Fairway Subaru
2209 Laurens Road, Greenville, SC 29607Sales: 866-889-5618
- Service: 888-471-2389
- Parts: 888-902-7907
Lease Special Subaru Legacy
$199/Month Lease
Lease a 2012 Legacy for $199/Month on a 42-Month Lease (Standard model, code CAA-01)**
How do loans and leases differ?
When you take out a loan, all of the money used to pay it off applies to your eventual ownership of the vehicle. The initial down payment and principal on the loan cover the total cost of the purchase. Lease payments, however, apply only to the use of the vehicle. The total sum of payments covers the vehicle's depreciation over the time you drive it and is usually less than the outright price of the vehicle.
When is ownership transferred?
When paid in full, a loan terminates and you assume ownership. Your bank sends you the title that had been held while the loan maintained an outstanding balance. When a lease period ends you forfeit the vehicle to the lessor, unless the lessor offers to sell the vehicle afterward. During the entire lease period the lessor maintains ownership and simply allows you to use the car. Ownership is only transferred if you chose to buy the vehicle after the lease terminates.
What factors determine the purchase price at the end of a lease?
Most leases rely exclusively on the residual value in determining the end of term purchase price. These closed-end deals require you to pay the fixed residual amount regardless of the actual market price. Open-end leases work differently in that the actual market value helps determine the purchase price. As a customer you are responsible for any difference between the residual and actual value when buying outright.
Which option makes the most sense?
The answer to this question depends on how you plan to use the vehicle. If you like the idea of driving a more expensive vehicle for a smaller monthly payment, leasing is a great option. However, if eventually owning the car is important, financing with a loan is the way to go.
What are the restrictions of driving a "borrowed" vehicle?
Annual mileage restrictions are a major limitation for customers who choose to lease. Lessors want their vehicles returned in saleable low-mileage conditions, so they place mileage caps on them. A typical yearly figure is between 12,000 and 15,000 miles. Beyond the established limit, fees accrue on a per-mileage basis, usually in the range of $0.10 to $0.25 per mile. So if most of your driving is local, leasing makes sense. However, if you consistently tack on 500 or more miles a week, definitely look into a loan.
What are the other virtues of a loan?
Loans are also sensible for those who want to customize their vehicles, plan on keeping their cars for long periods of time and plan to re-sell their vehicles to help recoup the costs of ownership or expenses of additional cars. For those who quickly wear vehicles out, loans may be safer bets as lessors often add "excessive wear" charges if the car is returned with wear over the limits established by the contract.
Why lease?
Leasing ensures that you'll always drive a late-model vehicle, won't have to pay for warranty-covered repairs and won't have to bother with re-selling at the end.
