LexFather

From BusinessWeek, America's Most Leased Cars:
By Jim Henry

America’s Most-Leased Cars
Leasing Gives You a Car You Couldn't Afford to Buy

http://images.businessweek.com...x.htm

Audi A4 68%
Audi A6 74.1%
BMW 7 series 85.3%
BMW X3 67.3%
BMW 6 series 68.6%
Saab 97x 82.2%
BMW Z4 70.7%
Mercedes Benz E class 70%
LandRover Range Rover 69.6%
Jaguar XJ 65.8%

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

85% for the 7 series...wow

Shoyuu

I knew BMWs and MBs were going to be up there, but SAAB is news to me. 82.2%?!

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

Same here.
I hardly see any saabs

LexFather

You sell 20 Saab 9xs and you lease 16, thats 80%
Its not based on volume, but on percentages.

The only time I've seen one is in the movie "Untraceable" lol

plex

iTrader: (11)

Yea I know, I was like Saab has a SUV I like it though for some reason lol.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i am surprised the s class isn't up there

Mbenz528i

I can certainly see why these cars are lease, save for the Saab ofcourse, but who wants an X3?

pbm317

i know a lot of people that keep S class sedans for a very long time.

doug_999

Saab's leased? They have terrible residual - I just don't see how that could be true (them being in the top).

edit: THE A6????? Unless their residuals have improved (and maybe they have, it is a nice car), then I just don't see that either. Last time I looked (late 2005) their residual was down in the 40s for a 3 year lesae.

ST430

Anyone have a breakdown of the 3/5 series as well as Lexus vehicles? Would be interesting to see.

MadMax96

It's just a GMC Envoy with the ignition key between the seats.

mmarshall

Notice a trend here, guys?

All of these vehicles are upmarket Euro-nameplates and Euro-designed, except for the Saab 9-7X, which is a joint Saab-Chevy Trail Blazer SUV design.

That, to me, makes one thing stand out like a sore thumb. The "image" factor of expensive Euro-vehicles has got a lot of people hooked. They are determined to have one, even if they can't afford the purchase payments on one, so they lease one instead to cut the monthly bill way down. Some people, of course, lease because they use the car in buisness, and they can deduct the lease payments, but even then, the "image" factor comes into play. Real estate agents and other buisness reps want an expensive Audi, BMW, Mercedes, or Jag to "impress" their clients/customers with........as if you're going to buy or rent a house based on what your real estate agent drives.

This, to me, shows even more what B.S. the whole world of auto "image" and stereotypes are, and how people fall for it.

RON430

Probably like everyone else I am a little suprised at what's on the list and what's not. While I prefer ownership, I have to admit that for a lot of cars, especially expensive hardware, leasing makes the most sense. After you go through residuals, and cost of money, down payment, yada, yada, yada, there is just something to be said for knowing what your cost going in, and coming out, is. Not to mention keeping quite a few cars once they go out of warranty can be very ugly. Normally I would expect leasing to go up as the economy slows but with the financial mess, everything will be squeezed.

carguy101

I'd be interested too, but I think most people buy (not lease) Lexuses. Lexus lease deals aren't that good.

However, Lexus purchase deals are very good. You can easily get 10% off MSRP of pretty much any Lexus right now, except maybe the LX570.