Lease vs Buy - check out these numbers

[srl99]

Seems like you should be filing some consumer complaints against dealer #1. If auto dealers are licensed in your state, that's a good place to start. I'm a big fan of the raspy voiced TV "consumer" reporters.

I don't know anything about your numbers - but this is quite a common dishonest dealer trick - some other power comes into the picture after the deal is "done" and says his guys screwed up. If you've ever seen a cheesy movie with good cop/bad cop this is the car dealer equivalent.

Also worth opening a case with Nissan. They are't likely to do anything, but if there are enough cases, they may act.

 

[BooKittyLeaf]

Agreed - funny thing is they didn't try & sell us any thing, or rework the numbers Like I did with another dealer on a Lease & Buy - to try & keep our businss. So it didn't seem like a Bait & Switch, as much as seemed like they just didn't want my business for what ever reason.

I would imagine if a Dealer had a "live" customer like myself ready to, buy, and the numbers mistake was actually an honest mistake (ha ha... at a dealer!), then the guys I dealt with would have contacted me to apologize & offer to rework a new deal. But no one contacted me at all since then.

Even after I reached out & gave them another opportunity, they pawned to another sales guy & none of the guys I originally worked with ever called me to say anything. Strange.

None the less, I got a way better deal thats more affordable and includes an opt-out after 4 years if needed - so it all worked out - their loss.

I Did search for a while to find contact info for Nissan corp... only a snail mail address - so Im sending a detailed complaint regarding that Dealer (Pinnacle Nissan, AZ... FYI). Im also gonna start a complaint with them formally via their chat or something... Ill track it down.

Also gonna light up the Consumer Reports & BBB

 

[TimLee]

Tax Credit - We would only get/qualify for +/- $1,500 of the $7,500 - so negotiating the Total sale price was key as there was not much for me on the back end.
...

If you only could use $1,500 of the $7,500 federal tax credit why would you ever be purchasing instead of leasing :?:
I think you owe dealer 1 a Thank You letter for messing up a purchase deal.
There is hardly ever a chance that a dealer is going to be able to discount $6,000 on a sale.
Occasionally on an older model in which NMAC is offering discounts.
But pretty rare even at the end of the month.
Listen to This American Life car dealer story for more on the end of the month thing.

I think NMAC is pretty set on residual.
Dealers that offered less had to pay the difference to NMAC.

If you are short on range, you should be looking at the % status of charge digital #.
That --- on the Distance to Empty , aka Guess-o-Meter isn't very helpful :shock:

Good luck on your 48 month, 15k miles per year lease in Phoenix.
Even with the heat resistant battery you may need it.
May qualify for capacity warranty battery replacement before the end of the lease. If you get near 60,000 miles buying for the residual with new battery is a pretty good deal.

 

[BooKittyLeaf]

May qualify for capacity warranty battery replacement before the end of the lease. If you get near 60,000 miles buying for the residual with new battery is a pretty good deal.

Thats what Im shooting for - capacity warranty replacement in the 4th year - even newer battery tech in 2018 probably. If its just hanging onto that 9th bar at 4 years - It goes back & I lease a 2019 - and no extra miles to pay for, thats why I got 15k miles and 4 years = 60k miles.

Regarding the Purchase and Dealer 1 - I was trying to beat them down enough to where it would come closed to equal the 7,500 tax credit - Yea... was VERY optimistic - I really didn't think I would be able to, but took it as a challenge - had nothing to loose as I could walk away & lease it. Looks like I got really close cuz they canceled the deal.

I am glad they canceled it as the Lease I got was way better - but I still dont like the way they handled it.

 

[TimLee]

...
I am glad they canceled it as the Lease I got was way better - but I still dont like the way they handled it.

I agree with that.
But unfortunately it seems like 90% of dealers work that way where the salesman deal is just a first proposal, and they send you through two or three tiers to attempt to make the deal worse for the customer.

Badly broken approach to selling cars both for the customer and the dealer.

 

[BooKittyLeaf]

...
Badly broken approach to selling cars both for the customer and the dealer.

Yes and totally unnecessary. The auto industry is one of the few "products" that force you to purchase through a middle man... the DEALERSHIP. Thats one reason why I went in overly optimistic & head strong to beat them down to an unrealistic price. I had nothing to loose and they went for it - it was a lot of fun. They couldn't even honor their own deal! My underlying objective was really the lease cuz on the $7,500 tax credit - but I wanted to see what would happen. Thats why Im not that upset at Dealer 1 - I expected them to do that. You would expect a Barking dog to bite... but just how far can you push until he does!

I read a story about the evolution of cars and car sales, and decades ago auto manufacturers cold sell directly to consumers, or through outlets like Sears back in he day - at their discretion. Then the Government stepped in and legislated some laws prohibiting car manufactures from selling directly to consumers... enter the Dealerships and the all the BS that comes with it.

Tesla is going against that grain & catching a lot of flack... we will see how that works out. to bad I dont have a spare $100,000 or that would be a fun deal to negotiate!

What would I do if I could just go to the manufacture, buy the car straight from them, peel off the plastic, put gas in, connect the battery & drive home..... yup, bypass a multi billion dollar industry, thats what.

I guess I can partially understand why the Government implements laws like that to protect us from ourselves... I mean, people still get hit by trains even today... how the H$$L does that happen when its on a track & you exactly where its gonna go... step away from the tracks my friend & save your own life!

 

[LeftieBiker]

When we leased a Prius PHEV we had to argue a lot with the Toyota salescreatures at two dealerships, and then they managed to misplace a $1k deposit in the final paperwork*, but when I leased my Leaf the Sales Manager himself wrote up the deal ($2k down, $149 a month, 24 months, 12k miles a year) at Destination Nissan in Albany NY. I didn't realize at the time what a great deal they gave me, and how little I had to argue - mostly about why I couldn't lease an S.

* This was the second dealer we dealt with. The saleswoman at the first one sat on our deposit for a PIP, knowing she couldn't get one, and thinking she'd just sell us a Prius II when time ran out on the PIP promotion. This while telling us she was getting one for us.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...1) Regarding Dealer 1. I will be taking my new Leaf to them to have all the scheduled maintenance done that costs me nothing, including the first 2 free battery checks - just to say thanks for nothing, as they will get nothing from me except the "friendly" reminder that they lost my business over a few hundred bucks!

Any Maintenance/accessories I will pay for, I will be taking to a dealer 10 miles away that was a great guy to negotiate with - real straight shooter & fun to talk to. His offer was just a bit high in the residual to win the bid. I did stop by a couple days later & we talked for 30+ min - we are both car guys...

Since you didn't care for the way Dealer 1 did business, I suggest taking your car elsewhere for even the routine free battery checks. The dealers are reimbursed for the work by Nissan so they do make money on all warranty service.

A black car in the Valley of the Sun? Sounds hot!

 

[CmdrThor]

Tesla is going against that grain & catching a lot of flack... we will see how that works out. to bad I dont have a spare $100,000 or that would be a fun deal to negotiate!

What would I do if I could just go to the manufacture, buy the car straight from them, peel off the plastic, put gas in, connect the battery & drive home..... yup, bypass a multi billion dollar industry, thats what.

I guess I can partially understand why the Government implements laws like that to protect us from ourselves... I mean, people still get hit by trains even today... how the H$$L does that happen when its on a track & you exactly where its gonna go... step away from the tracks my friend & save your own life!

If you buy a Tesla you don't negotiate. The price is the price for everyone. Thus you don't have to deal with Dealership BS.

 

[BooKittyLeaf]

Yup - thats what I meant - no negotiations - that would be refreshing and Fun - but whose got the cash to plunk down like that? And If I did have that kind of bank roll, I suppose my assistant would go & buy the car while Im poolside sippin' margaritas!.... Excuse me Sir - your new Tesla has arrived.... oh yea!

And YES, regarding Dealer 1 - we were gonna go there for the first fee checkup, just to say hello to our favorite salesmen and remind them that they they lost a customer. Thereafter we will go to another nearby Dealer I really favored during my negotiations, but just couldn't get the price right. We want to toss them all of our service business just for being cool to us.