Has anyone ever leased a hard top and returned it with a soft top?

[idcalex]

I recently purchased a soft top for my JL and realistically I don’t ever see myself using the hard top ever again. It’s doing nothing but taking up space in my yard. I have a potential buyer for the hardtop. I’m like 90% certain I’m gonna buy the jeep out at the but in the 10% I don’t and have to return the lease, how hard would jeep hit me over the head ?
Has anyone ever been in a similar situation?

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[zrickety]

I recently purchased a soft top for my JL and realistically I don’t ever see myself using the hard top ever again. It’s doing nothing but taking up space in my yard. I have a potential buyer for the hardtop. I’m like 90% certain I’m gonna buy the jeep out at the but in the 10% I don’t and have to return the lease, how hard would jeep hit me over the head ?
Has anyone ever been in a similar situation?

I don't think anyone would know except you.

 

[Jank4AU]

I did it just last week. They'll have the VIN to be able to see what it came with if they really care. Also, the Jeep will be set up for the next person to add a hard top with no fuss because all of the connections and wiring are there for the rear window washer/wiper and the brackets for the freedom panels. I had zero problems turning it back in with the soft top and they actually gave me more than I owed on it, no questions asked.

 

[aldo98229]

Sell the hardtop, take that money and buy a CD with maturity around the time your lease ends. When the lease ends, sell the CD to pay any penalties the dealer might levy for the missing hardtop.

If they don’t charge you anything, use that money as down payment on your next vehicle.

 

[GATORB8]

I did it just last week. They'll have the VIN to be able to see what it came with if they really care. Also, the Jeep will be set up for the next person to add a hard top with no fuss because all of the connections and wiring are there for the rear window washer/wiper and the brackets for the freedom panels. I had zero problems turning it back in with the soft top and they actually gave me more than I owed on it, no questions asked.

That was a dealer buyout then, which is likely what will happen on a Wrangler since it's probably going to be worth more than residual value at lease maturity. Since you're not actually turning it in over mileage and damage just reduce value, and aren't processed as penalties.

I haven't had a lease that wasn't positive equity at the end, but normally they'll accept the turn in and send you a reconciliation bill after. I wouldn't want to know what they'd bill for a new hard top, but I'd assume even if you're slightly negative it'd be worth buying out to avoid.

One recent turn of events in this crazy market, is that lease companies are marking up the dealer buyout so they (the leasor) can profit off your trade in. In the case of my 19 Ram, the dealer buyout is 40k compared to my buyout of 33k.

 

[FloridaLarry]

I don't think anyone would know except you.

And us. :P

OP will probably will get away with as the inspector is probably not a jeep guy. However...

The leasing company has the window sticker on file. The inspector will be looking for damage, mods, and missing equipment. Its kind of included in the 'disposition fee' that they pay (well, you pay) the inspector. Its not cheap because he's supposed to be taking a serious look at the car.

 

[Quinn99]

Sell the hardtop, take that money and buy a CD with maturity around the time your lease ends. When the lease ends, sell the CD to pay any penalties the dealer might levy for the missing hardtop.

If they don’t charge you anything, use that money as down payment on your next vehicle.

Exactly this. And if they do count the hardtop as missing equipment, take the soft top back and sell that too. If they want to charge as if it is missing a roof, might as well deliver with no roof.

 

[DHW]

Not the same situation, but mine came with a hardtop and I bought a take-off soft top shortly after getting the Jeep. I brought it to the dealer a bit later to address the sagging side windows under warranty, and was worried they would look it up and see I didn't have the dual top group and raise hell. Nobody said anything.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

The worst that can happen is that they will charge you $3200 for the missing hardtop.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Do you actually own the hardtop on your leased vehicle? Do you have the state-issued title of ownership? Remember, on a leased vehicle you own nothing of the components it came with.

Selling things that don't belong to you could get you in a whole heap of trouble if the lessor decided to pursue this through criminal courts...The hardtop is a key component, it's being missing likely to be noticed. The not inconsequential value of the hardtop, someone mentioned $3200 above, probably puts this into a higher-offense category.

Just sayin'...

 

[SH556JL]

Sell the hardtop, take that money and buy a CD with maturity around the time your lease ends. When the lease ends, sell the CD to pay any penalties the dealer might levy for the missing hardtop.

If they don’t charge you anything, use that money as down payment on your next vehicle.

CDs are at a all time low, last I checked. While the general idea isn’t terrible. I would suggest looking up DCU, 6% for the first $1,000 in savings. If you have a spouse, could easily open a second one to cover more of the hard top.

 

[entropy]

Sell the hardtop, take that money and buy a CD with maturity around the time your lease ends. When the lease ends, sell the CD to pay any penalties the dealer might levy for the missing hardtop.

If they don’t charge you anything, use that money as down payment on your next vehicle.

I'd put the money towards an ETF instead. Something like QQQ or IVV. Way better returns than a CD in a year or two. A bit riskier but worst case scenario you just leave the money there and it will give you a better return anyway. CDs are trash, a way for the bank to make money off you. They can't even make up for year to year inflation.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

It’s not criminal to sell parts off of leased vehicle, however they can hold you liable in a civil court. It falls under the clause that cover missing and damaged parts.

Now, if he reported it stolen then parted it out, that’s another story.

 

[Jank4AU]

That was a dealer buyout then, which is likely what will happen on a Wrangler since it's probably going to be worth more than residual value at lease maturity. Since you're not actually turning it in over mileage and damage just reduce value, and aren't processed as penalties.

I haven't had a lease that wasn't positive equity at the end, but normally they'll accept the turn in and send you a reconciliation bill after. I wouldn't want to know what they'd bill for a new hard top, but I'd assume even if you're slightly negative it'd be worth buying out to avoid.

One recent turn of events in this crazy market, is that lease companies are marking up the dealer buyout so they (the leasor) can profit off your trade in. In the case of my 19 Ram, the dealer buyout is 40k compared to my buyout of 33k.

That would have been the case had I been within 3 months of my lease end date, but since they bought it from me 15 months early, that didn't apply. I was actually scared for a minute and thought that I'd need to first buy it through my bank for the payoff amount and then the dealer could buy it at the proposed price. One of the finance guys thought I was turning it in as an end of lease vehicle I guess. Also, had I kept it I most certainly would have been over my allotted miles. However, once the finance manager figured out I wasn't within 3 months of lease end, the dealer buyout didn't apply and they were allowed to give me the amount offered. My payoff was $29,100 and they offered me $34,500 which is how it worked out in the end. Also, I kept my hardtop and they didn't say anything. I had changed quite a bit on the Jeep as I had orignally planned to buy it at the end.

 

[Jank4AU]

Do you actually own the hardtop on your leased vehicle? Do you have the state-issued title of ownership? Remember, on a leased vehicle you own nothing of the components it came with.

Selling things that don't belong to you could get you in a whole heap of trouble if the lessor decided to pursue this through criminal courts...The hardtop is a key component, it's being missing likely to be noticed. The not inconsequential value of the hardtop, someone mentioned $3200 above, probably puts this into a higher-offense category.

Just sayin'...

With a lease you're only screwed if you plan to turn it in at lease end as is. You have several options available with the least desirable being turning it in. You can sell a lease to another party for higher than you owe and have them pay the payoff. It just becomes a little more tricky becuase they'll need to get the title in their name and cut two checks: 1 to the bank and 1 to you for the difference. You can buy the vehicle yourself and avoid any/all penalties. You can also turn it in early as I did and it all worked out.

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