hmmm this might be an easier way for me to acquire one of these beauties! LEASING....hmmmmm If those numbers are correct, I could very well have one tomorrow! Anyways, those numbers are VERY do-able for me!
I plan on buying the S2000, but I don't think I could get someone to loan me the $34K for it in one lump sum....Of course, IF I do lease, I can't really sell the car until I make ALL the payments for the entirety of the lease...
There are advantages and disadvantages to leasing....IMO more disadvantages....

Anybody wanna buy a lung or kidney? hehe

 

Another thing to consider is, if you own a business, or can think of any kinda of business that won't raise eyebrows consult an accountant. With leasing it is much easier to write off payments, but remember this only works if you actaully MAKE money. Something to consider anyway.

 

Leasing is foreign to me and my family so I have always had reservations about it. I'm saving up to buy.

 

mine comes off lease in sept. will write a check for it at that time.
it was my company car.......DO watch the dealer on the money factor. i almost got to pay 10 points more, even had the manager call honda finance to verify the figure he was giving me. he looked me in the eye and told me my information was incorrect. i signed the contract and found out (and got written verification) that he was screwing me. it was a wonderful phone call to him when i informed him HIS numbers were incorrect, and he had to re-write the contract. saved about 50 bucks a month x 2 years.

 

I'm very anti-leasing unless you can use it as a business writeoff. Think about it, the lessor gets to depreciate the car....do they give you any part of that back on the implied interest rate (i.e. money factor)? No, they usually charge more than for a loan.

Add to that the inflexibility of the contract, the need to buy gap insurance, etc., and I can't think of many advantages to a lease. If I was considering it b/c of lower upfront costs and/or monthly pmts., I'd save up a bit longer or set my sights lower (or used). I have a friend w/ a lease on a Camaro that he absolutely hates, and he feels unhappily married to it. He could get divorced, of course, but we all know how expensive that is!

 

I am probably leasing my S2k within the next 2 weeks.
Here is a formal quote I got from a leasing company:

2001 Honda S2000
36 month lease
15000 miles/year
$4000 down payment

About $400 per month


This option is good for me because I only want to keep the car for 3 years. By then, I will be done with college and can either get a new S2k or something else. Also, I don't like driving a car much past 50000 miles. My Accord that I just sold had 51000 miles on it. If I financed, my payment would be closer to $650 per month.


The only thing I am waiting for is the leasing company to find a yellow or silver one. So far, they have had black and red but I decided to pass.

 

mine just got stolen and recovered waiting to see what ins is doing totaling or repairing,
last deal was
msrp
2500 down
498 a month
39 months


new deal if i buy a new one
msrp
2600 down
498 a month
39 months

free rear wing
and side strakes installed.

 

Thanks for all the feedback. You guys are great unfortunately I have a year to go on my Accord lease so I have to wait...sniff sniff =(

Matt

 

I got EXACTLY the same lease terms from AHFC in Jan. 2001. The residual was 67%. The true cost was just a few dollars under MSRP.

Responding to an earlier note, the dealer does not get to decide what the damage is at the end of the lease. AHFC has an independent organization do this and I felt like they were more than fair on my 1998 Prelude when I returned it.

 

is it true that if the car is worth more at the end of the lease on the market that they will have to give you some cash back, i read this at msn carpoint.