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Do you have a leased car that you want to modify? Read our full guide explaining the dos and don’ts of car lease modifications.
There are certain things you can do to modify a lease car, but first you’ll need to get permission from the funder that owns the vehicle.
If you don’t, there’s a risk that you’ll invalidate the warranty on the car and you could even be fined when it comes to handing your lease car back at the end.
As a guide, most funders will allow you to make changes to a lease car if they can be reversed before handing the vehicle back to them when your contract ends.
What can I change or modify on a lease car?
Some examples of modifications you can make to a lease car include:
- Adding a removable tow bar
- Vinyl wrapping (as long as it’s high quality car wrap vinyl)
- Window tinting (some types of window tinting are removable)
- Tyre upgrades – you’ll need to keep your original tyres and have them put back on by a professional when you hand the car back
Although the list above are examples of modifications that have been made to lease cars before, whether you can have them done to your lease car will be decided on a case-by-case basis by the funder.
Any fixed modifications will need to be requested at the time you order your vehicle. For example, adding a spoiler, new interior trim or an entirely new suspension will come under this bracket.
Modifications can often negatively affect a car’s residual value, as future potential owners may not look so kindly upon your personalisations. So even if the leasing company agrees to allow a certain permanent modification, it may push your monthly payments up to account for the fact that your car may be worth less money as a result.
Can I put a private number plate on a lease car?
Just like the other modifications we’ve mentioned above, you can add a private reg plate to your lease car, so long as you have permission from the funder. You’ll also need approval from the DVLA to add a private number plate to your lease car and make sure to update your insurance policy so that it covers the new plate. You can do this by contacting your insurer.
It’s not possible to add a private reg to your lease car prior to its delivery; you’ll need to do this once the vehicle has been delivered and you’ve had permission from the funder and DVLA.
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