my 2 cents - if there's a higher likelihood that you're keeping the car long term (3+ years) then purchase is probably better. If there's a higher likelihood that you're going to give the car back, trade it in, or sell it in less than 3 years, doesn't really matter what you do. You lose the same at the end. Only with a lease, you are likely to have a lower payment. I've traded in the past 4 cars 2 lease 2 purchase (most recently an 08 M3 on 27m lease that I had for 8 months). Always lose the same. In contrast, back in 05 I traded in an 04 bmw 530i that I did 60 month financing on with minimal down payment (5k or thereabouts). I made $1k on the private party sale compared to the payoff. Would not have happened that way on a lease.

 

I had the opposite happen. My wife's Bmw 5 was turned in over on mileage and it cost me about $2000 total after replacing tires to return. We had tried to sell it outright 6 months before lease end to avoid the mileage ding & street value was about $6k less than payoff. When we returned it value was about $7500 less. Shared risk is the only reason I would consider lease. Oh, any the fact that I havent kept a car for more than 3 years in the last 20

 

An advantage of a lease is to avoid the hassle and headaches of trying to sell the car when you no longer want it...just turn it in and on to the next