Thanks
The last post had it correctly - you up your security deposits (multiply it hence the name) to get a lower monthly payment. The Sales Associate looked at a few different purchase options and he didn't end up presenting the MSD one. This SA is really sold on putting down the bare minimum drive off cost and paying high monthly payments so that you don't have a huge financial exposure and you're supposedly tranferring the depreciation and the hassle of dealing with an insurance company in case the car is wrecked because of the lease package gap insurance. I could drive off a $102,610 MSRP SL500 for $2600 and pay $1600 for 36 months on this lease. This is opposed to purchasing it for cash and owning it and paying the sales tax on the entire price (another reason to lease he says). I'm was hoping to negotiaate the price to $97K, pay the license and tax (approximately $106,000) and drive off into the sunset but his reasoning is sounding better to me if I can get a good residual. After leasing three years I would be out $60,200 for the drive off and 36 lease payments and then could purchase the car if I like instead of being out $106,000 today with some of the neagatives of ownership i.e. wrecks, immediate depreciation when I drive it off the lot, etc. I could use the $106K to make the monthly payments and have the balance for other things or just let it grow in some investment to purchase the car outright in three years. My dad always said save and pay cash for something like a car but maybe with something this expensive that advice is no longer the best way to go.