CleanAudi

No flames please, but I am thinking the S4 leases are slightly overpriced, or is it just that Audi's residuals and lease program suck? Ever since rumors started spreading about the B6 S4 I was interested in the car. Day by day it seems to me that the S4 is not the way to go, due to the factors that leasing this car is so costly! I've called numerous dealers, and they all confirm my belief. I've been quoted prices like $800 a mo for a 48 month lease when the car came out to $580 a month for a 48 month lease. The lowest I've been able to come across is $580 a month. 48 Month lease, 10K Miles a year, $7000 down, $4000 off MSRP of $52,000. Why on earth do I have to put down $7000 to get the payments so low, why is this cars lease rates so bad?! Am I smoking on something, or is this rate normal for all cars in the $50K Range with the same terms and down payment. Putting down $7K for this car is my only issue, and it is leaning me away from Audi completely.

Miwa

not the monthly payment, and then do the math yourself.

Residuals are overall lower these days than they were a few years ago, because of all the previously leased cars (at good rates) being absorbed by the car companies. With the down market, resale value for luxury items goes down, so residuals follow.

If you are being quoted a lousy money factor, it's likely a credit thing... try 3rd party lessors.

frankk

BMWs and MBs are going to lease a bit less relative to their MSRP because their residual is higher (brand recognition helps here). Most other $50K vehicles will come in around the Audi. $800/mo is about right. You'll buy the payment down at about $35 per $1000 down so $7K down will bring you in around $550. Have you price a purchase over a longer term?

DrGP

This is a limited production vehicle,thus the dealers only get so many. They are not going to give them away. However, there is a surplus of S4s in certain areas . You can get a better deal on an in stock surplus S4 IF the dealer has a few on hand and IF he wants to deal. Leased mine 12/8/03 I leased for 42 months/10k. $740/mo $3100 start up fees($1500cap reduction/575 bank fees/200 tx and title. Also need 740 first mo payment). Turned down $710/48 mo.$3k out the door

DrGP

Go onto autotrader.com and find 2 or 3 dealers in a 50-75 mile radius that have multiple S4 listings. Hopefully they will also have one with a color and options that you can accept. Ask all for their best lease deal. Play one against the other. You will see who really wants to sell a car.(lease)Be carefull of vin #s in the problem range.You can do better.I did it that way and had mine in 10 days.(I had to wait 8 days for delivery to dealer from port)Local dealer's lease terms $ucked like the ones you were given.

2R8Sand1RS4

did you use the audi payment calculator?

Chuckie T

My '01 A6 4.2 had an MSRP of just about $53k, which is about the same as a new s4. I leased for 39 months, 1k miles/month (39k over the lease), and put down about $1500 with Audi Loyalty. I did negotiate the cap cost under $49k and with MA tax, my lease pmt is $720. Keep in mind that money factors weren't great back then, so the same car should come in under $700 today all things equal. I would expect to find similar figures for the S4 (assuming a decent negotiation on cap cost). Maybe a little more due to non-discounted MF's, gas guzzler tax, and lack of loyalty rebates. Anything more is a rip off IMHO.

PS: Most would agree that putting a large sum down on a lease is a bad idea.

Orangeblood

$4000.00 off MSRP 10k mi for 36 mos. I said he was a fool. He still wants to go back and get an M5 when they come out. Man they saw him comming from a mile away. A $580.00 payment is not a bad deal for a $50k car, bur if you get down to it all leasing is a bad deal. Unless you have multiple cars and want to change up or walk away in 3 to 4 years. I leased mine for $580.00 with 15k mi a year for 48mos. So you should be able to get the same deal from your dealer. Don't let them stick it to you with 10k/48, that deal sucks because you are just paying off the depreciation of the vehicle for them. The closer you can get that car to low blue book value(increased milage) when they resell it the more it will skrew them in the end.
Good luck.

Orangeblood

Figure 10% dwn and a $500.00 to $600.00 payment for a $50k car is a pretty good deal around here. You won't find that at BMW or Mercedes unless its last years model and they want it off the lot.

Chuckie T

$5k down is a considerable cap cost reduction and offsets the point of the lease - to an extent. If invested carefully, that same $5k could have generated more money than you will save on your monthly payments (and interest charges) over the course of the lease. Did you consider the "multiple security deposit" approach that lowers the MF for each $500 or $1000 you put down and you get it all back at the end of the lease? It sems BMW frequently offers this as a means for lowering monthly payments.