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I bought a second-hand (2004) Audi A4 Avant 2.5tdi just over a year ago. It was bought on HP over a 3 year period. The dealer said at the time that if I wanted to hand it back, I could do this after 18 months, with nothing to owe, and just walk away. He also said that this would have no affect on my credit rating. Does this sound feasible?

Asked on 11 April 2009 by

Answered by Honest John

In theory you can hand it back when half of the total finance is paid off, but the finance company can charge you for any damage to the car, including scratches and scuffed alloys. A neighbour’s Astra ‘handed back’ after 50% of the finance had been paid has been sitting on some hard standing near my house for 6 months, seemingly forgotten about by the finance company.

Tags: owning finance

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Audi A4 Avant (2008 - 2015)

Solid build quality throughout. Huge range of engines and specifications. Available with Quattro four-wheel drive. Frugal diesels. Well designed and user-friendly boot.