Leasing Tips

Car manufacturers commonly offer lease specials. This is a good way to shop for a leased car because it can save you even more money. However, the specials might have hidden costs that are not clearly identified in the lease ad. You should always check to see if the promised monthly payment includes sales tax and fees. Also, does the advertised lease require a large down payment (sometimes called a "cap reduction payment" or "cap cost reduction"), bank fees and a security deposit? What about the annual mileage limit? These are questions you want answered long before you're closing a lease deal.

Edmunds.com compiles and regularly updates a list of lease specials. Check the "Incentives and Rebates" section of the site to see what is being offered in any given month. Be sure to confirm the specific make, model and geographic region that the incentive applies to.