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Buying a car, the second time around, speaks more to one’s situation in life and personal character. What I mean by this, is that we all start out needing carsforsale to get to school or work or wherever. As we get caught up in the flow of life as adults, our needs change, our income changes, our familial circumstances change. Then of course, the question of lifestyle becomes more relevant also. Are we carrying surfboards or school kids? Are we speed freaks or safety obsessed? Given the financial means to choose, a car is very reflective of a person’s life choices.

Dig a little deeper into how the car was purchased, even more will be revealed about the person.



In layman’s terms there are a few basic ways to acquire or buy a car. Aside from stealing one, which obviously I would not recommend, the options are lease or buy. Buying carsforsale can mean in cash, lucky you or by financing the purchase.

This may not appear clear. Leasing is a financial arrangement thought up by clever finance people to make money by catering for people more concerned about the car they drive than the car they can afford. I am skipping ahead. Simply put, leasing means that the car dealer remains the owner of the car and you, the consumer, drive the car for an agreed period of time for a certain monthly fee. At the end of the contract, the car is returned or the consumer can purchase it at its market value. It is similar to renting over a long term but with a lot of small print with penalties for early termination, excess mileage, damage to the vehicle and so on. It's not a great way to find carsforsale.

Financing the car, means that the bank lends you money and you buy the car from the dealer with that money. Technically, the bank owns the car, until the loan is repaid. At the end of the contract, the car is yours.

Again, this may not appear clear. Why would anyone lease in that case? Well, like all things, the devil is in the detail. Leasing does have certain advantages, most of which revolve around hassle and perceived risk. If it is not your car, you don’t have to worry. You don’t have to resell the car, the depreciation of the car is irrelevant and most attractively, the payments are lower and the qualifying to lease a car is easier. This is however, the honey in the honey trap. For certain people in particular situations it does make sense. Typically the people most likely to benefit from leasing a car are sales reps who travel many miles. The car is a key tool in their occupation. There are some tax benefits and because they are more likely to require a new car more regularly, the effort in changing cars becomes significant. One could also argue that the status value of having a better car and upgrading more often is necessary for their image. Now I sound like I am trying to sell you a lease.

I tend to side with Suze Orman, who says of leasing, “You are spending money you don't have, to impress people you don't really know.”

This is what I was saying about a person’s character. Proponents of leasing will go so far as to tell you that the money saved with lower payments can be invested, adding to the value of this proposition. This is a somewhat flawed argument. My point being that if a person wants to ride around in a car they can’t afford to buy, they will always choose to be blind to the facts and allow themselves to be easily convinced of what they want to hear.

Buying a car on the other hand is admittedly not without its downsides. It is true that cars depreciate and therefore that you are financing a depreciating asset. In other words you are paying interest on something that will be worth less in the future than when you bought it. The deeper truth is however, that you have the use of the car and that ultimately, it is part of the cost of living in the western world. If it were financially beneficial to you to lease a car, then the leasing companies would be losing money on their carsforsale. Some are quick to point out that there is a risk that unexpected mechanical problems will result in unforeseen costs. Yes, there is a risk, but if the risk were that high, then leasing companies would not do it.

Clearly, I am not neutral on the subject.

Buying a car with finance or even better, in cash, means that you have options. You can sell at any time, without incurring a penalty. Divorce, unemployment, the new arrival of a child, a longer commute – any variety of things can occur. A lease will mean you are liable for penalties for early cancellation. Doing more miles than stipulated, means that you will be in for a financial shock at the end of the contract.

Scratch a bit deeper and you will also see that there are smarter ways to buy carsforsale. Researching which models hold their value better and buying reliable used cars with low mileage make buying an even better plan.

The bottom line is this, in the long term, leasing is always more expensive. That is an indisputable fact. If, you are the kind of person for whom the long term is not important, then lease that fancy car. You are going to do it anyway, regardless of what I tell you.

Buying vs. leasing is less about the advantages and disadvantages, the fine print and the clever arguments than it is about knowing who you are and where you want to be. If youare looking for carsforsale, then buy, don't lease.

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