Just wondering if most people pay cash, lease or buy over a 5 year term. I am fortunate enough to have bought my car in cash, of course it was only $50K If I can't buy a car out right I feel as if I should not be driving it, but that's just me.

Even though I could have afforded to, I would not likely tie up cash in a car, esp at this price tag and depriciation rate.

Interesting perspective, so you are safely investing your money at over 7% - 8% interest? I have a lot of money invested in CD's, I make about 5.6% average.

i paid cash 100k! i had no choice, i dont have a social security number so i cant finance or lease

If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living?!

How do you live in the US w/out a SS #?

I used to buy all my previous cars and pay in cash but leasing them make better sense now.

cash

+1 - paid half and invested the rest. currently my guy is avg'ing 14%-16% return with 1%-2% handling fee depending on activity.

buying is so stupid i lease and im in and out every 2 years

Guess I'm stupid. I paid cash.

Nothing is stupid.

Paid cash... but every time I am about to pull the trigger, I assess the situation - which one would likely leave me w/ more money at the end of the day:
- Cash: No investment (assume it's an either-or situation), no interest expense, TBD depreciation
- Lease: Investment but have interest expense + pre-determined depreciation
- Finance: Investment but have interest expense + TBD depreciation

this thread is stupid
sorry but do you really think you'll get honest genuine responses to a private matter or ...

I do the same thing, that's just good financial sense. The only thing that makes me lean more toward lease is the TBD depreciation. For some reason these cars seem to have a ton. Plus the tax writeoff

Having listened to a few financial advisors, I agree with you 100%. But I can never seem to be able to wait long enough for the money. Unfortunately I like to live in the now. 50K is def. too much for me at this point in time.

If you can afford to pay cash, why the hell not.

I bought mine,but,I wish I had leased it.These cars depreciate to fast and have too many problems to own out right.

You could also put a depreciation for tax write-off if you buy. I'm no expert in this thing... but I think if you buy new and use it for business 50% or more, you could get big depreciation in the 1st year (section 179 or something ).

But when you sell it for more than new price minus depreciation you declared, you need to pay recaptured depreciation.

If I'm not mistaken, one additional benefit of leasing vs. financing/buying outright is that you just need to pay tax on the depreciation. Someone may need to correct me here

If you by AMG new, yeah... I think leasing makes more sense (assuming the residual is high) given crazy depreciation in 1st and 2nd year (I bought mine exactly 2 years old & low mileage for only 55-60% MSRP - but good for me as I think I would only "lose" $10K-$15K for the next 3 years - ~10%/year depreciation). But hey... there are plenty people out there who think $100K is just a spare change.

Cash.

I leased it. $3000K down and $1100 per month for 36 months. I had actually cashed out my '05E55, so I took all the extra cash and got a condo.

Traded straight up for a large load of some really good ganja.

If you can afford it, whether new or used, cash is best...
Lease would be my second option

when i lived in boston & DC, i saw tons of foreigners driving AMGs, BMW Ms & porsches. they were often young college/grad students from wealthy families in hongkong, arab world and se asia.

From Florida? Sheeeesh, you'd better get out to Cally, if you wanna make AMG money.

Good move

I will spare you some trouble.

In 2006 84% of all AMGs were leased, the rest were financed or cash.

So far in 2007 it is 91% leases.

cash for mine - in the uk you pay about 6-7% apr if you're lucky, and will probably be lucky to get 5-6% on investments unless you like higher risks....