Lease return with a tune.
 

This isn't a discussion about the merits and risks of a reputable tune while a car is under warranty.

I'm doing extensive research and am contemplating a VAP tune. The topic I'm interested in is (assuming zero issues), will a tune cause problems with your lessor (Chase) when your lease matures? Will they "go after you" for any additional financial compensation due to a perceived drop in value because of potential future warranty issues and perhaps the inability to CPO?

I'm very curious as to the consensus of you guys, I don't want to be forced to make a lease end purchase. Again, this assuming the car is returned with zero mechanical issues.


Thanks
Aaron

I think you are putting your wallet at risk here and it's simply not worth it. If something goes wrong with your car they can blame the tune. You then might have warranty issues as well as leasing issues. There are those that will chime in and say "they can't blame the tune for things that are not directly related"...uh huh....keep telling yourself that.


If it were me, I would save the tune for a car that I own and is no longer under warranty.

I completely respect that and I appreciate the input. I understand there are risks involved. However, I am interested specifically in whether or not there could be issues with a lease return with a mechanically perfect tuned car that complies with all other lease conditions.

I don't think you'll have anything to worry about.

There is a permanent record of the installation of the tune. Only the owner of the car can determine whether this affects the value. Asking here is of little value.

Not if we have members who have turned in tuned cars at their lease maturation, no? I think that would be very valuable being that I believe it is Chase that does all the leasing.

There was a guy here a while back who turned in his XE, tuned and with a pulley, to swap it for an F-type R. My memory tells me the XE was leased (I'm not totally sure though). And he definitely didn't mention any issues returning the car. You can PM him and/or search through his posts to verify... name was CRS 123

When a lease car is nearing maturity, it is brought to a Jaguar dealer for cursory inspection. They just check miles and condition. They are not looking at the ECU and all that... Use your relationship with your Jaguar dealer and not worry.

i am 99% certain no one will notice the tune, as long as the car comes back in great condition. if you return the car with the CEL, and they investigate, they might find the tune. other than that they wont be expecting it

Thanks for all the good input. Now that I think about it, I probably should have posted it in a different thread. I can't imagine any XE leases have reached maturity and my question isn't contingent on model so probably a lot of F Type owners who have had no problems.

Great advice to "use your relationship with your Jaguar dealer", I would absolutely lease another JLR assuming there were deals to be had in 33 months!

No one will ever check if tuned the car when you return it..... based on that you can make your decision..... if you return the car damaged due to the tune then who knows what can happen. But I doubt the tune has ever caused any issues.

You have nothing to worry about if you return the tune back to stock prior to turning it in.

I'm amazed how cavalier everyone is being with someone else's money.

We know that once a tune has been installed on a Jag a digital trace is there forever- even if the tune is removed.

We know that this trace will be dectected if the car goes to the dealer for software flashes or upgrades etc. This info goes into the car' permanent OEM records.

We know that Jag have denied warranty if an engine goes bang and such a digital trace is there.

Ass-u-ming today that no one will bother looking or caring at the end of the lease period is rather foolish.

What trouble could they possibly give you if you return the car with the turn reversed?

They can't tell what kind of tune it was or what you did. The glory of a lease is that you don't even have to maintain it. You can **** the mother **** out of the engine and take it back.

What would they possibly do? Get a lawyer to seek some arbitrary value of the tune? What did the tune do? What if it was a tune simply to improve mileage? Modifications are allowed to a car as long as they are reversed and no damage is done

Jag dealer tells leasing company that engine warranty is null and void. Lessor is on the hook.

Sure the warranty is and we accept that. But they still have to take back the car and can't really come after you for anything right?

Guys, do not listen to Mikey, he has repeatedly given incorrect information in these tune threads (it almost feels like he has some type of agenda or vendetta against them) and has been corrected on at least one occasion. It is illegal for the dealer to refuse warranty because of a tune. The only way they can refuse warranty if there is damage to the car that was done because of the tune...... returning a leased car does not qualify as such.

Go read what happened to an owner on the F-type forum when an engine went bang. No warranty.

Your choice. Your wallet.

You obviously have a difficult time understanding the English language.

So a lease car that's being returned with a voided warranty due to owner induced mod is not 'damaged'.

Got that in writing from the leasing company?

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/...-leasing-a-car

Avoiding Lease Return Trouble | News & Features | autoTRADER.ca

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