A new online tool promises to transform how New Zealand businesses lease vehicles, making it easy to browse and compare costs across hundreds of passenger and light commercial models. It’s the latest innovation from FleetPartners, a leading leasing and fleet management provider with more than 45 years’ experience in New Zealand.
The premise of the tool is simple: an easy-to-use calculator that allows businesses to search for and shortlist the most suitable vehicles from a database of more than 700 new makes and models.
Users can then compare the weekly and monthly estimated lease costs to find the best vehicle for their budget and business needs. They can pick from utes, sedans, SUVs and light commercial vehicles, or refine their results by make, fuel type, drivetrain, seat number, or weekly price range.
After shortlisting their vehicles of interest and setting up an account, businesses can apply for a credit limit through a secure online portal. They will then receive a tailored quote from FleetPartners before the order is placed with a local dealer. The final quote will include adjustments to the kilometres or lease term as required, as well as any accessories, fitouts, or branding, such as wraps or signwriting.
Managing Director Russell Webber says the calculator is an innovative addition to FleetPartners’ omni-channel technology solutions.
“It’s giving customers a lot of choice and flexibility to make a more informed decision about those vehicles and how much they might cost to lease,” says Webber.
“Normally, you would have to ring a leasing company and ask them for specific quotes on makes and models, and this gives customers all of that information at their fingertips.”
As the lease payment includes exclusive use of the vehicle for the life of the lease and most running costs – like registration, servicing, discounted fuel, accident management and replacement tyres – it makes it possible to digitally compare the potential total cost of ownership. A bundled lease also helps compare hidden running costs, like depreciation to its expected resale value, and how much it costs to service and maintain the vehicle while using it for your business.
Webber says the tool is expected to save New Zealand businesses not only time, but most importantly, money.
“Leasing itself has some good financial benefits. There’s no capital outlay: you pay for the use of a vehicle as you use it to generate profits, and you typically do that for maybe a term of two to five years. The underlying principle is that you use the capital that you don’t outlay more wisely somewhere else in your business,” he explains.
“Vehicles depreciate over time and ultimately will be replaced, so you can upgrade your vehicles for more fuel-efficient, safer options as new technology emerges.
“We have significant buying power at FleetPartners, so fuel cards are included. Fuel would typically be cheaper than normal retail pump price. Across all of this, FleetPartners can reduce the costs a business might normally incur if they owned their own vehicles.”
Scheduled servicing, maintenance, on-road costs, accident management, replacement tyres, registration renewals, and 24-hour roadside and breakdown assistance are all bundled into one fixed monthly payment, reducing the total cost of ownership, Webber adds.
He says the company is looking forward to supporting more local businesses.
“There are a lot of financial benefits when considering vehicle leasing. It’s about using your money wisely: rather than purchasing vehicles, you can conserve that money and use it for more productive means,” he says.
“The calculator itself offers a very broad range of vehicles to choose from. The tool allows them to make that decision very simply, and if they want to, they can make an application for a lease online.
“We’ve launched a tool that enables businesses to make fast and sensible decisions on the vehicles that are most fit-for-purpose for their business.”
FleetPartners offers operating leases on any new passenger and light commercial vehicle from 24 to 60 months or up to 200,000 km. Automated credit limits of up to $150,000 are possible for applications with no financial statements required, or if your business is larger, you can request a higher credit limit.
Explore your leasing options at fleetpartners.co.nz/tools-and-calculator/business-lease-calculator.