Hi Leasehackrs!
I’m currently leasing a Mercedes GLC 300, and the lease is up in November. I can turn around and sell the car to Carvana/CarMax at a $9000 premium over the residual value. I’d like to get another GLC 300, but y’all know what the availability and pricing looks like.
Current lease payment is $499/month after tax and I’d like to keep monthly payment about the same.
What I can’t figure out is if it’s better to a) buy the car now and drive it for another year hoping that the availability normalizes by then, or b) put the $9000 “profit” into the down payment on the new lease, which will get me the ~$500/month monthly payment I’m looking for.
The Leasehackr score on a new lease is awful, but I figure this $9000 is “falling from the sky” and I do want a new car and don’t want to “own” a car.
What are your thoughts? It’s unlikely the situation improves by November, dealers within 100 miles of the Bay Area have no stock and I’m lucky if I’m quoted MSRP as the selling price. Half of them quote $3-5K over MSRP.