EDIT: I’M 6’8’’ TALL AND MY WIFE IS 5’11’’, SO WE UNFORTUNATELY DO THINK THE A5 IS TOO SMALL FOR US TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH A BABY SEAT IN. THE A5 HAS ALMOST NO BACKSEAT SPACE WHEN WE’RE BOTH IN THE CAR.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a concrete deal yet, so I don’t have a deal sheet or similar item to share with you all. My wife and I currently lease a 2024 Audi A5 Sportback, but recently found out we are expecting a child, so are now starting to consider SUV’s.
I went into a Lexus dealer in Northern NJ yesterday, and they said they have a GX550 Premium+ coming in next week (MSRP $75,000). They asked me what it would take to get me to take the GX550 now. I told them I want:
**- $6,000 - $7,000 due at signing
$900 per month maximum payment** - My Audi’s remaining 12 lease payments at $599 per month to be paid off.
They said it’s something they can “probably" do, and that I should come back with my wife. The thing is that I know the GX is in hot demand, so I find this very hard to believe. I could maybe see that the monthly payment could be doable with that down payment (even this I think is a stretch, but curious what you all think). But combined with $6k to pay off the Audi?
I think they’re just BSing me to try to get me to come back. We live in NYC, so is it worth it to make the trek back out to Jersey? Or are they yanking my chain?
We’re in no rush to replace the Audi as the baby isn’t due until July, so we have no desire to replace it unless we can guarantee the lease is paid off and no negative equity will exist.
Normally I would agree, but I’m 6’8’’ and my wife is 5’11’’. There is 0 room in the backseat behind me. Only a little room behind her. We probably need something bigger to ensure we’re both comfortable with car seat(s).
This entire ordeal is a recipe for disaster. The Sportback is plenty capable. You have 12 months remaining, and it looks like you’re going after a currently non-hackable new Lexus. Stick with your current vehicle and worry about this in a year.
Actually you know what, given that everyone has stated the reasonable position. I’ve decided that you absolutely should take your pregnant wife to a car dealer and have her sit there trying to go back and forth to have them move your negativity equity into your GX deal. Then you can let us know if they made it work or not. For science of course.
What would be the point of adding negative lease equity on your new car and bumping up your costs? Wouldn’t it be wiser to keep your current car instead of paying $7,200 over a year （$599/ month as you stated） in negative equity and having no car? If you MUST have a larger vehicle, there is no point of getting rid of the Audi. Just get a second car and keep it. You’re going to pay for it regardless. Additionally, you cannot lease transfer an Audi FYI. Do you need a GX550? Why not go after a hackable SUV? Another question I have is if you need the car by summertime, why are you worrying about this now? This doesn’t make any sense.
GX550 is tight fit. Sit in one and bring a rear facing chilld seat. No need to burn cash, I’d stick to A5 SB for now. I went from S5 SB to a GX460 with our first born and it was overkill. Sportback design allows you all the storage and access you’ll need.
Agreed on this. OP, you will be somewhat surprised at the tight fit. Just because its an “SUV” does not mean there is a ton of space in the backseat. The G Wagon is super crammed in the back seat, for example. GX is similar
@wal5036 enjoy this time with your significant other. You have around 8 months before your fam grows, and after that another 3 months before you even consider going further then 5 miles from home with your first born. Speakin from experience.
As @Ursus mentioned when the time comes look at other brands. My kids just got out of rear facing seats and leased XC90 is ok for myself at 6’2” plus we can have a pig pen in the back.
Wait a few months, once you have the car seat/infant carrier in hand, go do all the test drives you want with it installed. That way, you’ll find exactly how it feels/works.
If there was an SUV that was on a fire sale right now and the deals were ending this month then maybe one can consider upgrading early.
But with the baby out few months, and negative equity and pursuing a car that has zero deals on it, it makes absolutely zero sense to pay a premium unless you have money to burn or need write offs.
