2012 Mercedes-Benz Lease Rates – December 2011

Published 2011/12/092012/01/09 by G

MB numbers remain the same as last month. The C250 coupe is getting a lot of attention lately. The residual value is so high, it really helps offset the high money factor. Dealers have been selling the car for about 4-5% off MSRP. Keep in mind that you can get the car at 7% off MSRP via European delivery, which may or may not be worth it depending on your preference. If you can make a short vacation out of it, picking up your car in Europe wouldn’t be such a bad thing, specially when you can get an extra 2-3% off the sticker price. Another HUGE perk I’d like to point out is the $2000 loyalty cash that is available to those of you with active MBFS loans. Check out my calculation below for an example of what payments would look like in a “best case” scenario (without having to pick the car up in Europe).

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.

2012 Mercedes C250 Sport Coupe
MSRP – $45,710
Sale Price – $41,784 ($2000 loyalty cash applied)
Monthly – $485+ tax
RWG Rating – 92.7

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

2012 Mercedes C300 4matic Sport 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00142 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C250 Sport 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00154 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C250 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 66% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C350 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 64% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes CL550 4matic 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes CLS550 4matic 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 Sport 4matic 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00146 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00162 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 2dr Convertible
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00167 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes GL450 4matic
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00131 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes GLK350 4matic
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00135 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes ML350 4matic
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00155 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes ML350 BLUETEC
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes R350 4matic
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes S550 4matic
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00112 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes SL550 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes SLK350 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00154 Base Rate

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.

2012 Mercedes-Benz Lease Rates – November 2011

Published 2011/11/092011/11/10 by G

This month’s MB numbers look decent. I’m not seeing any rebates on the C250 on Edmunds this month, but the lease rates look better than usual. The average discount on TrueCar for the SoCal region is about 5% off MSRP, which isn’t all that great. However, you can get 7% off MSRP if you opt for the European Delivery program. This might be a good option if you’ve been itching for an European vacation and couldn’t find an excuse, until now.

The following information about the European Delivery option was taken from Edmunds.com:

Mercedes-Benz European Delivery Program is availables to customers who take delivery of a new vehicle in Germany. European Delivery Program includes 7% discount off total vehicle MSRP (excluding AMG models), One night’s hotel accommodations in one of 14 luxurious hotels, MBUSA personal travel concierge service for hotel and airline reservations, breakfast or lunch at the Sindelfingen Delivery Center restaurant, two taxi coupons for ride from airport or main railroad station to the Delivery Center or hotel, Sindelfingen factory tour, Two tickets to Mercedes-Benz Museum, Full tank of fuel, 15 days European road insurance, vehicle destination and delivery charge is waived, Conveyance from 12 European drop-off points to port of shipment, Marine insurance, Return shipment to U.S. port, VPC processing, transportation to selling/delivering dealer, 10% dealer commission.

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.

Euro Delivery Option
2012 Mercedes C250 Sport 4dr Sedan
MSRP – $35,675
Sale Price – $33,178 (7% off MSRP)
Monthly – $402+ tax
RWG Rating – 88.8

Without Euro Delivery Option
2012 Mercedes C250 Sport 4dr Sedan
MSRP – $35,675
Sale Price – $33,999 (5% off MSRP)
Monthly – $426+ tax
RWG Rating – 85.3

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

2012 Mercedes C300 4matic Sport 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00142 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C250 Sport 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00154 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C250 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 66% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes CL550 4matic 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes CLS550 4matic 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 Sport 4matic 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00146 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00162 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 2dr Convertible
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00167 Base Rate
2012 Mercedes GL450 4matic
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00131 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes GLK350 4matic
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00135 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes R350 4matic
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes S550 4matic
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00112 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes SL550 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes SLK350 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00154 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?

2012 Mercedes Benz Lease Rates – October 2011

Published 2011/10/04 by G

I’m sure a lot of folks are curious as to what the payments look like on the brand new 2012 C-Class Coupe. Well, don’t expect too much. The residual value is fantastic. Unfortunately, the Money Factor and the Sale price is not. You can get a feel for how the payments look like by checking out the sample calculation below. Keep in mind that this is a “low” estimate. I expect the payments to be higher due since this is based on a “base” price.

Overall, I’m not fond of the lease rates, but MB has been lagging behind in sales, so pricing may improve over the course of the year. I personally think the C coupe shows a ton of promise due to its high residual value. Just have to wait for the money factor and sale prices to come down a bit.

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.

2012 C250 Coupe
MSRP – $38,095
Sale Price – $36,491
Monthly – $454+ tax
RWG Rating – 85.4

You can support my website by getting FREE Dealer quotes via Yahoo Autos or by visiting

2011 Mercedes E350 4matic 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00192 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C300 4matic 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00182 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes C250 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 66% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes CL550 4matic 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes CLS550 4matic 4dr Sedan
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 2dr Coupe
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00162 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes E350 2dr Convertible
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00167 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes GL450 4matic
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00131 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes GLK350 4matic
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00177 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes R350 4matic
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00195 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes S550 4matic
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00092 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes SL550 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00225 Base Rate

2012 Mercedes SLK350 Convertible
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00154 Base Rate

2011-12 Mercedes-Benz Lease Rates – August 2011

Published 2011/08/122011/08/12 by G

Few highlights for the month of August…MB lease rates are not too different from last month. A few drops in residuals, but money factors remain steady. 33-month leases, which are not listed on the site which I do not have, carry a significantly higher residual value compared to the 36-month terms. In my opinion, MBs lease best at 48-months, so typically do not recommend anything shorter than that. However, from time to time, there will be some exceptions.

For those seeking a C300, it looks like MB has dropped the sale price of these cars significantly. SoCal market is showing 11% off MSRP on the C300 Sport. New C-Class models are set to be introduced for MY 2012 so this could be a move to clear some inventory.

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 Mercedes C300 Sport (48-month)
MSRP – $34,865
Sale Price – $30,986
Monthly – $328+ Tax
RWG Rating – 99.3

Support the Site! Get Dealer Quotes HERE!

The Wall: Laura’s 2012 Mercedes Benz SLK350

Published 2011/08/102011/08/10 by G