A new life situation, a company car, a growing family — there are many reasons to part with a leased vehicle before the contract ends. Few people know: an ongoing lease is no obstacle to selling. With the right approach you settle the contract cleanly and pocket the difference.
First things first: the car belongs to the leasing company
During the term you are the registered keeper but not the owner. You can only sell once the leasing company has been paid off. There is an established process for exactly that:
Step by step to lease settlement
- Request the buy-back value: ask your leasing company for a written buy-back quote (the settlement figure). It is usually valid for 10 to 30 days and states the amount needed to end the contract immediately.
- Determine the market value: in parallel, get a sale quote for the vehicle — free and non-binding, for example from autosofortkauf.ch.
- Calculate the difference: if the market value exceeds the buy-back value, the difference is yours. If it is lower, you know what early termination costs.
- Settlement: the buyer pays the settlement amount directly to the leasing company and the difference to you. Once the company confirms receipt, the vehicle is handed over.
A worked example
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Leasing company buy-back value | CHF 14,200 |
| autosofortkauf.ch purchase quote | CHF 16,500 |
| Paid out to you | CHF 2,300 |
Especially for sought-after models with moderate mileage, market value often exceeds the settlement figure — the sale turns into a profit.
When does early termination pay off?
- When demand is high for your model (SUVs, hybrids, popular compacts)
- When you would clearly exceed the mileage limit — per-kilometre surcharges are expensive
- When your circumstances change and the monthly instalment becomes a burden
Caution: some contracts recalculate past instalments on early termination. Check the buy-back quote carefully and get all costs confirmed in writing.
We handle the settlement
autosofortkauf.ch regularly handles lease settlements: we check your buy-back quote, make you a transparent offer and transfer the settlement amount directly to the leasing company — you receive the difference immediately. Ask us, no strings attached.