My 'InBox' seems to be corrupted or something as its indicating a status of "Empty" yet all PM's to me bounce back with a message of the box being full. Its been going on for two weeks now and is quite annoying.

Anyway, I'd be happy to provide you with info.
As based on my research efforts I selected 'LeaseCompare.com' (Automobile Consumer Services Inc.) as my third paty financer. I have the lease agreement here as I'm reviewing the small print prior to sending back there signed copies. The following information is specific and applicable to my own specific case and of course your own quote may vary:

New 2004 Subaru Impreza AWD WRX STi Sedan | Odo.: 2 miles
Negotiated Cost: $29,640
* (includes $555 Freight)
Gross Capitalized Cost: $30,385.00
* (includes $695 Acquisition Fee + $50 Document Fee)
Residual Value: $15,459.50
* (equates to 49.008%)
$472.56/mo. @ 38mo. based on a 0.001960 Money Factor
* (Money Factor equates to a 4.704% APR)
$0.00 <Zero> Capitalized Cost Reduction
* (Cap. Cost Reduction fee is not deductible, thus I never pay it!)
15K mile limit/year
* ($0.18 over mileage penalty)
Amount due at delivery: $1,651.76
* (includes a first month payment of $472.56)
My auto insurance rate is $360.63 /6 months
* (My carrier is Nationwide and is a corp. policy)

< Additional costs include $56.50 one-way ticket via AirTran from BWI, MD to Rochester Intl. Airport, NY (the next best quote was $415!), fuel for the return trip to VA and my time. >

At the end of the lease term I plan to purchase the car outright with cash resulting in a finance equal to that of a conventional loan with monthly payments at half the cost. I'll decide to keep it or sell it privately at a profit depending on how resale values go.

Do note that my money factor is in fact _lower_ than the current rate as quoted at LeaseCompare.com due to my personal credit rating, the capitalized cost (less the $30K), and the fact that I negotiated it too. The current money factor is about a 1/4 point higher but it vacilates based on national economic factors.

At the beginning of this STi project I had set price points in that I would not pay more than MSRP for this car, as I've actually never paid MSRP on any car. I also refused to pay more than $500/month, would pay no cap cost. reduction and would lease rather than purchase.
I already passed on an STi about 60 days ago as moy local dealer wanted MSRP and would not go south of that number. All the other local dealers are charging MSRP + $2-5K profit + adding on accessories. At that time lease numbers weren't yet released so I gambled, waited and kept searching for a dealer that would deal. I finally found two dealers, one near Boston loaded with options at $1K _below_ MSRP and Van Bortel willing to sell me a base car with no options which is exactly the setup I wanted (a stripper).

Thus far I'm very pleased with my salesperson experience at Van Bortel via Patrice Everest. The folks at LeaseCompare.com have been equally helpful & quite efficient. My only complaint is toward the F&I dept. at Van Bortel as again those guys dropped the ball and delayed my pick-up by a weekend. I'd buy my next Subaru from Van Bortel without a second thought.

I hope you find this information useful.
If you contact Van Bortel or LeaseCompare.com tell them 'Henry' sent you, and they'll know to treat you right.

- Henry aka 'Janq'

 

I plan to take I-81 South through NY & PA heading to Hagerstown & Frederick, MD and hopping over to NoVA via Leesburg. Do you have any input toward things to look out for during my ride?
Specifically I'll be 'DWB' so should I be on the look out for local/county/state police & sheriff personnel or can I expect a relatively long & boring but hopefully uneventful drive home?

The hardest part will be remembering to siwtch up gears & travel at constantly varying speeds and avoiding speeding (I don't own a radar detector) as I normally go rocketing through PA on my trips to Western Mass.

This drive is gonna suck...

- Janq

 

and another i hate about the police is i got pulled over and the light was yellow so i was going a descent speed and if i hit my brakes i probllay would of got rearended so i kept going and and by this time the light is about to turn red and i went through and i look to my left and there was a cop sitting there waiting for people who speed and run red lights so im like o **** and i slow down but he pulls out put his lights on and pulls me over for a traffic viloation.