SUMMERVILLE, SC – As fire departments across the country are faced with budget constraints delaying needed apparatus purchases, American LaFrance has responded by launching the AFFORD Lease Program. AFFORD offers immediate and long-term solutions to fire departments across the United States by combining tax-exempt lease financing with additional incentives offered exclusively by American LaFrance.
"More and more departments are turning to leasing as a planning tool heading into uncertain times," says Richard Ball, Director of Marketing for American LaFrance. "Fire chiefs and city managers are being pressured to do more with less, so the concept behind AFFORD is to allow the departments to not have to compromise on quality, provide affordable payment plans, enable levels of certainty headed into the future, and offer incentives to provide short-term assistance."
In addition to traditional leasing plans, AFFORD offers a Guaranteed Trade-In option at no additional cost to departments. For leases set between 8 and 10 years, American LaFrance will guarantee a trade-in value to be applied against the purchase of a new apparatus at the time the lease expires. This allows departments the ability to plan accurately for future purchases.
Additionally, American LaFrance offers a Parts Advantage option where the department can receive parts credits at time of lease signing to go toward maintenance needed for apparatus in their existing fleet or for the newly ordered truck. Because the parts credits are issued at time of purchase order and lease signing, the credits can be redeemed immediately, but the first payment on the new apparatus will not occur until after delivery.
"One advantage departments have today is interest rates are extremely low," says Ball. "Our AFFORD plans allow the customer to own the apparatus at the time the lease ends, while providing tangible benefits in the form of parts credits up front and a hedge against future used truck valuations by providing a trade-in value when the truck is off lease. Most importantly, departments don't have to settle and can purchase the high quality apparatus they deserve.
If you are interested in the AFFORD Lease Program, please contact your local American LaFrance dealer or American LaFrance sales representative for additional details.
