Monthly Round-Up: Thanksgiving 2011 Edition

Published 2011/11/232011/11/23 by G

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I wanted to extend a BIG “THANK YOU” for your continued support. It hasn’t been the smoothest of years, but I am very thankful to have a good community I can talk cars with. I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and cherish your time with your family. As a last minute reminder, shop early and make sure to give yourself plenty of time before your existing lease expires. Happy Turkey Day Everyone!

This month’s participants include: Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Kia, Nissan, Acura, Hyundai, Infiniti, Honda, Lexus, Volvo, Audi and BMW.

For Dealer Quotes, go to: TrueCar.com. or Yahoo Autos
To check your credit, go to CreditReport.com.

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 Credit Score of 700 may be required to secure Top Tier credit in most cases.
Sales taxes are not included since different states handle taxes differently.
The rating system used is based on RIDE with G’s Lease Calculator. Only cars with a 90 rating or higher will be included on this list.

SEDAN

2012 INFINITI G37 SEDAN JOURNEY (109.5) *$1000 loyalty and $1000 holiday cash
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00074 Base Rate

2012 INFINITI G25 SEDAN X AWD (105.6) *$500 dealer cash
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00061 Base Rate

2012 NISSAN SENTRA 2.0SR CVT (105.0)
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00082 Base Rate

2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN S CVT (103.1)
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00021 Base Rate

2012 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN EX-L V6 (101.3) *$500 dealer cash
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00050 Base Rate

2011 BMW 328i Sedan (99.6) *$1000 loyalty cash
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00180 Base Rate

2012 ACURA TL BASE (99.5) *$1250 dealer cash
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00114 Base Rate

2012 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN EX AT (99.5)
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00098 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C300 4matic Sport 4dr Sedan (97.4) $2000 loyalty cash
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00142 Base Rate

2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T SE (96.7) *$500 loyalty cash
36-month | 15k miles | residual 62% | .00142 base money factor

2012 Volvo S60 T-5 (96.3) *$1000 loyalty cash
36-month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00122 base money factor

2012 NISSAN MAXIMA S (94.5)
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00128 Base Rate

2012 VOLKSWAGEN CC SPORT AT (94.1) *$1250 lease cash
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00028 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C250 Sport 4dr Sedan (93.7) *$2000 loyalty cash
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00154 Base Rate

2012 INFINITI M37 SEDAN X AWD (93.6) $1000 loyalty cash
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00029 Base Rate

2012 Kia Optima EX (91.2) *$1000 customer cash
36-month | 15k miles | residual 57% | .00130 base money factor

2012 LEXUS IS250 AT SDN (91.1)
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00150 Base Rate

CONVERTIBLE

2012 INFINITI G37 CONVERTIBLE SPORT 6MT (90.5)
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00153 Base Rate

COUPE

2012 INFINITI G37 COUPE JOURNEY (102.1) *$1000 loyalty cash
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00100 Base Rate

2012 HONDA ACCORD COUPE EX-L V6 (95.8) *$500 dealer cash
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00050 Base Rate

2012 HONDA CIVIC COUPE EX AT (95.2)
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00098 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C250 2dr Coupe (94.6) *$2000 loyalty cash
36 Month – Residual 66% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328xi Coupe (90.2) *$1000 loyalty cash ($1000 lease/apr cash available)
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

2012 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE S CVT (93.8)
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00090 Base Rate

HATCHBACK/WAGON/SUV/CROSSOVER/VANS

2011 HONDA CR-V 4WD EX AT (106.3) *$500 dealer cash
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00077 Base Rate

2012 ACURA ZDX BASE (106.2) *$2000 dealer cash
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00054 Base Rate

2012 HONDA PILOT 4WD EX-L (93.1)
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate

2012 HONDA ODYSSEY EX AT (91.3)
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00155 Base Rate

2011 NISSAN ROGUE AWD S (92.8)
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00123 Base Rate

ALTERNATIVE FUEL/HYBRID

2012 NISSAN LEAF 5DR HATCHBACK SV (92.4) *$7500 lease incentive
36 Month – Residual 44% of MSRP – .00174 Base Rate

2011 HONDA CR-Z EX NAV AT (91.1)
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

Bright Spots

VW. The only model to make it into the lease was the CC Sport, thanks in part to the generous $1250 lease cash that’s available. The rest of the models make better purchases than leases due to special financing. Eos also gets the $1000 lease cash, but the lease is only so-so, rated at 85.5 on my calculator.

Mercedes-Benz. Being an existing MB customer is really paying off this Holiday season. The $2000 loyalty cash is huge! Another model to keep your eyes on is the GLK350 4matic. The RWG is not high (87.5), but this SUV has never leased in with a RWG higher than 90 to begin with, so 87.5 is not too shabby. Remember that MBs payments are usually a bit more budget friendly on the 48-month terms. However, wear-n-tear issues should be considering before going that route.

Volvo. The C30 and C70 cut it pretty darn close (both hitting a RWG of 89). This is made possible by a generous $1000 loyalty cash that’s available to existing Volvo customers. Overall, I’m very satisfied with Volvo’s leases on their cars. Their SUVs, on the other hand, need a little work.

BMW. BMWFS seems to be throwing a lot of loyalty cash at their customers. On select 1-series models for example, they also have this $500 lease/apr bonus cash which I think could be applied to lower the MF plus $1000 in loyalty cash.

Weak Spots

Audi. They have not offer any worthwhile leases lately. No shock there, it’s been a while since Audi made it into the Round-Up.

In Summary

It’s Loyalty month here in the auto leasing world. Many manufacturers are rewarding loyal customers with loads of cash. Folks looking to get into something under $400 should consider the Sonata, Optima, Maxima or any non-luxury car. Honda almost seems to be giving away their cars right now so it isn’t hard to find a good deal there.

The Leaf is also great if you don’t ever want to visit a gas station again.

In the end, if I had to put my money where my mouth is, I would be rolling in a loaded 2012 Infiniti G37 sedan. Hands down, the best lease I’ve seen all month long.

2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Published 2011/11/212012/01/11 by G

Last year, the Lotus Esprit blew me away. This year, my vote for “Car of the Show” at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show has to be the Jaguar XC16. I’ve examined the car from all angles and I cannot find one in which this car looks awkward. If I could mix and match cars, I would take the GT-R in XC16 clothing. That would be my ideal dream car.

Moving on…This year’s Auto Show did not have as many concepts as last year. It felt a little bit more “toned down”, possibly due to the economy. Despite this, it wasn’t a bad show. I didn’t get to spend as much time as I wanted to, but that was fine because much of what was at the LA show was also at the OC show. There were just a little more “high end” cars, but that’s about it.

Here is a quick run down of what was at the show and a few highlights

Acura – Nothing new. Their lineup was quite stale at the OC Show and it remained that way two months later at the LA Show.

Audi – A6/S6 and the A7/S7 were the new rides this year.

BMW – They showed off the iSeries which you probably have seen in most enthusiast websites/magazines. I also took some pictures of the concept a few years back. From what I understand, the i8 is supposed to make it to production with few changes (I am certain the glass doors are gone).

Buick – The Verano is ugly. Enuff said.

Cadillac – Showed up the Ciel, which was featured at Pebble Beach and the Converj, which was at a previous auto show some years back. I believe the Converj will be either an electric or hybrid car and will have performance that matches it’s aggressive looks. Possible the next CTS-V? Perhaps.

Chevrolet – I think you’ve seen enough Cruzes, Camaros, Coverttes and Volts to last you a while. NEXT!

Chrysler – As I was saying on the OC Show post. The 300 is one American sedan I would consider driving. Beats speaker system is truly insane for one that comes factory installed. I felt so gansta sitting in the backseat as the speakers were blaring Dr Dre tunes.

Dodge – Super Bee Charger in the House! The car looks mean! The HEMI looks meaner. Overall, I’m very happy to see Chrysler cars improving in such as short time. Now, I would like to see Chrysler pull a Volvo and start introducing some sweet leases for us.

Ford – The Escape was really the only “new” car to be introduced. It didn’t exactly wow me, but I can see it stealing some of the CR-Vs dominance (you will see what I mean when you see pics of the production-ready CR-V).

Honda – What a let down! The production-ready CR-V looks gutless! And if it drives anything like the old model, it’s performance will be gutless too! Check out the interior! Can we say weak sauce? Can’t wait to see what Consumer Reports does to the CR-V on their next review.

Hyundai – The Azera really wow’ed me. After talking to the product adviser and sitting in the car for a good 5-10 minutes, I came away impressed. The leather is soft and supple. The interior is well put together. The center stack follows the same overall layout found in most new Hyundais, but has a noticeably more “upscale” feel. The estimated MSRP is going to be in the low $30,000s, with most experts estimating it to be around $32,000. Everything, including Nav, comes standard. The only possible option (from what I am hearing) is the panoramic moonroof and maybe the window shaders, although those could be standard too. If you thought the Buick LaCrosse was the Lexus ES killer, think again.

Infiniti – The JX35 was introduced as a 7-passenger SUV. Not impressed. It looks like a weak attempt at cloning the Toyota Highlander which can be had for thousands less (if you don’t care about having quality interior materials). I’d be surprised if they sell more JX’s than EX’s. I would have liked to see a concept version of the new G-Coupe based off the Essence. That would have been fun to see.

Jaguar – XC16 all the way. This car is a beaut! If they would have given it a better sounding name instead of the typical “Letters + Numbers”, I’d name my kid after it. “Come here XC16!” just doesn’t have nice ring to it.

Jeep – New Compass and Patriot look like baby GCs, except the proportions are all wrong. I know Jeeps are meant to be rugged, but they could have done a little more to the interior. In contrast, you can see the GC looks nice inside and out. Even the storage area looks high end with fancy chrome touches.

Kia – GT concept looks cool, but not as sexy as the XC16. It does show a lot of promise and possibly a glimpse of things to come. Michelle Wie gets a custom Kia Soul! I highly doubt she would be caught dead in one. Them Rappin’/Dancin’ Hamsters, on the other hand, are a hoot. They give the Soul some street cred. Definitely cooler than rolling in a cardboard box, toaster or dryer.

Land Rover – Not much to say here. Doubt any of these rides will ever make it into production, but they are fun to look at. They almost feel like they will transform into a robot at any moment.

Lexus – More LF-A. *Yawn*

Lincoln – *Crickets*

Mazda – The CX5 actually look pretty good. You can totally see the styling cues of the Shinari concept on the front fascia. I really hope this crossover does well and gives the CR-V and Escape a run for their money.

Mercedes-Benz – I’ve pretty much seen all of the “new” models on the street or in previous Auto Shows with the exception of the C63 Black Edition. This thing rocks. It’s like Europe’s answer to the mean-looking American car!

MINI – See OC Auto Show…

Mitsubishi – I didn’t bother stopping by…actually, I don’t recall seeing them at the show. Maybe I stopped caring…

Nissan – Last year they had the Ellure. This year they had…NOTHING!

Porsche – Showed off their Panamera Hybrid and the usual 911s, Cayennes, Boxters and Caymans.

Scion – FR-S was in the house this year and it looks great! For those that have not been following the FR-S, expect about 200hp and a $24k price tag once it’s released. I don’t expect the production model to look too different unless Toyota decides to cheapen the experience some more. If the price is reasonable, this could very well be sitting in my driveway on day.

Subaru – Just like the FR-S, the BRZ should be priced and spec’ed at around the same range. There is talk of a STi trim, but I haven’t seen any details on that just yet. Originally, I thought the BRZ was the clear winner in the “looks” department, but after seeing them both in person, I have to go with the Scion.

Volvo – Same cars as last year. Same cars as this year’s OC show. Nothing new to report.

VW – A Beetle R was on display and it still looks girly. Hood vents and quad-exhaust pipes do tone down the estrogen somewhat though. For the record, I don’t have a problem with the Beetle looking girly. It’s just that VW is trying so hard to market the Beetle as being more “unisex” and I just don’t think its happening. Maybe if they dropped a huge supercharger hood scoop? Nah….

Others – Here you will find some pics I took of the more “unusual” cars.

2011-12 BMW Lease Rates – November 2011

Published 2011/11/07 by G

As expected BMW residuals have dropped and MFs have been lowered in order to compensate. Expect Nov numbers to carry over into December. However, don’t be too surprised if BMWFS decides to change things mid-month. They’ve been known to do this, but it isn’t done frequently. Looking at the BMW 328i sedan, You will see a slight drop in the sale price, plus you can get a $1000 loyalty rebate if you are a returning customer. There is also a $1500 Build Out rebate. I am not sure what that is so please ask your dealer for details. Remember to head over to Edmunds.com for more information on rebates.

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 BMW 328i Sedan
MSRP – $35,475
Sale Price – $31,705* (loyalty cash applied)
Monthly – $413+ tax
RWG Rating – 91.2

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:

TrueCar.com

2011 BMW 328i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00180 Base Rate

2011 BMW 328xi Sedan
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

2011 BMW 335i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00190 Base Rate

2011 BMW 335xi Sedan
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

2011 BMW 335d Diesel Sedan
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2011 BMW M3 Sedan
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 128i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 128i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 135i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 135i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate
2012 BMW 328i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328xi Coupe
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328i Wagon
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328xi Wagon
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335is Coupe
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335xi Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335is Convertible
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW M3 Coupe
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW M3 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 528i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 528i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 535i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 535i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 550i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 550i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 650i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 650i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 740i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00190 Base Rate
2012 BMW 740Li Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00190 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750li Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750li xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive35i Premium SUV
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X3 xDrive28i SUV
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X3 xDrive35i SUV
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d Diesel SUV
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive35i Sport Activity SUV
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive50i SUV
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 M SUV
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X6 xDrive35i Crossover
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X6 xDrive50i Crossover
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X6 M Crossover
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive35i
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive35is
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

Monthly Round-Up: October 2011

Published 2011/10/172011/11/03 by G

This month’s participants include: Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Nissan, Acura, Hyundai, Infiniti, Honda, Lexus, Volvo, Audi and BMW.

For Dealer Quotes, go to: Yahoo Autos or TrueCar.com..
To check your credit, go to CreditReport.com.

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 Credit Score of 700 may be required to secure Top Tier credit in most cases.
Sales taxes are not included since different states handle taxes differently.
The rating system used is based on RIDE with G’s Lease Calculator. Only cars with a 90 rating or higher will be included on this list.

SEDAN

2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN S CVT (107.1)
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00047 Base Rate

2011 INFINITI G37 SEDAN JOURNEY (107.1)
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00064 Base Rate

2012 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN EX AT (105.9)
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00050 Base Rate

2012 NISSAN MAXIMA S (103.8) *The SV also leases very well
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00184 Base Rate

2011 INFINITI G25 SEDAN JOURNEY (102.2)
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00065 Base Rate

2012 NISSAN SENTRA SR CVT (100.5)
36 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00115 Base Rate

2012 Acura TL Base (98.1)
36 month | 15k miles | residual 60% | .00166 base money factor

2012 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic 4dr Sedan (98.1) *$1500 Loyalty cash applied
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00182 Base Rate

2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan V6 (97.2) *$1500 Conquest/Loyalty cash applied
36-month | 15k miles | residual 58% | .00147 base money factor

2012 Volvo S60 T-5 (95.1) *$1000 Loyalty cash
36-month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00134 base money factor

2012 Hyundai Sonata Turbo SE (92.1) *$500 Loyalty cash applied
36-month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00120 base money factor

2012 INFINITI M37 SEDAN X AWD (91.6)
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00153 Base Rate

CONVERTIBLE

2011 INFINITI G37 CONVERTIBLE BASE (93.8)
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00160 Base Rate

2012 Volvo C70 T-5 (90.1) *$1000 Loyalty cash applied
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00082 Base Rate

COUPE

2011 INFINITI G37 COUPE JOURNEY (107.9)
36 month | 15k miles | residual 62% | .00128 base money factor

2012 HONDA ACCORD COUPE LX-S AT (101.8)
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00050 Base Rate

2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN S CVT (101.0)
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00141 Base Rate

2011 INFINITI G37 COUPE IPL AT (96.2)
36 month | 15k miles | residual 59% | .00128 base money factor

2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 2dr Coupe (91.8) *$1500 Loyalty cash applied.
36 Month – Residual 66% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

HATCHBACK/WAGON/SUV/CROSSOVER

2012 HONDA ACCORD CROSSTOUR 4WD EX-L (110.2)
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00068 Base Rate

2011 HONDA CR-V 4WD LX AT (99.3)
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00095 Base Rate

2011 INFINITI EX35 AWD JOURNEY (98.4)
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00127 Base Rate

2011 INFINITI FX35 AWD (96.7)
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00130 Base Rate

2012 HONDA PILOT 4WD LX (95.8)
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00061 Base Rate

2011 NISSAN MURANO AWD S (93.7)
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00005 Base Rate

2011 NISSAN ROGUE AWD S (92.7)
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00094 Base Rate

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS V6 AWD (90.5)
36-month | 15k miles | residual 56% | .00115 base money factor

Bright Spots

Audi does have a lot of loyalty cash available, making the lease decent. They aren’t rated over 90, but they are in the high 80s if you manage to get aboout 10-11% off MSRP with the loyalty cash. Worth a shot if you are shopping for one.

BMW and Acura also has a few cars with high 80 ratings (TSX, 1 and 3 series) If you are willing to pay a bit extra for your lease, they might be worth a look.

The Nissan Leaf has terrible lease rates, but the rebate ($7500) is so huge that it makes the car a decent lease. Obviously, there are limitations to this car and it may not be for everyone. However, if your commute is short (and limited), this car may be for you. Leasing it at 10,000 per year (it’s got limited range anyway) should help keep the payments low.

Weak Spots

VW leases stink. Not only does VW make it tough for people wanting to trade-in their VW (before lease end), they also don’t discount much off their cars. The only glimmer of hope lies on the Volkswagen CC Sport, but this car barely cracks a 87.1 RWG, and that’s with lease cash.

Lexus is also a disappointment. Leases are not very attractive on 2012 models. 2011 are getting a lot of incentives right now so if you plan to lease a Lexus, try to find a 2011 model.

In Summary

Once again, the Round-Up is being dominated by Nissan/Infiniti and Honda/Acura. Despite very good competition, I have to give Honda the edge since the CrossTour is an excellent lease right now. It’s not a pretty car, but you can’t deny how good the lease is.

On a side note, I have this ongoing theory that the reason why the CrossTour gets so much lease support is because it’s a tough sell without it. Your thoughts?

2011-12 BMW Lease Rates – October 2011

Published 2011/10/042011/10/05 by G

BMWFS doesn’t seem to have changed lease rates from last month. That’s not exactly great news since the money factor numbers are on the “higher” side of the spectrum. The holiday season hasn’t exactly begun yet, so I am expecting some changes come November/December. If you aren’t in a terrible rush, I would hold out and see what transpires in the next month or so. It is very possible that BMWFS begins providing some lease cash like they did last year during the holidays.

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 BMW 328i Sedan
MSRP – $35,475
Sale Price – $33,105
Monthly – $413+ tax
RWG Rating – 86.7

2011 BMW 328i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00190 Base Rate

2011 BMW 328xi Sedan
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

2011 BMW 335i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00190 Base Rate

2011 BMW 335xi Sedan
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00185 Base Rate

2011 BMW 335d Diesel Sedan
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00175 Base Rate

2011 BMW M3 Sedan
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 128i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 128i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 135i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 135i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328xi Coupe
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328i Wagon
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328xi Wagon
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 328i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335is Coupe
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335xi Coupe
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 335is Convertible
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW M3 Coupe
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW M3 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 528i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 528i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 535i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 535i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 550i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 550i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X3 xDrive28i SUV
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X3 xDrive35i SUV
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d Diesel SUV
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 650i Coupe
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 650i Convertible
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 740i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00190 Base Rate

2012 BMW 740Li Sedan
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00190 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750i Sedan
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750i xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750li Sedan
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW 750li xDrive Sedan
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive35i Premium SUV
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive35i Sport Activity SUV
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 xDrive50i SUV
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X5 M SUV
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X6 xDrive35i Crossover
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X6 xDrive50i Crossover
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW X6 M Crossover
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i
36 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive35i
36 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive35is
36 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2011-12 BMW Lease Rates – September 2011

Published 2011/09/142011/09/14 by G

In case you were wondering, BMW has not extended their 24mo Z4 lease. That’s a big disappointment since that was one of the best leases around for a 2-seat convertible. Fortunately, not all hope is lost! The M3 coupe and the 328 Wagon aren’t half bad. They have very good residual values and decent money factor. The discounts aren’t spectacular, but it’s good enough to make the lease reasonable. If you qualify for the loyalty reduction, you’d be looking at a very good deal.

There are drops in residual on many models which is disappointing. Money factors have really dropped much (if any), so that makes deals a bit more expensive. Remember the Team USA credit should still be in play (if you did the test drive) and if you are returning BMW customer, you should still qualify for the loyalty MF reduction or $1000 credit.

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 BMW 328i Wagon
MSRP – $38,025
Sale Price – $35,655
Monthly – $439+ tax
RWG Rating – 87.3

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