Deal Check: 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL AWD

Ask the Hackrs Buy/Finance
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1

Hey All,

I’m looking at a lease deal for a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL AWD (Ultimate Red Exterior, Gray Interior) and wanted to get some input on whether this is a good deal. My preference is for the Serenity White and Gray Interior.

I’m in Miami, Florida for reference.

The dealer initially offered me a lease with a $2,000 down payment, but I asked for a $0 down sign-and-drive option to compare.

Initial Offer (with $2,000 down)

MSRP: $41,000

Dealer Discount: -$2,085.88

Selling Price: $38,914.12

Dealer Fee: $949.50

Tax & Fees: ~$1,213.89 (DMV, bank acquisition, taxes, etc.)

Total Balance: $41,077.51

Lease Payment: $499/month

Residual Value: $27,470

Money Factor: 0.00194 (he said it is the buy rate)

No manufacturer rebates available - according to him

Updated Offer (with $0 down sign-and-drive)
Lease Payment: $563/month (all costs capitalized into the lease)

no lease sheet yet, this has been all via email. Don’t want to assume everything else remains the same but will clarify.

Additional Info:
He said the $2,000 Dealer Choice Bonus Cash only applies to financing, not leasing. But I was certain I saw this on the Hyundai website under lease offers.

He said that money factor is not marked up and is Hyundai Motor Finance buy rate. He encouraged me to call. For reference my credit is 800+/tier 1.

The car would arrive in 2 days if I proceed with the deal.

Would love to hear thoughts, does this seem like a fair deal, or should I push for something better? My gut is telling me no. Not sure where to proceed from here aside for asking for updated breakdown to see how everything is being capitalized.

Thanks in advance,

2

Have you checked the Marketplace

3

Hey Max,

I’ve been digging deeper into lease options for this trim in my area, but I still haven’t found specific information. The broker listings I’ve come across often quote prices similar to or even higher than dealership offers, typically requiring larger down payments—not including broker fees. While there are notable MSRP discounts, the savings seem to be offset by inflated documentation fees, dealer add-ons, and broker commissions, making the effective lease rate about the same or even higher.

For example, I’ve noticed that some of the rates in the Excel sheets are lower than what’s reflected in the calculator links. I’m also unsure how many of these deals are regional. **I’ve seen people on Reddit and other forums mention getting $0 down, first-month DAS on a higher trim (Limited at $470 with taxes in MI) at significantly lower monthly payments (taxes included) on their own. That makes me wonder—what levers did the salesperson pull to make that happen? Were there additional incentives beyond standard compensation?

I understand that everyone involved needs to be paid, but I’m trying to determine if these calculators are just starting points. Being new to lease hacking, I’ve been reading up on best practices and leveraging AI to understand all the nuances.

Since I’m looking to finalize a deal in the next couple of days—I want to surprise my wife for Valentine’s—I’d appreciate any insights or guidance you can share to help me make a well-informed decision.

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You may be better off financing this using the current 2.99% offer and taking the finance rebate.

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