$450-500/mo
Will vary by actual options, state youre in, shipping costs, etc. Cheaper if you do a one pay.
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4xe is definitely the way to go. Not only does it fit your budget, like others have said it should have equity left at lease end.
Also the fact that she’s a college student, if she can regularly have access to a regular plug, she can also save on gas.
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I’ve seen variations of this so many times and I’m always left wondering: who’s going to be happy with this arrangement … when it ends?
Not sure I follow… are you referring to the elimination of equity over the 3 year lease? The way I figure, her current car is 50/50 whether it makes it another 3 years. It might not make it to year two. There is a bit of a gamble here, but the idea is to take the equity in hand, buy 3 years of miles with it, and then buy a car when the market cools. She saved up to buy her last car, so she can save up to buy her next car over the next 3 years.
I guess my feeling is that whether you are driving miles on a used car or a lease, you are depreciating the vehicle. The lease in this scenario at least gives a reliable car during the depreciation period. The downside is that at the end of 3 years there is a chance the current used car would have some value, but that’s a big if.
I’d you’re referring to paying up front vs monthly, that’s a different question, and is more about logistics for me than finances.
I built out a 4xe Sahara today to her desired spec. It has leather, hard top, cold weather pkg, and safety package.
One pay is $12,173, or effectively $338/mo. This is before broker fee, doc/title, and transportation, but should land really darn close to the budget for a really nice ride. Getting a car in a tax free state is the way to go. 
I drove the 4xe today and was really impressed. It’s just bizarre that it’s a $59,000 suv with a really nice interior for what will amount to about $360/month. I know it’s been discussed at length, but it’s a crazy deal
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She has just realized this fact… She mostly just drives around town so could feasibly avoid using gas 80% of the time, but still do road trips and drive home for summer.
Colorado during cold winter will likely not allow it to run pure electric all the time if she does nothing but short drives. Just to set proper expectations.
I mean graduating college is an abrupt introduction to the real world for most. Get a real job, and start paying for rent, Wi-Fi, utilities, and insurance for the first time? Maybe student loans. How much is left for a car payment? And how much down payment will a college student save anyway?
So most people in that situation will only be able to afford a used shitbox.
Who’d be happy “graduating” from a gifted brand new car to buying a used shitbox?
And it’s not just the money. Most people hate car shopping like the plague. Most people need the stress of car-shopping on top of the stress of moving and apartment hunting like they need a hole in the head.
OTOH you could eliminate that future headache by financing something brand new right now. Something that won’t be turned in after graduation and replaced with something undoubtedly worse. Split that $13,000 budget into a down payment + making financing payments the next 3 years on a 60-84 month loan.
She can take over those payments when she graduates. There’s no uncertainty or volatility around how much her payments will be when she starts making them, either.
Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX30, etc.
Extended OEM warranties are relatively cheap too and if you want you can finance that too.
If she co-signs now she can build up her credit score in general and installment/auto score in particular.
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Does she have an actual residence there and a license to match? Will the Jeep be in her name? All of these things would need to be true to register it there.
Everything you said makes sense and I agree. I think this is more situational and personal.
I’ve always been a leaser. I owned my first two cars and then made the switch. It makes more financial sense to buy a used car and drive it until the wheels fall off, but I don’t do that because I like new things. My daughter can make that call when she’s grown and graduated.
Assuming my daughter doesn’t read leashackr so here’s the deal… she saved and bought her first used car and I paid insurance, maintenance, etc. She’s in her second year of college and I’m pushing her to get a job - more for the purpose of building her resume than to make money, but money will be part of it. She is paying for about 1/4 of college (I told her I would cover the cost of our local university and anything over that she would pay). The point is that she does well at school because she has financial skin in the game. It seems to be eorking. I share this because she has proven herself to be financially responsible and willing to work.
For credit, I have her building credit on my credit cards for minor purchases and on her apartment lease. I’ll cosign this upcoming lease and cover the payments. She’ll have decent credit by graduation.
So don’t tell her, but when she graduates I plan to let her settle into her student loan, house lease, and car payments. After a short period my wife and I plan to pay off her student loans. That would free up the equivalent of a car payment…
You are definitely right, it would be a downgrade from a Rubicon into a Jetta or whatever she can afford. That’s food for thought. But what I’m trying to do is get an SUV for under $350, which should be comparable to what she pays after graduation. I’m not getting her an M3 or anything…
Anyway, great and fair points. We are probably more into the world of parenting than leasing though
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She has a residence.
I could use advice on this I’d you have experience. She has a residence there, and the car will be in her name with me cosigning for credit. Her license is still Colorado. I hadn’t heard she needs to change her license to register the car in Oregon, but I would hate to be wrong about that.
I don’t know OR specifically, but have run into this issue elsewhere. A car gets registered to the address on your license. I’d be slightly surprised if this was not the case in OR as well.
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Worth getting her license there just to be safe. Just can’t vote in Colorado elections anymore which is fine…
Can you get a good deal through the dealership? Or only though a broker?
There are some dealers offering decent deals
What are the deals? Approx?
Im paying about $380/mo effectively on a 36/10 one pay for my high altitude
Which model high altitude? (Wrangler, Compass, etc) Did you end up using a broker or a dealer? Did you order or take one off the lot? Thanks!
I bought a brand new car in 2013 in CA but still had my NJ license. Registered the car to my Los Angeles based apartment. I brought proof of residence (bill, apartment lease agreement, etc) but I don’t think I even needed that.
Not sure if OR is the same or not. I didn’t get my CA license until 2015 when my NJ license was expiring.