NFR Buy or lease vehicles?

[SurfnFish]

With current interest rates and premium cost of new vehicles, leasing costs have skyrocketed from days past.
Personally favor private parties purchased from 2018 and newer with under 50K miles, which feature the standard safety suite of predictive cruise, auto-ebraking, lane swerve avoidance, nav screens, hand free calling, etc. With proper maintenance (which is actually minimal in most brands) such vehicles easily go 200K+.

Having owned Subaru, Volvo, Ford, Chevy and Dodge, remain a huge fan of Sienna van's, uber utilitarian, easy to drive, wholly reliable vehicle, put a 100K on ours that we bought used with 30K, and it never cost us a dime outside of tires and oil changes.

 

[Robert Engleheart]

Newer vehicles can present expensive repairs when something goes wrong that would be a minor issue before “smart” technology became common. Article link below describes how a leaking taillight on a Ford F-150 became a $5600 repair (taillight assembly alone was $1100).

How This 2018 Ford F-150's Faulty Taillight Turned Into a $5,600 Repair — The Drive

High-trim modern trucks come with the pleasure of advanced features—and the pain of their high replacement costs.

apple.news

 

[DimeBrite]

 

[JayB]

Newer vehicles can present expensive repairs when something goes wrong that would be a minor issue before “smart” technology became common. Article link below describes how a leaking taillight on a Ford F-150 became a $5600 repair (taillight assembly alone was $1100).

How This 2018 Ford F-150's Faulty Taillight Turned Into a $5,600 Repair — The Drive

High-trim modern trucks come with the pleasure of advanced features—and the pain of their high replacement costs.

apple.news

Insane.

 

[Ernie]

As others have said, unless your leased vehicle is for business, I wouldn’t do it.
The best deals I have ever bought over the years are the new car dealerships’ demo cars. Years ago I bought a Subaru Legacy wagon with all of the options and only 18k mileage. It obviously was well maintained mechanically and no scratches. I saved $6,000 compared to a brand new one. Several years ago I bought a Lexus sedan, same situation; all options, 17,400 mileage, no scratches. I saved about $6,200
Best way to buy a nearly new vehicle.

 

[SurfnFish]

if going the same the new car route check out Costco. In 2020 our local Bend dealer wanted 32K for a new Forester. Through the Costco online program a Eugene dealer offerred one for 29K. Brought the printout to the Bend dealer, they agreed to the 29K.
With this strike ramping up, car prices, both new and used, are going to do nothing but climb, so best to either buy now or just wait. Conversely, the cost to perform a front to back refresh on an older vehicle is usually less expensive then the first six months payments on a new one.

 

[Josh]

In all likelihood, I won't be buying anything any time soon. Perhaps if a good deal on a truck popped up here on WFF NO I DIDN'T MEAN THAT I MEAN PNWFF or someone I knew was selling one. But in reality, we don't NEED a new vehicle. And has been pointed out, this isn't a great time to buy one anyway.

 

[wanderingrichard]

Well to be honest, it did get washed once in maybe the last 10 years or so.
I drove it to work one day. I came out to go to lunch and my boss was power washing it.
That took a lot of paint off of it, but the green patina has grown back quite nicely since.
The drivers side floorboard has enough sand on it to be considered a beach. Quite surprised it hasn’t rusted through yet.
SF

Had a coworker in South Carolina who had so much dirt in the back of his Chevy that he accidentally started an illegal grow operation.

If youre interested, there's also a sign that might help

Slap-Art DO NOT WASH! Vehicle is undergoing a Scientific Dirt Test. Funny Vinyl Decal Sticker https://a.co/d/hYWLedA

 

[wanderingrichard]

@Josh,
I did 3 lease conversions while I was in the army. Yes was nice to be able to buy at the end, but after the 3rd, I stopped because of the added expense.

What I found in its place was a buyers secret I stumbled into, and others have mentioned here: look for a 2-4 year old upper end model vehicle in your price range. ( most of these are usually former program cars or lease vehicles being sold, but not all) I found that by putting 3500 down I could afford a nice vehicle that lasts quite a while with regular maintenance. That's how we got our Fusion Energi and my F150, and now the Exploder.

 

[Tim L]

In all likelihood, I won't be buying anything any time soon. Perhaps if a good deal on a truck popped up here on WFF or someone I knew was selling one. But in reality, we don't NEED a new vehicle. And has been pointed out, this isn't a great time to buy one anyway.

Someone would catch eventually

 

[SurfnFish]

Had a coworker in South Carolina who had so much dirt in the back of his Chevy that he accidentally started an illegal grow operation.

Marijuana? Honest, officer, I have no idea what you're talking about

 

[Josh]

Someone would catch eventually

BAHAHAHAHAHA!

Took 18 months, but it finally happened.

 

[Yard Sale]

I somewhat know how to work on cars so I've always bought something in the 60-100K mile range. As they get more computerized(planned obsolescence) that seems to be fading away.