[BenW]

ok, I've been leasing for 20 years and already negotiaed my lease on the Q50, but I may decide in the next day or two to buy instead. Here are my reasons.
-one of the advantages of leasing is that usually leases are subsidized which allows you to get more car for a lower payment which helps make up for the fact that you are left with zero equity at the end. The Q50, at least for now, has no subsidies and I can get the same payment buying with 5500 down as I can leasing with 2000 down, except in 6 years I can still sell the Q for 16-20K.
-Car loans (my credit union is doing 1.9) are much better in comparison to the horrible money factor and residual on this car right now, so at that interest I don't mind having a longer loan.
-Tires! Two professional reviews now, and lots of reviews on Tirerack and we all pretty much know how horrible the run flats are, but not only that but the treadlife rating pretty much leads me to believe that these tires won't get more than 15K miles. From reading my lease contract I think Infiniti will expect the car to be returned with RFT's which means a huge expense and an entire lease term driving the car with bad tires that I don't need since I have the spare. I can trade in the Dunlops for Micheline AS3's and get much better handling and more than double the treadlife.

What do you guys think?

 

[Q50Aggie]

I've been second guessing myself tooo...I need to run the numbers later this evening on buying...

 

[ikagan]

I still have till May next year to decide but as it stands now you should
buy. With the low interest rates offered now even 72 months loan make sense.

 

[BenW]

I still have till May next year to decide but as it stands now you should
buy. With the low interest rates offered now even 72 months loan make sense.

Yep, if I do it I will do 72 since the rate is so low. I can always pay it off faster.

 

[Q50Aggie]

Yep, if I do it I will do 72 since the rate is so low. I can always pay it off faster.

Do you think you'd keep the car for 6 years? Or maybe even more? Or would you sell it after 3?

 

[BenW]

I think I would keep this one for 5 or 6. I generally like getting a new car every 3, but I really like this car, for me it's the perfect size and perfect balance between fun and comfort. At this price I think I'd feel like I got more of my money's worth by keeping it a little longer. Plus if I swap for the Micheline tires, I should only have to replace them once at the 3 year mark.

 

[MikeElmendorf]

The leases on this car, so far at least, are ridiculous. As I mentioned in another thread, I have also been shopping the BMW 5 Series and can get that for less per month on the same lease terms, despite that car having an MSRP that is $15k more and a selling price that is about $11k more. It is crazy.

I'm not interested in buying because I get a new car every 2-3 years. If Infiniti doesn't come up with a more realistic lease program, I will likely decide against this car entirely, despite it seeming quite interesting.

It should be a great value, but when it costs more to lease than a loaded 535, there's something wrong.

 

[BenW]

The leases on this car, so far at least, are ridiculous. As I mentioned in another thread, I have also been shopping the BMW 5 Series and can get that for less per month on the same lease terms, despite that car having an MSRP that is $15k more and a selling price that is about $11k more. It is crazy.

I'm not interested in buying because I get a new car every 2-3 years. If Infiniti doesn't come up with a more realistic lease program, I will likely decide against this car entirely, despite it seeming quite interesting.

It should be a great value, but when it costs more to lease than a loaded 535, there's something wrong.

They know that they can get more out of first adopters. When the new Lexus GS first came out they did the same thing. I'm not surprised, but since I don't want to wait 8 months, it seems like buying just makes more sense.

 

[vices]

I have the same dilemma. I'd like to change cars every 3-4 years probably. I can afford a substantial downpayment as well as the higher monthly rates on financing a car for 36-48 months. Financing would be 1.9%, vs 3.7% on the lease (1.56% with the MSDs). I guess the biggest question for me would be do I come out ahead if I finance the car instead and then sell it at the end of 3-4 years, vs leasing it and then going to a different lease after 3-4 years. Though there's also the opportunity cost in investing and compounding interest on that additional money stuck into the financed car (which I would roll as downpayments for newer cars down the line).

 

[BenW]

It just seems like putting 3500 more down, getting the exact same payment but then getting 17K back just makes more financial sense. Normally a lease payment should be significantly less than a purchase payment and that's not the case with these numbers right now.

 

[Guy Legend]

Would go with buying unless you want to keep the car a really short time. Personally, if I really like a car I will enjoy keeping it for a long time without having to to return it or have mileage restrictions.

 

[Lukeb321]

The whole "new and in demand" doesn't quantify these prices.

I just came from our Lexus dealership in Palm Beach getting the wife's ES350 worked on and sat in the new IS and ES. Not a big fan of either design but they are new models and in high demand. Both offered 299 lease deals similar to an old G. Just doesn't make sense. Same thing with the ATS - 299. I think the Q leases will drastically be reduced. It just can sustain that price point.

Like previously said, for those lease prices your in 5 series, A6, GS, and E series territory.

 

[SteinyD]

I've just returned from my dealer having my current G serviced. I made arrangements to meet with my salesman while there for an 'update'. I was originally told that they had leasing and finance information when I contacted them yesterday. Today, when he approached the finance manager, it was acknowledged that the money factor was high and they didn't want to present it to me. They indicated that there should be new rates on Monday.

So, I as the rest of you who are considering leasing - I wouldn't get too disappointed yet. I think we need to wait and see what happens when everything becomes official on Monday.

 

[Q50Aggie]

I agree, but with vpp pricing and msd, they are more reasonable...I'm sticking with leasing..I'll be at around $650 a month for my $53,655 msrp....this is with no cap reduction and only money down of the refundable $6,750 msd

 

[BenW]

The whole "new and in demand" doesn't quantify these prices.

I just came from our Lexus dealership in Palm Beach getting the wife's ES350 worked on and sat in the new IS and ES. Not a big fan of either design but they are new models and in high demand. Both offered 299 lease deals similar to an old G. Just doesn't make sense. Same thing with the ATS - 299. I think the Q leases will drastically be reduced. It just can sustain that price point.

Like previously said, for those lease prices your in 5 series, A6, GS, and E series territory.

The ES is not a comparable car and is a year old now. The IS for 299 is the IS250 and is also not comparable. The GS is comparable but has also been out for a full year. And as far as new and in demand, I'm not happy about the lease prices, but supply and demand is what it is, they will have plenty of people pay the premium price for the first few months. Last year Lexus did the exact same thing with the GS.

 

[BenW]

I agree, but with vpp pricing and msd, they are more reasonable...I'm sticking with leasing..I'll be at around $650 a month for my $53,655 msrp....this is with no cap reduction and only money down of the refundable $6,750 msd

us poor public servants don't get vpp.

 

[BenW]

I've just returned from my dealer having my current G serviced. I made arrangements to meet with my salesman while there for an 'update'. I was originally told that they had leasing and finance information when I contacted them yesterday. Today, when he approached the finance manager, it was acknowledged that the money factor was high and they didn't want to present it to me. They indicated that there should be new rates on Monday.

So, I as the rest of you who are considering leasing - I wouldn't get too disappointed yet. I think we need to wait and see what happens when everything becomes official on Monday.

Even if the residuals and MF get a little better on Monday, the tires may still be a good enough reason not to lease. It sounds like the car will handle so much better with a tire like the Pilot AS3's. Not to mention the price, imagine having a 39 month lease and having those RFT's need to be replaced year 2 with another super expensive set of crappy RFT's.

 

[cvipgo]

Good call u all. Buying will get you more out of the car and your money. Cash always rules in any business any where.
Brand new models generally don't have favorable lease numbers because mfg want to make up for major investment (billions $), lease of their product doesn't provide that. I rarely lease because I tend to buy the newest models and I can get better price as a cash deal (I get my financing) which businesses can circulate faster. It's just business sense to get more & faster return on the investment.

 

[EX-infinitisalesguy]

ok, I've been leasing for 20 years and already negotiaed my lease on the Q50, but I may decide in the next day or two to buy instead. Here are my reasons.
-one of the advantages of leasing is that usually leases are subsidized which allows you to get more car for a lower payment which helps make up for the fact that you are left with zero equity at the end. The Q50, at least for now, has no subsidies and I can get the same payment buying with 5500 down as I can leasing with 2000 down, except in 6 years I can still sell the Q for 16-20K.
-Car loans (my credit union is doing 1.9) are much better in comparison to the horrible money factor and residual on this car right now, so at that interest I don't mind having a longer loan.
-Tires! Two professional reviews now, and lots of reviews on Tirerack and we all pretty much know how horrible the run flats are, but not only that but the treadlife rating pretty much leads me to believe that these tires won't get more than 15K miles. From reading my lease contract I think Infiniti will expect the car to be returned with RFT's which means a huge expense and an entire lease term driving the car with bad tires that I don't need since I have the spare. I can trade in the Dunlops for Micheline AS3's and get much better handling and more than double the treadlife.

What do you guys think?

I think you're right on with the purchase. Unless it varies from dealer to dealer, you get charged for the tires when returning your lease if they have less than 50% tread. Sport tires on a G37 would regularly cost lease customers $1000 upon return, and they were never happy about it

 

[SteinyD]

Even if the residuals and MF get a little better on Monday, the tires may still be a good enough reason not to lease. It sounds like the car will handle so much better with a tire like the Pilot AS3's. Not to mention the price, imagine having a 39 month lease and having those RFT's need to be replaced year 2 with another super expensive set of crappy RFT's.

That is another point to take into consideration. BTW, have you been able to get an official word from the leasing program that RFTs need to be replaced with RFTs under a lease agreement? Certainly, paying for a tire warranty that I've never chosen before is an option. I'm also considering other options, including selling them straight away and some arm twisting of my dealer. Even before JasonH told us about the loyalty credit that is now official, my dealer has continued to insist that they intended to take care of me. I was reminded of that when I spoke to their lease return person today, telling me not to worry about the overage in damage on my car.

So, we'll see how this pans out. I will agree though, so far I'm not impressed by what I've been reading about run flats.