 TITLE: What Credit Score Do I Need for a Car Lease? CONTENT: What to Know Before Leasing a Car\n---------------------------------\nYou may be able to get a better lease deal by negotiating. Not all fees are up for discussion, of course, including the residual value and acquisition fee.\nHowever, the following steps may help you save money:\n1.  Research the vehicle you want to lease. Knowing the market value of the car can help you gauge whether an offer is fair.\n2.  Compare prices at different dealerships. Search online for dealerships in your area and see whether any are offering promotional specials, rebates or other deals on particular vehicles. You might even consider looking at dealers in neighboring towns or counties to see if you can save by going a little bit out of the way.\n3.  Be flexible on vehicle type. Some vehicles are significantly more costly to lease than others. For example, Experian found that the average monthly lease payment for a Honda Civic is $291, while a Ford Explorer is $491. Because of the cost variations, it can be useful to consider a range of vehicle types to get the best deal.\n4.  Negotiate fees. If you know what other dealerships are charging to lease similar models as the car you're looking at, try asking the sales associate to match those other rates or at least bring the price into the same ballpark. You can also ask whether they'll increase your annual mileage limit or reduce the buyout rate if you plan to purchase the car when the lease ends.\nYou may be able to save by negotiating post-lease expenses as well. If you plan to buy the car or want to lease another vehicle through the same dealer, they may be willing to waive your disposition fee, which is used to cover cleaning and repair costs after you return the vehicle so they can put it back on the market.\nStill, one of the best ways to lower the cost of leasing a car is to improve your credit score. You can check your credit score and report for free through Experian to see where you might need help. If you're not in a rush to get into a new car, it could be well worth it to take measures to raise your score. One way to give your score an instant lift is with Experian Boost™† , which lets you add on-time utility, telecom and other payments to your credit file for free. END