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Sunday, February 8, 2009
Buy a car at the end of your lease
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Alice
at
11:24 PM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Buy or Lease?
The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about auto leasing.
Posted by
Alice
at
2:27 AM
1 comments
Labels: Auto Leasing
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Lease Financing
Posted by
Alice
at
5:18 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Lease Trading
Posted by
Alice
at
1:50 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Friday, December 26, 2008
Leasing and your credit score
Posted by
Alice
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12:53 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Leasing with bad credit
Have you been refused a car lease? Chances are you have less flawed credit history. Know what’s involved and what you can do to build good credit history.
Credit score is a measure of your credit worthiness used by leasing agents to determine whether you are eligible for a lease. You credit score is based on your past and present credit history, and can range anywhere from 350 to 850. A measure above 720 is considered a “prime score” and will land you the best rates. If you are below 640, then you are “sub-prime” and will be considered bad rating by the bulk of leasing agents. This is where all the trouble in getting that lease comes from.
Ask for your FICO Credit Score from the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) which details your credit score held by all three leading credit score agencies in the country. Compare the three credit scores and determine if any agency is holding erroneous credit data about you. Contact the
reporting agency and getting corrected. If there are no mistakes in your credit report, then you can take some steps to maximise your score to go above the threshold of 640. Pay your bills on time and pay down any credit card debts you have. Do not take any new accounts as this might increase the likelihood of you getting into bad credit thus worsening your credit score.
Posted by
Alice
at
12:44 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Leasing Glossary
A fee charged by a leasing company to begin a lease. Not all leasing companies charge an acquisition fee but if charge it starts at about $300 and is seldom negotiable.
The total selling price of the leased vehicle This also accounts for taxes, title, license fees, acquisition fee and any optional insurance and warranty items you elect to fold into the lease and pay overtime rather than upfront.
Depreciation fee:
GAP insurance Pays off the lease balanced if the vehicle is wrecked, stolen or totalled.
Posted by
Alice
at
10:34 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
How to calculate your lease payment
Understanding how to calculate your monthly lease payment makes it easier
for you to make an informed decision. Yet, most of us shy away from the
“complicated” math on our lease contract, leaving it up to the dealer to
do the payment formula.
Actually, it’s not that difficult! Once you understand all the figures
involved in calculating your monthly payments, everything else falls into
place. These key figures are:
MSRP (short for Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price): This is the list
price of the vehicle or the window sticker price.
Money Factor: This determines the interest rate on your lease. Insist on
your dealer to disclose this rate before entering into a lease.
Lease Term: The number of months the dealer rents the vehicle.
Residual Value: The value of the vehicle at the end of the lease. Again,
you can get this figure from the dealer.
Now, let us calculate a sample lease payment based on a vehicle with an
MSRP (sticker price) value of $25,000 and a money factor of 0.0034 (this is
usually quoted as 3.4%). The scheduled-lease is over 3 years and the
estimated residual percentage is 55%.
The first step is to calculate the residual value of the car. You multiply
the MSRP by the residual percentage:
$20,000 X .55 = $11,000.
The car will be worth $13,750 at the end of the lease, so you'll be using:
$20,000 – $11,000 = $9,000
This amount of $9,000 will be used over a 36 month lease period giving us a
monthly payment of:
$9,000 / 36 = $250.
This is the first part of the monthly payment, called the monthly
depreciation charge.
The second part of the monthly payment, called the money factor payment,
factors the interest charge. It is calculated by adding the MSRP figure to
the residual value and multiplying this by the money factor:
($20,000 + $11,000) * 0.0034 = $105.4
Finally, we get the approximate monthly payment by adding the two figures
together:
$250 + $105.4 = $355.4
To recapitulate, the sample formula looks like this:
1- Monthly Depreciation Charge:
MSRP X Depreciation Percentage = Residual Value
MSRP – Residual Value = Depreciation over lease term
Depreciation over lease term / lease term (number of months in the lease) =
monthly depreciation charge
2- Monthly factor money charge
(MSRP + Residual value) X Money factor = money factor payment
3- Sample Monthly Payment:
depreciation charge + money factor payment = monthly payment
Keep in mind that this is a simplified calculation that does not take into
account taxes, fees, rebates or any other incentives. The calculation gives
you a ballpark figure or a rough idea of what your lease payments for the
vehicle in question should be.
Posted by
Alice
at
2:12 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Friday, November 28, 2008
How to spot a good car lease
Leasing has been lauded as your cheapest ticket to keep up with the
industry’s hottest vehicles and trends. The jury, however, is still out
on leasing: with the industry long on hype and short on detail, it is
difficult to distinguish between a genuinely good deal and a downright
up-selling exercise.
So how do you spot a good deal?
First, you need to find out if there are any down payments on the lease. A
down payment refers to the lump sum amount that you pay upfront, either in
cash, non-cash credit or trading allowance, to reduce your monthly payment.
You should think twice before putting money down on a lease: not only are
you getting a rough deal, as you’re essentially forfeiting the general rule
of leasing: not putting any cash upfront, but the money is not recoupable
at the end of your lease. There is another big disadvantage: in the event
of your car getting damaged or stolen, you insurance and the gap cost will
not cover the loss.
Mileage Limit
Most leasing companies allow you a limit of 45,000 free miles over the
length of a 3-year lease. This may seem like a good deal at first sight,
but when you consider it only comes to 15,000 miles over a 12 month period
it’s not difficult to foresee why it might be difficult to stay within this
limit. Even people working from home have little trouble putting 15,000
miles on their cars.
If you exceed the mileage limit, the penalty for each excess mile can be as
high as 20 cents. This can add up quickly over the length of your lease: an
additional 4,000 miles a year over the length of a 3-years lease contract,
will end up costing you an extra $2,400 in excess mileage charges!
Be realistic about your mileage needs, especially if you have to regularly
commute over long-distances, before you sign the contract. Consider padding
the miles that you expect to use since it is less expensive to contract for
the extra before you sign than it is to pay the extra charges at end of
your lease.
Sales Tax
Sales tax is usually capitalized and added to the monthly payments.
However, some dealers choose not to include it in their calculations to
drive the advertised lease payments even lower. What they do instead is
state in the small print that the monthly payment excludes “sales tax”.
Make sure you carefully read the fine print for any extra, hidden costs not
included in the advertised monthly payment. Unscrupulous fees that
typically slip through the cracks include sales tax, registration and title
fees.
Posted by
Alice
at
12:37 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Leasing used cars explained
Leasing a used vehicle can be an attractive deal in many ways, no least getting you into that luxury model or SUV, for lower monthly payments than a brand new one. Be prepared, however, to do some more homework to dissect a good deal.
As with new car-leasing, your price research should focus on the key figures that are the initial market value and the estimated residual value of the used car. This is harder to predict since there is no factory-set sticker price on used cars, and the residual percentage is very much pegged to a subjective current retail value. Use different sources to get a rough idea of the value of the used car: your local dealerships, internet car-evaluating tools, such as Edmunds.com and Cars.com, to name but a few. Another way to pin down a good estimate is to compare the lease on your given car to a lease on a new-car with the same make and model. This should give you a better picture of the difference between leasing new and going for used. Just like leasing a new car, used vehicle leasing is more attractive when residual values depreciate the least. You stand a better chance of finding a bargain in the high-end, luxury vehicles that keep their values better as used cars.
Next, you need to check the initial mileage and the overall vehicle condition. The maximum mileage on a used car should be no more than 12,000 miles a year. A 3-years old car with 50,000 miles on the clock is very unlikely to make a good used-vehicle lease. Check for signs of excessive use, like worn seat fabric, worn pedal pads and dirty engine, which might indicate that the odometer has been rolled back. If the car is not certified, you need to get it thoroughly inspected. Ask your dealer for a
manufacturer-sponsored certification program or have your car certified by a qualified mechanic or inspection service.
Most used-car deals don’t come with gap coverage. This is a special type of coverage, normally offered on a new auto-lease, to cover the consumer if the leased vehicle is lost, stolen or damaged. Typically, auto-insurance policies cover only what your car is worth at the time of loss, not what you still owe on the lease. The difference could run into thousands of dollars. For peace of mind, do not enter into any used-car lease without gap-coverage. Arrange it separately with either the lease dealer or your auto-insurance company.
Posted by
Alice
at
1:53 AM
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comments
Labels: Auto Leasing
Monday, November 24, 2008
Independent Car lease companies
To lease, you have two possible choices: either lease through a dealer’s finance source or through an independent lease company. A conventional dealer has a captive finance source, which can be the car manufacturer’s financial company, such as BMW Financial Services, Honda Motor Credit or General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC), or a major national bank such as Chase Manhattan. Independent lease companies are no financial obligation to any single one manufacturer financing source, but work with dealers anywhere in the country.
So which one is better?
Conventional dealers provide better lease-deals on limited-time promotions. Factory-subsidized cars that have subvented money factors and residuals are very attractive lease deals and can be very hard to beat anywhere else.
Independent lease companies can offer you unbiased and professional advice on vehicle selection regardless of make and model. This is because they are not tied to a single manufacturer or financing source, unlike conventional dealers who have to sell specific models. They can also be more flexible regarding negotiating lease terms like residual value and mileage. Ultimately, if you prefer a more personal and customer-oriented relationship with your leasing agent, then you will do well with an independent leasing company.
Posted by
Alice
at
1:06 AM
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Luxury Cars and Resale Values
The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.
When it comes to ultra-luxury, high-end vehicle leasing, there is no doubt that the best deals are those cars that hold their value. With this in mind, we single out a few truths about residual values that consistently apply to high-end leasing.
The most determining factor when it comes to resale values is public perception of the brand, not its reliability ratings in quality surveys. Take the Jaguar for example: it is consistently rated as a quality car, butbecause of questionable reliability perception among the public, it takes a sharp dip in value at the end of its lease-term
Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about vehicle leasing? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?
Higher-tech options and other cutting-edge features do not necessarily mean the car will fare better. By the time your car is two years old, better and cheaper systems will render the laser-guided cruise control, navigation systems and built-in cell phone obsolete. Look for functional features, such as automatic transmissions, power windows and wheel-drive to enhance the vehicle’s value in the used-car market.
Used-car buyers view less favorably luxury vehicles that come with big incentives. These are perceived as questionable in quality and reliability.
Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on vehicle leasing.
Posted by
Alice
at
5:31 AM
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comments
Labels: Auto Leasing
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Single-Payment Lease
This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding auto leasing. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about auto leasing.
A prepaid lease is a new type of lease which has made its foray into the market in recent times. In this lease, consumers forego the cycle of lease payments if they make a large payment at the beginning of the lease.
There are two amounts in a conventional lease that incur charges and determine your monthly lease payments. First, there is a depreciation charge which accounts for the value the car loses during the lease term. Second is a residual amount which is the projected value of the vehicle at the end of the lease. The sum of these two charges gives the monthly payments on your lease.The idea behind a pre-paid lease is to eliminate the finance charges for depreciation and only account for residual value charges in a single, pre-paid payment at the beginning of the lease.
How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.
Single-payment leases are devised with spendthrifts in mind: no cycle of monthly payments, a new car every two to three years and no interest in purchasing the vehicle at the end of the lease. You should only consider this type of lease if you are concerned about not being able to make monthly payments and have a lot of cash upfront.
So now you know a little bit about auto leasing. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.
Posted by
Alice
at
3:47 AM
0
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Labels: Auto Leasing
Friday, November 21, 2008
The residual value of leasing
Do you ever feel like you know just enough about auto leasing to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from auto leasing experts.
If you are in the market to lease a vehicle, you will hear the term “residual value” recur like a leitmotif. A residual value does not only affect your monthly payments, but is equally used by leasing companies to determine any penalties should you break your lease early and how much to pay if you decided to buy the vehicle at the end of your lease.
Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about auto leasing? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?
Let us first start by looking at the meaning of residual value. The term “residual value”, refers to the value of something after it has been used for some time. In leasing lingo, it refers to the depreciation of the vehicle’s value over the life of its lease. So how does it exactly affect your monthly payments? When you lease a
car, you pay for the car’s value that you use over the lease length. Suppose you leased an $18,000 car for 2 years: the leasing company needs to estimate the value of this car in two years time in order to know how much of the car you will be using during your lease term. That’s where the “residual value” comes into the equation. If the residual value is estimated to be $13,000 at the end of your lease, then your monthly payments will be calculated on the $5,000 you will use over 24 months, giving an average monthly payment of $208.3 (plus interest, tax and fees).
How about if the car is expected to lose half its value over the same period? In this scenario, you will be using $9,000 over the same period, leaving you with a higher monthly payment of $375 (plus interest, tax and fees).
As you can see, residual values are a key factor in determining how much money to pay on your lease and the higher the residual value, the lower your monthly fees. This works in reverse if you build a bond with your car and decide to purchase it at the end of your lease. If we stick with the same example above, the lower monthly payments in the second scenario come at the cost of paying substantially more to buy your car at the end of the lease.
So, since the residual value is so important, how do I know which one is best for me? Well, it all depends whether you want to purchase the car at the end of your lease. If you don’t want to make a large down payment and you want low monthly payments, then a car that holds with a higher residual value is a good deal. If you are thinking of purchasing the car at lease-end, then you need to balance low-monthly payments with a moderate residual value.
Now you can understand why there's a growing interest in auto leasing. When people start looking for more information about auto leasing, you'll be in a position to meet their needs.
Posted by
Alice
at
11:06 PM
0
comments
Labels: Auto Leasing
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Using lease calculators
Want to calculate your monthly lease payment? Consider using a lease
calculator
If you are considering a car lease, then you might want to know some key
figures involved in the deal: the monthly lease payments, the overall cost
of the lease and how much savings can be made compared to purchasing the
vehicle.
A lease calculator relieves you from the stress of having to know the
complex underlying lease formulae used in calculations. You simply plug a
number of figures into the calculator and hey presto! You get a detailed
rundown of detailed payments, taxes and total lease costs.
Figures you need to get from your dealer about a specific lease you’re
interested in include: capitalized cost, estimated residual value at the
end of the lease, the number of months in your lease and the money factor.
Make assumptions and change some of the figures to see how it affects your
lease payments. For instance, residual value is an “estimated” value of what
the vehicle will be worth at the end of the lease. You can input different
estimates to cover different scenarios and assumptions.
As a final note of caution, bear in mind that lease calculators only do
calculations and check the accuracy of abstract mathematical formulae. They
do not tell you whether a lease is good or bad.
Posted by
Alice
at
12:34 AM
0
comments
Labels: Auto Leasing
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
How to lease a new car?
Whether you lease a car to get into the latest models or have better purchasing
flexibility, getting a good deal is always bound to give you a lift. Use
these guidelines to help you spot one:
Check incentives: be on the look-out for factory –subsidized lease deals.
Car manufacturers realise that consumers who lease vehicles from them are
more likely to be repeat customers than those who simply purchase vehicles.
Through their leasing companies, they adjust the residual value and offer
low financing charge. Other auto-manufacturers are also starting to give
incentives on leasing, called leasing subventions. They offer these
subsidies to put slow-selling models on the street, saving you even more
money.
Set up a competitive: bidding environment to get the lowest price. If you
already have an idea in mind of the make, model and trim level of your
desired car, attempt to calculate your own lease payment before you go
shopping to avoid paying through the roof. Check online comparison tools or
use a lease calculator to check your lease payment based on purchase price.
This gives you greater negotiation leverage as you solicit quotes from
various leasing companies.
Make sure you know all the fees involved at the beginning of your lease:
you may have to pay fees for licenses, registration and title. Other fees
include acquisition fees, freight fees and local or state taxes. At
lease-end, you may have to pay a disposition fee and charges for extra
mileage and any excess wear. Be aware that some of these fees – like
acquisition and disposition fees – are negotiable.
Know your mileage needs: almost all leases limit the number of miles per
year by imposing typically 10 to 20 cents per excess mile over 15,000 miles
a year. If you are the kind of high-commuter who puts 40,000 miles a year
on his car, then you might end up running thousands of dollars in hefty
penalties at the end of your lease. Be smart and negotiate a higher-mileage
limit or pad you excess miles at the beginning of your lease to avoid
robber tax rates for excess miles.
Almost all leases limit the number of miles per year by imposing fees
typically 10 to 20 cents per mile over 15,000 miles per year. If you are
the kind of high-commuter who puts a lot miles on his car, then these costs
can add up quickly. Negotiate
Include GAP coverage: make sure your lease includes GAP coverage. This
covers you in the event of the vehicle getting wrecked, stolen or totalled.
Without GAP insurance, you leave yourself wide open to thousands of dollars
in leased obligations. Check if the GAP coverage is included so you don’t
pay it twice.
Posted by
Alice
at
1:17 AM
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comments
Labels: Auto Leasing
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