Finally getting around to say thank you to @Jrouleau426 for his excellent service.
I have negotiated all of my prior lease deals myself as I once found it to be a bit of fun, however, no longer wanting to put the time and energy into the research, the spreadsheets, the emails, and the phone calls, I found Jim’s thread on Leasehackr.
After a few texts for pricing the Tundra vs Tacoma, I locked in a Tacoma TRD Off Road Premium in Cement in March just prior to the COVID-19 shutdown with terms of 39/12 @ $383/month through US Bank with $0 DAS. This was nearly $100 less than the initial quote from my local dealer for a lesser equipped Tacoma. His PA dealer offered delivery to northern NJ for $200 and I took full advantage! All in all, the drop off process and paperwork took about 5 minutes to complete. The end to end process is truly 100% hassle free.
Those considering the Tacoma vs Tundra - - the Tacoma ultimately won me over as it is the perfect suburban/urban area truck. It is far more maneuverable than the Tundra and gets better fuel economy, I did not need a serious tow vehicle, and although the rear seats are a bit cramped, they work well for local trips with passengers. The premium and tech package are worth the upgrade in my opinion. The leather seats, JBL sound, and Multi-Terrain Monitor are nice additions to have in a pickup truck. If you’re not wanting to spend for the premium and tech, definitely ensure you get the LED headlights! Night driving is incredible and the front sequential turn signals are pretty slick! (see left bottom pic).
With inventory being a bit tight now due to the COVID shutdowns, if Jim can not locate the exact truck you want, I would recommend that you consider purchasing the accessories you want instead of trying to have them residualized in the lease. I picked up some Go Rhino RB-10 running boards for $400 shipped along with a Gator SFX tri-fold tonneau cover for $209 shipped (both pictured above). I easily installed both in an afternoon and will likely just sell them when my lease ends to recoup some of the initial cost. Choosing this route also avoids any vehicle location fee which makes it worth the minimal effort in my opinion.
Lastly, for those questioning deals/pricing - - do your research, follow Jim’s instructions for quotes (they are clearly defined in his first post), and remember that any deal is a snapshot in time. Rebates change, residuals change, rates change, vehicles sell, pandemics hit. It’s Jim’s job to present the deal to you and your job to determine if that deal represents a value to you that warrants your action on it at that specific time.
Thank you Jim. Looking forward to connecting again for my next vehicle lease.
