What counts as excess wear and tear on a lease?

Excess wear and tear is damage beyond normal use, such as large dents, deep scratches, cracked glass, torn upholstery, stains, curb-damaged wheels and tires below minimum tread depth. Small chips and light scratches are usually acceptable. Each lessor publishes its own standards, sometimes with a measuring guide. Most schedule a pre-return inspection so you can fix issues yourself, often for less than the lessor would charge.