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Lease question
- Thread starter kyle1333
- Start date
Read your lease contract, as that will tell you what you can and cannot do.
In general, with a lease you can't make modifications from the factory configuration. Window tinting can be professionally removed before returning. I have no idea if ceramic coating is detectable or not once applied.
In general, with a lease you can't make modifications from the factory configuration. Window tinting can be professionally removed before returning. I have no idea if ceramic coating is detectable or not once applied.
TL ; DR - Agree with @FLRifleman . You can be charged for window tint being on the car on lease return so if you do it, plan to remove it before lease return. No one will know (or care) about ceramic tint on a leased car.
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You can do both if you wish, just know that on a lease, the contract states you have to return the car in the condition you picked it up in, minus regular "wear and tear" (which is defined by tesla, not the person leasing the car).
Tint does not fall under "normal wear and tear" so you absolutely, positively, "can" be charged for tint remaining on your windows when you turn the car in, and since you can not buy the car at the end of the lease (currently), you cant plan to "do whatever you want and just buy the car at the end of the lease" either.
With the above being said, professional tint jobs are not something a regular car dealer tends to charge for, no idea if Tesla does. I got windows tinted on every leased BMW I had over 20 years (and was never charged for it on lease return) but I also always knew they could charge me, and Tesla doesnt have a history of leniency on lease returns.
Not currently, and so far in the history of model 3 and Y leases it has never been an option. No one knows what the future brings on that though.
Thank you so much! For a 3 year lease, would you get ceramic coating? I got the black paint performance model 3 so I’ve been going back and forth on if I should do it or not. I’ve heard it keeps your car looking new which is ideal for me, first Tesla so I want to have it looking Good all the time
Black cars need frequent washing to look good, and ceramic coating will help with that (if done right). I hate the fishbowl effect in cars (so I would never, ever, ever EEEEVVVVEEEERRRR own a convertible, for example) so I tint all my car windows dark. I personally like window tint (which is why I gave the qualifier above) so I would do the tint. I dont think I would do the ceramic coating but thats just because I dont like washing cars. If you are actually going to wash it often it might be worth it.
"Worth it" almost always boils down to "what the cost means to you". Cost of something is always relative.
I do have a car wash membership so washing it frequently will most likely happen. Are you saying if I wish it a lot getting a coating is better to prevent chipping and stuff?
Ok then I’m probably just not gonna do that and run it through the wash every other day or so.
I also leased a Model 3 Performance and I have tinted the windows and will PPF the front and ceramic coat the entire car. The paint on a Tesla is very finicky and it is much more difficult to wash and keep looking clean. The day I picked up my car it has water spots on it that will need to be polished out. Part of the ceramic coating process is to have the paint corrected so that swirl marks, water spots, etc. will be removed and the paint will look new.
I have leased many cars in the past and not one leasing company ever charged me for tinting or ceramic coating the car. You are essentially adding features to the car to protect the interior from damaging UV rays. Ceramic coating keeps the paint in great condition and provides some protection against dirt, bird droppings, etc. In Florida, tinting is a must.
Regarding ceramic coating, if you decide to go that route, please do not take your car to a car wash, you will see swirl marks on the paint after a few washes and on black paint, it will show very easily. I personally hand wash my car as I can be obsessive about keeping my car looking clean.
Currently, Tesla will not allow you to buy a leased car because they are making a killing on the used car market, however, now that the model 3 is about to have a refresh, I think the demand for the current model 3 will die down over the next 3 years and Tesla will allow you to purchase your leased car. Even now the inventory for model 3's is pretty high. In the Orlando, FL area (and the 200 mile radius) there are 24 Model 3 performance models available.
I would also add that if you plan to lease or buy another Tesla, they will more than likely waive any fees from modifications or wear and tear. Every other dealer/manufacturer does, some even put it into their lease contracts.
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I would not put coating on a leased Tesla. There is no purchasing the car at the end of lease option, so any money you spent for coating is going to someone else.
Most ceramic coatings only last about 3 - 4 years, so the next buyer won't be getting much. I'm still betting that Tesla will reverse their decision on not allowing folks to not buy their leased cars
The only charges I have seen in a lease contract that were expressly stated to be waived on leasing a new vehicle were the lease disposition fee. I have never seen "wear and tear" CALLED OUT as being waved. Of course, I have seen it waived before (and seen it also not be waived).
It doesnt take much searching here to see people complaining about wear and tear charges, so I would not go into a lease "expecting" Tesla to waive anything. You should be expecting they will not waive anything that doesnt expressly fit the wear guide they already put out:
Excess Wear and Use Guide | Tesla Support
Learn how to do a self-inspection using our guidelines to see if your vehicle wear and tear is normal or excessive.
No where will you see "We allow tint" on this or any other wear and tear guide. Most other manufacturers allow it (if its a professional looking job) because as you say it doesnt detract from value most of the time... but they dont have to allow anything, and everyone should always make these type of decisions eyes wide open. "Expect" to have to remove it, or pay to have it removed.
Plenty of people think their aftermarket diffusers and suspension add value too, but those would usually be charged.
Maybe they will let people buy them someday, but it goes against Elon's vision (or at least a few years ago vision) of cars being a owned and shared resource like robo-taxis. Also, not allowing lease buy out allows Tesla to reap the rewards of the profit of the second sale going to Tesla instead of some 3rd party like the original lease holder.
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