A friend of mine leased a 2002 Max. He went ahead & lowered it with coil overs, changed the rims/tires, put on a CAI, headers, & exhaust all in the 1st few months of getting it. So he's been running it for 3+ years now this way. His lease is up in July. Will nissan have a problem with these mods taking the car back? He doesn't have any of the stock parts. I told him not to do anything & if he did, have the stock parts. Oh well his problem...But he wanted me ask me around.

 

YES….They could charge him for putting the car back to stock if they really wanted to.
I’ve heard some of those lease inspectors are real pricks.
Springs and wheels will be easily spotted by the inspector.
The headers, exhaust and CAI might not be a problem unless it’s a “fart pipe” type cannon on the back.

That was a bad idea not to keep the stock parts, especially on a lease.

 

Hes better off finding someone local who would swap parts with him.

 

I don't blame the inspector for wanting the car stock. Not many people are willing to buy a modded car.

 

Items I've never had a problem with when returning a lease.......

1. Exhaust
2. Intake
3. Tint
4. Springs


It just depends on the the situation as was mentioned, they might let it all go or hit him on a few things.

They definitely won't have an issue with all of it, that is certain.

 

The car's screaming ragged out. My perception is the owner had all the fun he could with it and is dumping for a new victim.

 

[QUOTE=Shawn S]YES….They could charge him for putting the car back to stock if they really wanted to.
I’ve heard some of those lease inspectors are real pricks.
Springs and wheels will be easily spotted by the inspector.
The headers, exhaust and CAI might not be a problem unless it’s a “fart pipe” type cannon on the back.

That was a bad idea not to keep the stock parts, especially on a lease.[/QUOTE



I added a Y-pipe and Injen CAI on my 02 Maxima while it was under lease but just bought out the lease last week. (I'll be keeping it for a few years longer.) But I kept my stock parts in the event I wasnt going to keep it.

But, I dont think the exhaust will be much of problem so long as it isnt loud (i.e.:Apexi WS exhaust or Greddy SP2). Lowering springs might be a concern as would be the intake.

Sidenote: I'd personally never buy a car that's been modded already....although I technically did by buying out my own lease.

 

who mods a lease car? thats retarded, unless its
small mods and you keep the OEM parts

 

lol

I got an idea, why not rent a car, and then put mods on it?? that would be SWEET!!!

 

He already did that though.

Good luck with it I suppose. He may be able to find someone locally who wants to trade stock+cash for his mods.

Just a bad move on his part to begin with though.

Even if it isn't a lease, keeping stock parts is a good idea. I may be selling my car, and my two mods (clear turn signals/new headunit) I can easily switch back to the OEM parts quite quickly, just in case. I might be getting into my mom's car ('00 Toyota Solara, 50K miles) and selling mine, so its pretty heavy on my mind right now.

 

Yep, my 99 GSR was leased..Intake, headers, cat back, coilovers, short shifter...wheels tires, ..I could go on...

 

yea, but did you just give the dealer back all those mods?

 

 

Agreed. AND...even if he gets a satisfactory inspection & walks away OK, he may get the bill in the mail after they find the other parts.

I've read on this site where Honda sends an invoice a month after someone turns in their car if they miss something in the inspection.

 

Nissan Motors Acceptance Corp.

 

he should just post on the maxima boards and do a trade + cash for the OEM parts

 

I'd tell him to find either to look for stock parts on E-bay or the nissan dealer. put them on. either sell the old parts or keep them if he buys a non current generation Maxima. otherwise he's gonna be screwed when he takes it back to the dealer. I've often wondered why people mod out leased cars.

 

That's where those self-tint kits come into play! Have all the practice and fun you can on a rental car!

And for the record, I have modded my lease car extensively but the only thing I really can't remove from the car is the cleared set of headlights. I bet I could still find a guy in NYC that would be willing to trade me anyway if I needed to next year.