August 2016

You want a new car, and you aren’t sure whether you are going to lease or buy.

How do you choose?
There are pros and cons to both leasing and buying. And they are suited to different people.
Getting a car is a big decision and is not one you make on a whim. The most important thing is that you are fully educated on each of these options so you know you are making the right decision.
We talk people through this decision-making process every day. So we thought we would make a comprehensive guide comparing leasing and buying. First thing’s first; what is the difference between leasing and buying?

The answer is pretty straightforward. When you lease a car, you hand it back. When you buy a car, you…well, own it…

You want a new car. Except, you don’t want to buy it outright. And, you don’t really want to lease it. What are your options?

Well, you could buy second hand, but you really would prefer a new car. So, that leaves you with a finance option.
One of the questions we get quite often at OSV is, ‘can I afford to finance a new car?’ and the chances are, yes you can.
In this article we’ll talk about your finance options, what you should think about when budgeting, and how to lower the cost of the payments. If you want a new car to own outright then you can go for a hire purchase. A hire purchase is essentially where you pay for your car monthly. Once those payments have been made, you own the car outright.

You may also want to consider personal contract purchase. At the end of a contract purchase agreement, you have three options…

You’re looking for a new car, and you might be considering leasing it. Except, one of the worries many of our customers get is that they can’t afford to lease.

The chances are, you can afford to lease a car. There’s a common misconception that leasing is more expensive. But, it’s actually not.
However, there are some things that you should consider first. We advise people on this every day. And, it’s important to us that we put some of these misconceptions to bed. So, we’ve written an article on lease prices, what affects them, and how you can afford a lease car. The price of a lease car can vary depending on a number of factors. However, we can tell you how the monthly lease price is calculated. This should give you an idea of how that monthly figure has come about…

When people talk about leasing a car, they generally tend to be talking about contract hire. This is because contract hire is one of the most common and popular lease agreements.

But, what is it?
Unsurprisingly, contract hire is also one of our most popular lease agreements. So, we’re going to talk you through what contract hire is, who it’s for, and the pros and cons of each. Firstly, what is contract hire?

Contract hire is designed for businesses. There is one for private individuals which is aptly named private contract hire.
However, contract hire is essentially where a company rents a car for between 1 and 5 years while paying a monthly rental. After that time is up, they hand the car back. Firstly, what is contract hire?

Contract hire is designed for businesses. There is one for private individuals which is aptly named private contract hire.
However, contract hire is essentially where a company rents a car for between 1 and 5 years while paying a monthly rental. After that time is up, they hand the car back. Contract hire is perfect for…c

Leasing has become increasingly popular here in the UK. Though it’s not the traditional way of getting your next car, it’s definitely something you should consider. Or, maybe you have considered it and you’ve decided that this is what you want to do. How do you go about doing it? We at OSV know everything there is to know about car leasing. So, we’re going to talk you through how you can get a lease car and answering any questions you may have about that process. Firstly, how does car leasing actually work? It’s fairly simple. You have a car for a set period of time; they range from 1-5 years people typically opt for a contract lasting 2-3 years. You pay a series of monthly payments for the duration of your contract. Once that time is up and you’ve made all your payments, you hand the car back…

If you are considering leasing for the first time, you might be worried that you’re going to be ripped off.

It’s understandable. Leasing can seem like a daunting process. And pricing can be really complex if you aren’t sure what to look out for. But, once you know, it’s actually pretty simple.
At OSV, we have helped thousands of customers to know what is realistic when it comes to price, and what is not. This has enabled them to make educated decisions and prevented stress caused by ‘too good to be true’ deals that go wrong.
With this in mind, we wanted to write an article to provide you with top tips to ensure you will not be ripped off with your next lease car. Accreditations are extremely important when it comes to choosing a vehicle supplier. And making sure they are regulated by the FCA is vital.

This is because it is illegal for a vehicle broker to…

When you’re thinking about leasing a car, it’s important to think about the additional responsibilities that come with it.

For example, getting your car serviced. One of the things that is vital during your lease contract is that you get it serviced. But, are servicing costs included in your lease contract?
In this article we’ll be looking at how much the servicing will cost you, and whether that cost is included in your lease contract. Unfortunately, the servicing costs are not included in your lease contract. However, you can get something called a maintenance agreement, which adds the servicing costs to the monthly payments…

Buying a new car? It’s completely understandable that you want to know everything you can about the car you’re ordering and that you’re completely happy with the choice you’ve made. You may also be concerned that you’re not going to be happy with your order when it arrives. So, what do you do?

We get that circumstances can change and there’s nothing worse than being tied to something (like a car) that no longer meets your needs/preferences.
In this article we go through the steps you can take before you make your order, and afterwards, so you know what to do to prevent any issues.

The thing with leasing is that you don’t actually own the car. So, are you covered by the manufacturer’s warranty? This is something we get asked a lot, and it’s understandable. After all, if there’s a fault with the car and it’s down to the manufacturer, you want to be sure that you are covered. The short answer is; yes, you do get a warranty on a lease car. At OSV, we advise people on this every day, so we’re going to tell you what your warranty covers, what it doesn’t, and whether you can extend it. When you lease a car, it will come with a warranty. This is the manufacturer’s warranty, and usually lasts for three years. However, this varies depending on manufacturer and mileage terms. What does the warranty cover? Essentially, the warranty covers anything that is considered to be…

While a lease contract may not seem like a long time, it’s enough time for your circumstances to change. Sometimes drastically. So, can you get out of your lease contract?

You can. However, the point of a lease contract is that you see it out to the end; they aren’t designed to be finished half way through. But, we understand that things change, and some of these changes are out of your control. So, we’ve written an article explaining your options should you want to get out of your lease contract.

Before we start, it should be noted that this is for contract hire, private contract hire, operating lease or private operating lease. Any other agreement will be dealt with differently.
Your first option is that you can pay an early termination fee…

Sometimes our customers ask us why we won’t promise a delivery date for their vehicle. It’s understandable. They’ve paid for something, they want to know when it’s going to arrive at their door. However, we don’t promise delivery dates. Because we don’t make promises we can’t keep. And it’s the same for other trustworthy brokers or new car dealers. Anyone who values customer service will not promise a delivery date. And in this article we will explain why…

When you go through car finance, you will have to put down a deposit. This tends to be between 10-30% of the car’s value at the time. But, what if you don’t want to put down a deposit? Is there any way to get finance without one?
Not everyone wants to put down a deposit. But as we said, there’s no car finance scheme that doesn’t require a deposit. However, that does not mean it’s not possible. There are three ways you can get car finance if you do not have a deposit, and those are…

Sometimes, people are put off by the fact that they have to put down a deposit. They may want to keep the cash for something else, or they just don’t want to part with that much money. It’s understandable. So, can you get car finance without putting down a deposit? Unfortunately, there is no car finance option that does not require you to put down a deposit. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. There are some ways in which you can get car finance without putting down a deposit and those are; speak to your dealer or supplier and tell them you don’t have a deposit or get a personal loan. However, there are some things that you should consider before you decide which route to take…