Getting behind the wheel should start with a clear picture of what you’ll pay. With SA Motor Lease’s Rent to Buy subscription, there’s no separate deposit, you just pay an initiation fee and a pro rata rate of your vehicle’s monthly rental amount before collecting your car. That rental is calculated from your collection date and paid at month end, giving you time to plan for the payments ahead.

How does the pro rata option work?

With the pro rata option, your first rental covers only the days from collection to the end of that month. You only pay for the days you have used the car in the month. Your full monthly rentals then follow the payment dates in your agreement.

The example below shows how those payments could work.

What could the payments look like?

Imagine you choose a car with a R10,000 initiation fee and a R6,000 monthly rental, and collect it on 16 June. In this example, the first rental covers 15 of June’s 30 days.

Total paid to SA Motor Lease on collection is R13,000. There is no separate deposit in this example.

These figures illustrate how the payments could work. Your initiation fee, rental amount, pro rata calculation and due dates will be confirmed for your chosen vehicle before collection.

Budget beyond the rental

The monthly rental is only part of the cost of driving. For a fuller budget, allow for fuel, parking or tolls, and any vehicle care costs you are responsible for under your agreement. Check the mileage allowance (4000km) free and cover terms too, since exceeding your allowance or making a claim may result in additional costs.

For example, a customer paying R6,000 rental, spending R1,800 on fuel, R400 on parking and tolls, and setting aside R500 for vehicle care would plan for approximately R8,700 per month. Your own driving and agreement will determine your actual costs.

Before you sign, ask for a written breakdown showing what is due at collection, what is due at month end, and when the next full rental is due.