Leasing for 6 or 12 months: Does short-term leasing make sense?

Cars are your passion and you would like to drive a different one every day? Difficult, but not impossible. Short-term leasing does not offer vehicles that change daily, but it does offer an enormously short term of 12 or even only 6 months. This could be right for you? We tell you what advantages and disadvantages short leasing terms have.

⏰ Summary

• Very flexible, low risk
• Leasing also possible for 6 months
• Test period for e-cars
• Disadvantages... actually none
• Car subscription offers more, but is usually more expensive

Would you like to lease a new car in general? No problem, check out our top leasing offers:

 

6, 12, oder 24 Monate: Was bedeutet Kurzzeitleasing?

Whether it's a private lease or a lease for a business, the minimum term is usually 24 months. This is exactly where short-term leasing comes in. If two years of leasing are too long for you, you can opt for a shorter term. If you want to rent a car for a month, there are other options.

Short-term leasing usually covers a term of 12 months, also known as annual leasing. But even very short 6 months can be selected with some providers. Lease returns after such a short time can usually still be resold well. Even with civil servant leasing, you only lease for a short time.

If you want to rent a car for three months, you should resort to long-term rental.

No need to commit: Advantages of short-term leasing

Since you end up returning the selected vehicle anyway and don't want to keep it, it's quite understandable to want to drive as many cars as possible at relatively short intervals. We have listed the advantages of short-term leasing for you here:

Enormous flexibility

You are currently single and a small car is enough for you. But tomorrow you may meet your dream woman or man and travel frequently by car. A compact SUV or a station wagon was needed. The day after tomorrow, children may expand the family, so a lot of space is needed.

Life circumstances can change faster than you think, and a car should adapt to them. This is difficult if you are tied up in a long leasing contract and have to take care of a lease takeover in order to be able to terminate it.

A short-term lease of only 12 or even 6 months is of course a very flexible matter. Short contract terms give you the opportunity to react to changes at short notice and find a better solution for yourself.

Short contract commitment

Leasing, of course, means that you have to pay a monthly leasing rate. Of course, you factor this into your monthly costs, but especially if you decide to lease as a student or trainee, the reality can be sobering. What worked on paper does not necessarily work in practice.

If you only have a short contract period, you can breathe a sigh of relief if the leasing rates are too high for you – because it's only a matter of a few months. If you find that you can handle it without any problems, you can also take out a lease with a classic term after the term.

The proof of the pudding is in the study

You've never driven a convertible before or need a bigger car, but are a bit skeptical about SUVs? Then it certainly makes sense to take out a short-term lease and try out a new vehicle category. In the end, you can only win – especially in terms of finding out whether the next car will be a BMW again, or whether a Skoda SUV has also convinced you.

 

Test electric cars and plug-in hybrids

Electric cars or plug-in hybrids are brand new to many drivers. Anyone who has driven a combustion engine model all their life is logically unsure whether an electrified car suits him or her. Buying one right away is therefore out of the question, long leasing periods are also a risk. Short-term leasing is therefore very well suited to putting out feelers in the direction of electromobility.

 

Are there any disadvantages at all?

We would say: no. If you like to plan longer, you should choose classic leasing, if you want to take possession of your car afterwards, you are better off with financing. Otherwise, there are the same disadvantages with short-term leasing as with any leasing. These could be:

• Additional payments possible at the end
• Early termination difficult
• CAP coverage recommended
• Extension usually not possible

 

Spoilt for choice: car subscription, long-term rental or annual leasing – which is better?

If you want to be flexible, you have the option of taking out a car subscription in addition to short-term leasing. The advantages of a subscription are even more flexible terms - many subscriptions can be cancelled monthly -, hardly any waiting times for the selected model, almost all car ancillary costs are included in the monthly price. If you want to drive in a particularly environmentally friendly way, you can consider an electric car subscription.

Calculate which option is the cheaper version for you – maybe you don't need some offers from the subscription package, and then opt for a short mileage lease.

Advantages and disadvantages of the car subscription?

Advantages:

• Hardly any initial investments necessary
• Loss of value is not a problem
• Planning security, as no costs except fuel and monthly subscription fee
• Simple conclusion, no long contract commitment necessary
• Pause or change vehicle possible

Disadvantages:

• Often minimum age or certain years driving licence required
• In some cases, there is also a maximum age for graduation
• Positive credit report necessary
• Entry or registration fee applies
• Pay attention to the level of the free kilometers
• Pre-configured vehicles may not be the way you want them to be

Advantages and disadvantages of long-term rental?

Advantages:

• Easy and straightforward to book
• Usually available immediately
• Daily billing of the price
• No long-term commitment necessary
• In order to carry out repairs, maintenance etc. You don't have to worry

Disadvantages:

• More expensive than classic leasing
• Not configurable
• No possession

For whom is which model worthwhile?

Both models are very similar, the biggest difference is certainly the amount and type of payment. With a car subscription, you will get off cheaper in the long run than with a long-term rental. However, the latter is a good option for commercial customers, because company car taxation applies here again. In the end, you are flexible with both models, do not have to worry about repairs and maintenance and can switch to another model if necessary.