snagitseven

Or any other brand of new car on the market for that matter. They're all depreciating assets.

PUMA4KICKS

Love the elementary school grade mentality in here. And some of you are grown men?? I'm really scared if you have children.

Anyway, whether you agree with my opinion or not...or you'd like to put your own spin on it...not my problem. Yes, these are facts from years of research and talking to people who actually own the cars as well as accessing various data through consumer journals, dealer techs, and plenty of other sources of objective/subjective information. To boot, I live in probably the biggest market for luxury cars in the world, if not one of the top 3; Los Angeles.

I don't really care to give any more of an account in an effort to "prove" myself, or to satisfy the "e-bully" personalities on here. I simply don't care that much, this is an online discussion- if you need any expansion on that you're on your own.

For me I love discussing the product in all it's many facets, and that's why I'm here. Not to trash Audi, just simply have conversation about the good and bad. If that's something you're going to get butt hurt about..deal with it. It's good to know some of you have such high regard for your cars and the brand as to defend any negative commentary relating to either. Your passion is quite obvious.

dk1

Equity is not the same as value. If you financed a $50,000 car over 36 months and 50% depreciation then at the end of that period you will have $25,000 in equity. The value has declined but your equity has grown (you now own the car). If you leased it then you have no equity (except if the case if the car is worth more than the purchase option).

In the above example if the cost to finance or purchase minus 25K is less than the cost of your lease payments then it would make more financial sense to buy, otherwise it's better to lease. Of course nobody can predict what happens in 3 years so it's more complicated than that in the real world.

PUMA4KICKS

Thanks for disagreeing in a civil and educated manner.

The primary market I think of when I'm speaking in general terms of the market overall is the one I live in. L.A., which in some way I believe reflects a good chunk of the big German 3 in their overall U.S. sales. Most people lease high end cars being part of both of the two groups you mentioned above. Even the folks who do end up buying them new do so with the intention to keep them only within the initial and extended warranty period. You don't find many owners taking them to independents outside of second and third+ hand owners.

snagitseven

Here's why you received what you call "elementary school grade mentality" comments to your original post:

- "it's my suspicion that leasing is what drives car companies like Audi to build less reliable cars, because what's the point in building something to last if no one ever keeps a car long enough to appreciate built in durability? "

Then, after questions were asked about your sources for such a statement, you replied with what reads like a smart-*** comment:

- "Don't see what's so hard to grasp? I'll explain none the less."

This is an Audi forum and one of your very first posts is to make a negative statement without any facts presented that smacks of "post bait". Also, the OP was asking about leasing vs. purchase. You chimed in with a statement that was essentially, Audi's are unreliable beyond the first few years.

- "I don't really care to give any more of an account in an effort to "prove" myself, or to satisfy the "e-bully" personalities on here. I simply don't care that much, this is an online discussion- if you need any expansion on that you're on your own. "

If you "don't care that much", why are you even here?
The forum members, the vast majority as Audi owners, have been posting questions, experiences and shared ideas; some people for many years. Coming to the forum as a relatively new poster with an apparently, unfounded negative one-liner and expecting nothing but serious discussion as a result is, in my opinion, disingenuous. 'Nuff said by me.

markcincinnati

I do understand and appreciate the distinction; I guess you're saying the car, on day one, payment one, has no or negative equity in that you would have to pay to get rid of the obligation.

How do we discuss this scenario, however: buy, in cash, the car on day one for $50,000 (no payments.) As the full owner (no bank involved) you have 100% of whatever the equity is at the exact moment of the transaction, if that amount could be $50,000, you have exchanged $50,000 in cash for the car (which for the sake of this thought is also "worth" $50,000 at least to you for some period of time.)

Wait 6 months, wait any period of time you like -- and if the car is not a collectable or in some other way one that would appreciate, well, its worth, in the marketplace, will be something south of $50,000. Yes, you still own 100% of the equity in the vehicle but it has not increased, it has decreased.

My friend who has worked at my Audi dealer for decades, says that it is often very difficult for a person who purchased a new Audi in 2000 to come in wanting to trade and somehow "remembers" that he paid $42,500 for the car in 2000 and the offer of (for example) $5,500 "wholesale" blows the buyer away (in a negative way.) Often, the customer will say, "I paid $42,500 for this car, you're low-balling." Now, of course wholesale and retail are different, but even when shown a "reasonable" retail number, the customer -- perhaps thinking his equity had grown -- is, to say the least, disappointed.

I do appreciate the spirit of this debate from all perspectives -- I did not want anyone here to think that Audis (any Audi I know of) actually would increase its owner's net worth as days, weeks, months, years and use wore on.

I love these cars, I am on my 29th Audi as we speak, but I know they lose "equity, value" or whatever we may agree to call it -- they do not grow more valuable (financially) over time, with very few exceptions.

PUMA4KICKS

Let's see...

First, I don't think anyone really asked questions as much as they expressed a lack of understanding. Second, if you can't take an educated and reasonable route to having a productive discussion and jump to conclusions about what and how you think someone else is saying something, and what they meant...that's your issue. I can't think of many other ways someone would intentionally try to start some online BS. I can see you're an adept hand in doing so.

If you choose to take my comments out of context and put your own negative/twisted spin on them that's not my problem.

I already stated why I'm here, which I can clearly see you purposely omitted from your quote to suit your meaningless tantrum. When I said "I don't care that much" - which I also clearly explained "why", but of course once again you put your own dramatic spin on. Short, straight and to the point: I don't raise my blood pressure over stupid stuff such as this mach debate. Honestly, there are far bigger things in life to get pissed and have a bitch fit about.

gunsmoker

Knock it off, guys. You are not bringing any more fresh info on the topic. It was entertaining however on the backdrop of all other boring posts!

snagitseven

You got it. As I wrote, 'nuff said by me.

Moviela

Take any A4. If you lease you will pay a certain amount to use that car for 3 years. If you purchase the car and drive it three years and sell it, you will have about $ 5,000. more in your pocket.

To me it only makes sense to lease if you have another investment that has a better return, such as to use the cash in your own business that has a margin of 7.5% or more.

I am not sure what is wrong with the spell checkers, it keeps allowing "lease" when it should say "(f)lease," because that is what the car companies are doing to you.