GM Financial Lease - how is damage handled?

A

Atrus

Forum Member
Dumb question...so, my wife's lease has a pretty sizeable dent in one of the doors and quarter. It's not incredibly severe, but it's rippled. Meaning, it covers a large area but has few sharp creases and is very shallow.

I don't want to run it thru insurance. Estimates are coming in at roughly $1k-$1500 to fix it.

I'm considering picking up a cheap DIY dent puller myself and seeing what I can do. I have no delusions that I'd be able to make the panel factory perfect.

So, does GM Financial typically charge what it would cost to completely repair the damage, or would the assess me based on how they think it impacted the market value?

On our last lease, there was a similar type of damage (rippled/wave dent on the quarter) but much smaller in size. I did nothing to correct it, and I think they wanted to charge me a few hundred dollars for it. I convinced the rep on the phone that what he was seeing in the incredibly small black and white picture is a reflection of the vehicle next to it, and there was no damage upon turn-in ;) This was with Ally.

My point is, if I work on it a bit and they hit me for $500 because it impacts the value slightly, it's worthwhile as it'd cost me double-to-triple that to properly have it fixed. If they are going to hit me for dealership rate to have it properly fixed, I should find the best value I can and just bite the bullet.
 
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They're gonna lean on the pencil in my experience. That was in the GMAC days though, but I'd expect a similar outcome.
 
I've had some experience with this. Basically, a 3rd party will inspect the vehicle at lease turn in. GM Financial will then send you a bill based on what they find to replace and repaint the panel, and it will cost you what it would cost you to have it repaired using GM parts at a dealer.

Your best bet is to have a buddy bump it and refinish it on the cheap....
 
Try this guy - Dent Eliminators 248-613-7110 at 14 and Coolidge. They have made some pretty miraculous saves for me for a few hundred. The old guy who runs it is pretty cool too. Doubt he would remember me, but I found out about him from a buddy who he took care of too. Tell him it is a lease turn in and he can probably do the minimum amount of work to skate by with no charges too.

-Geoff
 
WhiteHawk said:
Try this guy - Dent Eliminators 248-613-7110 at 14 and Coolidge. They have made some pretty miraculous saves for me for a few hundred. The old guy who runs it is pretty cool too. Doubt he would remember me, but I found out about him from a buddy who he took care of too. Tell him it is a lease turn in and he can probably do the minimum amount of work to skate by with no charges too.

-Geoff
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Thanks, I will check!
 
I got a very rough quote based on pics from 5 star dent removal (good reviews and local to me). He said given the size and complexity, he's thinking it won't be a cheap job and will run me close to $1500.
 
Atrus said:
I got a very rough quote based on pics from 5 star dent removal (good reviews and local to me). He said given the size and complexity, he's thinking it won't be a cheap job and will run me close to $1500.
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I brought my guy a dented quarter panel right at the fender lip - they had to smooth it and paint it, cost me $350 and you couldn't even tell. Turned it in, no charge. I brought him a scraped fascia that was cracked and needed paint - $250, looked perfect.

-Geoff
 
WhiteHawk said:
I brought my guy a dented quarter panel right at the fender lip - they had to smooth it and paint it, cost me $350 and you couldn't even tell. Turned it in, no charge. I brought him a scraped fascia that was cracked and needed paint - $250, looked perfect.

-Geoff
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Cool - definitely will call him today!
 
Wow. Yea, that might be a little more than he normally does. Worth a try, though. Tell him it is for a lease turn in and he might be able to make it "Close Enough".

-Geoff
 
Yeah, no good. I'll just have to do what's needed to get this thing turned in. We've picked up a 2004 Suburban as a replacement kid-hauler, so while I hope it's kept as nice as it is, if anything should happen it wouldn't be nearly as painful.
 
Get a quote for pdr. Get a pre turn in inspection, they will send an estimated cost to turn in the vehicle as is after GM reviews the pictures. I turned in 2 gm leases in the last year with damage that would have been 2-3x more to get fixed myself than gm charged at turn in. Just get the lease inspection early enough to give you options.
 
joesmithz28 said:
Get a quote for pdr. Get a pre turn in inspection, they will send an estimated cost to turn in the vehicle as is after GM reviews the pictures. I turned in 2 gm leases in the last year with damage that would have been 2-3x more to get fixed myself than gm charged at turn in. Just get the lease inspection early enough to give you options.
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Cool, I was worried that I'd be tipping them off that there could be an issue. I was pleasantly surprised at what they wanted to charge me for the minor damage on the Acadia, that I was able to convince them wasn't an issue.
 
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