Hey all, just saw this:

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/niss...es.3.5.Nissan*

Not horrible if you're looking to lease:

Start: 10/01/2003 End: 11/03/2003
$519 Monthly Payment
36 Month Term
$1480 Down Payment
NA Security Deposit
12000 Annual Mileage
Restrictions Lease based on 2004 350Z Roadster Touring w/6-Speed M/T (model #56764) subject to availability to qualified lessees through Infiniti-Nissan LT.
Comments Excludes taxes, title, license and options. $1,999 initial payment required at consummation. (Includes $1,480 consumer down payment, $519 first month payment, $0 security deposit).

Hope this helps

Joe

 

those are pretty good rates actually. i wonder why they have to use incentives to move the roadsters? does nobody want a 6mt roadster? hmm...

personally, i have leased before and i will never do it again. it seemed like a good idea at the time. however, i am unable to write it off for business, and at the end i was left without a car. great thing about leasing though, is that at the end, just return it and walk away. dont have to deal with trying to sell it on your own or anything. i basically walked out of the mercedes dealership and went over to the nissan dealership. really easy.

 

I agree. My last car was a lease and it was a bad idea. I leased a 2001 Lexus IS300 and I couldn't wait to get out of it. Too restrictive on mileage and you can't mod your car as much.

Not to mention that you end up with zero equity in your car if you want to trade in.

 

True, 0 equity, but your payments are less. I wonder if the difference in payments * term of loan would equal the equity you would have had you purchased?

ie: if you're talking about a $+300 payment * 60 months ... that's $18,000 after 5 years.

Dunno, the mileage is the only thing that gets to me, but even that is only like $.12-.15/mile ... so an extra 10,000 miles is only $1500 (or 5 months worth of payment differentials).

HTH!

Joe

 

Yeah only $1500 if you drive an extra 10,000 miles, but keep in mind that you're responsible for maintenance too. It's no fun buying tires, brakes, etc. for a car that you don't own. Plus some companies will get you for excess wear & tear and other charges when you turn it in. And if you get tired of the car during the lease period, you will never be able to get out of the lease without a loss.

 

True ... I guess it depends on how many changes you want to make. If you're talking about changing the wheels/tires from stock, you could always keep the ones you purchased (ie: take them off the vehicle when you turn it in).

Otherwise, you're just talking about 'consumables' ... brake pads, rubber, gas ... you'd have to maintain that whether or not you purchased the car ... so it's a wash.

 

I look at it this way, I put 19,000 down and my payments are 339.79 per month. If I decided to sell the car on the 36th month, my total cost would have been 19000+339.79*60=39387 minus whatever I could sell it for.

the lease for 3 yrs would be 519*36+1480=20164

My car would have to depreciate to $19,223 in 3 yrs to break even with the lease. My car MSRP'd at 35,000, so I think it will be worth well over 19,000.

 

I like leasing, only plan to lease from now on for several reasons, that work for me, but probably not most people.
1. I've had 27 cars, and aside from the 4 240z's, have never kept one until it was paid off.
2. Because I go through cars so much, a lease forces me to keep the car for 3 years, which saves me money.
3. When the lease is over, I can walk away.
4. My wife and I have 2 cars and a truck. The G35 is leased. The others are financed. I am going to lease a new truck shortly, then probably a new Z or something else a year later, that way, we will be getting a new car every year and can satisfy my 'new car' itch.

 

What are the current residual numbers? 54%? 58%? It comes out to right around $19k

It looks like it's pretty close overall ... it's a matter of (a) can you deal with the mileage limit, (b) is the lower monthly payment what's right for you, and (c) how long to you plan to keep the car. If you're planning on swapping it out in 3-4 years, the lease -- due to the lower monthly payment -- is probably the way to go.

If you think about it, total cost of 20,164 ... if you put down another $1000, your monthly would be $0.00. $340 differential.

 

I don't think it will be difficult to get far more than $19,000 for a 3 year old touring Z. I hope the resale value doesn't dissapoint, but if Nissan doesn't produce too many it should hold pretty strong. Hopefully, the resale will be close to the s2000's and the BMW's. I don't see why it wouldn't, the cars are very popular and there aren't that many of them. 2000 model Celicas are selling in the high teens, I think that says something.

 

why would you lease and make 500 a month payments. I'd rather buy the car and pay $650 a month.