How can I avoid sinking more money into my lemon-y Mazda near my lease end?
Posted by IndieTown77@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 13 comments
I leased a 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV. Terrible decision, I now know. The lease ends in about one month. I have no intention of buying another Mazda.
The vehicle is just out of warranty at 37k miles, 4K miles over our 33k mile term.
I brought the vehicle into the Mazda dealer today for yet another “engine malfunction” situation (I think this is the 8th time I’ve had to bring it in over 32 months).
Not only is there a major problem with the EVAC system and hybrid battery, but they found that the radiator has “popped” on both sides. And there are likely other expensive issues. At least one of the parts is on back order and could take weeks to get in.
I’ve had to replace all four tires at 25k miles — another common problem with this model.
I’ve taken great care of the vehicle. And I’ve wasted so much time at the dealer. I bought expensive tires way earlier than I should have to. And now they’re telling me I’m likely on the hook for expensive repairs, one month before my lease ends.
What recourse do I have?
Mazda knows this is a problem vehicle and has negotiated with buyers and lessees around lemon laws. At this point, I’d happily just give them the vehicle back, pay for my last month and pay the mileage overage. I just need to be done with this vehicle.
Can anyone help a family man who’s not made of money out? Thanks in advance.
throwaway007676@reddit
It is a leased vehicle. The only expenses you have is oil changes and tires near the end of the lease if it wears them out. At that point you take it to Walmart and buy the cheapest tires they can order. The rest should be under warranty.
jeremyjava@reddit
Seriously, that’s why we leased our Tesla and a Porsche ev… no maintenance or repairs other than the obvious, which is completely minimally for evs.
TarponTalker@reddit
If you were to drive your car beyond the lease term, you would be accountable for repairs.
jeremyjava@reddit
But did OP talk about keeping his beyond the lease? I believe his issue was repairs WHILE waiting for his lease to wrap.
tandyzmills@reddit
just turn it in early. let the dealership know
LOGGATO@reddit
A nice set of tools is wayyy cheaper than all those repairs! I learned I can screw up most repairs 3 or 4 times for the same price as having someone else fix it for me.
maxsilver@reddit
I don’t understand. Did you actually lease, or did you buy it?
If you leased the vehicle, it can’t ever be “out of warranty” — you don’t own the car, Mazda would eat all the repair costs on the EVAC and hybrid battery and radiator and so on. (unless you did something to cause those problems, like an accident or gross negligence or such)
Why? Especially when you are so close to being done (less than 2 months?). Why not just lease a car you actually like, and just let the two leases overlap for a couple of months.
I get that two car payments is a lot of money, but it’s only two months long, and that has to be dramatically cheaper, than whatever the fee is going to be, for you being four thousand miles over your promise on the lease.
Finish paying your lease, and walk away. You don’t own the car, so these “expensive repairs” should have zero cost to you, unless you are leaving something important out of your story here.
IndieTown77@reddit (OP)
Why not lease a new vehicle? Because I’m moving out of the country.
Specialist_Ad7722@reddit
This is why you don’t drive a lease past the warranty period.
IndieTown77@reddit (OP)
Thanks for that constructive comment about something that cannot be changed.
Puzzled_Professor919@reddit
Well you're the genius who went over on the milage. Complain all you want about what a lemon it is but its entirely your own fault that you're now on the hook for all these repairs. If you're not intelligent enough to cut way back on non-essential driving when you saw that you were within like 2 or 3 thousand miles of your limit, and then managed to tack on several thousand afterwards, do yourself a favor and never lease a vehicle again.
IndieTown77@reddit (OP)
Thanks, genius. Sometimes people’s life/work situations change and they have to drive more than they anticipated several years earlier. Have you ever had to…change? Alter plans? Adjust? Pivot? Maybe not, in which case good for you/how boring?
TactualTransAm@reddit
You say "bad idea I know I know" but you may not have. There's been a TON of praise for Mazda online these past few years. I'm sure you did some research before you purchased, maybe not enough but still. Mazda and Hyundai are currently getting a ton of praise online but I still don't trust either brand. I'm sorry you got caught up in the hype and it didn't work out. I've never leased a vehicle so I have nothing to help with that, but I just wanted you to know that I understand how it feels to think you have a decent vehicle to just have a problem vehicle. I've been there.