As your lease agreement nears its end, the excitement of a new car often comes with the looming stress of the final inspection. Many Canadian drivers are caught off guard by “excess wear and tear” charges, where minor imperfections you’ve lived with for years suddenly translate into hefty penalties. Dealerships often charge premium rates to replace entire panels or bumpers for damage that could have been repaired for a fraction of the cost. At Colorworks, we are lease return specialists who help you navigate this process by identifying and fixing “chargeable” damage before the inspector sees it, keeping those hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars in your pocket.
Most leasing companies use a standard “wear and tear” guide, such as the two-inch rule or the “credit card test,” to determine what you’ll be billed for. If a scratch is too deep or a dent is too large, you are on the hook for the repair at the dealer’s inflated shop rates. Our certified technicians use SMART (Small Medium Area Repair Technique) to provide high-quality, invisible repairs that meet manufacturer standards.
Common lease-return issues we can rescue include:
- Bumper Scuffs and Scrapes: Precision paint blending that eliminates the need for a total bumper replacement.
- Door Dings and Small Dents: Utilizing Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) to massage out dings without affecting the factory paint.
- Deep Paint Scratches: Expert color matching to erase scratches that exceed the “normal wear” length (typically 2 inches).
- Curb Rash on Alloy Wheels: Restoring scuffed rims to their original condition to avoid “mismatched” or “damaged” wheel fees.
- Windshield Chips: Repairing small stars or bullseyes before they turn into costly cracks that require a full glass replacement.
Don’t let a few small dings turn into a major financial headache at the dealership. Taking proactive steps with a professional pre-return repair not only ensures a smoother inspection but also protects your credit and your wallet. Visit any of our Colorworks locations across Canada for a free lease-return assessment. We’ll give you an honest breakdown of what needs fixing and provide a fast, cost-effective solution that guarantees your vehicle is “showroom ready” for its final goodbye.
