Existing 39mos lease

[ocdani]

ends June 09. Thought we would buy the car at the end. 2006 - SLK55 performance package fully loaded - only one in SOCAL in april 2006...so paid invoice of 77k. The buyout is 36k, but the broker who helped get me into car says values are down alot...a dealer told me that wholesale prices in Riverside where leases are sold to are going for 30k even today....so in 4-5 months it will be less?? In any experiences - have you seen where someone in my position can buy the car for 30 or 31k or less? I would like to keep it...its prestine...except I don't want to pay for more then its worth. The lease is thru US Bank. My friend could get me another car at the auction maybe a 2007 sl55 for great price.

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[LeaseCompare]

I'm showing Manheim auction ranges from $28k-$37K depending on miles. The less you show interest in buying it, the better chance you have for a lower buyout.

[Crispix]

I was able to get them to negotiate on my 2006 CLK's residual -- I told them I was going to turn it in unless I could get the residual down to less than blue book. A week later, after I showed no interest in any other deal and had scheduled a time to turn it in, they finally offered a very fair price, and I bought it. (This was through MB Financial, don't know if US Bank will do the same or not.)

[mac911]

You can try with US Bank obviously, ask them to consider current values.

I would also encourage you to consider the condition you have taken care of the car. Another used car out there, you have no idea how it was treated. If yours way treated very good, it might be worth a bit more than what other cars are going for, since you know the condition, and only you can know the true condition.