[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by ashtray

Actually, since the interest rate on a lease is hidden in the payment (not advertised, or able to shop around at different banks for a better rate), the rate is usually above 10%, unless they are running a lease special. You can ask what interest rate they are using when you talk to the dealership finance people.

As there might be a bunch of younger adults (or teens) here, cars you drive in high school are "important". Usually you either get mom and dad's hand me down Accord, a cheap beater or your parents buy you that new BMW. That's your normal groupings. There's a few people that work jobs to afford their own car of choice. But the point is you're "that guy with the Mustang" - everyone know what everyone drives and you show it off daily.

Fast forward to college - most freshman are not allowed to have a car on campus (depending on the school), and if you do, it's parked a mile away in a massive lot and you rarely drive it. And no one cares WHAT you drive - only props are IF you have a car bc then people you don't know will be asking for rides to the store. "Hey, I hear that guy in room 110 has a car...".

So -FRS = cool car for high school image, no one cares in college. Get out of college and you'll be in with peers who earn 5x your pay and are driving $40k cars, which aren't even impressive - its the CEO who drives a new AMG, or the guy in Engineering who has the ZR1. No one will care about the fresh new hire with the $22k Scion.

Very good perspective and accurate on all accounts.