bscardin

After 3 fun years my 2010 S4 lease is almost over. I've been doing some research and it looks like the current resale value of the car is quite a bit higher than my residual so I think I am going to buy it out and then resell it.

Anyone here have any experience doing this? Does Audi Financial allow third party buyouts (to skip double sales tax)? Any other advice?

Oh, and if anyone is interested :
2010 S4 Prestige
Sprint Blue
S-Tronic
Carbon Fiber Trim
Black/Beige two tone leather
46,000 miles
$36,500
St. Louis area

Bobby Kinstle

AFS doesn't care who writes the check, just as long as they get their money.

codog11

Is this true? I hear that the buyer has to be the person named on the lease. The reason I ask is that I am looking to buy a friend's s4 when his lease is up this summer

zerinS4

He could sell it to you and you would be the second owner. Your friend isn't on the current title as AFS "owns" the car currently.

Goony

You could probably arrange a sale BEFORE the lease end where your buyer pays off AFS and cuts the profit check to you. I did this many years ago with a lease. If you choose to buy it out, you'll have a sales tax burden which may or may not be able to be overcome when you "flip" it.

DrGP

In my previous experience buying my B6 S4 from AFS, the leasee IS the only person, other than an Audi dealer that could buy the car. Probably a VW dealer as well. They would not allow the BMW dealer to buy the car and use as a trade in in a 335i. I had to buy the car, pay the taxes and transfers. Then I found a private buyer instead of trading in the car. The new buyer had to do the same. Getting the title was an issue as well, AFS, was horrible to deal with. Even so, I made $3k on the deal and the buyer got the car for well under retail. I hope AFS has gotten their act together. Depending on your relationship with the dealer, they may do a courtesy trade for you which could save the double tax. But that is usually done if you are getting another car from them in the deal

Bobby Kinstle

Since you are the registered owner, you would remain so after the buyout. I doubt they would transfer the title to another person. so you would need a title transfer. But as far as paying AFS, they accept all forms of currency from anybody.

igord

did this in 2005, had the buyer ready, he cut the check to afs, transfered title within 2 days of sale, in California there is (or at least was) a period of 5 days where you could buy out and resell without having to pay tax yourself, the new owner had to though (however only on the buyout amount).

codog11

I will likely give him the money and when he gets he title sign it over to me. Not sure how it works in Massachusetts but I don't believe you pay sales tax unless you register the car

CharlieG

I know on my previous lease buyouts, AFS has collected the sales tax and they supply proof that it has been paid which you submit along with your title application to the DMV. The only issue I see is that the bill of sale that AFS provides would have the lessee's name on it unless they agree to use the actual buyer's name instead.