[net.consumers] Info & advice needed on car leasing

yu@uiucdcsb.CS.UIUC.EDU (12/08/85)

Does anyone in the netland have the experience of leasing a car?

     I was thinking about buying a new car or a "new" used car for commuting
to work after I graduate (Should be within a couple months.)   However, being
a poor student now, I really can not afford the kind of cars I like to have.
A friend suggested me leasing a car so that I would not need to worry about
tradein when I could afford a better car in the future.   Without having 
much idea about leasing a car, I have the following questions :

	1. What are the pros and cons of leasing a car as compared with
	   buying one?

	2. What are the hidden costs involved behind the ads?  I noticed
	   that the prices could differ more than 100% even in the same area.
	   I can't believe that there is such a nice dealer gives a 50%
	   discount.  So what are the tricks?

	3. What is a reasonable price for a medium size car, say an Olds
	   Ciera or a Buick Century?

	4. What are open end and closed end contracts?

Any answer or information will be greatly appreciated.

M.L. Yu
...!{pur_ee,ihnp4,convex}!uiucdcs!yu

cb@hlwpc.UUCP (Carl Blesch) (12/11/85)

> Does anyone in the netland have the experience of leasing a car?
> 
> 	1. What are the pros and cons of leasing a car as compared with
> 	   buying one?
> 
> 	2. What are the hidden costs involved behind the ads?  I noticed
> 	   that the prices could differ more than 100% even in the same area.
> 	4. What are open end and closed end contracts?
> 
> Any answer or information will be greatly appreciated.
> 
> M.L. Yu

No, I don't have any experience with leasing, but Business Week magazine
had a good "Personal Business Supplement" article on leasing a week or
two ago (try the Dec. 2 issue for starters).  One point I remember is
that you have to be more wary of the terms, because when you lease,
the lessor is not bound by the same truth in lending disclosure requirements
that a dealer or financer is when you buy a car on credit.  Another point
is to check the buy-out options carefully.  Depending on the terms,
you may be able to buy the car for less than it's blue-book value at
the end of the lease.

Carl Blesch