Initial payment explained: what 9+48 actually means

Every lease quote carries a profile such as 9+48. The first number is the initial rental, expressed as a multiple of the monthly payment. The second is how many monthly payments follow.

So a 9+48 deal at 300 a month means an initial payment of 2,700 taken roughly two weeks after delivery, followed by 48 payments of 300. A 6+36 profile means a smaller upfront cost but a slightly higher monthly figure.

Mileage is the other lever. Quotes are set at an annual allowance, typically 8,000 or 10,000 miles. Go over it and you pay an excess mileage charge per mile, set out in your agreement. It is almost always cheaper to buy the extra miles upfront than to settle them at the end.

At the end of the term the car is inspected against the BVRLA fair wear and tear standard. Normal scuffs from ordinary use are expected. Kerbed alloys, cracked glass and unrepaired dents are not.

Ask us to model two or three profiles before you commit. A change of one month on the initial payment can move the monthly figure more than you expect.