leased car rear-ended while parked... lots of questions

Someone rear-ended my parked car (hit and run) and caused suspension and body damage:

we already filed a police report
will go through insurance because it looks like the damage is in the $2,000-$3,000 range
my main question is concerning what will happen when i return the lease

should i go to Nissan dealer for repairs, presumably they will do the best repair however they will surely know about the accident when i return the car but i can theoretically argue that since they did the repairs they are responsible for any unacceptable conditions upon lease return

or should i go to a local body shop that is highly recommended: but will Nissan find out about the accident through the insurance company or carfax and then since it was not fixed by them kill me with lease return charges

and lastly but least important: will my insurance go up after this claim? after all i did nothing wrong

 

Sorry to hear that.

If I were you, I'd take it to Nissan where I leased the car and have them take care of the damage, the reason is if later on my lease is up and returning it and they found something wrong with related to body repair/damaged, I'd pointing it out to them that their dealer did the job, most of the time when the job is done "in house", they just let the thing go quietly, otherwise IMO they may give you a hard time and some penalty (leasing policy) may apply to it.

I don't think your insurance will increase in your case, yours was PARKED and you weren't IN your vehicle at that time. Happened to me before (hit and run at night) and I was explanined by my Ins Rep.

 

Its a leased vehicle meaning its not yours. Take it back to the leasing agent.

 

I don't understand your statement. When a car is leased, the lessee is responsible for maintenance and repairs. There is no agent, only the dealer where you got it and the leasing company where you make payments to.

 

When your lease is up, the dealer you return the car to (does not have to be the dealer you leased it from) will not care if the car has been in an accident....as long as it has been fixed to the condition it was in when it was leased. Minus normal wear and tear of course.
If you lease or buy another car from them when you return the lease, they will care even less.

 

And according to Nissan, you must report the accident to them:

"Yes, please contact our Insurance Department at (800) 777-7525. If your insurance company is issuing a check that NMAC must endorse, copies of the insurance estimate and the repair bill showing the completed repairs are required. A representative of our Insurance department will provide you with the details."

http://www.nissanusa.com/owning/faqs/lease.html

 

"I don't understand your statement. When a car is leased, the lessee is responsible for maintenance and repairs. There is no agent, only the dealer where you got it and the leasing company where you make payments to."


My thinking was that the vehicle is still owned by the dealer/Nissan till the final lease payment,therefore they have a financial interest.

 

Just add this to the long list of reasons for me never to lease a vehicle.

 

[QUOTE=daswede;1386714

My thinking was that the vehicle is still owned by the dealer/Nissan till the final lease payment,therefore they have a financial interest.[/QUOTE]

Well, someone other than you holds the title to the car. But the fine print in the lease makes you responsible for the car. When turn in a car at end of lease, the contract spells out an expected residual value. If you have been extra hard on it, have a lot of dings in the paint, excessive wear and tear on the upholster, or certainly if the residual value is lowered due to accident damage ( even if repaired) you can probably expect to take a bath on the deal.

I am not a lawyer, or a leasing expert....so I would advise you to seek professional guidance on this. It is very possible that your best course of action would be to plan now on buying the car off lease. Get some advice on ways to negotiate a good price on that deal.

 

yes, they do have a financial interest. That is why they require the leasee to have the vehicle repaired and prove it.

I can only see this as you not understanding what a lease is. A lease is essentialy a rental situation for a defined period of time. As with many rental situations, the renter is liable for damages of the property while in their possession. The details of this are part of the lease contract.

with an auto lease, it is not a rent to own situation. Once the lease term has expired, the vehicle is returned to whomever is stated in the lease agreement, typically the dealership where the contract was entered into. The car is generally not owned by the dealership but a financial arm of the manufacturer in most cases but there are companies that purchase these cars upon initiation of the lease. The dealership is often the assigned agent of the actual owner and acts on the owners behalf.

A leasee often is given the option of purchasing the vehicle but is not mandatory unless part of the original contract. The price may or may not be predetermined based upon the residual value at the time of termination of the lease.

Leasees often find that costs charged to them based upon damage and/or mileage above the agreed upon limit result is costs great enough that it becomes prudent to simply purchase the vehicle rather than make such a large payment at that time.

 

I have leased cars in the past, and currently leasing a new Nissan. I would lease a car over buying one anyday. Since I tend to get a new vehicle every couple years, financially, leasing is far superior. If I bought a vehicle, I would be upside down in payments. Nissan will do all maintenance to include oil changes, tire rotation, transmission servicing, etc, along with having bumper to bumper warranty for the entire time we have the vehicle.

Just my opinion of it.