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Company fleet management is handled one of two ways: if the fleet is owned, a business generally hires a full-time employee to act as company fleet manager. A small business owner may choose to do this himself or herself. If the fleet is leased, however, the leasing company generally has fleet management services which take care of maintenance and other upkeep issues, as well as roadside assistance. Which path your business takes in the company fleet management business depends on the size of your fleet and on your own needs and priorities.

There are several advantages to having professional company fleet management. Drawing on the expertise of a leasing firm frees your business from having to deal with dealer negotiation and fleet management, and they can often provide savings through consulting services. This is a potentially huge boon to your business: not only will you have the advantage of expert advice, but you can also save money to boot.

Professional Company Fleet Management: the Experts at Work
As a lease provider, professional fleet managers do a lot of research on providing the proper vehicles to lease. Theyre more aware of when to recycle vehicles, and know that time and mileage are very important. Fleet leasing companies also provide other services over and above a lease such as maintenance, insurance, and fuel. Leasing agencies, like dealers, also can provide or arrange for gap insurance to cover the difference between theft insurance and a vehicles residual value.

These are all things convenient for a fleet manager to oversee the vehicles and much more cost effective than doing it on your own. Leasing agencies often can also more quickly arrange for replacement fleet vehicles in the case of theft or accident, as well as draw on the advantage of volume transactions to get leases 15 percent or 30 percent less than if a fleet operator were to negotiate his own.

When it comes to corporate fleet management, is it better to lease or to buy? For many companies, leasing is still a viable option to purchasing, despite well-publicized drops in vehicle residual values due to a glut in the used-vehicle market. Many small-fleet leasing programs often include flexible options which can be tailored to your companys needs, along with value-added services including the purchasing expertise and remarketing savvy which professional corporate fleet management brings to the table.

Make no mistake about it: excess wear and tear on leased vehicles, or mileage which exceeds predetermined limits, can definitely cost you extra. But many fleet-oriented leasing companies, which specialize in corporate fleet management, strive to structure customized programs that can reduce or even eliminate such penalties.

Corporate Fleet Management of Leased Vehicles
Although many companies prefer a sense of ownership, leasing can be especially attractive for the vehicle fleet manager or company owner who dreads the time-consuming hassles of selecting and purchasing a vehicle, paying large repair bills once the vehicle is past its prime, and selling or trading in out-of-service fleet units.

For many, owning a business vehicle can be a terrible investment if you take into account value depreciation. While falling residuals (especially for SUVs) are a legitimate cause for concern, and can result in higher monthly lease payments, lessors point out that must also be dealt with when you own your vehicles. Whether you buy or lease, fluctuations in the used-vehicle market are going to affect you. Good corporate fleet management can help you evaluate whether buying or leasing fleet vehicles is the best choice for you.

You have probably seen the ads on television or heard them on the radio–Lease a Toyota Camry for just $199 a month! Or the ad could be for a Jetta at another fantastic price, or a Ford Explorer for $399 a month, for instance. Those deals do exist and you can get them online as well as at local dealerships. Many people like the convenience of leasing cars online.

One of the best things about leases is that the best cars available often lease cheaper than some of the more basic models. Many of the import models, and some of the domestic models hold their resale value better than others, and for that reason their lease rates are less expensive. Many cars lose as much as 50 percent of their value in the first four years, while others hold their value quite well. Hondas for instance, have excellent resale value.

When you lease a car, you always have the option to refinance and purchase the car at the end of the lease. The purchase price at the end of the lease is predetermined on the lease contract. Depending on the condition of the car, you should be able to buy the car at that price if you want to. There are some cases where the car may be worth more on the marketplace than the buy option. In that case it may be in your best interest to buy the car, or sell it outright, take a profit, and then lease another. If you turn it in the dealer will make the profit on the extra market value.

Online Leasing Deals
Whatever deals you see advertised you can get online. Online leasing companies offer the best fleet rates to their customers. You can choose the color, the options, and the extras such as Lojak, towing packages, undercoating, and so forth. Online leasing companies will find the car you want, not the car they want you to buy.

All of the American auto manufacturers and many of the foreign manufacturers make some excellent trucks. Trucks are the workhorses of the auto industry and much of the commerce and construction that goes on depends upon trucks. Trucks are also great for recreational uses: pulling boats, horse trailers, or travel trailers. You can lease trucks just like you can lease cars, and for many consumers it is beneficial to do so.

Contractors, ranchers, farmers, and outdoor enthusiasts usually put their trucks to the test. They work them hard and play them hard. They may put a lot of mileage per year on them as well. There still may be advantages to leasing. Whether you purchase or lease you are paying for mileage. A new truck depreciates as soon as you drive it off the lot, and if you are financing a truck it may be two or three years before you even have equity in it.

When you lease a truck you have the option to purchase additional miles up front. Most standard lease agreements have mileage limitations of 15,000 or 20,000 miles per year. You can purchase additional miles at the beginning of the lease. Keep in mind, whether you lease or purchase a vehicle, you are paying for mileage every time you drive it one way or another.

Truck Warranties
All of the top truck manufacturers have extensive warranties on their new trucks. You have probably heard of the five-year or 50,000 mile limited warranties advertised. Now some manufacturers are even offering a seven year, or 70,000-mile warranty. When you lease a truck you can purchase additional warranties. You can also get tow packages, lifts, and other accessories added onto the lease.

Import cars have becomes very popular in the United States over the past 30 years. Japanese cars are known for their reliability, style, and great resale values. The different brands of European cars all have their loyal fans as well. Most of the foreign manufacturers are now either owned by American companies, or they have plants and divisions inside the United States. The old, Made in America slogan is getting harder and harder to distinguish, as some foreign cars are now built in America, and many parts for American cars come from oversees.

Import auto brokers help Americans buy and lease all kinds of import cars. Whether you want a Nissan, a Lexus, a BMW, or a Bentley, an import auto broker can find you the particular car you want. You can also handle the whole transaction from start to finish online or over the phone. Once the transaction is complete, you can pick up your new car at a local dealership or arrange to have it delivered.

Import cars hold their values very well. If you dont believe me just look in your local paper and see how many used Hondas or Volkswagens are for sale. Look at what prices they are selling for compared to similar domestic models. Because imports hold their values well, their lease rates are usually less expensive. That is a strange concept–paying less for something that is worth more? In some cases you can actually do that.

Advertised Import Specials
If you see specials advertised at local dealerships or by the manufacturers, be aware that Import Auto brokers can get you the same deals or even better deals. Import auto brokers arrange the sales of so many cars that they get the best fleet pricing from local dealers and the manufacturers. Whether you are planning to purchase or lease an import, it may be a wise move to speak with an import auto broker.