Looking to lease an Outback 2.5i Premium (36 months, 12K miles, zero down, taxes up front). Got a quote of $375. Does this seem reasonable? I was looking at something closer to $350 but not sure if that is realistic. Thanks.

Thats what my payments are to BUY my Impreza..and that was with $500 down total. IMO thats high for a lease..I have seen them go for much much less.

I did a quick plugging around on the interweb (you might want to try that as well) and that does seem high. But I'm not well versed in leases at all, don't think I've even ever talked about them before until now! Seems like you should be coming in a good deal less than that. Read some of this thread about Subaru leases for instance:

 

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef9ddb3/314

 

Hmmm, sounds like you might be getting worked over in NY, surprise, surprise?!

I think for $375 I should almost be getting the Limited. His first quote was $390 and then he quickly went down to $375 when I told him I was also looking at an Accord for much less.

Don't know about the Outback, but I have a coworker leasing a 08 Outback sport for only $200 a month and no down... he did it right after the economy tanked in 2008, so dealerships were willing to go pretty low then...

 

Z

The number of months / payments has a huge influence on the monthly payment amount...

 

Just my 2 bucks

it seems to me, in these economic times that it is a buyers market.

 

it's good to negotiate with the subaru dealer bt takling about the honda, but why not talk to another subaru dealer? email several with your needs, ask for quotes. i think onsite cars a cheaper.

 

you might also look at the swap a lease web sites, unfortunately there are probably a few subaru lease holders who have lost their jobs.

some one wants to make a deal.

 

edit: just read an article in today's paper about car leasing. (AP article)

 

http://www.leasecompare.com

http://www.leasetrader.com

Edited November 29, 200916 yr by johnceggleston

Leases are no different than purchases. If the dealer thinks that what you're concerned with is just the monthly payment, he'll do any and everything he thinks he can to push the price higher and simply extend the timeframe out longer. Or, he'll do things like say that you're paying 'taxes' up-front. What taxes? You're not buying the car, so you don't pay sales tax! The sales tax is paid each month and only on the lease payment amount (barring some super-scummy jurisdictional issue). Saying that you pay the 'taxes up front' is a tricky way to inflate the price of the car.

 

I once had a dealer quote me a lease on a car I was very interested in. The manufacturer's captive finance company had a subsidized lease available for a certain price that was all over TV, the newspapers, the internet, and magazines. This was at a time where I knew my credit rating and score, and knew exactly what kind of cash money I could obtain from anywhere, without collateral, just on my signature. This dealer quoted me 35% higher payments! I told them they'd seriously messed up the numbers, laughed, and walked out. They tried to stop me outside, but there was no way I was going to do business with them at that point.

 

There are lots of ways to fudge leases, just as there are purchases. Be wary, 'cause dealers will also suck up several full percentage points on the loan/lease rate just because they can and you say yes. They and the lenders work for each other, not for you.