Actually.........you're way off the mark.

Leasing is a much cheaper option over 3 years (in terms of monthly repayments) than financing the full price of the vehicle over 3 years (even with 0% finance), since you're only paying for the depreciation of the vehicle over the term of the lease, not the full value of the car.

If the Sti is $36,000 (for arguement's sake) then without any downpayment or trade-in, your monthly repayment on a 0% loan would be $1000 per month over 36 months..........a similar 36 month lease with, say, $3000 first payment would PROBABLY be around $500 to $600 per month over 36 months.

The obvious downside to leasing is that you don't own the car after the 3 year lease and have to hand it back..........there are many people who's only access to their "dream car" is to lease it and then hand it back..........it certainly is financial suicide if you get stuck in a perpetual leasing trap though,m and no mistake.

 

actually you just helped me make the point that i'm not OFF THE MARK with leasing......at the end of the lease, you will own nothing.....and you'll prob have a ton of over charge for extra miles that you ran up. don't tell me some young kid is gonna stick to his miles......no way.....never gonna happen!!! a lease in this scenario would be suicide.....unless you are positive that you won't go ove the miles and you plan on buying the car out i see no reason to lease a car. the only guys i know that lease are people who lease their bizz car cause they're getting a new one every 12 months and they drive a certain amount of miles, they don't go over it....i just see NO WAY a younger guy could ever make out with a lease. i would say buy a used 2.5RS and throw some cash into it. just my $.02!!! later, riggs

 

Unless your parents are floating you a good chunk, making the payments on the STi, plus the cost of maintaining it will eat you a live. I had an Audi S4 for 2 years during college, and though I was making around $50k work part time, I tired of having that constant liability looming, then I had to consider the cost of housing/food/etc... it just got to be too much. Wait until you have nothing else to pay down at least.

 

holy **** what were you doin?? 50 k as a college student PT? Most adults do not make that much full time with a BA degree.