Digital Transformation Meets Auto Finance: How Used Car Leasing is Going Online

The used car leasing market is undergoing a quiet revolution. What was once confined to dealership showrooms is now moving into the digital space, thanks to an unlikely partnership that’s reshaping how consumers finance their vehicles.

The Market Gap That Nobody Filled

For years, online car buying platforms have offered financing calculators that let customers crunch numbers before visiting a dealer. But one option remained conspicuously absent from the digital retail experience: used car leasing. This wasn’t an oversight – leasing simply wasn’t designed for the digital-first consumer. Until recently.

The problem was real. Dealerships wanted to expand their revenue streams and increase customer retention. Consumers wanted the flexibility and lower monthly payments that leasing provides. Yet the process remained stubbornly analog, requiring in-person consultations to work through payment scenarios.

A New Integration Breaks the Pattern

PowerBand Solutions’ MUSA Auto Finance division, which recently rebranded as DRIVRZ Financial, recognized this gap and partnered with Roadster, a digital retail platform used by thousands of dealerships across North America. Together, they developed an integration that brings used car leasing directly into the online shopping experience.

The mechanics are straightforward but powerful. Visitors to dealership websites can now input their preferences – down payment amount, annual mileage, and lease term – and instantly see their monthly payment. The calculator works in real-time, allowing customers to test multiple scenarios side-by-side with traditional financing options. Once satisfied with the numbers, they can submit an application without stepping foot inside the dealership.

Early Results Suggest Real Demand

The early adoption tells an interesting story. When Easterns Automotive, a Dallas-area dealership, went live with the integration in May 2021, something unexpected happened. Website visitors used the lease payment calculator nearly as frequently as the financing calculator – and this occurred with zero promotional push. For dealership leadership, the message was clear: demand for this capability was already there, just waiting for the infrastructure to exist.

“Our website is essentially our dealership online,” explained Joel Bassam, the dealership’s director of marketing. “This integration lets customers explore used car leasing options the same way they’d explore financing – from home, on their schedule.”

Why This Matters for the Industry

The implications ripple across multiple stakeholder groups. For dealerships, used car leasing represents a mechanism to bring customers back sooner than traditional finance deals – a key metric in dealer economics. For consumers, it unlocks access to newer vehicles at lower monthly payments while minimizing depreciation risk. For DRIVRZ Financial, it opens new lending channels beyond franchised dealerships into the direct-to-consumer space.

The technology powering this is also worth noting. DRIVRZ Financial’s platform automates application processing, lease calculations, and underwriting decisions – with approvals sometimes arriving within seconds. Documents can be uploaded via mobile devices, eliminating yet another friction point in the process.

Scale and Future Direction

With Roadster serving approximately 2,000 dealerships nationwide, the partnership creates immediate distribution potential. DRIVRZ Financial has signaled intentions to continue expanding its product suite, including traditional retail financing and broader direct-to-consumer lending capabilities. The used car leasing vertical represents just the first salvo in a broader digital transformation of automotive finance.

The Bigger Picture

This development reflects a broader industry trend: fintech solutions are systematically dismantling friction points in automotive retail. What seemed impossible – making used car leasing a viable digital product – is now live and generating measurable consumer interest. Other lenders and platforms will likely follow with similar offerings, accelerating the shift toward frictionless, transparent auto financing.

For consumers, dealerships, and financial partners, the message is the same: the digital transformation of auto retail isn’t slowing down. It’s just getting started.