Lease vs Buy??

[Carnut12]

If you look at the lease vs finance numbers they equate to about the same. Prior with the $7500 it was an easy choice, lease and buyout to save money. Unfortunately I bought my Model S LR before the price drop and I was too far under water so I wasn't ready to buy last year.

I just calculated it and the 3.99% (I calculated $3500 down) equals $92,060.

Lease with buyout equals $92,429-$92,514. The difference is you then have to likely finance the buyout so overall the Lease is more expensive IF you keep the truck.

If you keep the truck for 6 years buying seems to make the most sense, if you plan to trade it in or only want it for 3 years lease seems to make the most sense. A lot depends on resale value down the road too.

I have never leased a car before, but with the constant updates and likelihood to trade I am weighing options.

Anyone else go through this? Am I missing anything?

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[Gaximus]

If you lease, and don’t buyout the vehicle, you loose every penny you put into it, if you default or loose your job, or something, you can loose every penny put into it. If you buy, you get equity and have something to sell. A lease never made any sense to me.
with a house, you rent when you can’t afford a downpayment to buy. That doesn’t really exist in the car world, so I dont know why you would lease.

 

[Cayden Thompson]

If you lease, and don’t buyout the vehicle, you loose every penny you put into it, if you default or loose your job, or something, you can loose every penny put into it. If you buy, you get equity and have something to sell. A lease never made any sense to me.
with a house, you rent when you can’t afford a downpayment to buy. That doesn’t really exist in the car world, so I dont know why you would lease.

Not really. Leasing is paying for the depreciation. It's possible to buy a vehicle and make the payment for as short as a year and have the vehicle be worth less than the amount owed (underwater).

 

[Jodadj]

If you lease, and don’t buyout the vehicle, you loose every penny you put into it, if you default or loose your job, or something, you can loose every penny put into it. If you buy, you get equity and have something to sell. A lease never made any sense to me.
with a house, you rent when you can’t afford a downpayment to buy. That doesn’t really exist in the car world, so I dont know why you would lease.

I leased my CT because I want to have a brand new one every two years given the way that Tesla updates their vehicles. I don't want to get stuck with a vehicle that is worth 50% less than it was when I bought it (this has happened with a lot of high end, tech heavy vehicles). My payment is $330 less monthly than it would have been if I did conventional financing. Vehicles (especially EVs) are quickly depreciating assets unlike houses and/or property.

 

[Carnut12]

If I leased my current Model S I wouldn’t be under water and my payments would’ve been lower the past 3 years.

Who knows what will happen with the Cybertruck in 3 years.

All good points appreciate the feedback.

 

[mitch9]

I bought my Cybertruck AWD, because the last vehicle I had was a 2013 Tesla Model S, I basiclly drove it until it wouldn't go any longer (it had a HV failure that they wanted $850 to diagnose, and the possible outcomes where pricey, so I didn't bother), as they say "time for a new Timex"

This happened at the begininning of August 2025, and the Federal EV tax credit was ending shortly, so with that in mind, and Tesla offering me $4,700 for the broken Model S, and a $1,000 loyalty credit, plus %0 financing, I financed it, because (if it isn't obvious), I don't have to have the latest and greatest Tesla every few years, my last one was before self-driving, cameras, etc was even thought of. I will drive the Cybertruck, until it no longer works.. that's really the only way to extract the full value of your money on a vehicle, drive it until the wheels come off Oh, and I had an early Cybertruck reservation, so the FSD was $7K.. combining that with the %0 financing, I looked at it as FSD was under $4K, and even at $99/month, I did 60 month financing, so 60 * $99 more than what I really paid for FSD, it was a no brainer at the time... and I will drive it until it's dead, well, it will drive ME FYI, I should add that to get the %0 financing, you had to buy FSD.. without buying FSD the interest rate was about %3.5 or so

Mitch

 

[gooshjkc]

I bought my FSCB, but when it’s time to move on I will definitely lease.

 

[CyberT]

Road trips with FSD is a game-changer, and FSD + Cybertruck = the most fun you can have on the road.

I placed a hefty down payment and financed the remaining 45% of the truck. I plan on driving this tank for 10+ years and going on long multi-state and multi-day road trips, so leasing isn't for me.

But I can totally understand the benefit of leasing, with getting the newest tech every 3 years.

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