If you’re stuck on Mercedes you can probably find a C-Class loaner for less money, even with your negative equity. I also think that’s a better vehicle overall. If you want to switch brands Q50’s generally lease well and there’s a ton of threads here you can use to benchmark what a good deal is. Acura has thrown a lot of dealer cash at remaining 2018 TLX’s and depending on trim level you can get a good deal there as well.
Do you mean switching brands may still give me a less lease payment or the same lease payment with my negative equity and still have a decent payment?
Yes, switching brands may give you a better payment even with your negative equity. There are many variables in play when it comes to getting a good deal; from dealer inventory, residual value, customer cash, dealer cash, money factor, and timing. As a result some cars simply lease better than others. Search the forums for Audi and you’ll see very few deals that are considered hackr worthy whereas if you search “C300 Loaner” (there’s even a Wiki put together for BMW & Mercedes loaners) you’ll have a ton of deals to use as a benchmark. The CLA simply isn’t a desirable car and to pay that much, even with the negative equity removed from the equation, isn’t something I would personally recommend when there are far better deals to be had on more refined cars within the same brand.
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Thanks, I am going to search online and contact some dealers by email and see what I can get. I just contacted Acura and Infiniti… I will check Audi as well.
The c300 was coming out to 525 and I don’t want to spend that much on a car for the next three years. I am paying 655 now and I want to get much lower. Hopefully, it will work out for me.
Here’s a recent C300 loaner example to go off of.
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WOW!!! with my negative equity, I would be under $300!!! Im going to call all the MB in my local area minus the one that my Broker was using, and see what I can get. The one I went to yesterday wanted to give me the loaner for $539/36 and $505/48 and it did even have black seats, that I wanted… This post gave me hope…
The person from Acura called me and said he could get me in the ILX for mid 300s and TLX for mid 400’s.
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I don’t disagree, but that isn’t what he asked is it…
And now the 1% rule is garbage? lol… ok.
The 1% rule is something that someone came up with and people, not just on LH, treat like it’s gospel. The fact of the matter is there will always be vehicles that won’t meet that “rule” due to the variables that include but aren’t always limited to what I mentioned I mentioned above and there are others (see some of the deals posted here by resident broker/dealers or the link I posted) that trend around .5%. In fact many of the best deals posted here by members or broker/dealers handily beat the 1% rule that so many people use as their benchmark of what constitutes a solid deal.
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Why is it like pulling teeth to get the numbers I want. Its like no one wants to disclose the MF, residual value and adjusted gross cap after giving me an estimated or direct payment. This makes me weary. Why do I have to come in to get those numbers?
It’s not an arbitrary number someone just imagined up… it’s always been an ideal benchmark for a “fair” lease. When I sold cars in the early 2000’s it was where our dealership felt comfortable on negotiating to, as it was fair for us and the buyer. Of course, 9 out of ten car shoppers aren’t savvy enough to know they can negotiate on a lease, so we almost always sold above that.
Do some specific vehicles lease under that? Absolutely. Do some lease above that and are still considered a good deal for that model? Yes. There are exceptions to every “rule”… but it’s a good rule to follow overall.
Find a Broker/Dealer who can handily beat the 1% rule on an Audi A5… I’ll wait. It’s a slim and none chance on that vehicle. Any Range Rover falls into the same category… a 1% deal is almost impossible to find.
It’s a one-size-fits-most rule. A guideline to gauge a deal, nothing more, nothing less. Let’s not pretend that there are hundreds of models that beat the rule, or pretend that most of us seeking a luxury model would be satisfied with a Chevy Spark because we got it at .05%… You couldn’t pay me to drive some of the vehicles these great “deals” are found on. For instance, the C300 is a very cheap “luxury” car. It’s full of plastic, and doesn’t appeal to me at all. I wouldn’t want one, even at sub $300 payment. But that’s me… Other people just want the MB badge at the cheapest they can find it. That’s fine for them.
Every rule has exceptions. But it is a good guideline, regardless of how you feel about better deals being possible.
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You don’t have to come in. If they won’t give them to you over the phone or email, then they’re likely trying to hide something. Just be upfront and tell whomever you’re working with that you want full transparency. If they can’t disclose the information, you can’t do the deal. Give and take is a part of every negotiation.
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Do not come in. E-mail and phone only until all the numbers are figured out.
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But read through the forums and so many people don’t use it has a guideline. They use it as a hard and fast rule quoting it often and usually without the proper context, but they do it anyway because someone on the Internet once told them it was a rule and everything else is extraneous. People (members and broker/dealers alike) have been lambasted because they post offers that aren’t at 1% of MSRP without realizing that’s probably a darned good deal for that brand, Audi for example.
I don’t disagree entirely with what you’re saying but so many people don’t look at it like that.
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You’re identifying a much larger problem here, than the 1% rule… Which is the VAST majority of people online don’t do the research required to understand what they’re talking about…lol
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Well is the 1% rule a good factor to go by for the Acura ILX, TLX, MB C300, or Infiniti Q50?
I am in contact with all three brands.
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Search the forum for deals on those vehicles and find out.
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Have you test driven all those cars to make sure you’re happy with them?
Bear in mind as well if you’ve got several months left on your current lease you should probably wait until the end of the month and you’re likely to get a better deal. It’s good to explore and test drive now but don’t rush in.
I test drove the Q50 a few months ago. I thought the leather was kinda, sketchy.
I have to test drive the Acura.
I just want a good deal…
If you’re looking for the best deal don’t impose a time limit on yourself if you don’t have to, it puts you under more pressure and will impair your negotiating. Rushing into a major decision like a car lease only leads to buyers remorse.
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