I hurt my left leg and it is now challenging driving a manual. It would be helpful simplifying to an automatic.

I leased a Countryman S last year. I put a sizable down payment and now my residual is a couple thousand less than the trade in value. I would be able to sign a new lease for the same term and am fine with an increase in payment within 100 - 150 dollars a month.

Can anyone comment or surmise if this "exchange" is possible?

 

Residual is irrelevant until end of lease term. If you want out of the lease, contact the Lessor (MINI Financial Services, I presume) and get the lease buyout amount. That is the amount that the bank would want for the vehicle today. Then compare the buyout to what the dealer is offering and THAT is what you would owe in order to get out.

If you made a large down payment (not a desirable thing to do on a lease) then it could be possible that you have upside.

Good luck.

 

ooops yes thank you for clarifying --that is what I meant -- my lease buyout amount is 2K less than several trade in values I have seen over the interwebs. And my mileage is below average so it is a non-factor IMHO.

Appreciate your thoughts.

 

There are also options to have someone else take over your lease. If you google swap a lease, you can find it.