Leasing should be called what it is, renting. Guys showing off their leased cars is like a guy saying check out my girlfriend and it's a rented prostitute.
If you are a leasing fan look at how much money you will spend in 12 years leasing cars. If you can't afford to buy an expensive car outright and you lease them for years you will throw away a lot of money away. Buy a car that that has a great reputation for reliability and keep it for 6 to 10 years.
The worse guy to get car buying advice is a car salesman. Also sources like Consumer reports and Edmunds gives you an idea what you can get the car for but they are really off. I once did 4K cheaper on a car that consumer reports claimed a dealer paid for it. Did the dealer make a profit on me. Hell yes. Dealers do not sell cars for a $100 dollar profit. They would be better off selling cookies door to door. This nonsense that you bought a car and they made chump change is the biggest con game going. They want you to leave thinking you beat them. They make thousands per car. What happens when they buy in bulk the get a different price depending on how many cars they buy. Car salesmen aren't privy to that information. I learned this from being involved with the government buying Crown Vics and Dodge Durangos under what any source on the internet said a dealer pays for the car. Don't ask to see the tissue invoice because you will be conned by bull shit paper.
Good post.
A friend of mine owns multiple towing companies in Phoenix. he tows repos. cars that have been seized by Police, broken down cars, etc..
Over 70% of these cars are never reclaimed. the owner got deported, went to jail, couldn't afford to fix it, whatever....and after 30 days, they are his cars...for FREE. and guess what....it just so happens that my friend ALSO owns 6 used car dealerships where he sells these cars that he got for free for thousands of dollars at astronomical interest rates
New cars, used cars...the automotive industry is the racket of rackets.