A different car purchasing question

[thanxfornoticin]

Yes, I've done it before. You arrange with the lease bank. I made several thousand each time.

Perhaps it's your state, or perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying. But I've leased cars for more than 30 years and have never been aware of a situation where I'd arrange anything more than paying off the lease with that bank.

I do agree with your statement above to be prepared regarding the value of the vehicle being returned, and compare it to the payoff number. It's best to know that value whether it's a lease or you're trading in a car you own for a new one. The dealerships I've dealt with have worked with me on getting me money discounted off a new lease if the old leased car is worth more than the buyout. Some years, the buyout is way more than the value of the car, and I get nothing extra off the new lease. Then the dealer just returns the car to the bank/lease company for them to do with it as they please, since they own it. Another option I use is to look for a deal at more than one dealership - that will usually dictate the value of the car being returned.

 

[tvguy]

Perhaps it's your state, or perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying. But I've leased cars for more than 30 years and have never been aware of a situation where I'd arrange anything more than paying off the lease with that bank.

I do agree with your statement above to be prepared regarding the value of the vehicle being returned, and compare it to the payoff number. It's best to know that value whether it's a lease or you're trading in a car you own for a new one. The dealerships I've dealt with have worked with me on getting me money discounted off a new lease if the old leased car is worth more than the buyout. Some years, the buyout is way more than the value of the car, and I get nothing extra off the new lease. Then the dealer just returns the car to the bank/lease company for them to do with it as they please, since they own it. Another option I use is to look for a deal at more than one dealership - that will usually dictate the value of the car being returned.

I may be misunderstanding, but some automakers, Honda and Ford I believe now put additional restrictions on what you can do at the end of a lease. The idea being to force leasees to either buy the car outright, turn it in , or trade it in to ONE OF THEIR DEALERS. You can't trade it to another brand dealer.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgor...to-nix-lease-returns-to-other-brands-dealers/

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I may be misunderstanding, but some automakers, Honda and Ford I believe now put additional restrictions on what you can do at the end of a lease. The idea being to force leasees to either buy the car outright, turn it in , or trade it in to ONE OF THEIR DEALERS. You can't trade it to another brand dealer.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgor...to-nix-lease-returns-to-other-brands-dealers/

Different dealer, same brand. When buying or leasing a car, it's often a good idea to play dealerships off one another when trying to get the best deal on a particular brand and model - if there are dealerships within a reasonable distance of each other.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Perhaps it's your state, or perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying. But I've leased cars for more than 30 years and have never been aware of a situation where I'd arrange anything more than paying off the lease with that bank.

I do agree with your statement above to be prepared regarding the value of the vehicle being returned, and compare it to the payoff number. It's best to know that value whether it's a lease or you're trading in a car you own for a new one. The dealerships I've dealt with have worked with me on getting me money discounted off a new lease if the old leased car is worth more than the buyout. Some years, the buyout is way more than the value of the car, and I get nothing extra off the new lease. Then the dealer just returns the car to the bank/lease company for them to do with it as they please, since they own it. Another option I use is to look for a deal at more than one dealership - that will usually dictate the value of the car being returned.

In NH it is legal to privately sell a leased vehicle. I am not sure how to clarify it more.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

In NH it is legal to privately sell a leased vehicle. I am not sure how to clarify it more.

Different states, different rules - that's all it appears to be.....

 

[tvguy]

In NH it is legal to privately sell a leased vehicle. I am not sure how to clarify it more.

Wonder if that law applies if you agreed in the lease contract not to sell a leased car privately?

 

[_19disnA]

I am not clear on how you can sell the title to a vehicle you don't own. Whether you are financing or leasing, you don't own the title until you have completed paying for it.

 

[HeatherC]

I am probably overly practical, but I say just buy out the lease. The simpler, the better. A Honda will last forever. The car will be paid for so no worrying down the road about getting out of a lease. Plus, your Mom is already used to the car which is a plus at 82.

 

[tvguy]

I am not clear on how you can sell the title to a vehicle you don't own. Whether you are financing or leasing, you don't own the title until you have completed paying for it.

Good point.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Wonder if that law applies if you agreed in the lease contract not to sell a leased car privately?

No such clause in NH that I know of. Live Free or Die!

 

[tvguy]

No such clause in NH that I know of. Live Free or Die!

But reply 67 kind of brings up a bigger question. How can you sell something you don't own?

 

[tvguy]

No such clause in NH that I know of. Live Free or Die!

Upon further research, such a clause is perfectly legal in New Hampshire.
Yes, you can sell a leased car in New Hampshire, but you should check your lease contract first. Your contract may have a third-party buyout restriction.

 

[bluezy]

First, I'm sorry for your loss.

I do respect the thought. I'm not seeing how it would work in our situation though. Whenever family is in town, the family member will drive Mom's car. It would be very weird saying "Mom, you drive".

I'm pretty sure when she goes out with friends, they drive (or she meets them there).

Maybe say, "Mom, I'm really tired (or I have a headache, or some other excuse). Could you drive today?" Hindsight is always 20/20. After the situation with my MIL (and somewhat my own mother), I've started talking to all of my friends with elderly parents who are still driving and suggesting they ride along with the parents every once in awhile just to check on their driving skills. A few months ago, I happened to be driving behind the father of a good friend of mine -- just a coincidence, not planned. He's 86. He was frequently drifting over the center line and then over correcting and nearly driving off the side of the road. He turned right on red at an intersection that is clearly marked "no turn on red" that is two blocks from his house -- so not an unfamiliar intersection. After seeing that he made it home safely, I called my friend and let her know what I witnessed. She said she had told him many times he shouldn't be driving anymore, but he wouldn't listen to her. Fast forward 2 months and he was driving his wife to a doctor appointment at a local hospital on a clear and sunny afternoon and he turned left in front of an oncoming car. Fortunately the oncoming car saw he was starting to turn and slammed on the brakes. There was still a collision and my friends parents were both injured and required hospital stays for their injuries. The other driver only had minor injuries. Needless to say, he isn't allowed to drive anymore, but it took an accident to make that happen. Fortunately, it didn't cost anyone their life.

 

[barkley]

Maybe say, "Mom, I'm really tired (or I have a headache, or some other excuse). Could you drive today?" Hindsight is always 20/20. After the situation with my MIL (and somewhat my own mother), I've started talking to all of my friends with elderly parents who are still driving and suggesting they ride along with the parents every once in awhile just to check on their driving skills. A few months ago, I happened to be driving behind the father of a good friend of mine -- just a coincidence, not planned. He's 86. He was frequently drifting over the center line and then over correcting and nearly driving off the side of the road. He turned right on red at an intersection that is clearly marked "no turn on red" that is two blocks from his house -- so not an unfamiliar intersection. After seeing that he made it home safely, I called my friend and let her know what I witnessed. She said she had told him many times he shouldn't be driving anymore, but he wouldn't listen to her. Fast forward 2 months and he was driving his wife to a doctor appointment at a local hospital on a clear and sunny afternoon and he turned left in front of an oncoming car. Fortunately the oncoming car saw he was starting to turn and slammed on the brakes. There was still a collision and my friends parents were both injured and required hospital stays for their injuries. The other driver only had minor injuries. Needless to say, he isn't allowed to drive anymore, but it took an accident to make that happen. Fortunately, it didn't cost anyone their life.

getting an older driver to stop driving only works if they are willing to. it is nearly impossible to get a doctor willing to put no driving in writing and even if an older driver loses their license (by whatever means) their auto insurance likely does'nt run their license more than once per year at annual renewal so they can still renew their registration and the tags will be up to date (so lower chance of being pulled over). if you're 'lucky' they might fail the vision test but if you live in a state like mine-even when you hit 70 you only have to go in and take the eye test to renew every 8 years.

 

[disykat]

I have another worry having had to take driver's licenses away from both my parents. If she gets it in her mind that she has 3 years before making any changes to her driving, it may be even harder to convince her if the time to surrender her license comes before that. No one wants to give up driving and convincing someone when/if that time comes is not easy!

 

[tvguy]

it is nearly impossible to get a doctor willing to put no driving in writing and even if an older driver loses their license (by whatever means) their auto insurance likely does'nt run their license more than once per year at annual renewal so they can still renew their registration and the tags will be up to date (so lower chance of being pulled over). if you're 'lucky' they might fail the vision test but if you live in a state like mine-even when you hit 70 you only have to go in and take the eye test to renew every 8 years.

Fortunately here in California you can anonymously report an unsafe elderly driver and DMV* will call them in for a reexamination. No Doctor involved in the process. A suspended or revoked license is immediately reported by DMV to the insurance company on file for their car. Of course that is useless if they don't have insurance or if they get access to someone else's car.
Taking the car keys away is not enough. A co-worker of my wife did that with his dad, but left the car in the garage. Dad just called AAA and had them make him new keys to the car and he went for a drive and died in a solo car accident.

*https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/request-for-driver-reexamination-ds-699-pdf/

 

[barkley]

Fortunately here in California you can anonymously report an unsafe elderly driver and DMV* will call them in for a reexamination. No Doctor involved in the process. A suspended or revoked license is immediately reported by DMV to the insurance company on file for their car. Of course that is useless if they don't have insurance or if they get access to someone else's car.
Taking the car keys away is not enough. A co-worker of my wife did that with his dad, but left the car in the garage. Dad just called AAA and had them make him new keys to the car and he went for a drive and died in a solo car accident.

*https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/request-for-driver-reexamination-ds-699-pdf/

that's to request it-it's not a guarantee it will happen-

dmv considers the following factors: driving record and the circumstances of accidents (if any), the characteristics of driving that bear consideration and average mileage.

're-examination' is the term given to the second level of the department of motor vehicles’ actions (after investigations) so unless a doctor or law enforcement is completing and submitting the form it has to sit and wait for an investigation to determine if the DMV is even interested in pursuing it (and with just 2 offices receiving these statewide it can be a looooooong wait).

it's not something to rely on as a backup plan when an elderly family member is at risk behind the wheel.


on a personal note-
I find that form HORRIBLE-being able to walk at all is not a requirement to drive in california nor is being able to cook, dress/bathe one's self or balance a checkbook (I think the majority of younger drivers in the state don't know how to on the last). I support a mechanism by which to ask the licensing authority to evaluate potentialy dangerous drivers but this form is offensive to the many entirely safe and capable drivers with disabilities.

 

[WilliamNels]

If she’s comfortable driving and still needs a car, buying out the lease seems like the simplest move. Super low miles, she knows the car, and no hassle of finding another one.

 

[disykat]

I know OP's mom might not be there yet, but on the topic of taking licenses away - At least in some places, you can call law enforcement and put them on a watch list. If they see them and run their plates, they'd know to assess and pull over to possibly remove their license. They'd have more probable cause to pull over if they were borderline cause with the reported license. Of course, they have to be spotted for that to help.

In my case, my siblings were against me taking away their licenses and cars. They wanted to not believe what was happening and said things like "they'll know when they aren't able to drive anymore." (Both parents were developing dementia so this was simply not true in any way shape or form.) After my son, a law enforcement officer, visited his grandparents and told me HE was going to put them on watch if I didn't do something, my siblings stopped protesting as much. I had to be the bad guy though and my parents knew my siblings disagreed with me. I pulled out the "how are you going to feel if you have an accident and someone gets hurt or killed?" issue and talk about all the accidents their grandson sees to get them to cooperate. Mom still boohooed regularly about "when Kat took away my car" but by that time they were in a senior residence so transportation was available. (I won't even go into what I had to do to get them into a senior residence!)

 

[AnnaS]

I did not get to read all the responses,

Tough choice -

If the car she is driving now is a bit too big for her - perhaps buy or lease one slightly smaller.

She can buy out the one she has - she knows the car/great shape/low mileage.

Lease the current car - three years - read the fine print (double check it can be returned when she passes)

Buy a car - when she passes or can't drive - pay off the loan and sell the car/if bought and she has a nice down payment - process to sell might be easier

We started leasing one car many years ago. About 5 years ago we were leasing again and I wanted the lease switched to my DH's name. It was always under my name. I said if he should pass, I don't need the car payment (or I would lease something less expensive). Never thought in a million years my DH would pass so soon. He passed 10 months ago.

I did have the option of returning the lease (for nothing or a few dollars/I would have to look at my papers).
Buy out the car
Transfer the lease to my name

Hopefully you know what shape she is in ......maybe you communicate through FaceTime? We have people at the gym that are in their early 80s and are in better shape than the much younger people. But we all know anything can happen any time.
Good luck.