Lease or car subscription? These arguments speak for and against

Every second car on Swiss roads is externally financed – most through leasing. And this despite the fact that this financing model has long had the reputation of being a debt trap. We explain to you exactly how leasing a car works and under what circumstances it is worthwhile.

Everyone who signs a lease contract pays a fixed amount every month, so that he or she can use the car under the contractually agreed conditions. Once the contract expires, the car must be returned. However, many leasing providers promise that the car can be purchased on more favorable terms after the contract period.

To qualify for this type of financing, you must meet a number of requirements. These include the existence of one Credit checka permanent residence in Switzerland and a Residence permit. Moreover, the latter have to three paychecks must be submitted so that the landlord can ensure that you do not become over-indebted. Through the contract you become a user of the car without being the owner.

If you want to lease a car, you have several options. For example, it will be between Private and business leasing Differentiated – what matters is whether the lease contract is concluded with a natural person or a company. There is a difference on the provider’s side uncaptured And captured: While a captive leasing bank only rents cars of a certain brand, non-captive leasing banks offer cars of all brands. At the start of a lease, a certain amount must usually be paid in advance, which then affects the monthly fixed rate.

Another option is all-inclusive leasing. As the name suggests, all costs for the car are included in a fixed monthly amount, so all you have to do is refuel. Depending on the model and provider, this also includes insurance, service, tire change, motor vehicle tax or even the highway vignette. When leasing a car, comprehensive insurance is mandatory in most cases, especially for new cars.

There is also the slightly younger version of the car subscription. This is fundamentally different from classic leasing due to the shorter contract term. The minimum term is only a few months and the subscription can then be canceled monthly. As with all-inclusive leasing, all costs, except the tank, are combined into one fixed rate. Unlike classic leasing, there is usually no prepayment.

You have to decide for yourself which model suits you best. To make your decision a little easier, we list the pros and cons of each option:

This speaks for:

Speaking against this:

This speaks for:

Speaking against this:

(anb)