Returning Lease + Inspection Light?

Nikita

Active Member
Feb 18, 2019
27
8
Hi guys,

Was hoping somebody could advise :)

I have my Leon going back to VWFS on the 15th May, BCA couldn't pick it up earlier, and I haven't done a service yet since it never came up.

I have checked in the settings and it says that it's due in 40 odd days but afraid it will come up with service warning just before I have to return the car.

Has anybody had a similar issue? Should I do the service or just try to reset the warning if it comes up?

Thanks for your help!
 

Hag

Active Member
Sep 15, 2018
399
193
If the service light is on and says it needs doing or is overdue they won’t take the car away. If you reset it without a service they would charge you for lack of history. Best to hand it back early before it says due or have it done. If it’s a lease (rather than a PCP) also bear in mind it has to be done by a franchised main dealer and not a specialist or Halfords but to be fair Seat dealers are usually cheap


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JonnyG

Active Member
Mar 18, 2019
62
32
You should be OK if its saying 40 days ... and take some photos / videos on the morning of collection as proof no service was quite due yet. My recent lease return was similar (due a 2nd service in 8 days time) and the BCA collection man said that was OK. He did want to see receipts / proof for the 1st service though.
 
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Nikita

Active Member
Feb 18, 2019
27
8
You should be OK if its saying 40 days ... and take some photos / videos on the morning of collection as proof no service was quite due yet. My recent lease return was similar (due a 2nd service in 8 days time) and the BCA collection man said that was OK. He did want to see receipts / proof for the 1st service though.

Thanks! It's not appearing just yet, I assume it comes up when it's 30 days or something left which might be around the time I have to give it back.
 

KXL

KXL
Dec 15, 2016
1,581
197
London, UK
I too had this predicament, and I called VWFS about 3 months before and asked them about service (24 month contract, on long life schedule) , and they said once it shows service, you must take it to the service before returning, if it doesn't ping up, that, just return it without the service. I guess if your car is picked up within the week, you won't need to service it. I'm not sure if it's 30 or 31 days that it starts to ping.

What I did ultimately was I did a 'normal 1 year / 10 k miles' service on it on the 21st month, and had it on new oil for the last 3 months, as I knew it wouldn't make it without the service pinging, plus also I did email Seat, and they said, if the service light shows up when they collect, it should really have a service done.
 

ColsEars

Active Member
Feb 11, 2019
17
12
England
If it's going back via British Car Auctions (BCA) then give them a call and ask, as they actually have slightly different standards to VWFS. I had an A4 on lease previously and they didn't care that it hadn't had it's 2y service when it went back.

I'm just arranging for the return of my Q7 now after 3y on PCP and am waiting for a call from them to advise what the policy is for exactly the same issue as you.
 

Juro

Active Member
Dec 5, 2018
77
31
My Octavia VRS was collected today by an agent for BCA. The guy came had a quick walk round (30 seconds), marked 3 scuffed wheels and put it on the back of a transporter and took it away. About an hour later a guy from BCA arrived to inspect the car. I said it had already gone and showed him the paperwork. He said as the transport company collected it before he had inspected it, he doubts it I will get charged for the damaged wheels.

Fingers crossed.
 

KXL

KXL
Dec 15, 2016
1,581
197
London, UK
My BCA inspector was a PITA (Pain in the.....) he marked me down for dents on each panel (which was charged @ £36 each side) that till today I still didn't know where they were, yet he couldn't see that my Tagus black rims were touched up with black gloss nail polish. When I said I can't see any dents he said that's why he's the inspector and not me. I still think the inspector put the 'dents' there himself as when I went to get the second key (2 mins i was out of sight) I returned and saw him pressing the panel thickness device quite firmly to check if the panel thickness was uniform across the entire car. Anyway, he took pics of the 'dents' using a black line card to see the reflection deform a bit, with a tablet. I followed up with taking pics with my dSLR. I complained to BCA and when they finally got the pics, they waived the charge, as they couldn't see anything obvious. The person who collected the car mentioned probably one of the best conditioned cars he has every collected. Go Figure!
 
Feb 10, 2019
19
1
Had this exact situation with mine; 40 days left to service when it was due to be collected so I called the lease company to ask. They said no need to have it serviced.

Then got a bill for £260-odd... I complained and the charge was reversed on the spot.

Take photos of everything and don't back down!
 
May 3, 2019
11
1
Hi
The Inspection due came up on my Lease FR, typically right before it was due to go back. I checked with lease company, expecting it to require main dealer service.
To my surprise they told me any VAT registered garage can service providing you supply the invoice, so definitely worth checking.
Unfortunately, I twatted a pheasant a while back and it’s thrown out the front assist. I now have an unavailable warning light on dash.
I’ve been quoted £280 for recalibration at M.D. so if anyone has any ideas on that one I’d appreciate it?
Car goes back in a couple of weeks
 

KXL

KXL
Dec 15, 2016
1,581
197
London, UK
Hi
The Inspection due came up on my Lease FR, typically right before it was due to go back. I checked with lease company, expecting it to require main dealer service.
To my surprise they told me any VAT registered garage can service providing you supply the invoice, so definitely worth checking.

The person I contacted when I collected the car said that too, the lease agreement said must be main dealer service, so I went for the latter.
 
May 3, 2019
11
1
The person I contacted when I collected the car said that too, the lease agreement said must be main dealer service, so I went for the latter.

Better to be safe than sorry I guess.
I liked the Lease car so much I ended up buying the same model.
 
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