Should I buy this USED M3, or Lease?

Hi All.. I'm not much of an analyst, so wondering what you guys think would be a better way to go for me.

I turn my car in every 2 years.

Buy an '11 Black/Black M3 DCT, Nav, Premium, non comp package, for $57k with 20k miles. Payment would be about $850/month on 72 month finance. $5k/down. I also get a credit on my trade in for tax on $41k.

OR

Lease a '13 Black/Black with out nav, but with Competition package, 15,000 miles per year (I drive about 18,000), 1800 down, payment would be around $915/month.

Wondering what makes more sense, or if it's apples to apples? Comp package sounds cool, but not mandatory, same with Nav, so they are kinda interchangeable.

Do you think I'd be upside down if I sold in two years?



What do you think I should do?

Do you already have an e9x M3? If so the only appreciable difference might be the Comp Package on the '13 but unless you're going to the track it just wouldn't be worth getting out of a current e9x M3 financially. If you don't have an e9x M3 then I'd lean towards buying instead of leasing (and in your case once you pay for extra miles it's about a $200/month difference in cash flow.)

I leased a car once and will never do so again. For me it just felt like a gamble (and I don't gamble) - I would be over on miles and pay a big penalty or be under and throw away money (in my case I ended up way under but the dealer gave me a very nice credit towards a new purchase on top of the discounted price I had negotiated.)

hmmmm.... I suspect you will be about more or less even. Looking at Kelly Blue Book for a rough approximation - a 2009 M3 E92 with DCT and nicely equipped has a current trade in value of $33K - $39K. Given your interest rate, you can do the calculations, but I suspect, both scenarios are more or less equal.

If I were you, I would lease the new car with the features you want - personally I luv the ZCP. In 2/3 years - you will have limited your down side and have set yourself up to take advantage of the new F82 M4, or buy your car at a predetermined price if you are smitten with it.

Lease a new one and don't look back...............Phil

I faced a pretty similar scenario just a couple of months ago and decided to lease a '13.

The price difference isn't too much, and at the end of the day you're getting exactly what you want and more importantly, IMHO, you will know the total history of the car since you're the only one who'll have driven it.

Especially on a car like an M3, who knows if / how / when it was abused.

My lord! I'm so glad I had crazy equity in my trade-in or I wouldn't be in this car. Even the lease rates/payments are through the stratosphere. Good lord, my wife would've just laughed hysterically at nearly $1k a month.