The process
Vehicle leasing and financing
Looking for a way to finance your next vehicle. We support you in preparing and putting together your leasing application across Europe.
Leasing is one of the most common ways to finance a vehicle, whether new or recent. Rather than paying the full purchase price upfront, you pay instalments spread over time, usually with an initial deposit and, depending on the arrangement, a buy-back value at the end of the term. This approach exists in various forms throughout Europe and suits both private individuals and professionals.
Our role is purely administrative support: we help you gather the required documents, define the parameters of your offer and submit a complete file to a finance provider. This page outlines the main steps and the documents usually expected. For exact figures (taxes, applicable duties), please refer to the dedicated page, and for any question, contact us directly.
Financing in detail
Operating or finance lease: what's the difference?
There are generally two broad families of contract. A finance lease (or lease-purchase) is geared towards eventually owning the vehicle: you pay instalments and then, at the end of the term, you may become the owner by paying the buy-back value set out in the contract.
An operating lease (or long-term hire) is closer to a service rental: the vehicle is returned at the end of the contract and the arrangement may bundle in various services. The choice between the two depends on your usage, the intended term and whether or not you wish to keep the vehicle.
Depending on the arrangement, certain services may be included in the instalment, such as maintenance, tyres or fuel management. We help you weigh up these options according to your actual needs.
How do you identify the vehicle to finance?
The first step is to obtain a quote for the vehicle you wish to acquire. The make, model and chosen options all directly affect the financing proposal, as they determine the value of the asset and its depreciation.
The quote can be obtained from the seller of your choice: there is no obligation to buy in any particular country. The vehicle can be purchased anywhere in Europe. The finance provider will simply carry out a few standard checks on the seller to confirm the transaction is sound.
Which parameters shape the leasing offer?
Once the vehicle has been identified, several parameters shape your leasing offer. It is worth thinking these through in advance, as they determine the instalment amount and the overall balance of the contract:
- Type of contract: operating or finance lease.
- Services included: maintenance, tyres, fuel.
- Term of the financing: for example 36, 48, 60 or 72 months.
- Deposit amount, i.e. the larger first instalment you wish to pay.
- Mileage anticipated over the term of the contract.
- Any buy-back value at the end of the term.
We support you in comparing these parameters and submitting an application consistent with your project.
Which documents make up the financing file?
To assess an application, the lender needs to evaluate financing capacity. A number of supporting documents must therefore be gathered. The exact list varies between providers and countries, but the following are most often required:
- A valid identity document.
- The latest tax assessment.
- For an employee: recent payslips.
- For a company director: recent financial statements of the company or companies.
- Where there is real-estate ownership: proof of property.
Preparing these documents in advance significantly speeds up the review of your file. We tell you precisely which documents are expected and check that your file is complete before submitting it.
Which practical points should you anticipate?
The financing term may be limited by the age of the vehicle: an older vehicle can generally only be financed over a shorter period. This is worth checking from the outset to avoid any surprises.
For high-value vehicles, some lenders require additional guarantees, such as fitting a tracking system covering the duration of the contract. These conditions are set out case by case in the offer.
The exact rules differ from one country and one provider to another. We point you towards the conditions applicable to your situation, as part of our administrative support, without substituting for the financial advice of the lender.
Good to know. The financing method (operating or finance lease) has no bearing on the country of registration or the administrative process: focus your comparison on the rental, the residual value and the services included.