without proper door insulation

the question of which is the best car speaker is not only asked by tuners.

Once you have selected good car speakers for your practical test, it’s now time to look at the correct installation. In order for the car speakers to pass their test, you first have to suitable environment create for you. Otherwise they will become no good sound experience find. Sheet metal parts and trim components vibrate not only while driving, but also by operating the loudspeaker in the door automatically with. This must be prevented, because this fact is reduces the sound quality.

To to prevent oscillations and vibrations, they can different types of insulation material use. First and foremost, this serves to weighting of the door panel, so that less vibrations are possible. Such mats are usually self-adhesive and consist of aluminum foil and butyl.

In some circumstances, you will need a hot air dryer, with it heat solid damping material can, so that it easier to shape will. Additionally, for a meaningful car speaker test, you should use a self-adhesive insulation fleece over the first insulation layer attach.

Good car speakers are only half the battle

speakers have no power itself, which can be watt can be measured. The manufacturer’s specifications in this regard indicate which peak power handling a loudspeaker has. For this, however, you should rather use values with the unit of measurement watt-RMS note. RMS stands for root mean square and describe the power value in the relevant frequency range.

Which car speaker becomes your test winner should also depend on its compatibility with other components such as the car radio

Which car speaker becomes your comparison winner should also depend on its compatibility with other components such as the car radio.

The autoboxes in your test should be other sound components in the vehicle fit. Also your radio has a RMS value. If this is clearly below that of your loudspeakers, they become no clear sound once you have installed the turn up the volume. Instead, they will probably crackle or pop listen.

In such a case, you should ask your car speaker test to a suitable amplifier extend. This can necessary power the car radio lacks, but if you don’t use it choose the right loudspeakers, it can happen that burns out. This would be possible if his impedance resp. Its alternating current resistance of the loudspeakers exceeds. Therefore, make sure that the ohm value the components each the same is.

Although you already have a woofer, but to really full bass to generate vibrations, this is usually not enough. For this you need subwoofer. this is generally only spoken of when the loudspeaker has a a diameter of at least 20 cm unit of measurement, since at smaller sizes it is not sufficiently air to vibrate can be used to full bass sound to produce. You can choose between active and passive subwoofers choose. The former can connect directly to your car radio, the latter need a amplifier.

FAQ: car speakers

Do you want a coaxial or a component loudspeaker? You can read the differences here.

For the best sound experience in the car, you can additionally equip it with insulation material. This also benefits the bass.

Depending on the manufacturer, prices between 20 and 150 euros are possible. This comparison table can help you make a decision.