How to Lease a Car for Six Months

How to Lease a Car for Six Months
••• yellow car, a Honda Japanese sport car model image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com

Most car dealerships prefer leasing out their new vehicles for several years. So, you will need to put in some work to lease a vehicle for six months. You can negotiate with your car dealership for a six-month lease or try swapping positions with someone who wants to get out of their long-term car lease. You can also negotiate a long-term rental agreement. In addition, you can use the services of a car lease broker to get the best deal.

What Is a Typical Lease Length?

According to Leasing.com, a typical car lease length is about ‌36 months‌. However, Forbes states that many car dealerships offer vehicles with an average lease period of ‌two to five years‌. So, any leasing period that is less than two years qualifies as a short-term lease.

So, if you want to lease a car for six months from your car dealership or leasing company, you first need to inquire about whether it offers short-term lease agreements.

How to Get a Six-Month Car Lease

Below are the strategies you can use to get a six-month car lease.

Ask Your Car Dealership for a Short-Term Lease

If you prefer driving a specific vehicle, such as a Toyota pickup, Kia, BMW, etc., you can ask the relevant car dealership if they offer short-term leases on such cars.

Many dealerships and car manufacturers have preferred leasing arrangements. So, you could negotiate for a six-month new or used car lease as you figure out your next move. Since they usually own the stock, you will be allowed to test drive the vehicles before choosing the best one for your needs.

In addition, consider an open-ended lease. It allows you more flexibility in terms of when you can submit the leased vehicle. However, you need to factor in the financial implications of such a lease to determine whether the overall lease payments make sense.

Reach Out to Car Lease Brokers

Whereas a car dealer is usually limited to specific vehicle brands, car lease brokers, who may be available online and offline, tend to be free agents. They have access to many car dealerships and can enable you to easily access many vehicle brands while providing good deals.

However, you should ensure the car lease broker has an excellent reputation for doing what’s in the best interest of their clients. Otherwise, they may recommend an unsuitable car brand that that provides them with incentives.

Also, be on the lookout for any hidden charges, such as administration fees that you could be charged for having all the car lease work done for you. Remember that car lease brokers don’t have the stock on hand, so you must wait for it to be delivered, which can be an issue if you are in a hurry.

Swap With Someone Who Wants Out of Their Car Lease

Another option is to swap a car lease with someone who wants to get out of their long-term car lease agreement. But of course, it can be challenging to find someone who wants out of their leasing agreement, so there are a few strategies you can use.

First, you can ask people in your social circle if they know someone who needs to get out of their lease agreement. If you find someone driving a car you like with a six-month lease term left, you can work with them and their leasing company to take over their lease contract.

Another option is to talk to a car dealership or lease broker and ask if some of their customers want out of their lease. Then, depending on the answer you get, you can decide whether the available options suit your needs.

In addition, you can use reputable car-lease-swapping websites. Such sites usually incorporate tools that make it easier to narrow down your search based on when the lease ends, location, make, model, etc. You can tell with a few clicks whether the available vehicles are a good option for your driving needs.

Examples of car-swapping websites include:

However, you must ensure you understand the terms and conditions of the lease and ensure that the original lessee had adhered to them.

Rent a Car for Longer

According to Repairer Driven News, the average person usually rents a car for about ‌18 days‌ at a given time. However, you can negotiate with a car rental company for a long-term car rental term up front, allowing you to use a vehicle for six months. That way, your terms won’t change for the period you use the car, ensuring your long-term car rental costs are fixed.

How Does Leasing Impact Your Personal Finances?

Lease deals could have a significant impact on your personal finances. If you opt for a short-term car lease, you may first need to pay a down payment to lower the monthly payments. If you don’t pay that down payment, the monthly fees may be quite high since the car’s depreciation, sales tax and rental charges are considered. In fact, they may cost more than a car loan.

In addition, the leasing company or dealership may ask you to pay gap insurance and comprehensive and collision coverages. Also, you will likely pay for the car’s depreciation, sales tax, extra costs over the mileage limits and rent charges associated with six months of use.

You should also consider the effect of the lease on your credit score. If you miss any monthly payments, your score will be negatively impacted.