budebaker

Both. My story is a bit different. I meant to get off the leasing bandwagon finally so I actually went and bought a used Z from Culver City Nissan (I do not reccommend buying a car from them). I really liked the Z but my plates never came and my registration ran out. Turns out, they didn't have the title when they sold me the car. I am not the litigious type so I made a deal to trade in the Z, take the loss and get into an RX-8 lease with no money down.

I regret not suing, leasing and I miss the Z, because the auto 8 just doesn't come close to comparing.

So, to sum up, I regret all the above.

ironmedic

im gonna start the BLAH guild!

BLAH= Bad Lease + Automatic Haters

samsonite1

no and 1430

samsonite1

I made that in in the first 5 months of the year...NET and I'm 33

I WIN

p.s., and yes, that is my driveway. Other board members will verify if you like.

samsonite1

Joe, I think it is ironic that you insist on calling ME stupid yet you got taken on your lease. What Math are YOU using.

EandGWZ

Would have to disagree on that. Leased fully loaded 8 with NAV for a trade in of 01 corolla with 101k miles @ 290/month for 2 years. I beat this car like a red headed step child. I don't get the oil changed as much as I should (I change it myself), I don't care about scratches (before you flame me I am fully aware, I mean rock chips and wear and tear, my leasing company allows for them), every ride is a hard ride, no break in period for me not enough time. Get my point? If they offered a buyout of 12 k when lease is up I still wouldn't buy it unless it was to turn it over for a profit.

fredw1

I always wonder about a mentality that says that just because it's not mine, I don't have to take care of it.

samsonite1

How proud you must be.

ironmedic

if i told u guys how much my lease is running me right now, u guys would ban me and brand me stupid for life. i am $10000 upside down on this lease due to different factors. i am still gonna get rid of my RX8 and just pick up an STI or an Evo8. at least ill have a factory turbo under a warranty. why pay 28k-32k for an RX8 loaded up when i can get the same price for an Evo8 with more power and a damn turbo. im just not into this automatic crap anymore.

at the end of my lease, i would have shelled out near 30k in rental payments. thats too much for me on a lease. that is straight up financing right there. if i shell out 30k on a lease in 4 years, i might as well drive a hummer or something.

AQA101

Well, my car is leased on very short term and, since used as my company car, fully tax-deductible. Very short term lease (12 months) means very expensive of course, but that was the period of time I could easily predict concerning my financial status. And I prefer not to make bets I can't cover.

Funny thing is, my financial status looks even better today than it did back then, but I nevertheless have a 50:50 opinion on keeping the car.

Don't get me wrong, I love the car. It's two hours of fun each day and I don't want to miss those two hours.

But on the other hand my situation has changed from being a single with no need to care about anything than my own business to being about to start a family type thing with my girlfriend, who by the way has a car on 3 year lease and we don't need two cars. Being tax deductible, the car costs me a mere 50% of what it would cost me as a private person. But anyway, I don't it need it desperately anymore - unlike last year when I was totally hooked on it.

My plan is basically to drop my current car, save some money and get a 2007 Mazdaspeed RX-8 (2007 should be enough either for a Mazdaspeed RX-8 or a new RX-7) and pay it in cash. Girlfriend OK'ed the plan, well, in fact she'd OK'ed a Porsche Turbo after we saw one with a child seat in the back.

I could keep the car with no problems, but on the other hand the most important thing is that I had it when I really wanted it. So I may take a rest.

Or may I don't.

In your situation I'd clearly drop it, because "it's just a car" (we all know it ain't, but other things are even more serious) and focus on getting another one later on, if you still want it then. Sports cars are about fun, thinking about money is not - so if the latter spoils the first, drop it.

budebaker

This is all very illuminating. My lease is going to cost me about 25k over four years on a fully loaded A/T, which isn't that great I suppose. I don't thrash my car though like the other poster though. This really does make me reconsider the idea of ever buying a used sports car, unless I knew exactly who had driven it before hand and how they treated it.

I definitely don't plan on keeping this A/T but will wait a bit longer before dumping it. Seeing what happens at work over the next few months and depending on that, I'll either get better performing sports car, a Z , maybe an 8 with a stick, an STI, not really sure... or just get something easier on the wallet.

ironmedic

cool the anti-AT group is forming already here. i just wish my wife would be willing to drive a stick otherwise i wouldnt consider dropping my 8. this time we buy a car, she will be driving a stick whether she likes it or not. she can do it but in the end, she says she is scared.