Lease turn-in
Don't pay the dealer's wheel bill at turn-in
Lease return inspections flag every scraped lip, bend and crack — and dealers charge for it like it's new metal, up to $300 a wheel. Repairing the wheels first costs less and hands back a clean lease.
The math, on one wheel
Every lease contract is different, but dealer wheel charges at turn-in commonly run up to $300 per wheel. Here's what the same wheel costs at the bench:
Curb rash on the lip or face
from $160
Crack or bend — bare wheel brought in
$200
Crack or bend — wheel + tire brought in
$250
Timing it around your return date
Turn-in dates don't move. The quoted turnaround is at least 24 hours, and straightening often lands the same day when the wheel is brought in — so the play is: get the inspection done, text photos the same week, and have the wheels back on before the appointment. Bring the wheels and tires (not the car); pickup is available for an added charge if you're tight on time.
- Photograph every flagged wheel — one shot per wheel, damage visible.
- Send them through the quote form or text — you get per-wheel numbers.
- Drop the wheels and tires at Mesa or Tempe; quoted turnaround is at least 24 hours.
- Wheels go back on the car clean — and the dealer's wheel line item disappears.