how much is a lease for one? If at all possible.

 

I think there are hundreds of variables involved to try to determine how much one could get a CLS55 for.

You'll be a lot better of asking your dealer for rough estimates and then perhaps asking the guys in the Lease forum.

 

My friend just leased an E55....39 months, $2,400 drive off sticker was 90K and he said his payment is around $1,600...all aproximates but I would guess you could ge away with a lease for around $2,000

 

Don't lease from BMW or mercedes. I madethat mistake once. Ipayed 1K/month on my 01 M3 vert from BMW and I payed $650/month on my 03 M3 vert from an outside company. Same price, same money down, same lease time. I got hosed. I looked at leasing a CLS55 and they wanted like 2K/month. I payed $1350 on my 120K Ferrari. Go with an outside source like prolease or premier. Check your city and see if they chargeproperty tax on the car. If they do register the car at another adress where they don't charge tax, like a business perhaps. Good luck.

 

Download a lease calculating spreadsheet.... here are the numbers you need to figure out what it will cost.

(These are courtesy of Tarry @ Leasecompare.com)

Add 2% to Residual Value for 12k mi/yr and 3% for 10k mi/yr on all terms

CLS Class 4dr Sedan CLS500

24 mo/15k mi – 72% Residual Value – Money Factor .00350 Base Rate
36 mo/15k mi – 64% Residual Value – Money Factor .00325 Base Rate
48 mo/15k mi – 56% Residual Value – Money Factor .00325 Base Rate
60 mo/15k mi – 49% Residual Value – Money Factor .00325 Base Rate

CLS Class 4dr Sedan CLS55

24 mo/15k mi – 71% Residual Value – Money Factor .00350 Base Rate
36 mo/15k mi – 63% Residual Value – Money Factor .00325 Base Rate
48 mo/15k mi – 55% Residual Value – Money Factor .00325 Base Rate
60 mo/15k mi – 48% Residual Value – Money Factor .00325 Base Rate


Some manufacturer programs are good some are bad, but what often aggrivates the situation is that dealers mark up the money and then show you a big discount off the car. This way you think youre getting a good deal, and they get to pay their employees less, meanwhile theyre making even more money on the back than they would ahve if they had just sold you the car at MSRP.

Adam

 

I would really like to get the CLS but I feel that leasing is the only way I could "afford" one. I am financing my CLK55 right now and I don't want any higher payments than that. If I lease the CLS using my CLK55 as a cap cost reduction, then the payments would be cheaper than what I'm paying now ($1,273/month), But I won't "own" anything in the end. I guess after a 3 year lease I could have the option to buy the car...i.e. finance the rest of the car, but then my payments will be back up there for another five years and the car will be almost out of warranty.
damn....now what do I do?

I really want the CLS55 but can't afford it. Is leasing then financing forever my only option? My other problem is that I still owe $40K on my CLK55 and have almost 3 years left of payments on it.
Can you finance a car for more than 5 yrears with MB credit? Is it stupid to do that?

 

On the last statement...yes that would not be advisable. You would be in the same boat you are in now, especially if a newer model comes around the corner, but for a longer term. A lease should never be longer than 3 years.

I like turning over new cars and 3 years is just right for the new car itch in me. I have a company car and mileage is never an issue for me. The warranty is always an issue with me...I never lease a car longer than the warranty on the car.

Really depends on your lifestyle and priorities .

 

Hate to say it, but you kind of answered your own question: "I want a CLS55 but can't affor it". Makes no sense trying to stretch yourself to have a car you really can't afford. Wait a year or two and maybe a used one?

 

OK.....let me be more clear. I can't really afford the finance payments with such little down, but I can afford the lease payments with a little down! I guess my real peoblem is I have too much free time to think about these things and I need a new hobby instead of cars!!!

 

Unfortunately, you were hosed by the dealer, not BMW financial or MB financial. You see, a lease is a very tricky transaction, and unless you know all the variables involved, you are very likely to get hosed. The dealer (specifically the Finance Manager) has a vested interest to charge you the highest amount of interest rate he can get away with. BMW Financial may tell the dealer, the buy rate on the money factor on the M3 is 0.022 and. The dealer may, in turn, use a money factor of 0.03 to calculate the lease, and you would have no way of knowing, because "money factor" is not openly seen in the lease. He can camouflage it by asking you to put an extra $500 down to bring the lease payment down.

Often times, manufacturers will offer specials, (subsidized leases) which would make leasing a car very attractive, much better than an outside leasing company. These factors cannot be offered by outside leasing companies. If you follow the following rules, you are likely not to get hosed:

1) Lease for a maximum of 36 months (39 months is ok IFF it is based on a 36 month resudal extended for an extra three months. Anything more than this term, will cost you much more than the car is depreciating)

2) You should NEVER put any extra money down on a lease, just the UPFRONT fees. Upfront fees should only be either some or all of the following, nothing more: *acquisition fee * first month *security fee *sales tax. Fees, such as documentation fee, inception fee, delivery preparation fee, dealer advertizing group (DAG) fee are ALL scams to make you pay more than you really should

3) Always demand to have lease formulated using "buy rate" on the money factor. Verify this number by calling different dealerships and asking a sales manager. It should be a fixed variable across all dealerships in a region. ALso, use a lease calculator to verify the monthly payments the dealer is quoting you

This was a brief summary as to leasing. If anyone, has any questions, or would like my opinion on the particulars of a lease, please send me a PM, I would be happy to help

I still find myself busting heads with the finance managers when leasing or financing a car. IMO, they are, in general, the least ethical of the people at the dealerships, because they can screw you without telling you. At least, if the Sales dept. wants to screw you, you know it by seeing the premium marked on the cars

 

I sense you know how buried you are in car debt now and you're asking for permission to make it worse. Maybe you just can't afford it. Nothing to be ashamed about. Save some bucks. There's more to life than cars.

 

What are you smoking? Just kidding!