Getting your hands on a Tesla via a lease is the preferred method for many.
It is clear however that not all leasing companies are the same, offering different rates and different levels of customer service. Most people will go direct to the brokers or leasing companies however unlike other marques there are not hundreds of new Teslas sitting unsold on airfields dotted around the country and so leasing a Tesla is different.
If you are considering a lease here are my top tips:
1. Place your order on the Tesla website yourself. OK so it will cost you £100 upfront (Tesla will refund this to you after delivery) but you know your car, and its exact spec, has been ordered. You will have visibility of the order process and see when a VIN is allocated. Be sure to order via referral link to get 1000 miles free supercharging.
2. Shop around for your leasing deal. There is no rush and the prices vary enormously from broker to broker. There are some comparison sites that compare leasing deals but they do not compare all the companies out there. There are big savings to be had.
3. Check the excess mileage figures. Use a spreadsheet or get your calculator out to ensure you are getting the best deal. It may be cheaper to buy a 8,000 miles pa deal and pay the excess for 2000 miles than agree a 10,000 miles pa deal. You may find that the excess on some deals are draconian, so choose carefully. Be realistic in your mileage requirements. Leasing companies use headline offers of 5000 mile pa to attract you but I can assure that 5000 miles will be too low a figure for 90% of buyers. This is a car that you will love to drive and you will end up with a very large excess mileage bill.
4. Maintenance option. Look carefully at this because the maintenance requirements of a Tesla are nowhere near the same as an ICE vehicle. It would need to be a really cheap option to be worthwhile although it's worth remembering that the tyres are not cheap.
5. Once you have found your deal, call the broker and give them the RN (Reservation Number). They will pass it on to the leasing company who will liaise with Tesla. Tesla will adjust your account to reflect the new billing arrangements but you will still retain visibility of the order process.
6. Delivery. Since you opened the account, you can be sure that your account information will be correct and your app will spark into life at the delivery centre.
7. Get your £100 back from Tesla. Tesla will probably wait until the leasing company have paid their invoice before refunding you.
8. Monitor your mileage.