$199/mo for SV, 24mo, 12k miles -- too good to be true?

[KayserNissan]

Just wondering, will an RDR lock in the lease program+holdback+dealer cash even if Nissan doesn't renew them after the 1st?

Yeah essentially that locks the car in at whatever programs the vehicle currently has. The RDR process is the dealerships way of telling Nissan the vehicle is sold, and if it is sold in their minds then all rebates, dealer cash, ect... are locked in at whatever date the vehicle was put in the system.

That was what I had done, submitted the credit application, had them RDR the vehicle, ect... on 8.30.12; Didn't actually sign the paperwork until 9.17.12.


Fun little thing as well you can still technically back out of it so if the deals get better next month you can have them back out the sale and renew it with the new better rates/rebates/whatever The VERY end of the month is generally the best time to buy/lease because if you can get the dealership on board to lock you in with the current rates, hold off signing until 2nd/3rd of the next you can check the new programs out.

Big +1 to Joe here at Kayser Nissan for going into all these details and arming potential customers with the data they need to negotiate a good deal. Anyone near them should be buying/leasing their LEAFs from him!

Thanks

 

[bradbissell]

Big thanks to Joe at Kayser Nissan! I was able to negotiate (okay really demand) $11500 off msrp for a new 2012 SL at a local dealer. Now all I need to do is fight on the residual and money factor. They are quoting 56% residual and refusing to quote .00003. Even with the higher % interest the monthly cost is crazy cheap with $0 down.

Anyway, now I just have to decide if leasing a leaf that has been on the lot since April (in New England) is a good idea with the 2013's just around the corner.

 

[gergg]

Anyway, now I just have to decide if leasing a leaf that has been on the lot since April (in New England) is a good idea with the 2013's just around the corner.

This is my dilemma too, with talk about a potentially cheaper 2013 Leaf, better battery, range, heater, etc....geez might be able to get a lease price close to the 2012 deals and the hopeful improvements to boot.

 

[topaz420]

Yeah essentially that locks the car in at whatever programs the vehicle currently has. The RDR process is the dealerships way of telling Nissan the vehicle is sold, and if it is sold in their minds then all rebates, dealer cash, ect... are locked in at whatever date the vehicle was put in the system.

Thanks so much! I put a deposit via credit card - i think it's going to work out! if i weren't 2,500 miles away from you, I totally would have gone with you

Thanks again

 

[EatsShootsandLeafs]

Anyway, now I just have to decide if leasing a leaf that has been on the lot since April (in New England) is a good idea with the 2013's just around the corner.

This is my dilemma too, with talk about a potentially cheaper 2013 Leaf, better battery, range, heater, etc....geez might be able to get a lease price close to the 2012 deals and the hopeful improvements to boot.

I highly doubt a 2013 will be available at the current incentive rates, particularly if the thing is significantly better.

Remember that market adage about bulls making money and pigs getting slaughtered; you need to ask yourself at what point the deal will be "good enough". Even if a 2013 comes out and they are $19/month lease rates with $0 down (obviously never happen) it doesn't at all invalidate the current superb prices on a 2012. Irrespective of a 2013's benefits and/or prices the 2012s are now, objectively, available at great prices.

But, again I cannot envision a case in which the 2013 comes out, is in fact significantly better, and can be had at 2012 type pricing, at least not for a long time. And if I'm wrong, 24 months from now you grab yourself a 2014 or 2015 lease and that's that.

 

[topaz420]

I highly doubt a 2013 will be available at the current incentive rates, particularly if the thing is significantly better.

I agree - there was *one* rumor that it might be a few thousand $ less, but that still hasn't been confirmed. So if it doesn't come true, then you're scrambling in January to grab one of the last 2012s left.

 

[bradbissell]

So after a lot of thought last night, I have decided to wait until the 2013's are out. For me, the better heater, and faster charger will make a lot of difference in the winter. Even if range is the same, I figure the faster charger will let me get 24 miles-ish per hour of charge. That is huge and will make up for the lack of quick chargers in the area and lack of L2 at home. Also, the cars have been sitting at the dealer since April, and I figure I will get a "fresh" battery if I lease a 2013.

Anyway, thanks for all the help with pricing and lease rates. It was amazing talking to a dealer and not feel like I was getting the shaft.

 

[DaveEV]

So after a lot of thought last night, I have decided to wait until the 2013's are out.

All good reasons to wait!

 

[KayserNissan]

The residual and money factor I quoted are for the WI/midwest/whatever region I am in. 56->57% residual differences may exist since it is fairly nominal. Money factors will fall under that same "I only know WI, might be massively different in New England region". That said however, dealerships can mark up money factors haha

As far as the '12 vs '13 debate going on right now, one major thing to think about is Nissan is also aware the '13s are around the corner. IMO the major reason the deals have gotten as great as they have is because of this. I wouldn't expect the 2013s to look anything like the pricing here for quite some time. I personally would put my money on the leases looking similar to what the pricing was back in April/May.

Need to do what is right for you though! I'll post any details up here later if anything has changed for this month.

 

[EatsShootsandLeafs]

I wouldn't expect the 2013s to look anything like the pricing here for quite some time. I personally would put my money on the leases looking similar to what the pricing was back in April/May.

Yep, as a lay person who follows lease pricing with some regularity this is what I think, too, and given your honesty and pricing here I'd say this is pretty darn certain now.

 

[ljwobker]

Also agree... I manage product lines for a very large company (not automotive, but lots of similarities). Nissan has to be aware of what their inventory looks like, what they want/plan to charge for the 2013s. When they look at these numbers, they've clearly decided that subsidizing/refunding/incentive-izing the dealers to move a LOT of 2012 stock is what they want... so they're willing to eat some really high discounts and give big rebates now... the only reason this makes sense is if they think the announcement/introduction of the 2013s will make the 2012s even harder to sell.

So I think there's at least SOME chance that after the 2013s are announced the 2012 deals might get even a little bit better... but at some point they can't get all that much better.

To me, the really interesting question is going to be "what are they going to do with all these 2012's that come off-lease in 24 or 36 months?" At some point this becomes more like selling computers than it does cars.. if the technology moves/changes quickly, it depreciates the existing vehicles a lot faster than "the system" is used to. One interesting idea would be to figure out if there's enough volume to "re-work" all the 2012's with new battery packs/chargers, assuming that's the high-value piece of what changes.

 

[TomT]

Personally, I would never consider a 2 year lease. You lose the California $2,500 rebate, plus, changing a car every two years is simply too much of a hassle and expense.

 

[KayserNissan]

2 things -

(1) the incentives have changed for the LEAF officially, I'll get details up here in a bit with how much.

(2) Going back to the 24v36 month thing, the CA rebate was the big exception to the rule for taking a 36mo. However if you do a bit of math... For ease of comparisons, we'll assume that the 24 and 36 month lease payments are the same (real world the 36 is normally a few bucks higher), using $250x24 payments = $6,000; $250x36 = $9,000. So you're paying $3000 to get a $2500 tax credit. That also said that 3rd year of ownership of the lease is only $500 compared to the first two at $3000 each.

So it just comes down to personal preference. Getting the newer LEAF a year earlier or getting one hell of a bargain on the 3rd year of the lease. Again this only applies for CA or any other state that requires you to own/lease for 3 years to get the state credit


ljwob brings up my biggest concern personally. Which I'll touch on later after I get the new lease stuffs sorted out. What is the market going to look like in 24 months. Right now they're holding value about right, but my guess is that after the majority of folks leases end they'll dump them and opt for the newer model because there for sure will be changes for the 2014/15 model year.

 

[KayserNissan]

Official new incentives!

- Lease rebate dropped from $8050 to $7675
- Loss of $1000 dealer cash
- Gain of $3500 dealer cash....if purchased not leased.

So yeah, they are now pushing the purchases instead of leases So anyone looking to buy one, now is the time! Leasers...hope you got yours locked in last month.

 

[Train]

To me, the really interesting question is going to be "what are they going to do with all these 2012's that come off-lease in 24 or 36 months?" At some point this becomes more like selling computers than it does cars..

Bing fricken O.

I said this almost two years ago. Who's going to buy a used 4-5 year old Leaf with a 40 mile range? With the recent happenings in Arizona, make that 2-3 year old Leafs.

And therein lies the conundrum. That person now wants the latest, greatest EV. A three year old Civic (Corolla, Versa, whatever ICE car) will still get the same mileage. A three year old Leaf? Not so much.

Disposable car, indeed.

 

[minghi]

Official new incentives!

- Lease rebate dropped from $8050 to $7675
- Loss of $1000 dealer cash
- Gain of $3500 dealer cash....if purchased not leased.

So yeah, they are now pushing the purchases instead of leases So anyone looking to buy one, now is the time! Leasers...hope you got yours locked in last month.

Hi, Thank you for the information. Any chance last month deals will repeat next month? All depends on this month's sales right? what is the best lease deal with the numbers available today?

 

[KayserNissan]

If I could predict the future I wouldn't have a job but yeah next month, or even mid month changes to leases/dealer cash/ect.... are impossible to predict. A lot depends on inventory at dealerships and the holding pen; how well they are or aren't selling; how quickly they are going to announce the '13s; if there are any changes to the '13

As far as numbers go, if you worked out any numbers recently yourself, with the removal of funds this month will add about $55-60/mo to the figures on a 24month lease, around $38-40 on a 36 month. So now it might be better to do 36 over 24 months lol.

 

[minghi]

Well said and exactly what I wanted to hear. thanks

 

[bradbissell]

Have money factors remained the same since last month?

 

[ljwobker]

Have money factors remained the same since last month?

Even if they've changed, the effective interest rates (at least that I've seen...) are so low that they end up being close to "not even a rounding error" compared to the other components of the lease...

whether you're paying 0.9% or 1.7% or 2.9% on a 24 or 36 month lease ends up being a pretty small amount of money.