We've decided to buy the car we've been leasing...

[CTyankee]

We've had a good 3 years leasing our 2018 Nissan Sentra but now the lease is up and we've decided that, given the options, we will buy the vehicle. We're now 80 and 81 but still in good shape physically and financially.

We don't want to go to the dealership because we are limiting any exposure to the public so we can't look into leasing another new Sentra (we may not like it as much as our current Sentra).

I cannot express how much I HATE dealing with cars and car dealershiips. What we do know is that this car fits our needs very well. We are within minutes of the dealership's service center. We only had to have service, apart from regular oil changes and once for tire pressure, so we feel secure in that.

I hate this process so much.

[safeinOhio]

1. Good choice.

For some reason, every time I've traded in a perfectly good car, the next one sucks.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. I'm under the impression that if you want to purchase the car you've been leasing,

the price is set and you only have to pay it.

Not that I've ever leased.

I also find that buying a car isn't all that difficult, although most people think so. For one thing, there is so much information available on the internet that it's an entirely different world of car-buying than back in the day.

I've actually written up a "Rules for Buying a Car" which takes most of the mystique out of it.

In any case, you should be able to phone the dealership, find out what they want for you to purchase the car and go for it.

[CTyankee]

6. That's what I'll do. I'll get a loan from our bank (yes, they'lll give you a loan for a used car, I

checked). We might just buy it outright since we have the money (I don't know how much the bank will charge on a loan for a used car).

[NCDem47]

8. Yes. Check the residual value in your lease contract.

My understanding is that is set in stone. Curious if any out there have hagled this down in similiar situations. Our lease is up this year and we've toyed with purchasing.

[CTyankee]

11. See, this is what i hate and what I wanted to avoic. We have a deadline for our car insurance

payment at the end of this month.

[DonaldsRump]

15. Don't let the insurance cause you to rush this

Call your insurance agent/company and tell them your situation. I am sure they will change the payment schedule if it's annual. Plus they'll credit you for an excess money you pay. You should be fine there.

Don't rush the car decision as I doubt it's very cheap!

[mitch96]

16. Can you call your insurance company and tell them your situation? Do a month to month thing?

There might be another route. Depending on your milage and residual value of your Sentra you might do better selling the car to CarMax or Carvana and then lease a new car. Depending on where you live you can do the new car deal over the phone and have them deliver the car to your door.
If the value of your car is worth more than your residual you might be able to make money on the deal. Don't forget you might have to pay the dealer more bullshit "fees" to buy the car from them... I detest car dealers also.
Carmax offered me more for my car than the buy out price. It was three years old and only had 23,000 miles. I drove to carmax, confirmed the buy out and they cut me a check right there. The beauty was NO BULLSHIT END OF LEASE FEES.. I then went to the new car dealer and used the check from carmax for the down payment on the new car.. I think it's b/c of covid that used cars are a hot item now so prices are up..YMMV and it worked for me...
m

[Clash City Rocker]

12. We just bought the Kia Sorrento we've been leasing, and the payments went down

By like $100 a month.

[janterry]

3. I had a friend who

years ago was in the hospital giving birth and she needed a way home. So, she called a dealership, purchased the car over the phone (her first car ever) and he drove to the hospital and gave her the keys!

(I hate dealerships, too. I swore the next car I buy will be online.)

[mitch96]

18. "(I hate dealerships, too. I swore the next car I buy will be online.)"

And even with the online approach they still try to screw with you.. I called 5 dealers with my list of what I wanted and then wanted a "out the door" price. Tax title everything.. I got the prices and picked the one with the lowest price. When I went to go get the car they tried to tack on another $300 for my trade in... I had no trade in.. Then they tried to say they made a mistake and the $100 registration/title fee was really $350.. Not my problem I said and the title and reg fee was $200 where I live. They took all the bullshit "fees" off the deal When I got home I found they added another fee buried in the paperwork that I did not notice. ... grrrrrr. I was stuck and could not return the car and bitched to the Sales mgr, General mgr and the parent car company... Basically they said tough, you signed the deal..
I told them that they were getting trashed on social media..
m
ps don't buy from WestShore Mazda... they suck..
m

[RobinA]

28. Yes, Doing It Online

avoids some hassles, but does not avoid all dealer shenanigans. I was negotiating online and we arrived at a price for a blue Subaru. I was very clear that my Subaru would be blue. After we arrived at the price I double checked that he would be able to sell me a blue Subaru at the price. He said he could, so I go up to show him my trade and, I thought, buy a car. After much time wasting, etc. he told me, just to make sure we were on the same page, that we were talking about "that car over there" pointing to a silver Subaru in the showroom. I said that I was there to purchase a blue Subaru and that he assured me he could get it. Nope, this special price only applied to the silver Subaru. Then to add insult to insult, he low balled me on my trade. So I said, OK, I need X dollars on my trade and the price we agreed one for the blue Subaru. No can do, says he. Good-bye, says I.

Calls me the next day, early, and agrees to all my terms. Sorry, I said, I'm buying a different car. I had been back and forth between a Subaru Forester and a CRV. Pros and cons to each, pretty even up. I couldn't settle on a preference, but I went with the Subaru because the Honda dealers were being even more dickish. After I said no to the changed Subaru deal and was driving home, I felt relieved that now I could go with the CRV. I had no idea that I actually did have a preference. Even if I had still wanted a Subaru. it wasn't going to be from that guy. I have found that so many car dealers, including woman car dealers, do not know how to negotiate with woman buyers.

[mitch96]

32. " do not know how to negotiate with woman buyers."

I believe the sales person's job is to take as much money out of your pocket as humanly possible. Man/Woman it does not matter. They all suck. I had a dealer refuse to give me back my keys after the "expert" evaluated my trade. I said the deal was no good and wanted to leave, give me my keys. I got all red neck stupid on him and started YELLING in the dealership to the other customers about the stuff they were pulling. I mean not returning my keys till I buy a new car from them?? Really? Long story short they threw my keys out in the street just to get me out of there. They got stupid so I got stupid...
Like I said they all suck..
m

[Initech]

35. Go through Costco.

I set everything up with Costco and my credit union before hand and then that made everything so much easier. I got the car payment I wanted and when I went to the dealer all I had to do was sign the papers and write the check, everything else took care of itself. I sold my previous vehicle through Carmax and got a way better offer than I ever would have going through the dealer.

[mitch96]

36. A good friend of mine had a bad experience going thru Costco...

Actually it was not Costco, it was the dealer run around when she went for her "confirmed" price. In this case Costco was just another lead generator for the dealership.. YMMV
m

[Initech]

37. The first attempt going through Costco they hooked me up with a really shady dealer.

Because I had a very specific car that I wanted (Subaru Legacy Limited, black exterior) but the first dealer I contacted did not have it in stock. And this dealer wanted me to order the car I wanted and called me several times about doing so. Which would have taken at minimum 2 months, probably more.

But I checked 3 other dealers where I live and two of them actually had the car I wanted in stock. I went to the dealership, then I called Costco and they let me switch to the other dealer.

[cyclonefence]

4. It sounds like you're doing the right thing

for all the right reasons.

[TwilightZone]

5. If it's leased through NMAC, you shouldn't have to involve the dealer.

Just call NMAC and they can assist with the process. There should be a payoff amount in your lease contract which you can verify over the phone or online. Looks like you can even pay it off through the online finance account manager with an electronic check.

Regarding a new one, a lot of dealers are doing at-home test drives and contactless delivery, so you wouldn't necessarily have to go in to the dealership to check one out if that's available at your local dealer.

[CTyankee]

9. Good information!

[Bluethroughu]

7. When we did that with our Hondas we just called corporate

And they took care of the paperwork on the remainder of the loan. We did not have to do anything more with the dealership or salesperson at the dealership. Unless you need service.

[CTyankee]

27. I had to use their service dept. recently and it was a great experience and they are close by.

The pluses are big here.

[Bluethroughu]

29. They will continue to be your service center, but paperwork

For the remainder of the loan can be handled over the phone or through your Honda online website, so you do not have to get exposed to Covid.

[DonaldsRump]

10. I totally understand about car dealers

It is very difficult to understand what is going on when they start tacking on things. I just tell them give me the drive-out lease price, all inclusive. They resist mightily, but I am always prepared to walk away.

I also completely understand why you don't want to look around now with the pandemic AND the hassle. One thing: please check the final pay-off to buy your car ALL IN. You might even call the leasing company rather than the dealer so that there are no surprises.

In the 1990s, I leased a car and the purchase price at the end of the lease was so low that I could buy the car and sell it immediately for a $3000 profit. I have NEVER had such luck again! Now, with my lease cars, I find that the payoff at the end is so high that it's cheaper for me to get a new lease. Maybe they design it that way deliberately.

My only issue with buying a used vehicle (albeit one that YOU have used) is the car coming off warranty and having to pay repair prices.

Anyway, it sounds like you have a good car and this is the right decision for you. Just mentioning a few points to consider.

Good luck!

[CTyankee]

13. I'm leasing it from this dealership. I have to deal with their dreaded "Finance dept."

[AnotherMother4Peace]

14. I'd probably do the same at this time, especially since you're happy with the car.

I bought my Subaru five years ago through Costco. I still had to go down to car dealership & "sit down at the desk" & then go the "finance office". It wasn't too bad at the time (prepandemic). I even bought the young salesman a generous Starbucks card.

[kirkuchiyo]

17. I guess it depends on the dealer.

I've only bought from one dealer for the last 30 years. Most of the employees, sales and service, know me by name. For about the last 15 I usually just find the car I want on their website (I always buy certified pre-owned VW's), call my sales guy (John) and just come in and sign for it. Usually in and out within a half hour or so. Sucks that you don't have the same experience, just know that not ALL dealerships are bad.

[CTyankee]

19. We have only 4,172 miles on the car. I guess I'll hear that it's worth a gazillion dollars because

of low mileage.

I'm already disgusted and we've just begun this process...

[kirkuchiyo]

20. Well I hope it goes better for you. I don't lease so not sure how that is calculated. Good luck! nt

[CTyankee]

21. Me, neither, but my guess is that it will be prized: excellent, low mileage, no accidents.

It really hasn't been driven that much (which you can tell by the mileage and its excellent condition). Cars these days are usually just better overall because of technology. I remember the old days where tires went flat all the time and cars broken down a lot.

[RobinA]

30. The Value

of the car at the time the lease is up is on your lease. That's how much you owe, not what the car is worth. If the car is worth more than that you still pay what the lease says. If the car is worth less, best not to buy out the lease.

[Auggie]

22. We did the same thing

It doesn't make sense financially UNLESS you hold onto the car long term. Our car is 20 years old and we haven't had payments in years. Even with repairs I believe we are ahead.

If Nissan has as good shelf life as most Toyotas and Hondas -- and if you keep the up the maintenance -- you should come out ahead too. And without dealing with loathsome salespeople.

[CTyankee]

23. At our age, shelf life ain't that important. We just need a damn car that we like and that is

reliable. There's only one thing i don't like and that is that the heat doesn't get warm enough when I start it in the morning on a cold day. So I wear driving gloves and warm cap.

[CTyankee]

24. My son is going to negotiate the whole thing. I just talked with him on the phone.

I plan to tell the dealership that. My question is: do I tell them that he is a prosecutor at the Brooklyn D.A.'s office? My husband thinks it's a bad idea, just let him negotiate without the dealership's knowing anything more than "We're elderly so my son will take over from here.Here's his number, he's expecting your call." and leave it at that.

[Auggie]

25. To be honest, I don't remember any negotiation

We were simply given the option of returning the car or paying off the principal with Volkswagen financing -- no dealer was involved, and it was done all via mail.

Sorry I can't offer an opinion on your son -- its beyond my comfort zone. Hope you understand.

[CTyankee]

26. Sure. I don't think there will be much negotiation either.

Just give them the number is probably best. I trust my son to take good care of me in the negotiation since he knows how to do it.

[RobinA]

31. The Number Is On

the lease. If you plan to buy it you just arrange financing if you need it and send them the papers.

[Laffy Kat]

33. I feel you.

I really need another car. I did test drive the model I want but I loathe the process of buying and that is the only thing stopping me right now. I have the downpayment, I only need to pick one out and purchase. I am thinking about going through a broker or Carvana.

[Initech]

34. When I bought my car back in September the buying process was relatively painless.

I was in and out of the dealer in less 3 hours and got one of the lowest payments I've ever had. I like looking at cars way more than I like actually buying them though!