Leasing a car is one of the popular ways of financing a car, especially if you have just started working. However, you need to be on guard against expensive car leasing deals, especially if you have never leased a car before. Leasing a car involves jargon that is not commonly used while buying a car, or even while applying for a car loan. However, to get the best car leasing deals, you must familiarize yourself with the leasing process.

Learn the jargon

Some terms are exclusive to car leasing, and you probably won’t hear them anywhere else. Therefore, get familiar with the everyday jargon that is used in car leasing deals. This way no dealership will be able to swindle you into an unprofitable deal. To get started, here are some common car leasing jargon terms that you must understand: capitalized cost, cap cost reduction, money factor, residual value, buyout price, acquisition fee, disposition fee, due at signing, and purchase option fee.

Choose the car wisely

When you’re leasing a car, you’re essentially paying for its depreciation. Choosing a car that has a low depreciation value essentially means that you’ll be paying less on your lease. Moreover, cars with a good resale value have a strong residual value. This means that the car will have a higher value even at the end of your lease term.

Know what you can and can’t negotiate

This is where understanding the car leasing jargon comes handy. Certain aspects of car leasing deals can be negotiated, and certain terms such as residual value, acquisition fee, disposition fee and purchase option fee, and registration and tax amount are non-negotiable. To get the best deal, focus on what you can change, and negotiate terms that are favorable to you. It is recommended that you strongly negotiate on capitalized cost, money factor, cap cost reduction, buyout price, mileage cap and charges, and trade-in value.

Check lease deals

When a car isn’t selling quickly, carmakers usually offer lucrative lease deals to get rid of it. While this sounds fishy, it is also your chance of getting affordable car leasing deals. In such cases, you can negotiate to lower your monthly payment and sing-in amount.

Calculate the total cost

A lower monthly payment is tempting, but it might not necessarily help you save more money. Therefore, calculate the total amount that you’ll be paying to avoid falling for such offers. This includes the down payment, taxes, and other applicable fees. To get the best car leasing deals, you should compare offers from various dealers and opt for the one best suited for you.

Estimate the mileage you need

It is important that you have a reasonable estimate of the number of miles you’ll be driving before you decide on leasing a car. Overshooting the mileage limit can be extremely costly, and can negatively affect your budget in the long term.