Monthly Round-Up : February 2011

Published 2011/02/232011/02/23 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.

2011 Acura Lease Rates – February 2011

Published 2011/02/09 by G

My apologies for lagging behind on the posts recently. I came down with a bad cold this past weekend so I’m still in recovery mode. I’ll try to get lease rates up ASAP since this is a short month. By the way, I would like to remind you that what you see posted is what I got, so if you are looking for other trims that aren’t listed, you probably should consult with your dealer.

Acura rates are pretty much the same as last month. If you are seeing different numbers posted, you probably are in the region where Acura uses a different money factor. I don’t know the exact breakdown of the regions, but I hear folks near the Great Lakes have a higher money factor than those living in the West/East Coasts. Please note that the money factor is based on your billing address, so buying a car out of state will not help you get a lower money factor.

In any case, I am still liking the TL this month, slightly more due to a higher sale price, but still a decent deal. There may be some lease support on remaining 2010 models, so be sure to inquire about those. Please note that once 2011s roll out, I don’t generally find 2010 numbers, so the only source to find that would be your local dealer.

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 ACURA TL BASE
MSRP – $36,165
Sale Price – $32,816
Monthly – $391+ tax
RWG Rating – 91.4

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.

2011 ACURA MDX BASE
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00145 base money factor

2011 ACURA RDX AWD BASE
36-month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00118 base money factor

2011 ACURA RL BASE
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00090 base money factor

2011 ACURA TL BASE
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00116 base money factor

2011 ACURA TL SH-AWD BASE
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00116 base money factor

2011 ACURA TSX 4DR SEDAN AT BASE
36-month | 15k miles | residual 61% | .00140 base money factor

2011 ACURA ZDX BASE
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00099 base money factor

Monthly Round-Up: January 2011

Published 2011/01/242011/01/24 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.

2010-11 Acura Lease Rates – January 2011

Published 2011/01/20 by G

So the 2011 TSX Sportwagon numbers are out and they are the same as the sedan!!! That’s refreshing! Glad they didn’t do what the Germans do with their wagons. The discounts could be better, but that should improve over time. For now, I’d rather drive a TL than a TSX Wagon. Anyway, remember that Acura lease rates are regional (with the Midwest usually getting screwed), so your MF will vary. I believe the MF for the TL in non-major markets is 0.00181. Ouch.

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 TL Base
MSRP – $36,165
Sale Price – $32,566
Monthly – $384+ tax
RWG Rating – 92.6

2011 TSX SportWagon
MSRP – $31,820
Sale Price – $30,532
Monthly – $387+ tax
RWG Rating – 84.2

For Dealer Quotes, Click Here.

2011 TL Base
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00116 base money factor

2011 TL Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00116 base money factor

2011 TL AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00116 base money factor

2011 TL AWD Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00116 base money factor

2010 TSX Base
36-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00049 base money factor

2010 TSX Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00049 base money factor

2011 TSX Base
36-month | 15k miles | residual 63% | .00190 base money factor

2011 TSX SportWagon
36-month | 15k miles | residual 63% | .00190 base money factor

2011 MDX
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00135 base money factor

2011 MDX Technology
24-month | 15k miles | residual 62% | .00135 base money factor

2011 MDX Technology w/RES
36-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00135 base money factor

2011 MDX Advance
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00135 base money factor

2011 MDX Advance w/RES
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00135 base money factor

Replacing the G – Round Two

Published 2010/10/252010/10/25 by G

I’m not quite sure how many rounds I will need in order to narrow the list down to my “top five” choices, but I can tell you that I have come much closer thanks in part to the 2010 OC Auto show and the test drives I have done so far. Here is an update of my “Wish List” along with some extra comments:

The Large SUV Group

Honda Pilot – This is barely making the cut right now. Not overly impressed nor extremely disappointed.
Mazda CX-9 – It’s nice, it’s roomy and depending on the test drive, it could really be a contender.
~~Chevy Traverse~~ – This car is relatively new, but it feels aged compared to Chevy’s newer offering. Even the GMC Acadia, which is practically the same SUV feels newer.
~~Toyota Highlander~~ – Cheapness, is it’s weakness. Even a newly redesigned exterior can’t overcome the cheapness.
~~Ford Explorer~~ – Much uglier in person, but I didn’t get to see the interior since they didn’t have a display model on the floor for people play with. Either way, I don’t think the lease will be attractive enough for it to warrant any consideration at this point. I may consider revisiting it down the road if an attractive lease pops up.

Overall, this group is starting to look really bad. I suspect the Pilot might get booted due to it’s styling and less-than-exciting interior, leaving the CX-9 as the top choice in this category.

The Compact SUV Group

~~Toyota RAV4~~ – Cost-cutting has really made this SUV hard to love. The hard plastics reeks of cheapness and the interior dash is uninspiring. Even if its inexpensive to lease, I don’t think I want one since Toyota’s lease program leaves much to be desired.
Ford Edge – This is a well-built SUV with a better-than-average interior. I haven’t seen any special leases on it, but it’s still early in the model year.
~~Infiniti EX35~~ – Test drove it a few weekends ago and my impression is that it’s a solid crossover. It’s smooth over bumps, powerful, quiet and it drives like a G with higher ground clearance. There is also a lot of dealer cash on this car right now, which potentially knocks off a lot off the MSRP, making it a really good lease. Unfortunately I think it falls really short in two areas, cargo and MPG. It is still fairly practical since folding down the rear seats exposes quite a bit of cargo room, but I think of this car as a hatchback with poor MPG more than a true crossover.
VW Tiguan – Saw it at the show and I’ve driven it before; my folks also own one. Cargo wise its slightly better than the EX, but not by much. No Wolfsburg edition planned just for 2011 (yet) so my only choices would be the S and the SE trims.
Acura RDX – Test drove this as well and found it to be a serviceable crossover. I will not wow you, but it is all you should expect from Acura; Roomy and reliable with above average performance. The 4-banger turbo does not have a very noticeable lag which is impressive. Comes well-equipped, but it doesn’t have it all unless you go with the Tech. In my case, I can’t justify the cost. The exterior styling doesn’t really impress me much, but I think having an excellent lease program does.
Subaru Forester – I think it has a slight edge against the Outback. After looking at them side by side, I like it a little better.

If I had to guess, the Forester, Tiguan and the RDX will end up battling it in the payment department. I just don’t think Ford provides enough lease incentives to make the Edge a contender.

The Wagon Group

Audi A3 – I am a big fan of TDI model, but I am willing to settle for a FrontTrak Premium. It’s driving dynamics shouldn’t be too different than my wife’s Jetta so I think it will end up coming down to a price war between the other finalists.
VW Jetta Sportwagen – Saw the TDI version at the show, love the Pano sunroof. Thankfully, it retains the nicer interior of the older Jettas, which is a plus. I did see the “new Jetta” and if you have seen “older” models, you will notice a difference. The interior materials haven’t been downgraded much, but the cabin certainly feels more “simplified”. The exterior styling isn’t too bad, but it feels more “vanilla” compared to the outgoing model.
VW Golf TDI – As nice as expected, looks like a more civilized version of the GTI and gets crazy gas mileage. Big fan, hopefully the lease rates will look good when the time comes.
VW GTI – I have to say, I am not a big fan of those cloth seats, but I love everything else.
Subaru Outback – I like it, but I have to admit that there are better cars. AWD certainly helps it’s case.

The Wagon group shows a lot more promise due to the more reasonable payments, practicality and fuel economy. My first choice would be the A3, but at this point any of these are a possibility.

The Sedan Group

Acura TSX – Acuras hold a special place in my heart, so this is a no brainer. I will likely opt for the Tech, but it all depends on the price.
Acura TL – Ditto on the TL. If a TSX with Tech were to be around the same as a TL base, I’d take the TL.
Hyundai Sonata – Saw the 2.0 Turbo and the Hybrid at the show, lovely inside and out. I got around to test drive the Limited model and I came away impressed. Quiet, smooth and with ample power. It’s no G37, but I didn’t expect it to be. Inexpensive, well-built and easy on the eyes. The closest thing to a win-win situation if there was one.
~~Infiniti G37~~ – I’ve been plagued with battery issues on my G37 this past year, with yesterday being the latest incident (I couldn’t get my car started for the 3rd time this year and I didn’t even leave any of my lights on). I think I will be skipping Infinitis this time around.
~~Nissan Maxima~~ – Being the G37’s cousin dooms it’s chances. See above.

This is the “fall-back” category. I don’t think I would pick a sedan over the other categories due to my need for “room”. However, money talks and sedans have better lease programs than anything out there right now. The Sonata is a perennial favorite here, with the 2.0T being my top choice. My fall back would be the TSX, with the TL close behind.

2010 Acura Lease Rates – October 2010

Published 2010/10/032010/10/05 by G

My Take: I have begun getting some numbers early this month which is pretty exciting. Looks like the Acura numbers have remain the same so far. This is good news because the TSX was an excellent lease last month and it remains that way this month.

2010 Acura TSX
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00064 base money factor

2010 Acura TSX Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00064 base money factor

2010 Acura TL
36-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00097 base money factor

2010 Acura TL Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00097 base money factor

2010 Acura TL SH-AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00097 base money factor

2010 Acura TL SH-AWD Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 52% | .00097 base money factor

2010 Acura RL
36-month | 15k miles | residual 44% | .00100 base money factor

2010 Acura MDX Advance
36-month | 15k miles | residual 51% | .00133 base money factor

2011 Acura MDX Tech, Entertainment
36-month | 15k miles | residual 53% | .00170 base money factor

2010 Acura RDX SHAWD Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 49% | .00126 base money factor

2011 Acura RDX Tech
36-month | 15k miles | residual 55% | .00126 base money factor

Lease rates provided by Number1Leasing

Acura Incentives from Edmunds.com

Replacing the G – Round One

Published 2010/10/032010/09/30 by G

I know I am jumping the gun by doing a write-up about my “next ride” considering I have another 10 months left on my lease. However, my wife has began dropping hints about what my next ride should be. “Something practical, something bigger…something that will keep your paws off my Jetta” she says. Sadly, it looks like my G37 has become rather impractical and the wife has finally put me on notice.

I can’t say I blame her because in recent months, her car has become the designated “airport shuttle”. If that wasn’t bad enough, we have also been using her car to haul some furniture from Office Depot and weekly trips to Costco. Unfortunately, it seems that life has finally caught up with me and I can no longer ignore the other “needs” in life.

So now I am faced with a dilemma….what exactly can I get that will fulfill the following requirements…

seating for at least five people
practical cargo space
above average performance
similar or better MPG than the 18/24 I am getting now
costs no more than what I currently pay ($1300/$424 per month), preferably, less!

After careful consideration over the past month, I’ve come up with a general “Wish List” of potential cars/SUVs that may satisfy my needs.

The Large SUV Group

Honda Pilot
Mazda CX-9
Chevy Traverse
Toyota Highlander
Ford Explorer

The Compact SUV Group

Toyota RAV4
Ford Edge
Infiniti EX35
VW Tiguan
Acura RDX

The Wagon Group

Audi A3
VW Jetta Sportwagen
VW Golf TDI
VW GTI
Subaru Outback

The Sedan Group

Acura TSX
Acura TL
Hyundai Sonata
Infiniti G37
Nissan Maxima

For the next few months, I will take the time to do some test drives in order to narrow down the list some more. Keeping in mind the requirements listed above, I would love to hear your opinions and any recommendations you may have.

2010/11 Acura Lease Rates – September 2010

Published 2010/09/142010/09/27 by G

My Take: Acura has regional lease rates, so your money factor may vary. I believe the TL has a slightly high MF compared to us in the West Cost (.00134). It is still not a bad deal, but it does make the payments slightly higher. The TSX looks like a good lease this month. Not only are the residual and money factor very good, Acura is also throwing some cash at them. My guess is that the TSX will be one of the top 10 leases in this months Round-Up again.