New Lease vs Finance vs Cash

Enter new lease terms, financed new car terms, and optional cash purchase (skip if cash is tight)

Auto Lease Decision Journey

Compare a new lease against financing a new car or buying one with cash. Enter each path once, avoid repeating the same numbers across steps, and mark the cash route as “not an option” if savings are short.

Journey progress

75% complete

Scenario inputs

Comparison horizon (months)

Annual miles

New Lease Terms

Monthly payment ($)Down payment / drive-off ($)Disposition/fees ($)Insurance ($/mo)Maintenance ($/mo)Fuel/charging ($/mo)

Finance a New Car

Vehicle price ($)Down payment ($)APR (%)Loan term (months)Resale value at horizon ($)Insurance ($/mo)Maintenance ($/mo)Fuel/charging ($/mo)

Buy with Cash (New Car)

Not an option

Skip this if you do not have enough cash on hand.

Purchase price (cash outlay)Taxes & fees ($)Resale value at horizon ($)Insurance ($/mo)Maintenance ($/mo)Fuel/charging ($/mo)

Incentives & Rebates

Enter any manufacturer, dealer, or government incentives that apply to your replacement options.

Loyalty bonus ($)

Returning customer bonus from same brand

Conquest cash ($)

Bonus for switching from competitor brand

Federal EV tax credit ($)

Up to $7,500 for qualifying EVs (IRS 30D)

State/local EV incentive ($)

State rebates, HOV access value, etc.

Dealer rebate/cash ($)

Dealer cash, manufacturer incentives

College grad/military rebate ($)

Special program discounts

Opportunity Cost (NPV Comparison)

For a true cost comparison, factor in what your money could earn elsewhere.

Discount rate (%)

Annual rate for NPV calculations (e.g., 5%)

Alt. investment return (%)

What cash could earn if invested instead

Gap Insurance (for financed/leased replacements)

New lease gap insurance ($/term)

Often included in lease; enter extra cost if any

Finance gap insurance ($/term)

Covers loan/value gap if totaled

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