Gary V. Powell, Author

We own a Lexus 300RX outright that has only about 70K miles on it and since we work from home we don't put that many miles on a car. We like the idea of keeping the reliable Lexus long term while leasing a new car that's fun to drive every three years. A little over three years ago, we leased a Toyota Solara convertible from a dealer in south Charlotte. The financing on the lease was handled by a finance company that goes by the name Southeast Toyota Finance.

Everything was fine until we turned the car in at the end of the lease. Because it was a three-year lease, it included 36K miles. But because we don't commute, we'd managed to put on only 26K between the house and Starbucks, the house and Caribou, and the house and Reilly's school. Other than that, I took the car to Bloomington a couple of times and Mary drove to Richmond once or twice.

The car had a couple of small paint chips in the hood, a couple of dings in the doors, and a scratch Reilly had put in it with a rock on the rear bumper. I was prepared to pay for Reilly's damage which was estimated for repair at about $175.

To our dismay, we received a bill for over $1,500, most of it attributable to "excess wear and tear,"  and something called a "disposition fee." The charges included not only Reilly's damage, but basically a full reconditioning and repainting of the car's exterior.

I was livid and sensed a rip-off in progress. I was right.

The small print in the lease contract, which the salesperson of course neglected to point out at time of sale and which we couldn't have negotiated anyway, defines excess wear and tear as:

• Glass that is damaged or that you have tinted;
• Damaged body, frame, fenders, metal work, trim, or paint;
• Missing wheel covers, jack or wheel wrench;
• Torn dash, floor covers, seats, headliners, upholstery or interior work or trunk liners;
• Any tires (including spare) that are missing, not of comparable quality to the originals, or with less than 1/8 inch of tread remaining;
• Damage from water, hail, or sand;
• Any damage that makes the vehicle either unsafe or unlawful to operate;
• Any other damage, whether or not covered by insurance, that would cost more than $50 to repair or replace.

A close reading of this fine print r(especially the emboldened phrases) eveals that basically any damage is considered "excess." That is, "excess" wear and tear includes what a reasonable person would consider "ordinary" wear and tear.

This unconscionable and deceptive definition and the additional fine print, which allows the finance company to recoup $350 for a disposition fee (even when delivery is made directly to the dealer from which the car was leased), is undoubtedly what allows it to entice buyers with a low upfront cost and low APR. The finance company knows it will make its nut and more on the back end.

When I pointed out to the Mr. Sullivan from Southeast Finance to whom I spoke that his business practices were unethical and probably illegal in states more civilized than North Carolina, he immediately offered to discount my costs by 20 percent. But I had to be an asshole to receive the 20 percent discount and my guess is that few people go that far. A result the finance company counts on in its pricing.

I demanded and received a written release tfrom Mr. Sullivan to the effect of the deal I'd wrangled from him.

But now the bastards are hassling us over vehicle taxes that so far as we are aware have already been paid and are about half of what Toyota Finance Southeast claims them to be.When they called my house at 8:00 AM this morning, harassing me for payment, I informed them I'd filed a formal comthe NC Department of Justice. I've also complained bitterly to the dealer from which the car was leased.

I'm not sure how this will end. But I know this. If any of you reading this plan to lease a car anytime soon, beware the fine print. Because the state of North Carolina allows dealers and financers to define "excess wear and tear" to essentially include any wear and tear. You can count on getting a bill for refinishing and repainting at the end of your lease.

Even if you've driven your car mostly locally, placed 10K miles less than the contracted for mileage, and otherwise taken care of the car.

Bottom line, beware the fine print.