Does My Lease Agreement Require Me to Get Tires at the BMW Dealership?

Vehicle leases are an alternative to obtaining dealer or bank financing and buying a vehicle on your own. The monthly payment of your lease covers all of the maintenance of your vehicle, except for items such as tires. The tires on your BMW are subject to special provisions in your lease that specify the condition and type of tire allowed for the vehicle.

The lease contract for your BMW contains detailed paragraphs concerning the required condition of the car once you return it to the dealership. Everything from the precise size of body dents and scratches to the level of tint placed on vehicle windows is subject to scrutiny by the BMW dealership upon the car's return. In your lease contract, there is a paragraph that explains the vehicle's tire requirements. Review this paragraph carefully. Typically, BMW requires only that you replace your lease vehicle's tires with a set from the BMW-approved tires list. The seller of the tires is not restricted. However, if you return the car to the dealership with tires that are not approved, the dealership will replace the tires with their own inventory at charge you retail prices.

Most vehicle lease contracts specify that the tires on the vehicle and in the spare position must all be the same manufacturer and model. Mismatched tires are a violation of your lease agreement with BMW. The dealership will impose a penalty on your final lease buy-out total that is specified in your lease contract. When replacing tires, match the tires that came with the vehicle or replace all of the tires at once with the same BMW-recommended brand.

BMW specifies that tires meet a certain tread depth when you return your leased vehicle to the dealership at the end of your contract. All of your tires, including the spare, must have a tread depth of approximately 1/8th inch or more before you can return the vehicle. Bald, cupped or damaged tires break the terms of your lease agreement.

The penalty for violating the tire clause of your BMW lease contract will result in an additional charge at the end of the lease. The charge depends on the type of violation, but is listed in the contract. For example, if one of your tires does not match the others, BMW may charge the price of a replacement tire, the labor fee to replace it and an additional charge for violating the lease.