Which WRX should I lease?

MKZ

Subaru has on sale event going on and I like to get one of those WRX(not STi).
I found the deals like
$229/mth for 2008 4 doors
$299/mth for 2008 5 doors
$399/mth for 2009 5 doors.
I love to get 2009 but the price difference is much.
They have 41hp more, stiffer suspension, bigger tires, etc..
Can you please advice which one?
Anybody have good experience with dealers in around Canton,Ohio?

bobman1235

Wow that extra hundred bucks is really steep.

Personally, I'd go with an '08 5-door. I'm a big hatchback fan, and while the '09 is probably the better car I couldn't imagine it justifying that kind of cost.

concealer404

If you can swing the extra $100, i'd do it. It's MARGINALLY less car than the STi.

Ah crap, i voted for the 5 door. I meant the 4 door.

zingo

The 2008 4 doors are sweet cars.

Face

I saw a 09 5 door in person the other day, it looked pretty hot!

Jstas

I wouldn't lease, I'd buy.

MKZ

The reason I'm leasing the car is I live in NYC and paying $200 for garage now.
I have had many problems parking on the street before like hit and run, broking in windows, bumping on my hood and grill by SUV, etc.. I am thinking to lease the car, park it on the street, I will fix if there is any damages and return it back 3 years later.

daniel_paul_

MKZ wrote: »

The reason I'm leasing the car is I live in NYC and paying $200 for garage now.
I have had many problems parking on the street before like hit and run, broking in windows, bumping on my hood and grill by SUV, etc.. I am thinking to lease the car, park it on the street, I will fix if there is any damages and return it back 3 years later.

The lease company will kill you with fees if the car has damage. I prefer to buy because you will have to pay to fix the car either way. Plus a stick in NYC??? Seriously!

PhantomOG

The '09 5 door is hot.

Why is fixing a car and handing it back to the dealer any smarter than fixing the car and keeping it? Not saying its not a good idea, I just don't follow the logic.

Face

PhantomOG wrote: »

The '09 5 door is hot.

Why is fixing a car and handing it back to the dealer any smarter than fixing the car and keeping it? Not saying its not a good idea, I just don't follow the logic.

I agree, you're just asking for headaches down the road.

daniel_paul_

FWIW, I have an 05' wrx wagon. I really hate city driving in it. Because of the turbo it is hard to start-n-stop drive at regular speed. You can stay out of the boost and drive somewhat slow with people behind all over you or you can hammer down and drive really fast then jam on the breaks at the next light. I love my car, just something to think about.

PS: Sawmill parkway. Two thumbs up.

MKZ

I use the car only on weekends like back and forth from Boston, New York sometimes Ohio so stick shouldn't be problems. I like original paint and I just don't feel comfortable with re-paints. That's just me.

shack

I wouldn't LEASE any car...period! If I were to purchase one it would be the 2008 4 door because you would probably get the better deal.

kgingras

MKZ wrote: »

I use the car only on weekends like back and forth from Boston, New York sometimes Ohio so stick shouldn't be problems. I like original paint and I just don't feel comfortable with re-paints. That's just me.

Who needs a car in NYC? If you only need it on weekends it'll be cheaper to rent as needed.

SKsolutions

If own your own business, or do a profit loss schedule, leasing can often make more sense -tax wise. You will also know how reliable it's been, and whether it's worth the buyout option.

MKZ

I think it will pretty beat up parking on the street after 3 years. I don't want to keep that car and don't wanna have trouble selling it. I think I will loose that amount of money even though financing it. Does it make sense at all? I think I will go get a lease on 2008 4 doors or finance on 2009 5 doors this friday. What do you guys think?

Ron-P

Leasing is a waste of money. Buy it, own it, and get some sort of return on the thing when you're done with it. Leasing is like renting, a waste.

With the economy as it is you should be able to work a killer deal. Heck, earlier this year I got a great deal on my '08 Eclipse plus 0% financing for 5 years.

BeRad

Don't lease, finance or buy an '04.

SKsolutions

Leasing a car is nothing like renting because you have the option of an equity stake at any time, while only paying the projected depreciation. The total depreciation paid is applied toward the purchase/lease price you negotiated. I have around 2K in equity in my 2007 lease. My total cost of ownership is lower, and the tax benefits are better in my case. You can and should negotiate a lease as you would a sale. There are other benefits as well. Nothing wrong with leasing, and the whole no-finance-charge thing gives me wood. Just don't go way over the mileage/trash it -if you can't afford to buy it out.

WilliamM2

My family has been in the car business for over 50 years now. My uncles who currently own and operate the dealerships have always told me that unless you own a business, a lease is a poor choice. If you don't buy at the end, you own nothing, if you do decide to buy, it would have been cheaper to just buy it in the first place.

Leasing is just another way the manufacturers came up with to get people into cars they really can't afford.

MKZ

I like the lip, grill and rim.

Sami

Can't really tell anyone what to buy or do when it comes to cars, but the wisest thing to do financially would be to locate a low mileage used 2-3 old WRX (or even STi but those could have be driven very hard) that can be bought for the same monthly payment as your new lease would be. Afterall, you're only doing weekend driving.

If you want a new car, well, can't decide which one, but I'm on the buy-not-lease group as well.

MKZ

Well, currently I financed my 05 lexus and the amount I owe is more than the car value right now so basically I'm losing all my down payment, monthly payment. And if I want to get new 1 and trade it in going to get worse.

I did regularly check those used cars on eBay, craiglist, autotrader. They usually being modified or driven hard. So I'm out of my patient looking for used. I was looking at 06' evo, 04,05 STi or any WRX. I could find some nice s2000 but they are not very convenient for me.

Sami

Used car prices have gone down quite a bit. So I take it you're not happy with your Lexus? If you trade in your car every couple of years, the money saved on ownership is mostly lost anyways as the value of car plummets as soon as it leaves the dealership. That's why I don't buy new cars anymore, only used.

billbillw

MKZ wrote: »

I think it will pretty beat up parking on the street after 3 years. I don't want to keep that car and don't wanna have trouble selling it. I think I will loose that amount of money even though financing it. Does it make sense at all? I think I will go get a lease on 2008 4 doors or finance on 2009 5 doors this friday. What do you guys think?

The problem is, the lease company/dealer will charge you big time. They expect cars to come off of lease looking like new. If they are not, they will charge you thousands of dollars.

I agree with others. Find a used WRX and buy it. I've seen them selling with 30k or less miles for around $16k. You could also look at a used Saab 9-2x Aero which is the same engine/chassis as the WRX, but Saab interior, bodywork, and suspension. Most agree that Saab improved things. Quieter ride, nicer looks, better warranty too.
Here's a nice one up near you
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/cto/894917988.html (doh, that's an automatic, might not want it)

BTW, the car magazines generally like the previous generation of WRX better. Subaru has taken much of the fun out of the current generation. They are not as raw as they used to be. This may be changing with the 09 model, but that was definitely the case with the '08 model.

AsSiMiLaTeD

There are scenarios when leasing can be better than buying a car, depending on what kind of rate you can get, if it's a subsidized lease, residual value of the car, how often you change vehicles, etc...

Just blindly saying that buying is better than leasing without knowing the full picture doesn't make any sense.

billbillw

MKZ wrote: »

Well, currently I financed my 05 lexus and the amount I owe is more than the car value right now so basically I'm losing all my down payment, monthly payment. And if I want to get new 1 and trade it in going to get worse.

I did regularly check those used cars on eBay, craiglist, autotrader. They usually being modified or driven hard. So I'm out of my patient looking for used. I was looking at 06' evo, 04,05 STi or any WRX. I could find some nice s2000 but they are not very convenient for me.

Why exactly do you want another car? What's wrong with your 05 Lexus? If you are upside down on it (owe more than worth), you just need to keep it. With the strong resale value of Lexus, it will eventually be worth more than you owe.

shack

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote:

Just blindly saying that buying is better than leasing without knowing the full picture doesn't make any sense.

Good reasons to lease are practically non-existant. Granted one can be sold on a lease but because of the way they are structured with fees and so forth they are bad for most everyone.

MKZ

There's nothing wrong with Lexus and I like it for smooth ride.
It may sounds stupid but I'm thinking to keep it in my wife's home @Boston and use it when I get there. So I don't have to pay $200 for garage in NYC and instead I got WRX for that money.

I know there are many lease vs loan calculator out there and buying is better in the end if you plan to keep the car.

Sami

Ok, sp if I followed it correctly you think your Lexus is worth keeping in garage but a brand new, leased WRX is not.

billbillw

Sami wrote: »

Ok, sp if I followed it correctly you think your Lexus is worth keeping in garage but a brand new, leased WRX is not.

I just don't think he realizes how much the lease company will charge him for damages. Nothing like paying $2xx for a car for 2-3 years, then you have to pay $3-4000 in damage fees, AND give them the car. No effing way will I ever lease a car.