Low Money Factor Promo — Lease or Buy?
A promotional-rate scenario: a $33,000 vehicle with an aggressive 0.0015 money factor (≈3.6% APR) compared against a 6.5% loan over 36 months. A pre-filled lease vs buy calculator scenario.
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Your comparison inputs
Results
Buy net cost
$23,120
Lease net cost
$22,576
Winner
Leasing wins
Savings: $544
Buy monthly payment
$632
Lease monthly payment
$516
Final equity
$4,948
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Cumulative cost & equity
Cost breakdown
| Buy | Lease | |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Monthly payments | $22,759 | $18,576 |
| Fees | $0 | $1,000 |
| Sales tax | $2,310 | $1,215 |
| Final equity | $4,948 | $0 |
| Net cost | $23,120 | $22,576 |
Features
- Buy vs lease net cost comparison
- Money factor & residual analysis
- Winner with total savings
- Cumulative cost & equity chart
- Shareable result card + CSV export
Scenario Benchmark
Key figures for Low Money Factor Promo — Lease or Buy?.
Buy net cost
$23,120
Lease net cost
$22,576
Winner
Leasing wins · $544
Buy monthly payment
$632
Lease monthly payment
$516
Final equity
$4,948
Frequently asked questions
How the maths works
Leasing pays only for the vehicle you use (depreciation plus a finance charge); buying pays for the whole car but leaves you with equity you can sell. The comparison nets both to the same point in time.
- 1Buy: add sales tax to the price, subtract the down payment and amortize the loan; after the holding period, sell at the resale value and deduct the equity.
- 2Lease: residual = MSRP × residual%; monthly rent = depreciation + (cap cost + residual) × money factor, plus sales tax on each payment.
- 3Net buy cost = down + tax + payments + remaining balance − resale value.
- 4Net lease cost = down + fees + total rent — no asset at the end. The lower net cost wins.
Figures are illustrative and exclude insurance, maintenance and mileage penalties. Not financial advice.
Everything you need to know
What decides lease vs buy?
The biggest lever is depreciation: if the car loses value quickly (EVs, luxury models), leasing can cap your loss; if it holds value (trucks, SUVs), buying lets you bank the equity.
Your rate also matters — a subsidized money factor can make the lease cheaper even with fees, while a low loan rate favors buying.
Reading the result
Net cost puts both options on equal footing: everything you pay out minus what you get back. Buying usually shows higher monthly costs but a strong final equity line.
The winner is the lower net cost — if the gap is small, other factors like mileage, maintenance or owning the car matter more.
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Lease vs buy scenarios
Jump to a pre-filled example, or start from scratch.
$35K Luxury Car — Lease or Buy in 36 Months?
The head-to-head on a typical $35,000 car — where the money actually goes in 36 months.
$50K EV (Tesla) — Lease or Buy?
EVs depreciate faster than gas cars — does that make leasing the smarter bet?
Zero Down — Lease vs Buy a $32K Car
When you bring nothing to the table, the lease can shine — here is the math.
High-Mileage Commuter — Lease or Buy?
Leases punish mileage — see how 15k miles a year tilts the decision hard toward buying.
$25K Budget Sedan — 3-Year Ownership Cost
For budget sedans the math is tight — which side of the line does $25,000 land on?
$60K Truck or Large SUV — Lease vs Loan
Trucks hold value — see whether that makes buying the clear winner on a $60,000 rig.
Business Vehicle — Lease or Buy for Tax?
For business users the tax angle matters — the raw cost comparison, with the deduction notes.
Low Money Factor Promo — Lease or Buy?
When the dealer subsidizes the lease rate, the equation can flip — here is the proof.