Do Your Financial And Automotive Homework Before Buying Or Leasing Your Next Vehicle

Is leasing a car, rather than purchasing a car onfamily.
time payments a good thing or not. As withThere are several terms and factors to be
questions in life, it all depends on your financial andknowledgeable about in your calculations and
or automotive situation and as well who tells thecomparisons for auto purchase versus lease
story.workup and lease negotiations.
It is true that business can write off lease costsFirst of all research the leasing tax rules in your
whereas that is not such an advantage to anjurisdictions. For example in your state you may
individual car user. However this is not necessarilywell only pay sales taxes on monthly payments,
so. First it all depends on your situation and as wellnot on the cost of the vehicle. It all depends on
you're negotiating skills. It is always better to be inthe negotiations of your payments- which involve
an informed and prepared manner.the time frame and value of the car at the take
First of all leasing a car is downright attractive dueback time end of lease.
to current low interest rates. Almost everyNext what are the fees? For example the fee at
month you will read in the popular news that thethe end of turn in, paperwork fees and fees for
"Fed has cut interest rates again". What this"excess miles". Are these negotiatiable? In the
means to you is that in an overall sense thatcase of the "excess mileage" and "excess mileage
interest rates are less to you. This should meanfees" are these carved in stone or can the
lower leasing costs to you. If interest rates, in theallotment or rates charged be reduced? In the
banking industry and market are lower, so shouldcase of the "turn in" fee. If you offer to increase
be the interest rate basis in your leaseyour monthly payment - often this fee will be
negotiations and payments.reduced.
What are the advantages of leasing a vehicle?In order to best negotiate you will have to speak
You will get a new vehicle to drive. When yourthe same language and terms as the lease
leasing agreement term is over - then you handnegotiator. Several terms to know, comprehend
the car in and walk away.and understand are "Capitalized Cost", "Money
It may be debated that by leasing the car you willFactor" and "Residual Value".
have no equity or asset accumulation left at thisSimply put the cost of the leased vehicle is
point in this automotive transaction. If you hadconfusingly described as the "Capitalized Cost".
bought the car, with payments, the car would beJust as you would haggle over the cost of buying
yours at some point, lock stock and barrel.a new car, you should not accept a stated price
However major components and overall costs ofor manufacturers suggested retail price (M.S.R.P.)
running a car are maintenance costs. With a newas the price paid.
vehicle - it is unlikely that you will incur theseHaggle and argue over the "Capitalized Cost" just
costs. First of all the car is new. Major repairs andas you would in any car or automotive deal.
costs are unlikely. In addition the car will comeNext in line in proper automotive leasing terms is
with a manufacturer's warranty which shouldthe term "Money Factor". "Money Factor "is the
cover you for the majority if not all of the leaseinterest rate upon which the leasing calculations
time period.are based upon. The lower the number of the
With modern, newer and especially smaller cars it"Money Factor", the better for you. As a rough
seems that all repairs seem to be veryguide and estimate multiply the "Money Factor"
expensive. After a certain point of time, use andvalue by 2550 to get an estimate of the relevant
mileage, it is not as if the car "nickel and dimes"interest rate.
you to death. Most of the innards of modern carsLast in the line of leasing and leasing lingo is the
seem to be electronic in nature with advancedterm "Residual Value". "Residual Value" is the
(read expensive and hard to fix) modules. Thereamount that the car, S.U.V. or truck vehicle is said
are few simple to repair mechanically based, nonto be worth at the end of the lease period.
electronic component, cars. In addition forSimply put, the more the vehicle is deemed to be
mechanics to work on cars now "everything isworth, at this time period, the less will be your
struggle' "and as well spaces are tight and verytotal amount due to be paid overall for your lease.
hard to work within. In a summary the old "nickelsThus the higher the "Residual Value" at the end of
and dimes" are now "five hundreds, thousandsyour lease, the much lower will be your monthly
and several thousands". With a leased carlease payments.
arrangement you may not own the car, with itsIn the end, your car purchase or lease decision will
equity. Neither do you have repair costs andcome down to two factors. Reliability of
heartaches. In addition you have a reliable vehicletransportation and the total cash outlay from
to get you to work or to chauffer around youryour personal pocketbook or wallet.