Leasing a new vehicle

[glinda]

I think leasing, while it doesn't tie up as much money up front, ends up costing more in the end. But then if one doesn't have a lot of money to tie up (in making a down payment) it does give you a chance at having a new car. I think leasing makes the most sense when the vehicle is a business write off.

I have owned a few bought off the lot new cars, but find, as others have noted, that buying them used to be the most cost effective.

The other thing, if you were to buy regardless new or used, is considering buying on the mainland and shipping it home. Depending on the vehicle make and model this can save substantially. You can either use some of the savings to take a trip to buy the vehicle, or contract with a purchasing agent and just pick it up at the dock. On used Toyotas (my vehicle of choice) the savings can be very substantial in that some Toyota models are very popular here and retain their value but in other markets they are not as popular. You can "window shop" on craigslits checking out different markets without leaving the comfort of your home.

There is an older thread we all toss these ideas around on previously. You might appreciate reading through:

http://www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20669