96redLT4

I'll be getting a GTS in the next few months hopefully and am curious what people are doing. I have usually tried to buy my fun cars and keep them 5 or 10 years, but prices are so lofty now, and with our hefty sales taxes in California a lease may be more compelling. Buying ties up a lot of dough but where can you safely make a bigger safe return in this day and age? I am interested to hear thoughts and opinions...
Jim

GSIRM3

I always buy, but that is just me. Situation is different for everyone.

LexVan

It's a toy.

C
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dr.alexs

I always buy. There are less games in buying than in leasing so less ways the dealer can swindle you. It's just the price that you negotiate. Also, there are no "rules" as to how you use your car. No mileage limits. No worries about tire wear when you turn it in or any of the other crazy stuff I've heard coming off of leases. When you are sick of the car, you get rid of it for what the value is at that time. It's just a cleaner and more transparent transaction overall.

wreck

Buy and pay cash. For what I get on my money after taxes I'd rather just pay and forget it. Cost of money, nil.

96redLT4

Wow! I'm surprised so far no financials gurus roasting me on how much I could make with 150K in the futures market!
J

drcollie

I have a lease right now on a 2014 Toyota Tundra pickup as my Accountant said it was easier to write off for the business that way. I hate the lease, I'm ready to get out of it and stuck in it for another 22 months! I won't lease again. Buying lets you follow your car madness and change on a whim....

Tcc1999

Even if you lease, part of the monthly payment is sales tax on the portion of the car that is leased. Still, I wholly understand not wanting to tie up a lot of cash in a depreciating asset. While some people pay cash, and I respect that, I can't bring myself to plunk out $140K when I can get an interest rate that is several percent lower than the historic return of an S&P 500 fund - plus pay the lease or loan off with cheaper future dollars. I've leased and financed and both have worked out well with no drama. If I proceed on the assumption that you take care of your car as well as everyone else here does, leasing or financing just boils down to to whether you want to walk away from the car at the end of two to four years with lower monthly payments or own it when the financing is done but have higher monthly payments (and then keep it as long as you like). If I wasn't enamored with the model or brand and saw myself moving on to something different or the latest/greatest I'd probably lease.

shaytun

I think as long as you don't exceed the mileage, lease makes sense on so many levels. Lower monthly payments = more money invested conservatively with good returns. Accident to the car = return at the end of lease (ask me how I know). Won't be quite as paranoid about every knick or chip. Also, option to buy and add CPO at end of lease.
I know some people are still old fashioned in the mindset of buying everything cash...more power to you...but just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should put all your money in it.

Larry Cable

+1 I leased my new GTS Cabriolet, 0.002 MF, a small discount, zero down (no cap reduction) *and* because I am doing ED, no 19% VAT in escrow either.

If, at the end of 30 mnths @ 7.5k a year I still love the car, I will flip it into a loan and probably CPO it at the same time ... in the end I may end up paying
more, but I will have kept a pretty significant chunk of cash (for me least) in
the bank etc and not in a depreciating asset.

CSK 911 C4S

I put too many miles on my cars to even think about leasing.

Do you drive your cars or just look at your cars?

Dalema

Currently leasing - mainly as I wasn't sure what I exactly wanted being new to the brand. Worked out well after doing a 12 month pull in on my first C2 (don't put money down!), and needing a little more went with a C2S in a cab. I'd never had a cab, and wasn't my original plan, but why not (if leasing).

Next one will be a long term car once I grow up and decide what I really want On that note, buying used probably makes the most financial sense (if any of this does), and may be forced that way anyway as the .2 will be out.

As a side note, in all the lease scenarios I ran, it always made sense to go with the least miles possible. The incremental mileage cost is cheaper than the incremental lease payment. Kind of liberating to know if you go over.

Porsche Jeff

I am of the buy slightly preowned with low mileage. Let the original owner take the $20K+ depreciation hit. Pay cash and drive it for about 4 years.

GSIRM3

If anyone is putting all their money into a car of any kind, they shouldn't be getting it.

CSK 911 C4S

I never understood that either. But different strokes for different folks.