Lexus

1103_lexus_ct200h

2011 Lexus Lease Rates – March 2011

Published by G


Surprisingly enough, the majority of the Lexus lineup renamed the same as February (that’s three consecutive months with same rates!). However, there are exception. The GS350 AWD had 1% drop in residual and the HS got a drop in MF (residual stayed the same). Lastly the RX350 gets a drop in money factor (same residual). Not a bad month for Lexus (just look at the IS250, cheap!). Overall, you should enjoy about the same payments as last month for most models and slightly less for others (HS and RX). Lower prices should also make March a better month than February.

A special note regarding when to buy/lease. It has been statistically proven that buying/leasing towards then end of a month is generally cheaper than at the beginning. Therefore, if you can afford to wait until the end of each month, do so. You could be saving hundreds just by being a little bit more patient.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2011 Lexus IS250 AT Sedan
MSRP – $34,690
Sale Price – $30,265
Monthly – $361+ tax
RWG Rating – 93.9

2011 LEXUS RX350 AWD
MSRP – $39,250
Sale Price – $34,329
Monthly – $435+ tax
RWG Rating – 89.8

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.


2011 LEXUS ES350
36 month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS350 AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS450h
36 month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS460
36 month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GX460
36 month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GX460 PREMIUM
36 month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS HS250H
36 month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00170 base money factor

2011 LEXUS HS250H PREMIUM
36 month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00170 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AT SDN
36 month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AWD AT SDN
36 month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AT CONV
36 month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00185 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS350 AWD AT SEDAN
36 month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS350 CONV
36 month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00185 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS-F
36 month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LS460
36 month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00190 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LS460 AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00190 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LX570
36 month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS RX350 AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00145 base money factor

2011 LEXUS RX450H AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00150 base money factor

1102_nissan_cube

Monthly Round-Up : February 2011

Published by G


Lease rates didn’t change much from last month, but sale prices dropped for most vehicles, which makes February a slightly better month than January. The were a few exceptions, such as in Honda’s case. Honda sales prices in the Southern California region seems to have gone up a bit, making the leases slightly more costly than back in December and January. You will see in the chart that certain Honda’s RWG rating have dropped slightly, but overall, still a very good lease compared to other brands and models.

I have been suggested to perhaps breakdown the Round-Up by class, which I think is a good idea. I will try to spend some time next month reorganize the list and rank the leases by class. In the mean time, enjoy February’s Round-Up!

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.

Ground Rules

  • Participating vehicles will be based on the lease rates gathered on this website during the corresponding month.
  • 36-month/15k lease terms will used for all calculations unless a better term is available.
  • A $1500 drive-off fee is assumed for all cars. Since fees and taxes vary from region to region, your drive-off may vary.
  • Sale Price estimates will be based on Truecar.com sales data in the Southern California region, so your numbers may vary.
  • All estimates assume you qualify for the base rate. A minimum FICO® Score of 700 may be required.
  • Sales taxes are not included since different states handle taxes differently. Please refer to “Understanding Sales Tax” to learn how taxes affect your monthly payments.
  • The rating system used is based on RIDE with G’s Lease Calculator. The closer you are to the 100 rating, the better the deal. Anything exceeding a 100 rating is phenomenal.

Top Ten Finalists

click to view chart

First – 2011 Nissan Sentra SR (116.1)

Seems like the Civic and the Sentra have been trading places these last few months, so no surprise here. The Sentra is a better deal as a purchase right now since there are some rebates that aren’t available to leases.

Second – 2011 Mazda3s Hatchback (114.5)

Sometimes I wish I could get my hands on Mazda numbers more consistently. If I did, we would see a 3-way competition between Mazda, Nissan and Honda to see which dominates the Monthly Round-Up.

Third  – 2011 Honda Civic LX Sedan (114.4)

Numbers took a dive this month because sale prices have gone up. Further proof that you can’t just rely on residual and money factors alone.

Fourth – 2011 Nissan Altima S Sedan (104.1)

Since the Accord isn’t looking as good this month due to a higher sale price, the Altima makes for a good substitute.

Fifth – 2011 Infiniti G37 Sport Coupe (103.2)

If you are shopping for luxury sport coupes and don’t want to spend much money, this is your ride.

Sixth – 2011 Infiniti G37 Sport Sedan (103.0)

Do you see a pattern? This is the most bang for the buck when it comes to luxury sport sedans.

Seventh – 2011 Honda Accord CrossTour EX (101.4)

Car is getting discounted quite a bit this month. Surprising for a 2011 model.

Eighth – 2011 Infiniti G25 Journey Sedan (100.7)

A sensible choice for those seeking reasonable fuel economy and performance.

Ninth – 2011 Infiniti M37 AWD (98.2)

If I am ever willing to pay upwards of $500+ a month, this would be the ride I’d get.

Tenth – 2011 Honda Accord LX Sedan (97.5)

Dropped quite a bit, but mainly due to a higher sale. Nothing extra haggling with your dealer can’t fix.

Missing the Cut (Honorable Mentions)

2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport (97.3)
2011 Honda CRV LX AWD (97.2)
2011 Nissan Maxima S (96.4)
2011 Nissan Rogue S AWD (95.3)
2011 Nissan Versa S HB (95.2)
2011 Hyundai Sonata SE Turbo (94.7)
2011 VW CC Sport (92.7)
2011 Ford Edge SEL AWD (92.0)
2011 VW Tiguan S 4motion (91.9)
2011 Acura TSX (91.7)
2011 Acura TL (91.4)
2011 Volvo S60 T-6 (91.4)
2011 Lexus IS250 (91.3)
2011 Infiniti FX35 AWD (90.9)
2011 Mazda CX-9 Touring (90.7)
2011 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Premium (90.5)
2011 Audi A3 Premium (90.5)
2011 BMW 135i (90.0)

Parting Shots

If you didn’t notice, the bulk of the Top Ten List are Nissan made. This says a lot since the days of German cars being “great leases” is officially over. Nowadays, they are just good, not great. With BMW and Audi looking disinterested in providing any sort of “deal” to consumers.

On another note, I didn’t think I would see the day when a Volvo would “Miss the Cut”, but that day has arrived in the form of a S60 T6, which is on clearance due to the incoming 2012 model.

Lastly, many models received a price bump so payments may have gone up (or down) slightly. However, the overall feeling I am getting is that February is still a slightly better month than January. Expect bigger changes in March.

1102_lexus_rx350

2011 Lexus Lease Rates – February 2011

Published by G


Different month, same old lease rates. That is what the numbers look like this month for Lexus. Not the strongest leasing month, but I think the IS250 is a borderline good deal here due to a slightly lower sale price than anticipated. This allows the IS to squeak into the GOOD DEAL territory, which generally consists of rides with a RWG rating of 90 to 99.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2011 Lexus IS250 AT Sedan
MSRP – $34,690
Sale Price – $30,858
Monthly – $378+ tax
RWG Rating – 90.8

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.


2011 LEXUS ES350
36 month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS350 AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS450h
36 month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS460
36 month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GX460
36 month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GX460 PREMIUM
36 month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS HS250H
36 month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS HS250H PREMIUM
36 month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AT SDN
36 month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AWD AT SDN
36 month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AT CONV
36 month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00185 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS350 AWD AT SEDAN
36 month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS350 CONV
36 month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00185 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS-F
36 month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LS460
36 month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00190 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LS460 AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00190 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LX570
36 month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS RX350 AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00170 base money factor

2011 LEXUS RX450H AWD
36 month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00150 base money factor

civicRU

Monthly Round-Up: January 2011

Published by G


As you can see, the month of January is not as good as last December. Payments on cars in the Top Top list jumped anywhere from $20 to $50 per month, which translates to thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. The good news is that the Civic tops this month’s list for the third time in the last seven months. Impressive. Even more impressive is that fact that Honda and Nissan pretty much dominate this month’s Round-Up. As you all know, I highly recommend Hondas if you are a first time lessee. Their lease program is straight forward and economical compared to other brands. GAP coverage, damage waiver and no disposition fee simple blows the competition away.

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.

Ground Rules

  • Participating vehicles will be based on the lease rates gathered on this website during the corresponding month.
  • 36-month/15k lease terms will used for all calculations unless a better term is available.
  • A $1500 drive-off fee is assumed for all cars. Since fees and taxes vary from region to region, your drive-off may vary.
  • Sale Price estimates will be based on Truecar.com sales data in the Southern California region, so your numbers may vary.
  • All estimates assume you qualify for the base rate. A minimum FICO® Score of 700 may be required.
  • Sales taxes are not included since different states handle taxes differently. Please refer to “Understanding Sales Tax” to learn how taxes affect your monthly payments.
  • The rating system used is based on RIDE with G’s Lease Calculator. The closer you are to the 100 rating, the better the deal. Anything exceeding a 100 rating is phenomenal.

Top Ten Finalists

click to view chart

First – 2011 Honda Civic LX (116.9)

Not as good as last month, but still reasonable enough for what you are getting.

Second – 2011 Nissan Sentra S (111.0)

The customer cash is still there, but it’s not available for leasing. Therefore, not as good of a deal. If you buy cash or using third party bank to finance, you should be able to tap into that rebate.

Third  – 2011 Honda Accord LX Sedan (102.9)

I’m actually warming up to the mid-cycle refresh of the Accord. It gives it a “classier” look in my opinion, although the back look a little too much like the Hyundai Azera.

Fourth – 2011 Infiniti G37 Sport Sedan (102.9)

Technically tied the Accord for Third, but since the G37 is a manual and a bit harder to find, it gets penalized a little bit.

Fifth – 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour EX (101.4)

Not a bad ride for the amount of cash you pay, but not the kind of car I’d like on my drive way. It’s like a failed case study on how to clone the BMW X6.

Sixth – 2011 Infiniti G25 Sedan (100.8)

Seems like a lot of folks are warming up to the entry-level G sedan. With lease numbers like this, I can’t say I blame them.

Seventh – 2011 Nissan Altima S (100.5)

For this price range, I would rather have the Accord. However, I cannot deny that this is still one heck of a deal.

Eighth – 2011 Honda CR-V LX AWD (100.3)

Good deal if you are looking for a crossover. I’m still waiting on Honda to introduce a V6 version of the CR-V. Until that happens, I probably won’t consider leasing one.

Ninth – 2011 Nissan Maxima S (100.2)

Most of you will probably opt for the SV, which will cost you more. But if you manage to find some S on the lot, you should be able to cut a pretty good deal on them.

Tenth – 2011 Infiniti M37 (98.8)

I got three words for you: One. Sweet. Ride.

Missing the Cut (90+ rating)

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T SE (93.1)
2011 Honda Odyssey LX (95.4)
2011 Infiniti FX35 (97.4)
2011 Acura TL (98.3)
2011 Mazda3 i Sport (96.0)
2011 Mazda CX-9 GT (97.4)
2011 Mercedez-Benz C300 Sport (90.9)
2011 Lexus IS250 (90.3)
2011 Audi A3 (90.0)
2011 VW Tiguan S (91.0)
2011 VW CC R-Line (90.2)

Parting Shots

As stated before, not the best time to lease a car, but certainly not the worst. Probably better than the past few Januaries I’ve seen and comparable to last November in most cases. I’d would like to see more VWs, Hyundais and Acuras on the Top Ten though. Nissan and Honda have been dominating the list these past couple months, while BMW didn’t even get close to Missing the Cut. A little more variety would be great.

1101lexus

2011 Lexus Lease Rates – January 2011

Published by G


This month’s numbers are improved from last month. However, that’s not to say they are great (they are okay if you stick with the IS250). The MF has come down some what, but could still use a little bit more of a drop. The IS250 is looking like the best deal in terms of Residual/MF combination.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2011 Lexus IS250 AT Sedan
MSRP – $34,190
Sale Price – $30,608
Monthly – $379 + tax
RWG Rating – 89.85

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.


Lexus lease specials:

2011 Lexus IS250 AWD AT (MSRP: $37,070)
Monthly: $397 + TAX
Term: 36 months
Mileage: 10k/year
$0 cap cost reduction with 1st month, bank fee, and motor vehicle fee due
*If current Lexus customer, price drops to $367 per month


2011 LEXUS ES350
36month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS350 AWD
36month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS450h
36month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GS460
36month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00150 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GX460
36month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS GX460 PREMIUM
36month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS HS250H
36month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS HS250H PREMIUM
36month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AT SDN
36month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AWD AT SDN
36month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS250 AT CONV
36month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00185 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS350 AWD AT SEDAN
36month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00175 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS350 CONV
36month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00185 base money factor

2011 LEXUS IS-F
36month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LS460
36month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00190 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LS460 AWD
36month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00190 base money factor

2011 LEXUS LX570
36month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00210 base money factor

2011 LEXUS RX350 AWD
36month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00170 base money factor

2011 LEXUS RX450H AWD
36month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00150 base money factor

sentraRU

Monthly Round-Up: December 2010

Published by G

As this year comes to a close, here is this year’s last Round-Up. There have been noticeable changes to the rankings, with the C300, ML350 and the CLS550 getting tossed out of the top-10 list and being substituted by cars such as the Mazda6 and the Acura ZDX, to name a few. This is mainly due to a higher sale price, so if you managed to get in on last month’s excellent MB leases, congratulations. Even though many of the lease rates carried over from November, some of the sale prices have changed, which resulted in a large number of cars jumping into the “Missing the Cut” group. There’s still plenty of time to cut deals right now, so make sure to take advantage of it. Most lease rates will stay the same through January 3rd, giving you a few extra days to get in on those last minute deals. January is notorious for being a bad leasing month, so I don’t recommend waiting.

Please enjoy my last post of the year. I am essentially done collecting lease rates for the rest of the month, so my apologies if I didn’t get the numbers you were looking for. Don’t forget to use my lease calculator during your negotiations. It’s rating system is a very good tool and there’s nothing else like it out there. Plus, It does a fairly accurate job at predicting how good a deal is, so take advantage of it.

With that said…HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! And if you missed out on a new ride this year, there’s always next year!

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.

Ground Rules

  • Participating vehicles will be based on the lease rates gathered on this website during the corresponding month.
  • 36-month/15k lease terms will used for all calculations unless a better term is available.
  • A $1500 drive-off fee is assumed for all cars. Since fees and taxes vary from region to region, your drive-off may vary.
  • Sale Price estimates will be based on Truecar.com sales data in the Southern California region, so your numbers may vary.
  • All estimates assume you qualify for the base rate. A minimum FICO® Score of 700 may be required.
  • Sales taxes are not included since different states handle taxes differently. Please refer to “Understanding Sales Tax” to learn how taxes affect your monthly payments.
  • The rating system used is based on RIDE with G’s Lease Calculator. The closer you are to the 100 rating, the better the deal. Anything exceeding a 100 rating is phenomenal.

Top Ten Finalists

click to view chart

First – 2011 Nissan Sentra S (136.7)

There has been a big buzz surrounding the Sentra’s lease program this month. Regardless of whether the cash rebate is applicable to leases or not, you can’t deny how great the rates are on this econobox.

Second – 2011 Honda Civic LX Sedan (131.3)

Just like the Sentra, the Civic is a red-hot lease right now too. I think the design and styling is a bit aged, but certainly a step up from the Sentra. The car costs a bit more (than the Sentra), but it’s still a smoking good deal.

Third  – 2011 Honda Accord LX Sedan (119.4)

The mid-cycle refresh of the Accord makes it slightly more bearable, but I think the low monthly payments should keep most lessees happy since it doesn’t really burn a hole in your wallet to drive one of these well-built rides.

Fourth – 2010 Honda Accord CrossTour EX (118.3)

Honda is still trying to move the CrossTour this month. Lowest price I’ve seen is several hundreds less than last month, this means lower monthly payments because the lease rates haven’t change since last month.

Fifth –  2011 Nissan Altima S Sedan (114.2)

The Altima, like the Accord, are pretty good deals this month. However, I would recommend going with the Accord since Honda has a better lease program and costs about $500 less to lease over a three-year period.

Sixth – 2011 Honda CR-V LX AWD (110.8)

I made the mistake of not including this ride on last month’s top-10 list. This is an excellent lease on one of the most popular crossovers around. The only issue I have with the CR-V is it’s engine. I can’t believe there isn’t a V6 option! Honda, wake up!

Seventh – 2010 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport (107.6)

I’m am almost getting tired of listing the G37 Coupe Sport. Month in and month out, this ride is pretty much the sports coupe to get. If you are looking for a luxury coupe, look nowhere else.

Eighth – 2011 Mazda6 s Touring (105.0)

I think this is probably a better option than the Sonata if you are an enthusiast. In terms of driving dynamics, very few non-luxury brands can top Mazda. They don’t repetitively remind you of their “zoom-zoom” capabilities for nothing. This is a solid ride at a very good price.

Ninth – 2011 Nissan Maxima SV Premium (105.1)

Nissan seems to be back at it with the Maxima. Last summer and fall, we saw some insane deals on the Maxima, fully loaded! Right now, you are looking about the same thing. If you want a reasonable payment, four-doors, V6 power and lots of goodies, this is your car.

Tenth – 2010 Acura ZDX (99.5)

Acura didn’t do much in terms of lease rates, but it seems some dealers are becoming rather eager to unload remaining 2010 inventory. Once 2010 rolls around, this would technically be considered an “old-new” car. Which will probably be hard to lease. I think its a fine deal if you are into the whole “Crossover Coupe” thing.

Missing the Cut (90+ rating)

2011 Infiniti G37 Sedan (99.5)
2011 Infiniti G25 Sedan (98.4)
2011 Acura TL (97.3)
2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited (95.7)
2011 Mercedes-Benz ML350 (95.3)
2011 Infiniti FX35 (94.3)
2011 Honda Odyssey LX (93.7)
2011 Nissan Rogue SV AWD (93.7)
2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 (93.0)
2010 Acura TSX (92.7)
2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport (92.0)
2011 Lexus RX350 (91.7)
2011 Audi A3 (91.7)
2011 Hyundai Genesis V6 (91.2)
2011 Infiniti M37 (90.8)
2011 Hyndai Genesis 2.0T (90.5)

Parting Shots

This month’s best brand to lease is Honda/Acura. Their holiday lease programs are top notch and deserve a look (if you can past the old-fashion styling). Honda does need to “rework” their style a bit, but they still build some solid cars that are practical and easy to live with. Nissan/Infiniti have excellent offerings as well, as does Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz. Audi didn’t bring much to the leasing world this year (with the exception of the A3) and neither did VW for some odd reason. Anyway, I hope next year we get some American cars with great lease programs, that would be refreshing to see.

lexusmain

2010-11 Lexus Lease Rates – December 2010

Published by G

logo_lexusMy Take: 2010 numbers should have remained unchanged from November, which means the cash should still be there too. 2011 number look more attractive due to a lower mf and higher residual, but you probably won’t get as much of a discount. Will post more and make updates as they come, so stay tuned.

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.

2011

2011 LEXUS RX350 AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 64% | .00170 base money factor

2011 LS 460 RWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00155 base money factor

2010

2010 LEXUS ES350
36-month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS GS350
36-month | 15k miles | residual 49% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS GS350 AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS GS450h
36-month | 15k miles | residual 46% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS GS460
36-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS GX460
36-month | 15k miles | residual 49% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS GX460 PREMIUM
36-month | 15k miles | residual 49% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS HS250H
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS HS250H PREMIUM
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS IS250 AT SDN
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS IS250 AWD AT SDN
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS IS250 AT CONV
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS IS350 AT SEDAN
36-month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS IS350 CONV
36-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS IS-F
36-month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS LS460
36-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS LS460 AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS LS460 LWB
36-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS LS460 LWB AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS LX570
36-month | 15k miles | residual 46% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS RX350 2WD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS RX350 AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS RX450H 2WD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00210 base money factor

2010 LEXUS RX450H AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00210 base money factor

crosstourRU

Monthly Round-Up: November 2010

Published by G

I am hitting the November Round-Up real early this month! I know there are some missing numbers from other manufacturers, but I am planning to be off for the Thanksgiving weekend, so I won’t have time to work on this in the next couple weeks. Besides, the major players are in which makes this a fairly complete list.

One HUGE thing to note this month: 2010 lease rates are hard to find once 2011s are in, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t leasing well. If you are looking to get into say, the IS250, check a 2010 first since there should be some holiday cash available. Do this for every car that still has 2010 models available, because it is CLEARANCE time. Make sure to work numbers for the 2010 and the 2011 to see which is a better deal.

This month’s list is still pretty good, but not as good as last month’s. A lot of cars dropped off the list because their 2011 models don’t lease well right now. We are in a transition period, so as we cross-over to the 2011 model year, 2011s won’t lease well until the 2010 inventory dwindles.

Some of the leases calculations were based on a base models, therefore, the payment estimates are on the “lower” end. This was done to save myself some time as I crunch all numbers manually. Starting the next year, all vehicle estimates will be made at base price, so your payments should go up from that point and up.

Please read over the Ground Rules to get an idea as to how this estimates are calculated. I have also changed the format in order to provide a side-by-side comparison of the numbers using my lease calculator. Enjoy!

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Ground Rules

  • Participating vehicles will be based on the lease rates gathered on this website during the corresponding month.
  • 36-month/15k lease terms will used for all calculations unless a better term is available.
  • A $1500 drive-off fee is assumed for all cars. Since fees and taxes vary from region to region, your drive-off may vary.
  • Sale Price estimates will be based on Truecar.com sales data in the Southern California region, so your numbers may vary.
  • All estimates assume you qualify for the base rate. A minimum FICO® Score of 700 may be required.
  • Sales taxes are not included since different states handle taxes differently. Please refer to “Understanding Sales Tax” to learn how taxes affect your monthly payments.
  • The rating system used is based on RIDE with G’s Lease Calculator. The closer you are to the 100 rating, the better the deal. Anything exceeding a 100 rating is phenomenal.

Top Ten Finalists

click to view chart

First – 2010 Honda Accord CrossTour EX-L (111.1)

The CrossTour shoots to the top of the list this month due to big discounts off the MSRP. The Residual and MF are not half bad, but it’s the fact that it’s an outgoing 2010 model (and because not many people really want one) that makes this such a great lease.

Second – 2010 Infiniti G37 Sport Coupe Manual (107.2)

After finishing Seventh last month on the Round-Up, the G37 Sport Coupe shoots back to a Second place finish by getting a lower MF and more discounts off the MSRP. Not even a lower residual can keep this ride down. I expect to see the 2011 G37 coupe rolling in at the end of the month, so I wouldn’t snooze on this.

Third – 2011 Nissan Sentra S (106.3)

The Sentra only gets a gentle downward shove from it’s older cousin (the G37), dropping it to Third on the list. Make no mistake, this is an econobox, so don’t come in with lofty expectations. It’s basic/practical transportation at it’s cheapest.

Fourth – 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4matic (104.0)

Since MBs lease best at 48-months instead of 36-months, the ML350 becomes a HOT lease right now. Don’t get me wrong, it’s well beyond my budget, but it certainly is cheap by luxury SUV standards. If you are in the market for a X3, Q5, FX35, RX350 or even a GLK350, consider the ML350 instead.

Fifth – 2011 Honda Civic LX Sedan (101.8)

The Civic took a nose-dive this month from leading the Round-Up for two consecutive months. There is a good reason however, the 2010s are on their way out and the 2011s are in showrooms now. This is actually a pretty good deal considering how new the 2011s are. Just remember to inquire about any remaining 2010s before jumping on a 2011.

Sixth – 2011 Honda Accord LX Sedan (100.2)

The Accord has always been a very steady lease month-in and month-out. This month is no exception, even on a 2011 model. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend leasing a EX or EX-L at the moment since the residuals are lower and the MF is probably a bit higher than the base models.

Seventh – 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport (97.3)

The C300 made the “Missing the Cut” list last month on a 27-month lease. This month, that residual value tanked, so I had to resort to 48-months, it’s more “ideal” term. As you can see, this proved to be a good idea since the C300 can now be had in the low $400s at 15k miles per year (before taxes), quite comparable to the G25, 328, A4 and IS250.

Eighth – 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 (96.9)

This is NOT a cheap car in terms of payments. However, relative to it’s price tag, its is a smoking good deal. Good enough to snatch the Eighth spot, besting every single Acura, Lexus and BMW.

Ninth – 2011 Nissan Maxima SV Premium (96.8)

Looks like Nissan is picking up where it left off a few months ago and decided to move 2011 Maximas on the cheaper side. If you want a cheaper alternative to the G37, this could be your ride.

Tenth – 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited (94.9)

Sneaking back into the top ten is the Hyundai Sonata. The payments may be significantly higher than the Accord LX, but this one comes fully loaded. I mean, NAV, backup cams, Bluetooth, the works! Kinda tough to overlook it if you want a family sedan that’s roomie and loaded.

Missing the Cut (90+ rating)

2011 Infiniti G37 Sedan (93.9)
2011 VW Golf S (93.7)
2010 Acura ZDX (93.0)
2011 Lexus RX350 (92)
2011 Audi A3 Premium (91.7)
2011 Infiniti M37 (91.5)
2011 Nissan Rogue SV AWD (91.3)
2011 BMW 328ix (91.2)
2011 Infiniti G25 (91.0)
2011 Hyundai Genesis (90.6)

Parting Shots

If you don’t see any 2011 Acuras, don’t be surprised. That’s because they don’t lease well right now. The 2010 TSX is a border-90 lease, if you can get a lower price than $27,219 then you’ll have yourself a 90+ rating (currently a 89.9 at that price). A good chunk of newly-introduced 2011 models do not lease well right now. If that’s what you are looking for this month, I recommend waiting a few more months or going with any remaining 2010.