Enter Vehicle Details
VIN, mileage, down payment, term, ZIP, MSRP, discount, and credit score.
To price your lease, LeaseMax needs a few details about the car and about you. This guide walks through every field on the Build Your Deal form, in the same order they appear on screen.
Before you start
Have these handy:
- The VIN of the car you want to lease.
- Your ZIP code.
- A credit score as a whole number from 300–850 (an honest estimate is fine if you don't know the exact score).
- The car's MSRP (sticker price).
You'll find these fields on the lease calculator / Build Your Deal form. Every field marked with an asterisk (*) is required.
Steps (same order as the form)
1. Enter the vehicle's VIN
The first field is Vehicle's VIN number. A VIN is the unique 17-character code for one specific car.
Where to find it:
- Lower corner of the windshield on the driver's side (through the glass from outside).
- Sticker inside the driver's-side door jamb.
- Registration, title, insurance card, or online listing.
Type or paste all 17 characters. LeaseMax looks the car up automatically. A green checkmark appears with make, model, trim, and year (replacing the "Make & Model of the car you've entered" placeholder).
A VIN never contains the letters I, O, or Q. If you think you see one, it's almost always 1 or 0.
If the VIN matches more than one trim, LeaseMax asks you to pick the correct one before continuing. Choose the trim that matches the listing, then Continue.
2. Enter your annual mileage
Annual Mileage is how many miles per year you expect to drive. Going over the limit usually means a per-mile fee at lease-end.
The slider stays locked until your VIN is found, because the available mileages come from that vehicle. Once unlocked, pick the limit that matches how you really drive.
- Lower mileage → generally lower payment.
- Higher mileage → generally higher payment, but more room to drive.
3. Choose your down payment
Down Payment is cash you put down at the start of the lease. Drag the slider from $0 to $10,000 in $1,000 steps (it starts at $0). A larger down payment usually lowers the monthly payment (and changes the Due At Signing columns on the preview).
4. Choose your lease term
Lease Term is how long, in months, you'll keep the car. Open the dropdown and pick one of the terms LeaseMax lists. That list is set for the app (it can change over time): choose from whatever you see, not from a fixed list you remember.
Shorter terms keep you in a newer car more often; longer terms can spread cost out. After you build the deal, lenders only support some terms: LeaseMax will match you as closely as it can.
5. Enter your ZIP code
Type your 5-digit Zip Code. Pricing is local: taxes, rebates, and programs vary by region.
After 5 digits, a spinner may appear, then a green checkmark (valid) or red X (not found).
6. Enter the MSRP and (optionally) a dealer discount
MSRP is the sticker price. The field formats dollars as you type.
Dealer Discount (optional) is 0%–15% off MSRP. LeaseMax shows a Realistic badge for smaller discounts (about 1–5%) and Aggressive for larger ones (about 6–15%) so you know what may be harder to get at the dealer.
7. Enter your credit score
In Credit Score, type a whole number from 300 to 850. A ballpark figure is fine if you don't know the exact score, but the field is required to continue.
Why it matters: score helps set the money factor (lease interest). Higher scores generally mean better rates.
You don't need to pull an official credit report first. An honest estimate is enough to get a realistic quote.
8. Continue
When every required field is valid, select Next (on the main get-started path). If you're building from the dashboard, the button may say Get Deal or Update instead.
Validation rules at a glance
- VIN: exactly 17 characters; must match a leasable car.
- Annual Mileage: required; unlocks after VIN lookup.
- Down Payment: required; $0–$10,000 in $1,000 steps.
- Lease Term: required; pick from the listed terms.
- Zip Code: 5 digits; must pass the location check.
- MSRP: required.
- Dealer Discount: optional; 0–15%.
- Credit Score: whole number 300–850 (up to 3 digits).
Troubleshooting
"This vehicle isn't available for lease."
Pop-up titled Oops!: try another VIN or recheck all 17 characters.
VIN shows a red X.
Typo or not leasable: recheck 1 vs I and 0 vs O.
Make and model never appear.
You need all 17 characters; fewer or more does nothing.
Annual Mileage locked.
Enter a valid VIN first.
ZIP shows a red X.
Use a real 5-digit U.S. ZIP; wait for the spinner to finish.
Credit Score turns red.
Stay within 300–850.
Next doesn't move you forward.
A required field is empty or invalid: fix fields marked "This field is required."