Numerous cars in different styles and features are introduced into the market each day. It is quite expensive to acquire or change them frequently. To avoid this, an economic and expedient financing option, known as car leasing, is available.
Car leasing offers many advantages over purchasing a new vehicle. In the case of purchasing, the owners are stuck with the same old car until it is disposed off. On the contrary, leasing provides an opportunity to drive a brand new vehicle for a low monthly payment. In leasing, the main advantage is that the user is only paying for the portion of the car’s value, and not for the car itself. Leasing also provides tax benefits. For instance, if a car has been leased for business needs, provisions are there to deduct a part of the lease payment.
However, certain points are to be considered in car leasing, and some of them are length of contract, residual value of the car, penalties concerning early termination of lease, mileage charges, wear and tear, and depreciation. Vehicles with the lowest depreciation provide the best lease deals. Safety features and carriage capacity must also be checked. Above all, the users and dealers must be familiar with laws that regulate vehicle leasing and financing.
There are two types of car leasing ‘closed-end’ leases and ‘open-end’ leases. In closed end lease, the residual value of the vehicle is pre-determined prior to the lease is signed, and users are given options to purchase the car for this value when the lease expires. Open-end lease is quite different from closed end lease, and in this case, the residual value of the car is estimated when the lease is signed. At the end of the lease period, the value is compared with the market value of the car, and the users are required to pay the difference.
Car leasing is generally provided by banks, credit unions, and financial divisions of major car manufacturers. Nowadays, many of the leasing providers provide internet premium calculators, which enables easy comparison of different lease options.