"This is a deterrent for would-be buyers of these types of leases," he says. "We tell sellers and buyers of these models upfront what the issue is. Most sellers of these brands don't want to have any liability in the future, so they won't go forward with listing their vehicles."

While car lease companies and dealers were initially suspicious of lease trading, most are more comfortable with the transaction now and are willing to facilitate leases between sellers and qualified buyers. However, some dealers -- including Audi and Nissan, according to Stiberman -- still insist that the original lessor retain some liability for the lease car even after it is transferred to someone else.