Leasing vs. Buying a Car: Pros & Cons

When you lease a car you will usually negotiate payments, set a lease duration, and pay a small set of fees up front. Leasing a car is basically the same as renting an apartment; you'll agree to terms and the duration in your contract, giving you the ability to use the car for a reasonable monthly fee.

Buying a car can also involve financing or purchasing the car for the full price outright. This is one of the biggest differences between leasing and buying: when you get to the end of your lease terms, you usually won't own the car, whereas buying a car means you are the legal owner the second the documents are signed.

You may be asking "Well, what are the advantages of leasing a car vs buying a car?" Whether leasing or buying is right for you depends on what features you are looking for, what your budget is, and how long you plan to have the same vehicle. Let's take a look at a couple of pros and cons for buying vs leasing a car.

Pros of Leasing a Car:

• Better for Those on a Budget: If you are on a fixed income or don't tend to have much leftover outside the necessities, leasing can offer to keep recurring costs at a much more reasonable level. Monthly lease payments are almost always lower than monthly car payments and can be much more gentle on those trying to stick to a specific budget. Use GoodCar's Lease Calculator to get an estimate of a fair lease deal on the car you are interested in leasing. Keep in mind that the lease price can be affected by minor factors like API rate, incentives, and the vehicle sticker price.
• Better Initial Protection: More often than not a lease will include a manufacturer's warranty, which can help cover the bills in the event your vehicle necessitates large repairs. These warranties can also cover basic vehicle maintenance like oil changes; check your contract and speak with your car dealer to see what warranty options they offer.
• Avoid a Giant Down Payment: Purchasing a car often comes with a big case of sticker shock. While leasing usually comes with a small set of fees, buying a car will almost always involve a significant percentage paid before the vehicle leaves the lot. These down payments can be as high as 20% or more; overall, a lease can be a way for those with a bit less cash upfront to get the car they desire.
• Access to Higher-end Vehicles: Because payments for a leased car are lower, you can often drive vehicles that would be outside your buying power. Financing the total cost of a high-end car can put immense strain on your wallet, but with a lease, you only get to use the vehicle for a set number of months. Even if you lease-to-own, changes in the car market could make your car more affordable than it was at singing.
• Try Out Different Rides: If you are someone who doesn't like to be tied down by one kind of car for too long, car leases can offer you the ability to try out a new vehicle without any hassle. Most lease terms last between 24 and 48 months, and once they're done you don't need to worry about reselling the car; just pick a different car, sign a new lease, and drive away with your new ride.

Cons of Leasing a Car:

• Those Small Fees Can Add Up: Depending on the terms you negotiate in your lease contract, you could easily end up paying a number of excess fees for easily made mistakes. For example, if your lease has a "wear-and-tear" clause that requires the car be returned according to a certain standard. An unscrupulous dealer could take advantage of something as small as a crack in the window to take a few more dollars out of your pocket.
• The Vehicle Isn't Really Yours: Unfortunately, the nature of a lease means that you have no real equity in the car. While you are renting the vehicle you have the right to drive it, but once your lease terms end, the car goes back to the dealership. Some leases will give you the option to buy the car out after your terms have expired (which can be advantageous in an elevated vehicle market.) But if there is no buyout clause in your contract, you'll need to find a new form of transportation in a couple short years.
• Routine Service Is Often Required: Be sure to check your lease contract for anything regarding routine service, as many dealerships will require you to upkeep the car based on certain criteria. Hopefully the cost of routine service is included in your terms; if it isn't, you may find yourself paying hundreds of extra dollars to cover small maintenance like:
  • Changing the oil filter
  • Replacing the headlights, turn signals, and brake lights
  • Rotating the tires
  • Getting oil changes
  • Maintaining coolant levels
  • Keeping tires within a certain tread depth
• Annoying Mileage Restrictions: To try to keep vehicle's in the best condition possible many dealerships will tack on mileage restrictions to your lease terms. These terms are up for negotiation, and many lesser's will be open to trading higher monthly payments for a higher mileage limit. Be careful though! Dealerships will usually charge a fee if this limit is exceeded, further increasing your overall costs.

Pros of Buying a Car:

• You Own the Vehicle: This may seem obvious, but one of the best things about car ownership is…car ownership! With a lease, the end of your terms is always on your mind; eventually, a car (that you may have come to love) will have to make its way back to the lot. By buying your car you ensure that the vehicle is yours until you sell it or it ceases to function.
• Drive to Your Heart's Content: If you purchase a car, there is no way for a dealership to limit your mileage. That means whether you want to drive 100 miles a year or 100,000, there are no extra fees hovering over your head.
• You Can Sell It: A bought car is your property, meaning that if the time comes where you grow tired of the vehicle, you are welcome to sell it. With fluctuating car markets, it's even possible that your vehicle is worth more than you paid for it. Selling a car for a profit, even small, is something you simply can't do when leasing a vehicle.
• No Required Maintenance: Because there are no lease terms binding you to a certain car-owning behavior, you won't need to worry about keeping your vehicle up to certain standards. While everyone should engage in proper car maintenance, life gets busy; if you forget to get an oil change, should you really have to pay a fee? With buying a car, there is no one to nag you pay for being a bit forgetful.

Cons of Buying a Car:

• That Sticker Shock: Sometimes it's required and sometimes it isn't, but no matter what form it comes in a down payment can be a significant chunk of money. If a dealership requires a down payment, you can find yourself paying as much as a fifth of the vehicle cost before it even leaves the lot. Even if you don't make a down payment, that cost doesn't just disappear. The cost will just be rolled into even larger monthly payments.
• A Strain On the Monthly Budget: speaking of larger payments, there's another advantage of leasing over buying: it lowers your monthly expenses. Making payments on a car you intend to own almost always involves a much higher cost than leasing. Yes, you get to own the car at the end, but that doesn't make those monthly bills any easier to stomach.
• Maintenance Still Required: Just because there isn't a lease forcing you to maintain your car, doesn't mean you won't be forking out some dough. For your vehicle to remain in proper working order, you will need to maintain and repair it when necessary. You may not have to meet the criteria set by a lease agreement, but you'll definitely still be taking the car into the shop every once and a while.
• Risk of Getting Scammed: Buying a car, especially a used car, can open you up to a wide variety of scams. Odometer rollback, buying a "lemon", title washing; all of these and more can occur if you aren't careful. Leasing a car almost always takes place through a dealership, giving the transaction a bit more legitimacy.