Selling F&I Products to a Customer Leasing a Vehicle

REvery customer that walks into the F&I office is from either two camps: lease or purchase. The F&I agent will unleash the usual sales pitch. The customer eager to hop into their new hot-rod asks, “Why do I need an extended warranty, if I am only driving it for a few years, and it comes with a factory warranty?”

As soon as this question is asked, the F&I agent deflates and blankly gazes across the room, with a face of defeat. F&I agents consider selling to those leasing a vehicle as a tougher sale. After all, the customer is just borrowing the car for a few years. There is also a good chance that the customer is leasing the vehicle and not purchasing it, because it is the least expensive option. Including additional products will only make the price more intimidating.

Any F&I agent that subscribes to such faulty logic might be in the wrong trade. Granted, for the reasons listed above, selling certain F&I products to a leasing customer might be more challenging. However, all vehicle owners, both leasing and purchasing, are potentially at similar risks that F&I products will protect them from.

If one is leasing a vehicle and not purchasing it, they may be more inclined to have certain F&I products, simply because of the protection that they offer. Four F&I products should always be offered to anyone leasing a vehicle because they protect the customer from likely financial damages.

1. Interior exterior protection

Every vehicle lease agreement will end in the same way. Someone from the dealership will inspect the vehicle for any damage. The inspection will start with an initial walk-around, in which the agent will examine the interior and exterior. Every scratch, chip, speck of bird feces, stain, tear, loosened door handle, faded paint, damaged tires, crooked mirrors, to name a few, will have to be repaired. And the individual who is turning in the car will have to pay for this repair. If the repairs are more than a specified amount, then the individual will have to purchase the car.

The last thing anyone who just finished a vehicle lease agreement wants to find out is that they must purchase the car. Some F&I products are designed to protect individuals in this exact position. NSD lease wear and tear for example, sends out a certified NSD repairperson to inspect the vehicle before the expiration of the lease and fix any exterior and interior blemish that may upset the dealership.

2. Windshield protection

Whether the vehicle is leased or owned, the windshield is still vulnerable to chips and cracks. It is unlikely that one leasing a vehicle will pay the time and money to repair it. However, even the tiniest windshield crack will stretch and become larger, until the entire windshield needs to be replaced. NSD windshield repair program will fix any crack less than six inches long. A member just needs to call NSD, and a certified technician will fix it.

3. Tire and wheel protection

Flat tires are like rainstorms, everything can be sunny, and the next second raging storm clouds. An individual is just as likely to get a flat while driving home from the dealership as any other voyage. All cars are vulnerable to flats. NSD tire and wheel protection is the most reliable protection.

Typically, auto insurance does not cover flat tires, because such damage is considered wear and tear. NSD tire and wheel protection, however, covers a wide spectrum of tire damage. Flat tires, tire replacement, wheel/rim protection, and mounting/balance and taxes are all covered in NSD’ generous tire and wheel protection package.

4. Paintless dent repair

Most cars will accumulate a collection of dents and dings. The owner of the vehicle may not even be aware of some of these dents, as a result of their placement. Any leased vehicle with a dent will translate into a steep repair bill.

NSD paintless dent repair uses special tools and a special process to flatten out the dents so that they assume their original appearance. Plus, no paint needs to be applied. A certified NSD technician will permanently fix the dent.

Conclusion

A customer that just leased a vehicle may be looking to keep the final bill as low as possible. However, by purchasing an F&I product, and increasing the bill by just a little, the potential money saved by possessing that product will seem like a smart financial decision.