A maintenance package is worth it if you want one fixed monthly figure for servicing, MOTs and tyres, and if the price you are quoted is close to what those jobs would cost you separately. It is a budgeting tool first and a saving second. It suits high-mileage drivers, people who dislike surprise bills and anyone who wants the service history kept in order for the end of the lease. This guide shows what a package usually includes, what it leaves out and how to work out the value for your own car.
TL;DR
- Maintenance adds a fixed amount to your monthly payment to cover scheduled servicing, MOTs on longer leases and replacement tyres from normal wear.
- It does not usually cover accident damage, driver error, lost items or misfuelling, so you still need to look after the car.
- Compare the extra monthly cost, multiplied by the term, with the cost of servicing, MOT and tyres bought separately for your mileage.
- Electric cars tend to cost less to service, so the gap between a package and paying as you go can be narrower.
- Whatever you choose, the car must be serviced to the manufacturer's schedule or you risk charges at the end of the lease.
Table of Contents
- What lease maintenance actually is
- What does lease maintenance include?
- What is usually not covered
- How the cost compares with paying separately
- Who gets the most from a maintenance package
- Do electric cars change the answer?
- Servicing, fair wear and tear and the end of the lease
- What to check before you add maintenance
- Get a maintained lease quote
- FAQ
- Sources
What lease maintenance actually is
A lease on its own covers the use of the car. You pay for the depreciation across the term, and everything else is your job: servicing, MOT, tyres, insurance and road tax. A maintenance package is an optional extra that moves the routine running costs into the monthly payment.
The idea is simple. Instead of paying £250 or more in one go when a service falls due, or finding a few hundred pounds when two tyres wear out, you pay a smaller sum every month. The package price is set when you take the lease, based on the car, the length of the term and your annual mileage.
It is not insurance and it is not a warranty. It pays for planned, predictable work. That distinction explains most of what is and is not covered.
What does lease maintenance include?
Packages differ between funders and between cars, so always read the schedule attached to your quote. Broadly, the work that is included falls into these groups:
- Scheduled servicing. Each manufacturer service falls due by time or mileage, and the package covers the labour and parts for it, including oil and filters.
- MOT tests. On a three-year lease the car's first MOT usually falls at the end of the term, so it matters mainly on longer agreements. A four-year lease will normally include one.
- Tyres. Replacement tyres for normal wear, and often punctures. Many packages specify the tyre grade, so check whether you get premium or budget brands.
- Wear-and-tear repairs. Items that wear out through ordinary use, such as brake pads and discs, bulbs and wiper blades, where the package lists them.
- Breakdown cover. Some packages add roadside assistance, though not all do.
The practical benefit goes beyond price. The work is booked through an approved network, the funder is billed directly, and the car's service history stays complete. Our page on full maintenance car leasing sets out how this works with Lease World, and our answer on whether servicing is included in car leasing covers the basics.
What is usually not covered
The exclusions matter as much as the inclusions, because they decide whether the package really removes your risk. Typical exclusions are:
- Accident damage and anything caused by driver error, including kerbed alloys and damaged tyres from impacts.
- Windscreen and glass repairs, which are normally dealt with through your insurance.
- Lost or broken items such as missing hubcaps, keys or load covers.
- Incorrect fuelling, such as diesel in a petrol engine.
- Fuel, insurance and road tax, which are never part of a maintenance package.
- Cosmetic damage beyond fair wear and tear.
If you do damage a leased car, the process is different. We explain it in what happens if you damage a leased car.
How the cost compares with paying separately
The honest way to judge value is to price the same jobs both ways across your whole lease. Start with what individual jobs cost at a high-street provider. National's published packages list a standard MOT at £49.99 with its free reminder service, a full service with MOT from £244.99 and a major service with MOT from £289.99. Those are starting prices and they rise with the car's size, age and engine.
| Cost over a typical 36-month lease | Paying separately | With a maintenance package |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled servicing | Paid as each service falls due | Included in monthly payment |
| MOT | Usually not due within 36 months on a new car | Included where due |
| Tyres | Paid when worn, often in a single hit | Included for fair wear |
| Budget certainty | Varies month to month | One fixed payment |
| Admin | You book and pay each job | Booked through the funder's network |
A simple way to run the numbers
- Ask for the same car quoted with and without maintenance.
- Subtract the two monthly payments to get the monthly cost of maintenance.
- Multiply it by the number of months in the term.
- Add up what you would expect to spend independently: the services due in the term, any MOT, and the tyres your mileage would wear out.
As an illustration only, if a package added £30 a month on a 36-month lease, the total would be £1,080. If two services at around £250 each and a pair of tyres would come to less than that for your driving, the package is a convenience rather than a saving. If you do 15,000 miles a year and wear through tyres quickly, the sums often look different. Your own quote decides it, which is why we put both versions side by side in our guide to maintained vs non-maintained leases.
One more factor sits outside the sums. Highways England has stated that of the 85,000 breakdowns each year, 40% are due to easily preventable maintenance issues. A package that books your services for you makes it harder to let one slip.
Who gets the most from a maintenance package
Maintenance tends to pay off, or at least feel worth it, in these situations:
- High mileage. More miles mean more services and faster tyre wear, so the fixed price is spread over more work.
- Business drivers. A single predictable monthly figure is easier to budget and to claim. If you run a company vehicle, our business car leasing and van leasing pages show the options, and vans in particular wear tyres and brakes quickly.
- Driving instructors. Dual-control cars clock up miles fast, and downtime costs lessons. A package with a booked-in service routine reduces the admin.
- NHS staff and shift workers. If your hours leave little room for chasing garages, having servicing arranged through one network saves time.
- First-time lessees. If you are unsure what a car will cost to run, a fixed payment removes a big unknown.
It matters less if you do very low mileage, if you are comfortable paying a garage bill when it arrives and if your lease is short enough that no service falls due. On a short-term lease, for example, the car may not reach its first service at all.
Do electric cars change the answer?
Yes, to a degree. Electric cars have fewer moving parts to service, so the routine bill is lower. Figures cited by Cox Automotive, drawing on The Car Expert, put average five-year servicing at £5,709 for petrol, diesel and hybrid cars against £4,022 for electric cars, a difference of £1,687. The same page says maintaining an electric car costs 23% less over three years and 60,000 miles.
That does not make a package pointless on an electric lease. Tyres can still wear quickly because of the weight and instant torque, and a fixed payment still suits budgeting. It does mean the monthly price should be lower, so check the quote carefully. Our electric car leasing costs guide and the electric vs petrol lease cost comparison give the wider picture. Business drivers weighing an electric car through the company should also read this explainer on company car versus salary sacrifice.
Servicing, fair wear and tear and the end of the lease
This is the part that catches people out, whether or not they take a package. The BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide is the industry-wide standard for returned cars, and it expects the vehicle to have been serviced in line with the manufacturer's schedule. Miss a service, or have the work done outside the schedule, and you may face charges when you hand the car back.
A maintained lease takes much of that risk away because the service is booked and recorded for you. Without one, the responsibility is yours. The same standard also looks at condition: panels, wheels, tyres, interior and documents. Keeping the car clean helps you spot problems early, especially through winter, when salt on UK roads can build up faster than many drivers expect.
For the detail, read our guides to BVRLA fair wear and tear and the pre-return checklist, maintenance responsibilities on a lease and how to return a leased car correctly.
What to check before you add maintenance
Before you agree, ask for the maintenance schedule in writing and go through this list:
- Which services are covered? Confirm that all manufacturer services in the term are included, not just some.
- MOT. Is it included, and does your term even reach one?
- Tyres. How many replacements, what grade and whether punctures are covered.
- Mileage. Your package is priced on a set annual mileage. Confirm it matches how you really drive, as excess mileage is charged separately.
- Where the work is done. Find out whether you must use an approved network and how far the nearest garage is.
- Breakdown cover. See whether it is part of the package or a separate add-on.
- Exclusions. Read the list for damage, glass and lost items.
- Collection and courtesy cars. Ask whether they are offered, particularly if you rely on the car for work.
A broker should compare these terms across funders for you. Our guide to comparing car lease deals shows what to look at beyond the headline price.
Our view on maintenance
We have been arranging leases for over 30 years, and the question we hear most from drivers is not about price. It is about surprises. People want to know what the car will cost them every month, and a fixed payment that includes servicing and tyres is the clearest answer we can give.
That is why we quote maintained and non-maintained options side by side. You see the extra monthly cost, you multiply it by your term, and you decide with real figures rather than a guess. For many of the drivers we work with, including instructors, NHS staff and business users, having the service history handled is worth as much as any saving.
As a family-run, FCA-authorised and BVRLA-member broker, we would rather you chose the package that fits your mileage than the one that looks cheapest on paper. Ask us for both and we will walk you through them.
Jason
Get a maintained lease quote
If you want to see what maintenance would add to a lease on the car you have in mind, we can quote it alongside the same car without maintenance. We offer fixed monthly payments, no deposit options and free UK delivery on eligible vehicles. Start with personal car leasing, or send us an enquiry and we will compare the contracts for you.
Drivers who need a van, an electric car or a short-term lease can find those options from our homepage.
FAQ
Is a maintenance package on a car lease worth it?
It is worth it when the extra monthly cost is close to or below what servicing, MOT and tyres would cost you separately, or when a fixed payment matters more to you than the last pound. Price the same car with and without maintenance and multiply the difference by your term to see.
What does lease maintenance include?
Typically scheduled servicing, MOTs where one falls due, tyres worn through normal use and repairs for wear-and-tear items. Some packages add breakdown cover. Accident damage, glass and driver error are normally excluded, so check the schedule on your quote.
Do I have to service a leased car if I don't take maintenance?
Yes. The BVRLA standard expects the car to be serviced to the manufacturer's schedule before it goes back. Keep the invoices and stamps, because missing history can lead to charges at the end of the lease.
Is maintenance cheaper on an electric lease?
Electric cars usually cost less to service, so the maintenance element of an electric lease should be lower than on a petrol or diesel equivalent. Tyres still wear, so it can still be useful for budgeting.
Sources
- MOT & Service Packages | National
- Electric vehicle costs | Cost of owning an EV
- The industry fair wear and tear standard
- Company car vs salary sacrifice
- Winter car washing on UK salt roads