|
Leasing Tips
10 Steps to Leasing a New Car
Step 5: Finding the exact car to lease.
From Edmunds.com
Video highlights of this article
If you followed the "10 Steps
to Finding the Right Car for You," it should be obvious which car you want
to lease. This means you know the make, model, trim level, options and color.
The more flexible you can be, the better the lease deal you will be able to make.
For example, a shopper might be very firm about the make, model and trim level,
but could accept a variety of options and colors. If another shopper definitely
wants hard-to-find options and a specific color, it will be more difficult to
make a great deal. Why? You have no leverage as a negotiator. You have to pay
the dealer's lease rate or try to locate another identical vehicle. Obviously,
if you do find the exact car you're looking for, there's no need to volunteer
this information to the dealership.
In any case, locate the exact car you want by sending e-mails to the Internet
managers at dealerships in your area. On Edmunds.com, you can simultaneously solicit
lease quotes from multiple
dealers. In some cases, you may have to follow up with a phone call. Say something
like: "I want to lease a 2003 Matsura Accell for three years. I'm not too fussy
about the color but I don't want black or white. I want ABS and side airbags.
What do you have on your lot? And can you give me a lease payment?" Often the
salesperson will have to check his inventory and call you back. After a few phone
calls, you will have a good idea of how widely available the car is. If there
are several dealerships offering the same car, you will be in a better position
to get a rock-bottom lease payment.
As you make phone calls and exchange e-mails with the dealership's Internet manager,
take careful notes about the lease quotes you receive. You should have already
calculated your lease payments yourself using the Edmunds.com lease calculator . Now, compare the quotes you get to your own calculated lease
payments. Record the information you receive about each car you locate, including
the color, options and the dealership name. This will save time as you continue
to shop for a good leased car.
|
