I put my Q here: http://www.rx8forum.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=38430#post38430

but I figured id get a better answer if i asked in a new thread...anyone want to explain the leasing process to me ive never looking into leasing a car as everyone in my family always buys and keeps their cars forever...im just curious in peticular to leasing the 8?

thanks

Read this thread: http://rx-8forum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2869

for about 400 a mo. Ill put 15K down and just buy the thing..

Why not go long term like me with simple intrest(no pre payment penalty) 0 Down 420 month x 84 month @5.25% That way you can keep your money for mods, or pay it off as you please, but just remember you can always pay more and never pay less. If you decide to pay it off in 60 months @ 561 if you can afford it and pay 421 on the slow months. I always like to have $$$ to mod with. Hope that helps, I work for a dealer and will answer any of your questions regarding their trickery. Hope I can help you guys not to get duped, because its easier than you think.

Kyle Lancaster--El Cajon Mazda Kia

i posted my thoughts on leasing a few days ago.

i'll most likely lease my car on a 3 -4 year lease. depending on the discounts for prepayments, i'll put somewhere between $5 and 15 k down.

anyway, i like the lease for a few reasons: one, with new cars, especially special interest cars (i've owned 87 and 89 rx7, 3 alfa romeos and an A6 wagon) and the thousands of cars that will be coming back into the market in a few years with all of the zero interest rate deals from other makes, i don't want to take the resale risk.

at the end of the lease, if you're on to another idea, an upgrade, or even a model change, you put all of the resale risk back on mazda. now, they will have taken some of that risk away in the payments you've made and your assumed residual value, but it's their problem at the end, not yours.

secondly, there's no guarantee you'll like the car. if you don't, you eat that huge discount once it has left the showroom. with a lease, no such problem. just turn it in and find another car. especially with the first round of the 8, there will likely be several changes, like side impact bags, rag top, engine enhancements, etc.

third, if you ever have an accident, your fault or not, we all know the car is never the same again. rarely does it drive the same, and there's no way the finish will ever be as good as the factory finish. this creates possible problems for resale as well, when the buy can choose between a clean car and a repaired car. with a lease, terms are just fix it to acceptable condition. when the lease is over, turn it in.

fourth, if you have any kids driving this car, less than 25 in age, the probability of my third comment increases significantly.

the purchase pundits always tout that at the end of the lease you don't have any equity. however, if you do and the car held it's value you can always buy it at the residual value.

on the other side, suppose you have no equity left, and yes, you are out of all those payments, then it's a matter of emotional concern. there are two aspects of decision making: financial and emotional. financially, it may be better to buy the car like everyone else has mentioned. however, emotionally, my items 1-4 outweigh any potential economic advantages of buying a car.

now, what's really driving everyone here anyway. from a practical point of view, we'd all let the car come out, wait a year for the kinks to get worked-out and upgrades to buy the car. but, emotion is ruling here. we are ignoring the economics of waiting a year to satisfy our emotional desires for this car. whether you lease or buy, i suspect, will be more driven by your consideration of your own factors, emotional over economic, whatever they might be.