We lease 1 car because it will be under warranty. All scheduled maintenance is included - oil changes, tire rotations, etc. That's probably a few hundred over 3 years. Tires and brakes aren't so we have to keep an eye on those towards lease end.
Some things to consider:
When we were pricing out the options, the higher end model actually worked out with lower payments because the residual value (price they think it will be at end of lease) was higher for the higher end car.
It is a good way to "try" a vehicle/brand and if it turns out to not be super reliable/has issues or you just don't like it but can deal with it for 2-3 years, then you are done and walk away.
If you are looking long term - buying a used car is the better option. Financing a used car means monthly payments and if you are looking at things from a monthly cash flow perspective, leasing can be cheaper monthly - but pay more long term. Usually the rates for auto loans are much cheaper than credit cards so if you have CC debt, leasing can get you a lower monthly than buying and you can put the extra money per month towards debt.
I had a co-worker who wanted to drive an Audi but didn't want to be on the hook for keeping it fixed (or getting rid of it) once the warranty ran out. I'm thinking that most current German cars are like that.
Some things to consider:
When we were pricing out the options, the higher end model actually worked out with lower payments because the residual value (price they think it will be at end of lease) was higher for the higher end car.
It is a good way to "try" a vehicle/brand and if it turns out to not be super reliable/has issues or you just don't like it but can deal with it for 2-3 years, then you are done and walk away.
If you are looking long term - buying a used car is the better option. Financing a used car means monthly payments and if you are looking at things from a monthly cash flow perspective, leasing can be cheaper monthly - but pay more long term. Usually the rates for auto loans are much cheaper than credit cards so if you have CC debt, leasing can get you a lower monthly than buying and you can put the extra money per month towards debt.